Will you offer assurance to my precious MIL?

[mommyoeo]

My MIL is unable to get around for days at a time. Many days are different though, and she is wonderful when she takes it easy. She is planning on joining us for 11 days in October but is becoming worried about whether or not she should go. We would never push her to do more than she can! Because of this, she worries that she'll slow us down and also that she'll be wasting so much money on tickets she might not be up to using. The scooters are another large expense! At $35 a day, she'd add $350 to her trip. They are both retired and are spending lots of money on this trip already-- the thought of having to add more $$ is discouraging to her. Please give any encouragement you have to offer her. I told her I'd find out what I could. Like I said, I do not want to pressure her into something she's obviously become worried about, but she's such a special lady that I'd hate to miss the time with her if her fears can be eased! When we booked this trip, it was for us to meet up with our family (we don't live close to each other). I will still have a great time with my children if my in-laws don't come but I also know it will be a memory we'd treasure forever-- especially my children.

Thank you for helping her-- she will be very interested in what you have to say!!

 

[tinknutt]

Joining you for??????? Disney trip?????

Anyone any age will enjoy Disney. It's also nice to have the flexability to leave and return if staying in the park? Missing a lot of details. But I hope everyone attends, even if just to be together. There's nothing like family don't waste a minute!

 

[mommyoeo]

Hi! Thanks for asking those questions! We're staying at POP in October for 10 nights. We have hopper passes with the dining plan.

 

[eeyore45]

My parents are coming, and my dad is not a big disney fan ( go figure!!) so I just got them 3 day passes (we're going for 8 days!)

I planned meals at resorts on the dining plan, meaning we're staying onsite so we have dining credits for all 7 nights... so 1900 Park Fare, Ohana, Cali Grille, etc... that way my parents wont need a park ticket for the dining, and for CS they can use the resort food, or go to the Boardwalk...

Maybe the ECV do the same thing, plan on giving her the first day to rest, while you do a park... then the day she's up to it, rent the ECV in the park, once she decides how she feels, either call one of the ecv rental places or continue renting from the park... same thing with park tickets, decide if 5 days is enough... or ??? and I believe you can add on once you are there - call a CM for clarification!!

Find out what her expectations are, and work around those - maybe 4 hours in a park is all she can do, so plan around that... and then change the next day to make modifications...??? not sure if I'm helping, just brainstorming!!

 

[mommyoeo]

Yes, that is helpful! I like your plan! THANKS!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you rent from off-site the prices are much lower than Disney's. For example, Walker caps a week at $199.50 and then the daily rate drops to about $25. Also the off-site rental scooters are much better than Disney's and they are available at all times, even for getting around in the resort.

If you will be using a car the ECV will fit in the trunk of a full-size four door. Be sure to bring a handicap hang tag if the family has one.

 

[SueM in MN]

We go down to WDW with my MIL and FIL once a year for the last 20 years.
Even if we didn't do anything in the parks, it would still be a great time because we get to see them.
Some of the other posters had great suggestions already.
Since you are staying on site, one of the things that might work out for you would be for maybe part of your party to go to the park early and then your in-laws meet up with you later in the day or everyone be together to start the day, but then some of them go back to the resort early.
Also, think about taking a break from the parks to visit the resorts that are nearby to the different parks. From MK, you can take the monorail easily to any of the resorts on the monorail line. An ecv can be driven right on to the monorail car.
From Epcot or the Studio, there is a nice pathway from one park to the other or you can take the Friendship Boats that go between the parks. You could also take a break at the Epcot resorts.

 

[thumpersfriend]

Everyone has such great ideas here. Is she having a birthday or any special event where the family could all chip in and get her something like a coupon saying her scooter is taken care of? That way she wouldn't have to worry as much of the expense. Also tell her that you don't care if she doesn't do everything. I think if I had this problem I would love to hear of what my family did during the day and kind of live through their experiences. She will have a great time, sounds like you have a great family.