A Walt Disney World vacation with parents or grandparents can be one of those trips your family talks about for years. Watching different generations experience Disney together is pretty special, but it can also require a different approach to planning than you might use with a group that can comfortably spend 12 hours running from attraction to attraction.
The biggest mistake is assuming everyone can or wants to tour Walt Disney World at the same pace. You don’t need to scale back the vacation dramatically, but a little planning can make all the difference between everyone enjoying the trip and someone being completely worn out by lunchtime.
Be Realistic About How Much Walking Is Involved
A day at Walt Disney World involves a lot more walking than simply making your way around a theme park. There are resort hallways, bus stops, parking lots, Disney Springs, attraction queues, transportation transfers, and the inevitable moments when you realize the thing you want is somehow on the exact opposite side of EPCOT from where you are standing.
Talk about that before the trip.
If someone in your group has difficulty walking long distances, don’t wait until they’re exhausted to start considering a wheelchair or Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV). Both are available to rent at Walt Disney World (on a first-come, first-served basis) and from third-party companies throughout the Orlando area, like our favorite Buena Vista Rentals, which also offers rentals you can keep for the length of your vacation.
Using an ECV doesn’t mean someone has to use it every minute of the day. It can simply provide a way to conserve energy and make the parks more manageable.
Get Comfortable With an ECV Before Tackling a Crowded Park
For someone who has never driven an ECV, Magic Kingdom at fireworks time is not exactly the ideal driver’s education course.
Take some time to get comfortable with the controls, turning radius, braking, and backing up before navigating heavy crowds. Keep the speed reasonable and remember that other guests don’t always pay attention to what’s happening around them.
If you’re renting an ECV for the entire vacation, think about transportation, too. Disney transportation can accommodate mobility devices within applicable size and safety requirements, but guests using a rental car or rideshare should know how they’ll transport the ECV before leaving the resort.
Build Breaks Into Your Disney Days
Even people who typically have no trouble walking can be surprised by how tiring Walt Disney World is. You may spend hours on your feet before realizing how much ground you’ve covered.
Don’t make every day a marathon.
A table-service lunch can provide an air-conditioned break in the middle of the afternoon. Shows and longer indoor attractions can give everyone time off their feet. You might also return to the resort for a few hours before heading back out for dinner or nighttime entertainment.
And sometimes the best plan is simply finding a shady bench, grabbing a cold drink, and doing absolutely nothing for a while.
Don’t Underestimate the Florida Heat
Central Florida heat and humidity can take a lot out of anyone, particularly during the warmer months. Staying hydrated, taking frequent indoor breaks, wearing sun protection, and avoiding long stretches outside during the hottest part of the afternoon can make a huge difference.
Don’t rely too heavily on the calendar, either. Florida can produce surprisingly hot days outside the traditional summer months.
Check the forecast before leaving for the parks each morning and adjust the day’s plans when necessary. There is no prize for sticking to an itinerary when everyone is miserable.
Choose Your Resort With Everyone in Mind
Your Walt Disney World resort can play a bigger role when traveling with older family members.
Think about how much walking might be required between the room, lobby, restaurants, transportation, and other resort amenities. A sprawling resort may look manageable on a map but feel very different after a full day at EPCOT.
Transportation can matter just as much. Depending on your plans, convenient access to the Skyliner, monorail, boats, or buses may be worth considering when choosing where to stay.
If someone has specific mobility concerns, don’t hesitate to make those part of the resort decision rather than treating the hotel as simply a place to sleep.
Let Everyone Have a Say in the Schedule
One of the easiest ways to create frustration on a multigenerational vacation is for one person to plan everything based on what they think everyone else can handle. Trust me, I’ve been that one person who planned everything for the whole party, and it’s not always the move you need to make.
Have the conversation before you leave home. Which attractions are important? Does everyone want to be at the parks first thing in the morning? Who cares about staying for fireworks? Would anyone rather sleep in while everyone else heads out early?
Your group doesn’t have to stay together every minute.
Grandparents might love spending the morning with the grandkids but happily head back to the resort while everyone else tackles another five attractions. Someone else may skip an early morning and meet the family for lunch. Splitting up occasionally can make the time you spend together much more enjoyable. Again, trust me on this one too.
Don’t Plan the Fun Out of the Vacation
There is one more thing worth remembering when traveling with older adults: don’t spend the entire vacation worrying about them.
Ask what they want to do.
Maybe Grandma wants to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Maybe Grandpa has been waiting six months to get on Slinky Dog Dash with his grandchildren. Age alone doesn’t tell you what someone will enjoy or what they’re capable of doing.
Plan around actual needs rather than assumptions.
A multigenerational Walt Disney World vacation may require a little more flexibility, a few more breaks, and occasionally a slower pace. That’s perfectly fine. Years from now, nobody is going to remember whether you squeezed in three extra attractions before dinner. They’ll remember who was sitting next to them when they rode Haunted Mansion, watched the fireworks, or ate that Mickey ice cream bar before lunch.
