There is no denying it, a Disney World holiday can be exhausting. You’re on the go all the time and trying to cram everything in, see everything and not miss out. It just can’t be done no matter what age your are. We have visited Disney World with grandparents on two out of our three visits, and the fourth was also a multi generational Disney trip.
The beauty about Walt Disney World is that there is something for everyone no matter how young or old you are. There is so much available at Disney World for grandparents, and it can be a great idea to include the whole family in your trip.
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Make A Plan
I know that not everyone likes to plan their Disney holidays, preferring to go with the flow. We have made this mistake before however and found ourselves staying in the parks longer during the day than we had planned to because we just wanted to see this, that and the other.
Don’t forget your cooling towel to stay cool in the parks
This then meant by the time we went back to our resort for a rest, the tiredness had set in and we didn’t make it back out again in the evening. By making a rough plan of what you want to see in a day, it means that at least you all stand a chance of experiencing what you really want to.
Related post – How to experience 10 attraction in Magic Kingdom before lunch time
Discuss Your Options
Not everyone likes doing the same things, and it’s important to understand this before you go. Our multi generational trips have been a little forced at times in the past when we have all tried to enjoy things others have wanted to do.
Once we realised that actually we could discuss what we wanted to do and plan accordingly, then it works so much better. Whilst some of us are enjoying Star Wars attractions in Hollywood Studios, others are watching the Beauty and the Beast live show for example.
Make The Most Of Down Time
Some of us like a bit of down time more than others. It’s not the end of the world if two people in the family want to stay around the pool and the rest want to go to a park for the afternoon. We are in fact planning just this for our next trip.
Hubby and I are going to take advantage of having a grown up babysitter with us in the form of Granny to enjoy some child free time in Epcot eating and drinking around the World Showcase. Flower and Garden festival will be on when we are there next time which makes this arrangement perfect for our family.
A Disney holiday is very tiring and no matter how fit you are, or young you are you are going to get tired. Overdoing it makes you miserable and if you try to keep going for the rest of the family then everyone suffers when tempers start to fray.
Don’t forget your cooling towel to stay cool in the parks
It’s very important to know the limits of all the family to make sure everyone stays on top form. We have learnt from experience with this and won’t make the same mistakes again in the future.
Stay In The Best Place For Your Family
We find staying in a Disney resort works so well for us as a family. It means that there isn’t a designated driver so everyone gets to enjoy the holiday. It also means that if some of us want that pool time, it’s not a big deal to enjoy that and follow on later to meet up with the rest of the family.
You may like to check out this Disney checklist from Creative Travel Guide to be prepared before you travel.
Making Memories
Let’s be honest going to Walt Disney World with grandparents isn’t about enjoying time with your parents as such as an adult. It’s more about the grandparents enjoying the trip with their grand children.
There is so much happiness on everyone’s faces when you see each other having fun and making those memories that last forever.
Eating and Drinking
We all enjoy different foods which is why the Disney Dining plan really works for us. Having a wide variety of quick service options available means that we don’t always need to want to have the same things as everyone else at meal times.
With shared seating in lots of places across Walt Disney World, we can often purchase from different quick service locations and eat together in the shared seating areas.
When it comes to booking table service meals such as Crystal Palace, or Tusker House, we always make sure there are some buffet restaurants in there to give everyone the maximum choice to be able to enjoy the meals. Character meals are a great way to bring the whole family together.
Book Separate Rooms
No matter how much I love my in-laws and parents, I wouldn’t want to spend a holiday sharing the same room as them. Everyone needs some space no matter who they are or how close they are.
Would you go to Disney World with grandparents?
Both times I’ve been included the bigger kids Gran, she loved seeing how much they enjoyed it. It was great being able to leave them at the villa with her and enjoy some time browsing the giant Walmart for goodies. We stayed in a huge villa which gave us lots of privacy.