Something different for parents

[slp87]

I posted this on the Theme parks strategies board, but someone said I might get some good help here. My husband, daughter, parents and I are going to WDW next March. We have all been many times before (in fact my parents have gone a few times without us!!). The difference this year is that my mom's cancer has come back and she is undergoing chemo weekly for 6 mos. She gets tired easily and cannot do Disney like we've done in the past. They are planning to visit the various resorts and DD, but what are some different things they can do that we haven't thought about? This is the time for them to really "stop and smell roses" and discover some of the relaxing things to do. Thanks for any tips!!

 

[Wheelsie]

If you can think of some SPECIFIC questions you'd like answered hun post em here

TO get you started tho here is a thread all about some off site medical places where you can hire an ECV or wheelchiar for your mom

ECV \wheelchair thread

Also Call WDW Resort Special Reservations at (407) 939-7807 (voice) or (407) 939-7670 (TTY).
They maybe able to help you as well!

and WELCOME!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

I am glad you found the disABILITIES Board. I've thought of a few things we like to do that are relaxing.
1) Rent a pontoon boat at OKW or DD and take a relaxing boat trip. The boat channel goes from OKW to DD, or if you turn the other way, you can boat to Port Orleans. The pontoon boats are easy to drive and don't rock that much. We do this every time we go to OKW. It's about a one hour round trip from OKW to DD to PO and then back to OKW.

2) If you want to do a character meal, Crystal Palace in MK is a relaxing one. It's a buffet, so she would be more likely to find something she would feel like eating.

3) There is a porch at the back of the Boardwalk hotel where you can sit in nice wicker chairs or rocking chairs and watch the action on the Boardwalk. At BW, you can also rent surrey bikes to ride along the boardwalk. It's not necessary for everyone to pedal, so she might be able to do that.

4) You might want to look into an Illuminations Cruise (We haven't done one, but it sounds fun, relaxing and you don't have to fight any crowds).

5) Each park has some quiet places where you can sit and watch the world go by. Here are some of our favs:
MK: The porch on the Exibition Hall on Main Street (the building with Tony's Town Square Restaurant in it). Except in the early morning, it is shaded. There's a bathroom in the restaurant and a drink cart parked in front of you. The rocking chairs are comfortable. There is a ramp to get up to the porch (the part of the porch nearest the train station). It's also a great place to watch the parades and it's fun to watch people pose with the Goofy Statue below the porch.
Epcot: The eating area in front of the American Pavilion is nice, also the benches by the Rose Garden in the United Kingdom (lots of rose smelling there), inside the Living Seas and the tables inside the building where the Fountain View bakery is located (There is a pizza restaurant in there that is closed right now).
Studio:When it's not mealtime, the Commisary is a nice cool place to sit, also the tables by Anaheim Produce on Sunset Blvd.
AK: is kind of warm and there really aren't a lot of cool places to sit. One of the shows we liked was the Flights of Wonder in Asia. Every time we have gone, the CMs have been begging people to go, so it wouldn't be a long wait outside. The pavilion was outside, but shaded and fairly cool.

6) She can go to First Aid in any of the parks to rest. They are cool, dimly lit and relaxing with a cot to lie down on. Depending on where you are staying, this might be a better option than going back to your hotel room. A mid-day commute back to the hotel might involve a wait for the bus in the heat and a 10-25 minute bus ride. This can be very tiring.

 

[Wheelsie]

Actually th MOST relazing (and Ive done alomsot all of em I think LOL) Character meal is Garden Grill in the land....

Its homestyle food...all you can eat....and its brought right to you table in a skillet....as many times as you ask em to

Its a revolving restaurant so you never see the same view twice and you can look down into the ecology ride ride thats under the restaurant. (and you have a neat slow boat ride to do after your meal in an air condition building to boot! ) It called Living with the Land!

but then again thats just IMO

 

[ehagerty]

My boss asked me the other day - "What can you possible find to do there so often - and for so long?"

My response:

When most people think of Disney, they think of the parks and the attractions. We did, too the first few trips. Once we "were past all that" (meaning we still enjoyed the attractions, but didn't feel compelled to go on them all each trip), we started to enjoy new dimensions of the experience - especiallly, the entertainment.

Today when check in (to our Disney Resort - usually OKW), we are at least as interested in the entertainment schedule as everything else. So, we pick up a map for each park and start to "plan" (rough idea). Once we are in the park, we usually plan to catch the "full act". There was a "close up illusionist" (card tricks) at the Rose & Crown for a few years who was absolutely exceptional (and I don't care for magic, usually). My sons would sit and watch him for hours, visit after visit.

Other suggestions (besides the obvious, well-known, ones, like the Hunchback at MGM):
Plan to have a drink EP-Mexico while watching the Mariachis (inside, cool).
Plan to watch the steel drums (MK-Adventureland) while having lunch.

Other exceptional entertainment:
MGM - Hollywood Hitmen - brass band (play in the back in front of the fake Carnegie Hall)
EP-China - acrobats
EP-America - Voices of Liberty

Once of the nicest experiences was the year they carved the replacement totem pole. They had a Inuit carver and a viewing ramp (near Canada). My kids watched for around 30 minutes - he gave them shavings from the 700 year old redwood - and the next visit, we got to see it completed and installed.

One very out-of-the-way place (may not even be there anymore) we stopped in a couple of years ago was the tiny middle-Eastern tea room across from the Restaurant Marakkesh. It is so "tucked away" that it is rarely busy.

Also, sometime in the last couple of years, the Disney magazine had a "special" article about "20 out of the way places" in the theme park to stop and rest. I don't recall the issue, but I rememer lending one of my staff the article to make a copy. I remember specifically saying to her that the author had "found" most of my "stop and smell the roses" places in it. I mention it here because I suspect that therer is someone who reads this who will remember and can probably point you to it.............

 

[nancycels]

Relaxing things to do in or around DIS:

animal kingdom near the safari is good, lots of entertainment, usually a speaker about customs or something neat like that... also lots of music and dancing. Some places u can sit under a shaded area where there are tables and chairs

also the bird show is a nice relaxing time!

also animal kingdom, do lunch at the rainforest....nice and cool, very refreshing iced drinks as well.

we also have driven to the tiffany museum, don't recall the name, but its a whole museum of art glass, great time! they give you a tour or u can go around on your own..i think its in winterpark...also lots of neat little shops and restaurants in town there.

the bakery near scandinavia in epcot..has great salad for lunch and a comfortable area that has an overhang for eating...also some good sandwiches! there's a ride right there, so if u want to take the kids on that, everyone who doesnt want to go can sit and relax.

we usually also rent a boat at the marketplace to have a picnic lunch or dinner one day/night. Its nice and relaxing to be out on the water! And a good change of pace from the parks!

If i remember anything else, will post it for u!

 

[slp87]

Thanks everyone for some good ideas!!