Taking grandma along as "babysitter"

Beth76

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Mar 30, 2004
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We're planning a trip for October and debating on whether or not to take our younger son (then, 15 months). We were planning on leaving him with my parents. But, yesterday my mom suggested that she would go with us and take Quinn back to the room if he needed it and watch the kids at night so DH and I could go out for nice dinner. Really didn't think DH would go for it since it's not his mom and she would be staying in our room. But, he was OK. But, now I'm not so sure.

Who has done this and how did it work for you? Was it awkward in the hotel room. We're in the Contemporary and I know the rooms are supposed to be big. But, we have the tendency to sleep in (8-9am on previous vacations) and my mom is an early riser. That could cause minor conflict.


Did you pay grandmas way? I didn't really think of it but my BIL made a point to mention that they paid for grandma (not my mom) to go with them. Of course, he said this right in front of my mom :rolleyes: . Now, if we had invited her, we would have paid her way. But, since "offered her services", should she pay? Chances are she would offer to pay anyway--she's pretty fair-minded.
 
My mom vacations with us all the time. The kids love the time she spends with us. We go to Cancun for two weeks every summer and having grandma there is tradition. We are hoping she will joint us this Thanksgiving when we go to WDW.
 
We have taken Grandma to WDW with us, in a pop-up camper! Talk about close quarters. And we had a blast!

If you think it will be uncomfortable, get Grandma and adjoining room. then she can get up early, have her coffee, you can sleep in, etc. You could even put the baby in her room, if she would like that.

When we take Grandma, we pay for lodging & tickets. Grandma usually picks up at least one sit-down meal(last time it was CRT). Our youngest child is very autistic and a trip to WDW requires a lot of adults to supervise. It is well worth the extra cost to insure a relaxing trip.

We're going again at Thanksgiving and Grandma is going with us. She loves WDW only slightly less than we do and she loves our kids a whole lot more. It is very nice to have her take one of the kids off for awhile. Having a third set of "eyes" for watching Christian is invaluable.
 
My Parents have come to Disney with us twice and I think it is great. Disney is one of those places that having a extra set of hands is always a good thing. I do have to say that my Parents stayed in their own room. We requested joining rooms. I think sharing a room could be hard. The other thing is your Mother helpful? I would always go on vacation with my Mother because she helps me on the other hand, I would never go with my MIL because she would sit there and watch me struggle and not lift a finger which would make my vacation miserable. Good Luck and have fun.
 

We pretty much always take along a grandparent or two. It's great not only for them, but also for the kids ( who get completely spoiled) and gives DH and I some alone time. We have always paid their way if they offer to come. Granted, they also offer to pick up a lot of expenses (ie meals, add'l entertainment). WDW is so exhausting and having an extra pair of adult hands sometimes is really nice when YOU need a little quiet time to yourself. After all, it's your vacation, too.
 
Beth76 said:
We're planning a trip for October and debating on whether or not to take our younger son (then, 15 months). We were planning on leaving him with my parents. But, yesterday my mom suggested that she would go with us and take Quinn back to the room if he needed it and watch the kids at night so DH and I could go out for nice dinner. Really didn't think DH would go for it since it's not his mom and she would be staying in our room. But, he was OK. But, now I'm not so sure.

Who has done this and how did it work for you? Was it awkward in the hotel room. We're in the Contemporary and I know the rooms are supposed to be big. But, we have the tendency to sleep in (8-9am on previous vacations) and my mom is an early riser. That could cause minor conflict.


Did you pay grandmas way? I didn't really think of it but my BIL made a point to mention that they paid for grandma (not my mom) to go with them. Of course, he said this right in front of my mom :rolleyes: . Now, if we had invited her, we would have paid her way. But, since "offered her services", should she pay? Chances are she would offer to pay anyway--she's pretty fair-minded.


I think you should at least pay for half of her trip. Just because she offered her services, doesn't mean you had to acccept her offer.

I would have to have two rooms. :cloud9:
 
We take my mom and we are going with her next week. It is great since on the roller coaster rides that she does not like she takes the kids on rides with her and we meet up again. It is nice for the kids so they don't have to wait in the baby swap(very nice for IOA). Also the kids love to have grandma there and they have so much fun plus she loves being at Disney with them and seeing there faces.

Mary
 
We have taken my mom on several trips, and she has stayed in our room. It was cramped at times and we all had to give in to certain things, but if it gets us to Dis and we get some extra hands, it's all worth it. We paid for the room and park ticket. Sometimes she bought her own ticket, some of the time we grabbed her lunch or dinner with ours, sometimes she got ours, and a few times she bought her own. Mom is easy going and we just went with what worked at the time. If you try not to be to rigid in your ways(hope she can be flexable too) you'll be fine. A dinner alone with dh is always a plus. My Mom was young and able enough to take a child back to the room when she was in need of a nap. You know your Mom, will she work with you? If so, and hubby agrees not to find her too annoying ---go for it. :banana: :banana:
 
MY SISTER AND HER FAMILY WENT TO DISNEY LAST YEAR.THE YOUGEST WAS
9MOS.MY SISTER REALLY DIDNT HAVE A PROBLEM TAKING THE BABY(NO WAY FOR ME)BUT SHE REALLY WANTED TO ENJOY THE RIDES WITH HER HUSBAND,BEINGS HE JUST CAME BACK FROM IRAQ AFTER BEING THERE FOR ALL MOST A YEAR.ANY WAY I SUGGEST SHE ASK OR GRANDMOTHER TO GO.SO SHE ASKED HER PAID FOR EVERY THING, BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER
WAS DOING THEM A FAVOR.IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHERS FIRST TIME IN DISNEY AND SHE LOVED EVERY MINUTE.SHE ALSO GOT ON A FEW RIDES HER SELF.MY SISTER SAID IT WAS GREAT HAVING HER HELP WITH THE BABY.SHE WOULD JUST SIT AND WAIT WITH THE BABY UNTIL THEY RETURNED FROM THE RIDE.IT WORKED OUT FOR EVERY BODY AND ALSO THEY SHARED ONE ROOM. :earboy2:
 
If your mom offered her services..I would think that its only fair that you at least offer to pay 1/2 her way..only b/c she is willing to be the babysitter for the vacation. Like you said..she probobly wouldn't let you anyway..and you would look like a generous person for offering.
As for the same room thing. I wouldn't be okay with that..We went to FL, with my parents a few years ago..and I love them dearly..but i would have gone nuts with them in the same room for 7 days!! :earseek: So, I vote for a connected or other room as well. Maybe just offer to pay for her hotel stay, and let her buy her own park tickets??? That way..you can help out and get her, her own room in a nice way.
:grouphug:

We are going with my parents in Dec., we just asked them if they wanted to come along..they said yes, and are paying their own way. In their own room..and since have offered to help out with our DD if my hubby and I wanted a night alone or something..so I think just going will be a treat for your mom as well..maybe thats why she invited herself..and didn't expect you to pay anything. She just wanted to go for the memories as well!! :wave2:
Hope that helps.
Nicole
 
My mother came w/ us on our last Disney trip, it worked out really well. We had connecting rooms at POFQ (we like our privacy, so sharing a room wasn't an option). Dd (then 3.5 yrs) liked going back n forth between the rooms to visit Grandma, we kept the connecting door open unless we were dressing or sleeping.
It was nice for Dh and I to go out alone in the evening and DD really enjoyed alone time w/ grandma. We didn't have any problems, it was a great trip. I think it helps that we are all pretty easy going personalities.
Regarding financial arrangements.... my Mom paid her own way, as she has the finances to do so. I would talk to your Mom and come up w/ a plan you are both comfortable with.
Have a great trip!
 
I love taking my mom with me! It is so nice, not just to have her take the baby back to the room (though that is very helpful) or watch the kids if you go to dinner (yet also very nice), but just to have an extra hand. Grandma can take the kids on Buzz while you and your husband ride Space Mountain, or let them play on the playground under Splash while you ride. Additionally, if the baby falls asleep in the stroller, or wants to see the Country Bears again, you guys are free to take the older kid on rides he wants. Works the other way too, if you want a break in the pool with the baby, grandma can walk to MK and watch the parade with your other son. We have done 3 trips with my mom and 3 without and she'll be joining us again in December as it's just so much easier. Grandmas don't mind all that stuff that mommies get tired of doing (like entertaining the kids at a sit-down meal).

Our last trip we were at the Contemporary too, and though my mom didn't come, my BIL did. Granted, sharing a room with a 17yo boy is different than with your mom, but we did not feel at all cramped so I'm sure you'll be fine. Also, we get up pretty early and BIL likes to sleep in, but really he slept fine with us moving around. If grandma is content sitting on the balcony taking in the view while you are still sleeping, that's great, otherwise there's plenty of places for her to sit outside in the back of the resort that are quiet and relaxing that I'm sure she'd enjoy. And it might be better than you're on different schedules, as she'd have time to get up and dressed in the morning without you all having to wait in line for the bathroom. And the toilet is in its own room there so that will be a help too.
 
My Grandma (DS's great grandma) joined us on both of our WDW trips when DS was smaller (when he was 3 1/2, she was 80 and again when he was 5 1/2, she was 82). It was great having her along. We paid for her airfare, our hotel and her Disney pass. We "split" the food bills -- sometimes she would pay and other times we would.

We shared a room at All Star Sports and it was fine. We made sure to give her privacy in the bathroom and told her if she wanted to, she could always go back to the hotel to rest any time she wanted to. She never wanted to go back, always chose to keep up w/us. Often, she would take DS on a kids ride while Daxx and I would go on a "big ride" ... or she'd take him shopping while we rode on something. B/c Grandma isn't a ride person, DS was fine just hanging out w/her (and getting an ice cream) while we were gone for a short time.

I am telling you ... I have never seen her more joyful than when she was on those vacations w/us. Now, she feels she is "too old" (at 85) to go and we truly miss her not being w/us. We promised to slow down for her, but she chooses to remain home, instead. I am so grateful for the chance that DS had to go to Disney w/her as he will never forget those times!!

In the two vacations that she came w/us, Daxx and I never really spent time w/o her. We'd end up being just as tired as she was when we'd get back to the resort! And, let me tell you ... she kept up w/us the whole trip!! Amazing woman, amazing energy.

Talk finances over w/your mother and you'll come up w/a good plan! We've been begging my Dad to join us, but he says no, that he doesn't want to go. That makes me sad b/c I know he'd have a great time!
 
OP here. We keep flip-flopping over all our choices about this Disney trip. But, I think we've finally decided to go ahead and take my mom and my youngest son. We are not huge Disney enthusiasts, so we're not sure we would go back for awhile. Of course, we haven't been there yet, so that could all change ;). Hopefully, the room won't feel too crowded and we will have a balcony--that should help. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!!!
 
I'd take her up on her very nice offer. But, I couldn't leave my kids at home either so I"d have no choice!! :)
 
We had my parents along for part of our first trip. Seperate rooms, they paid, they just joined us for a few days as their vacation and ours matched up. It was great having extra hands and they really enjoyed seeing the kids.

We took my MIL last time - DVC villa so she had her own room (with her sister). Not a lot of babysitting, but it was a good time. We treated.

But I'd never share a room with my mother or mother in law.
 
We took our DS3.5 and DD13mos. in April. We did fine with just DH and I, but had no time to ourselves.

On our trip in Dec., we'll be taking both kids and meeting my Mom and Stepdad. They've agreed to watch the kids one or two evenings so we can go to Pleasure Island without them. We've got some leftover passes to Pleasure Island that we'll let them have in exchange for watching the kids and we'll take them out for the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package -- so Grandma and Grampa will get a couple of nights out too. Otherwise, they are paying for their own expenses -- they'll have their own room.

We're also thinking of going in Feb. 2006 (got APs this year). My MIL may go with us, but if so, she'll have her own room or we'll get a multi-room suite off-site since MIL is ADD and doesn't sleep much. Love my MIL, but staying with her in one hotel room wouldn't strengthen our relationship! Also, while it would be nice if MIL watched the kids one or two evenings and helped a bit when she was around, I wouldn't expect her to do any hard labor. Once again, we would probably treat MIL to a nice meal or two in exchange for her help.

So, if you chose to have your mother share your room, for which you paid, and you bought her park ticket, I would think that would be very thoughtful. She should be able to purchase her own food and souvenirs.
 
My mom went with us last year. My DS was thrilled to have his grandma with us and my mom was a huge help. We stay offsite last year with a two bedroom villa, so privacy was no problem. This year, we're going back and we will be sharing a room. My mom would never let us pay for her so I try to pick up most of her meals. This year we got the dining plan, so I'll have to think of something else to do for her. It sounds like you and your mom have a good relationship so you should be fine. However, if I ever had to go with my MIL...
 
Glad to hear good reports! We're bringing my mom with us in December. We're all staying in one room. She is paying her own way (tickets, meals,spending, etc) because we can't afford to pay for her. She's not coming just as our babysitter...it's HER vacation, too, and we've tried our best to emphasize this to her to make sure she realizes that. We do have one date night planned. And I will be treating my mom to the Candlelight Processional package (just me and my mom).
 
I have taken my mother along with my family (wife and 3 kids, ages 6, 5 and 2 now) on 2 trips to Disneyland and 1 to WDW. Each time, I paid for her room and tickets and air faire to Orlando. She had her own room. She would poop out around the same time as the kids, so it was nice tha tmy wife and I got to go spend some alone time in the parks or in DTD if we so desired. We did get to go to a nice dinner and the Circe show while in Orlando, which was really a fun treat!!
 












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