What about Grandmomma

[jjarman]

DS14 and I have been planning this trip to WDW for March, 2005, for at least 2 years or since our last visit. DH will not be making this trip and DS and I are really looking forward to this being "our" trip. DS is getting older and I dread the day when he does not want to go on vacation with us anymore.

Well, I got to thinking about my mother who is a very young 74 and wondered if I ought to take her on the trip with us. She will actually turn 75 while we are there. She probably will not want to go to the parks but she does really enjoy hanging out at hotels. (does that sound funny?) She is content to just lay up in bed and read and watch tv in a hotel room. I thought she might enjoy Epcot and would offer to buy her a one day ticket for Epcot or any other park she wanted to see and we could spend that day with her there. I am on a very strict budget for this trip and I really can't afford to do anymore than that though. She would have to pay for her own meals which she could afford. Do you think #1, she would get bored staying 7 nights in a hotel basically by herself? DS and I spend little time in the room. Also, #2, do you think there would be enough to keep her occupied visiting the other resorts and DTD for 8 days? We will also have my car that she could drive if she wanted although it is a standard transmission and she may not want to bother driving it. Or, #3, do you think DS and I should just go alone and have our time together for this trip? I have discussed it with DS and tried to leave the decision up to him but he can't decide.

 

[Tinkbell]

You mom and my grandma would get along well. She is also a resort lover. We took her to Disney 2 years ago. She celebrated her 83rd birthday at Disney. She really enjoyed the AKL. When we were at the parks, she spent her time on the balcony and the resort lobby. We got her a 5 day pass, but she would have been fine with less park time. Her favorite part of the trip was eating breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table on her birthday. She was treated like a Queen there. I would recommend it for your mom too. So, I say, take your mom! It will make for wonderful memories.

 

[goofy4tink]

I say take her along. You could maybe get her a 3 day park hopper pass. That way, if she didn't use it, it would not expire. ANd she could go into whatever parks she wanted to. My mom was 70 and had just had breast cancer surgery 5 days before we went in 1999. She had to take it slow and only did some of the attractions. When she got tired, she just took the bus back to the resort and sat by the pool reading. Said she had a terrific time. And my dd, now 10, has some wonderful memories of that trip with just the three of us. We had hoped to make another ladies only trip next year, but that is not to be. Mom is no longer with us, but we have those wonderful memories. So take her and she can do as much or as little as she wishes.

 

[kathyclownfish]

I say leave mom home! (Sorry mom). You know that while you and your son are in the parks, you will be thinking about your mother at the resort. You will be feeling uncomfortable about the money situation. While you are in the parks you will probably be thinking if everything is okay with her back at the resort, and if she is happy etc...... This is going to put a damper on your quality time with your son.

I would choose 1 of 2 options:

1. Take her by all means if she has always wanted to see Disney World (not only the resort) It will be a wonderful experience for you, your son and her if she visits the parks with you.

or

2. Don't take her on this trip. Since she only wants to hang by the pool. How can she experience it with the 2 of you if she is not there? Plan another inexpensive 3 day trip with the 3 of you at a nearby resort. You can hang by the pool together as a family.

PS. I took my mother with my 2 children and she loved it. But then again, she was the first one on Tower of Terror!!!

Good luck with your decision

 

[cleo]

I vote for taking her if you know you'll all be comfortable with her being alone most of the day, and perhaps willing to meet her for dinners at the resorts or Downtown Disney. Depending on how 'commando' you and your son will be you could find ways to spend time with her and still enjoy the parks. For example, if you plan a late dinner at Ohana and watch WISHES from the Poly beach together.

I do agree that if you're going to be worried that she's alone it might be best not to make the offer. I know I would have trouble separating my concerns for my mother's enjoyment from the enjoyment I'm having with my son. You know her best, and if she's truly content enjoying the resort and other non-park areas it could be a nice vacation for her as well.

 

[msr709]

I also vote for taking Mom. My Mom passed last year, we were very close. I am so grateful and happy that I had taken her with me on several trips. The last time we went she was 72 and since I had been so many times, we did just whatever she could handle, which was all the shows (she loved them) and everything in Fantasyland (which she also enjoyed). Even in USO she went and sat in the benches while I rode some of the rides but she was just happy to be out and about. Now I look back and I have wonderful memories of trips with her to WDW and USO and I don't regret it for one minute. Take lots of pictures!! Even though I really miss her I have very fond memories of our trips to WDW and USO. HTH

 

[Cindy'sCastle]

I'd vote to take her too. There's probably lots she could see and do at the resort while you & DS are in the parks. And keep your cell phone on just in case she would need to reach you for something. Then you wouldn't have to worry about her being there by herself. If you go to Downtown Disney one day, she would probably love to come along and see the shops. There are a lot of stores there that my DS15 loves to shop at. Especially the music stores and the ones with "different" merchandise in them. So you could have some good quality time with both of them in DTD.

Cindy

 

[Chicago526]

I say take her, but be VERY clear that you and DS will be in the parks ALL DAY, EVERY DAY and that she will be by herself the whole time. If she is concerned, she can always decline!

 

[bhillier]

I say take her. Since you know that she enjoys relaxing @ the resort then you won't worry about her while your in the parks. I bet that she would love to be a part of this trip.

 

[anditoo72]

I understand the time you want to spend with your Mother and him his Grandmother so invite her on a shorter vacation even to go away just for the weekend. I would leave it just you and your son, think of this he might not be answering because he is afraid of how it would sound if he said no, he doesn't want her to go. He might think that sounds horrible or he doesn't want to make up his mind because he doesn't want to hurt anyones feelings. Even if she says she is O'Kay about being in the hotel you might feel bad and alter the time you have set aside to be with your son. He is 14 and you guys have been planning it to be your trip for 2 years- I say keep it special for just the two of you and really enjoy eachother!!!!!