Taking extremes in age any suggestions???

[sean-1966]

We just booked our next trip last night. A grand Villa at OKW in May. The thing that's got me thinking is the people that we're taking with us. There's myself and DW, my mother and step-father, my brother, his girlfriend and their daughter. I'm wondering about my step-father who is 75 and my niece who is 3. Any suggestions for travelling with the old and very young. Usually it's just the two of us.

 

[beequeen]

We've done family reunions a WDW that included everyone from age 8 to 78. What worked for us was to NOT to try to do everything together. We broke up into smaller groups during the day based on different interests (parks, golf, sitting by the pool) then always met up for dinner and evening activities. We all got to do what we wanted, but still felt like we were on vacation together. Have a great trip!

 

[spiceycat]

does your elderly have a problem with steps - most of OKW GV start on the second floor.

there is one that doesn't - but I think Doc says that it was handicapped.

in the building 63 that is also one that has an elevator.

 

[sean-1966]

He has no problem with stairs. But, I don't think he'll be able to walk for hours on end.

 

[cocoswife]

I took a trip with my 80 yr old Grandma and 4 yr old energetic niece and we all had a great time. We took a few breaks during the day, but, we never left the park. I would take my niece to get our fast passes and leave grandma sitting on a bench under a nice tree. Grandma took some reading material (ie. newspaper) and read while we went on attractions that she didn't want to ride. I actually got a great picture of her at MK reading a newspaper with the castle on the background. Our next trip with grandma will be next May and she will be almost 83 and this time we will have a 5 yr old, 2 8yr olds, a 13 yr old and a 15 yr old..grandma is really looking foward to it and so are we..

 

[eporter66]

We just booked our next trip last night. A grand Villa at OKW in May. The thing that's got me thinking is the people that we're taking with us. There's myself and DW, my mother and step-father, my brother, his girlfriend and their daughter. I'm wondering about my step-father who is 75 and my niece who is 3. Any suggestions for travelling with the old and very young. Usually it's just the two of us.

Take it slow and let everyone go at their own pace. My daughter is 2.5 yrs old and we just got back from Disney. We stayed in a one bedroom, and brought her back every afternoon for a nap (luckily she still does). This kept her fresh, happy, and made the trip a whole lot simpler.

My wife and I have been to Disney a number of times, so there was no rush to hit every ride or spend every minute trooping around the parks. It actually was our most relaxing and enjoyable vacation. Depending on how long you are there - spend a day at the pool or around the resort, it is a great way to take a day off from doing the parks.

With all those people going with you, just lay out some ground rules. Let everyone know that they should do their own thing - dont worry if someone wants to go back, or doesnt want to go out to dinner etc... That makes things easier to. Sometimes people feel obligated and everyone feels they have to be together 24-7, just go and have fun.

Have a great trip

E

 

[JimMIA]

Your trip sounds a lot like our trip in Dec '05, except your group is a little larger.

We had myself, DW, DD4-going-on-24 (who was 3 3/4 at the time), Grandma and Great Aunt. GM and GA are in that "We've lied about our age for so long, we're really not sure how old we are" group, but they're both older than your stepfather. In addition, GM has mobility issues and was using an ECV throughout the trip.

Also, since the primary goal of the trip was for GM and GA to enjoy WDW with Girlie, we did everything together.

Doing everything together definitely slowed us down...which actually was probably one of the nicest things about the trip. We really had a very relaxed time, but we still did everything we wanted to do. I think that's the biggest difference, though. If you're all going somewhere as a group, calculate the amount of time it will take, multiply by 2, and you'll be just about right. It's like herding cats.

Both the older members and the 3 y/o will need rest, and going back to the resort in the middle of the day will probably work out well for you. It did for us. OKW is a very relaxing place anyway, so some folks may want to hit the pool, others may want to read a book on the verandah if the weather is nice, and others may want to take a nap.

The other suggestion I might make is that it was a lot easier for us to drive everywhere, rather than using WDW transportation. Part of that was the ECV, of course, but it still might be easier for your group. Toddlers have one set of issues with mass transit and older folks have others...especially when they are not used to traveling that way. To me, the car makes it easier...if you will have one.

Also, as mentioned already, you have the option of splitting up for all or part of a day and doing different things.

For all the challenges a group trip presents, that trip is still our best trip yet.
Have a great trip!

 

[corinnak]

First, I must commend your good judgement in getting a Grand Villa for this trip. My family of 4 traveled with my incredible 88 year old grandmother, my mother and stepdad last week and stayed at OKW in a 2 BR villa. My stepdad was a later addition and the sleeping arrangements were a mess. But that is a story for another day - just wanted to commend your good choice in the GV!

The very best thing we did hands down was to borrow a wheelchair from Old Key West for my grandmother. They provide them free of charge, which is very, very nice. She used it a lot around the resort and the parks and said over and over that she was so glad she wasn't slowing us down and that she wouldn't have been able to see everything that she saw without it. She has her mobility, but those days in the parks can be long for well conditioned younger adults! It was great to have a ready-made-seat for her for waiting for parades or fireworks, as well. And when we returned the rented stroller one night, and my 3 year old consented to ride on her lap to the bus stop, she was just delighted. Your stepdad is a lot younger than my grandmother, of course, but if a wheelchair becomes a necessity, it is nice to know that you can get one from the resort and have it available outside of the parks as well.

We were also travelling with a 3 year old and a 7 year old. A preschooler and a senior citizen can both comfortably and safely go on most of the rides that have no height requirements. Though my grandma got to go on Soarin' which my son is still too short for. She LOVED it! My

However, we also had a good time with splitting up, and my mother managed most of the chaperoning of my grandmother through the parks. I tend to do best with my little ones if we get to the park early, have a nap/break in the afternoon and then venture out again well rested in the cooler evening hours. My mother and grandmother tended to want to get a later start. So we'd carry our cell phones and meet up in the park-of-my-choosing once they were underway, spend some time together, and then we'd be off back to the room while they pressed on.

I think WDW is actually quite good for multi-generational touring but it can also be challenging with a larger group. I hope your trip is delightful!

 

[iloveokw]

We've done a couple of big group trips (15 people and 19 people each time) plus other trips with family. These are the only times we really took advantage of WDW buses - everyone could come and go as they please. We did a couple of meals together and everyone was always invited to do whatever we were doing, but it was nice they had the freedom to come and go as they pleased!

 

[JimMIA]

One other thing I'd mention to your stepfather is to at least be aware that ECV rentals are available. He'll probably resist that at first, but when he sees the number of them at WDW -- many of them used simply to keep from getting too tired -- he may change his mind. I think most of us forget how much walking there is at WDW, but by the time he goes in the main entrance of Epcot and then walks all the way around World Showcase, he's going to be a prospect for an ECV.

ECVs are also great for saving your place on the parade route, and very handy for disciplining rude people who cut in line in front of you. (Don't EVER do that to GM -- she'll hurt you! I'm not talking about scrapes and bruises, I'm talking trauma. Go GM, Go GM!)

ECVs are only occasionally a hassle -- buses, Soarin', maybe a few tight spots -- but one may add greatly to his enjoyment. If not from Day 1, keep it in mind for later in the trip.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We went in May with my mom (69), sis (41), DS (11), DD (almost 3), DS (1-1/2). DH and I are in our 30's.

My mom has a lot of endurance, but at the start, we basically told her and my sister that we get up at the crack of dawn, start early, come back for down time in the early afternoon, and then go til 9-ish. They pretty much did everything with us. My mom would take a break, lying down and reading or a nap when the little ones did. During that time, DH and I stayed in the room, although he did go out and do a little shopping at DTD one day. My sister and DS stayed in a couple of the days, went swimming a couple of the days, and stayed at the park another day. On the day we went to blizzard beach, mom went to DTD and shopped, had lunch, and relaxed. The evening, she went to dinner with us and to the park.

If we didn't have the little ones with us, I would have just told them we go all day, but they did not HAVE to join us. I think if you lay that out up front, you will be good to go. If your 3 yr old niece goes back for a nap, or your stepdad and mom want a break, they can go back and do that. If you guys want a break, let them know that they can do whatever they want. My sister is not a morning person by nature, but she did get up and go early. We constantly reminded her that she could join us later if she wanted. One morning she was beat, so she slept in while we had breakfast at O'hana and then joined us at MK mid-morning.

I could tell my sister and mom seemed to think they needed to do everything with us, since we paid for the room and everything, but after we reminded them 100 times this was their vacation and if they chose to blow us off and go drinking, they were free to do so, they seemed to do a few things on their own.

They must have been okay with the arrangement, because guess who is joining us on our 2 week February trip???

One mistake I made was trying to PLAN for what everyone might want to do. It ended up exhausting me and when we came home I felt like I had been at work, not on vacation. not this time. For Feb, I typed up our rough itinerary (we basically plan what park in the morning, which in the afternoon, and our character and special meals). I gave it to my mom and my sister, along with the guidebooks and they are going through it, deciding what they want to do WITH us and making their own plans for when they don't want to go with us.

 

[RumpleMom]

I have always planned a written itinerary and given everyone a copy.

It says which park in the morning, so there is no wasted time with everyone standing around asking so what are we going to do today.

It has one ADR planned per day, so if we split up we have a meeting place.

It isn't written in stone, but allows everyone to choose to join in or not.

We have been known to scrap the itinerary because of beautiful sunny weather in January to spend the day at the pool. Yes, we called early in the morning to cancel the ADR so someone else could have it.