Granny or no granny~

[The Sweetness]

I cant decide if my grandma (83) would enjoy a trip to WDW with us. She has joined us before, but this was almost 10y ago. If she would feel too tired, or left out of too many activities (splash/ thunder mtns), maybe she would be best off to stay home? Please give me your advice and share your pos/neg experiences

 

[tci1212]

If your grandmom enjoys it I would take her. Is your grandmom able to walk on her own? My mother is 87 yrs old and we have been taking her for 10 yrs now. She likes the attractions like Carosel of Progress and the muppets and all the other shows. Most of the rides she will go on. Anything fast or with a drop we keep her off of. We just wheel her into a shady spot and she waits for us. We no sooner get back from a Disney trip and she starts asking us when are we going again. We do need to use a wheel chair in the parks for her because she gets very tired walking. We usually will take her to the parks in the morning then we will take her back to our Cabin in the afternoon. She only goes to the parks for the morning then she wants to go back. We will be taking her in August and I purchased a wheelchair for her to take with us. I know I won't have her forever, so as long as she asks to go I will take her.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

I think it will depend on your grandmother. My grandmother is nearing 80 and lives in New Port Richey, FL. We go visit her almost every year if we can. We went down to see her in May 2000 and she went to Sea World, Epcot, etc., with us. Well, I have been unable to go see her again until 2 months ago. When we went back, she wanted to go to Epcot. We took her and I have to say it was a drastic change from 2000.
She is in good health and has no trouble walking and such but in 2000 she had just as much energy as any of us. We did almost everything at Epcot that year. This year, we were there for 4 hours and she said she couldn't take any more. She was too tired. Honestly, she was ready to go in about an hour, but is too stubborn to say so until she just can't take it any longer. I was a little surprised b/c she still seems like she has a lot of energy to me. I guess waiting in line has just gotten to be more for her than it used to be. I think I would ask your grandmother if she wants to go. If she is like mine, she will tell you no if it's not something she would like to do. Mine always says no to MK and US/IOA!

 

[Eeyore2003]

My MIL went with us 3 years ago. She was 79. She went on TOT, Splash Mountain, Test Track plus all the other "tame ones". Only thing she didn't go on that DH and DS did was RNR, but I don't do that one either. She LOVED WDW and had a great time!!! It was August, and she didn't need a wheelchair either. I always only spend mornings in the park though, and then do an afternoon break, then go back out. She did need that break to "re-coup". I think it depends on your grandma and her health.

 

[Chuck S]

My Mom is 80 and needs a wheelchair in the parks. She will do space mountain, but prefers the "tamer" attractions like Splach Mtn, Thunder Mtn, and Test Track, and Mission: Space. She won't do ToT or RNR (I guess basically she isn't the "inversion/drop" type). We go 2x a year and have a blast...so if you Grandma enjoys it, by all means, take her. How many more opportunities will you have to make those kind of memories?

 

[Destination Disney]

I agree with the above poster, make all of the magical memeories you can! There are so many things that she can do at WDW. I mean if my two year old can ride a bunch of attractions, then grandma can too!

Me
Hubby
Jr.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I think WDW is great for people of all ages.

What month would you be going? I'd maybe avoid the hotter months and the more crowded times, and possibly consider renting her an ECV to get around easier.

But there are plenty of places at WDW to stop and rest and relax. You could go back to your room midday and relax, stop into a cafe and have a beverage and relax. There are so many ways to escape the heat and get off your feet for a while.

 

[The Sweetness]

We have plenty of time to consider it, trip is in June. If granny does join us, we will def. rent her a wheel chair. I have never left the parks in the middle of a day for a nap. Even when DD was 2, she napped in her stroller in a cool or shady quiet place

 

[RamseyTrio]

We've taken both grannies with us (but they are only in their late 60's). One needed a wheelchair and it worked out wonderfully. A lot of times we'd be standing near a ride just talking about what to do next and next thing we knew a CM was escorting us onto the rides!

If you have kids it's great to bring a Granny along - they can watch the kids for a few minutes while you and DH sneak off onto a ride together.

Both our kids spent some special times alone with their grannies.

Have fun! I hope I can still go to WDW when I'm in my 80's!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Oh, I hope, hope, hope somebody will take me when I am 83!!!!

 

[Montana Minnies]

My mother is 84 and will be traveling with us in a few weeks. She has not been to WDW since 1985 and with it being all the family going I did not want to leave her home alone.
She just asked me the other day when we were going to start packing! She has told me she knows there are shaded areas at the parks and she can sit there while the rest of us do our thing, which was a surprise to me since my sister and I figured she could stay at the resort (OKW) and relax.
So if "Granny" decides to go with, make the most of it and have fun! I hope as I get older I continue to be included in family getways to WDW

 

[The Sweetness]

Part of the reason for the idea of inviting granny with us on vacation is b/c I hope when Im that old (quite possibly slowing e/1 down a bit) that I will be welcomed on vacations with my DD and her kids and their kids (I should be so lucky). DD is a little concerned @ this, as the only hotel rooms she's ever seen have only 2 beds (she's already staked her claim to sleep on the floor rather than to share a bed). I want her to know that its important to include granny as much as possible. Granny may also join in on a spring-break class trip to DC

 

[jann1033]

i would say it depends on how "old " an 83 yr old she is. you can get her a motorized chair for her to use or, if she is like my 82 yr old step father, for you so "you" can keep up!

my husband and I went solo ( kidless ) this past time and really enjoyed ourselves, I think there is something for every age. if she is tired , she can always rest at the resort . maybe plan on some down time to swim or what ever while she is taking it easy (if the park hrs are late enough) or she may enjoy some alone time to recoup.

it's hard for kids to realize our parents and grandparents aren't around forever and maybe don't think how important spending time together is but imo it's a good thing to learn so you don't regret it later. it doesn't hurt to learn to put others desires at least equal to yours either ( not implying yours don't, just a broad statement of fact)

 

[The Sweetness]

I got a few 2004 books from Amazon, and let granny borrow one. This was a week ago and I asked her if I might bring it to my DD's dentist apointment. Not only was she enjoying the book, she had a list (and not a short one) of things she'd like to do in MK including Splash, Space, and Thunder mountains


I dont even ride space mtn

 

[Deweysgirl]

My grandmother will be traveling with us this weekend to Disney to celebrate my 40th with me...she is 92!

She is like a kid looking forward to vacation! I'm so glad she is able to celebrate this milestone birthday with me. She loves Disney, always has and I'm proud to have her with me.

She's only doing Epcot with us and will probably only be able to make it a few hours at a time before needing a nap but she plans to have dinner at Le Cellier with all of us on Sunday and dinner and fireworks at 'Ohana's on Saturday evening.

She is in a wheelchair now due to a stroke she had in 2000 while traveling to Sydney Australia for the Olympics. She was 88 at the time and still traveling around the world! She's a real go-getter and I say as long as the granny's and grandpa's want to go, then by all means, go for it!

 

[Deb & Bill]

When we took my mother two years ago, we were able to borrow a wheelchair from the resort. We had to put down a deposit in case we didn't return with the chair, but they didn't charge our card at all and we returned the chair after a week. My mother was 84 when we went. She enjoyed going to the parks with us and my dear husband was the one who pushed her chair around. She died a month ago and I'm glad that we got to bring her with us.

There were times when she decided to stay at the resort and take a nap, especially when we headed for the resort pool. But she enjoyed DTD.

 

[mkutch]

Take her, take her, take her!!! I took my grandparents 3 years ago she was 80 and my grandfather was 82. We had wheelchairs for them but for the most part they pushed them around. It was her first and last time visiting WDW. She passed away last year. I am so glad I took her--she always talked about it and how it meant so much that her granddaughter took her. We always think about how great it is to see WDW thru a child's eyes but I will tell you - it was so great watching her there--she couldn't get over the technology and little details. LOVED IT!!!

 

[bigbabyblues]

Take her, if she can and will! We might be bringing DH grandma with us, she's 76 I believe. His grandpa is very ill right now, has only a few days left with us, and I think it will be good for her to go (we go at the end of Sept) by then, and we will get to spend some special time with her as well. I wish my grandparents could go, but my grandpa can't tolerate crowds at all due to an inner ear problem, he wouldn't even try, and my grandma is in a nursing home with Alzheimers. She's 64. I wish I had been able to do something like WDW with them, but I can't. I'm thankful for DH grandparents, who are almost like my own.

 

[ElizabethB]

Take her but only if your trip is not in the heat of summer and if you rent her an ECV. I see plenty of posts about wheeling Granny around. But my mother (age 71) uses an ECV and it's much better for all concerned. She enjoys driving it and no one has to push her all over the parks.

Make sure she's willing to use it, too, if you get it for her. My father won't use an ECV (too proud). Certainly, he would never use a wheelchair. He's 76 and as a result, I can't take him anymore. It's too much for him without an ECV and too difficult for him if he doesn't use one.

 

[Disney Spaz]

We went two years ago with my father, 66. It was a suprise for my two DS and they were totally excited to have him there. We definatly had to modify what we normaly did but having their grandpa there meant more to them then I can even say. This would have been the first time My father had not spent Christmas with me and my DS's. WDW is a magical place but when you have family there it becomes so much more. We are going back this Christmas and I can't imagine not having my daddy right there with us. At the same time I would never bring my mother because she cannot walk around, gets tired quickly and finds most of the rides too intimidating. If I were you I would have grandma review a guide book to WDW and see what she thinks about going. Maybe she will feel that it is too much for her or be willing to give it a chance. But if she goes prepare to alter or slow down how you take on the parks. Good Luck