Plans with grandparents...see any issues?

[loafskier]

First WDW trip for the family in two weeks ....YAHOO !

My parents are planning to come to the parks with us on the last day of our visit. We are staying at the Wildnerness Lodge and they are staying somewhere near downtown disney, the Palace/Wyndam I think. Their visit is a surprise to the kids, so it will be a little extra magic for their vacation.

Okay, so, here is my plan, I just hope there aren't any road blocks. I am telling my parents to buy tickets at their hotel so they are in hand when we meet them. I wanted them to meet us in the lobby of WL, then we could grab some portable breakfast for the boat ride over to MK together. My concerns are: Will there be any problem with them parking their car at WL for the day? I'll check with the CMs to make sure when I get there, but I wanted the DISer's opinions. Also, will they have any trouble getting on the boat with us even though they are not WL guests? I can't see a CM turning away two grandparents with their family, but you never know.

I arranged things this way in order to have some time to chat in the WL and on the boat. Once we get to the parks we'll be ready to get in some early morning rides before it gets crowded - commando style while the lines are short. I know that if we met in the park, we would waste 30 minutes get acquainted when we could be hitting some short lines.

Thanks for helping the newbie!

 

[bopper]

What is your plan if they are late? How will they contact you? What if they don't get those tickets? Do they like commando style touring? Be prepared to go at a slower pace if you haven't travelled with them before. Let the day be about spending time with them, not how many rides you go on.

I don't think they would have a problem getting on the boat, but they may have to pay for parking.

And the kids will love it!

 

[loafskier]

They are always late, I am giving them a time 30 minutes earlier than I would like them there .

Cell phone will confirm our plan the day before (they arrive the night before) and will be used if there are issues.

Can the tickets be bought at WL if needed (my mom is pretty good, I'm sure she'll get the tickets ahead of time)? If both fail, we'll get them at the TTC and just accept the delay.

We are only going to commando for the first 2 hours or so and they'll be able to keep up (pretty young for grandparents, only 64 and in decent shape). After that, we'll stop and smell the roses, and will probably spend some time hanging around, riding the monorail, and splashing at the pool - I'm sure they will want to see WL in more detail later in the day.

 

[mickeyclark]

You might want to consider buying the tickets for the grandparents before you leave for vacation, so that is one less thing that needs to get done that morning.

I would suggest you arrange an ADR for a sit down lunch, so that if the grandparents get tired they will have a nice place to sit and relax. This will ensure that you don't over do it, and allow everyone to visit with each other. My child's grandmother enjoys watching my son at the character meals, like Crystal Palace or Liberty Tree Tavern (character meal at dinner only.)

Enjoy! Having everyone together is a nice treat!

 

[jtopp]

I agree with the last post. The important thing is the time the grandparents spend with the children, and the suprise, perfect. unless the grandparents are in good shape, I also would suggest a slower pace, with time to relax and bond, not just at the beginning of the visit. Hope you and your kids have a great time!