Disney with Grandparents: How to have a great multi-generation vacation to Disney

October 26, 2018 Kristin, Exploring Domesticity

More and more people are taking multi-generation vacations. Here are some tips for visiting Disney with Grandparents and having a fantastic trip everyone will enjoy!

We’ve taken six Walt Disney World vacations with kiddos and grandparents, and we’re sharing our best tips to make sure everyone is happy and you have the BEST time! Where to stay, how to keep everyone sane, and how to make the vacation magical for everyone.

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Disney with Grandparents

Make sure to see our tips for 7 overlooked items you will want in your bag before your Disney Vacation!

Fun for the Whole Family

The key to a Disney vacation with grandparents is planning a trip everyone can enjoy. There are so many things to see and do and I’m sure you will find many things that are fun for the whole family.

Where to Stay in Disney with Grandparents

Every single time we’ve visited Walt Disney World with our children, we have traveled with grandparents too. In fact, the trip we’re planning this year will be the first time our family has taken a vacation together without friends or grandparents.

Disney has a few options for larger families or multi-generations, and they’re all wonderful!

Art of Animation Resort

Hands down, our favorite place to stay when we travel to Disney with grandparents is the Art of Animation Resort!

We’ve mentioned it quite a bit on here with a tour of the Cars Suite, the pool, the food court, and even the laundry facilities available.

We. Love. It.

This is where we stay when my husband comes with us because we have a bedroom for Grandma and Grandpa, a pull-down bed for me and Hubby, the pullout couch and sometimes a cot for the kids. Also, the family suites have two bathrooms and a kitchenette, so they’re great for large families and don’t cost as much as other suites.

Regular Disney Resort Rooms

We have also, believe it or not, all stayed in a regular room at the Caribbean Beach Resort.

We did this because we wanted to try another resort and the Caribbean Beach Resort, which is a moderate resort, was a little less expensive than the family suite at the time. The pool and the kids’ pool / splash area were a big draw. Also, the room came with a fold-down bed under the tv, so it technically slept five people. We did have my husband with us one night before he returned home early, so it was a little tight with two sets of adults in the bed, one kiddo on the pull-down bed, and one on a cot in the corner.

Many times, my husband doesn’t come with us and it’s just me, the two kids, and my parents. Many of the Disney resorts have these rooms that sleep five now, so they would work just fine for us or other families like us.

The moderate and deluxe resorts are the ones with more options for larger families. However, just as with other hotels, staying in nearby or adjoining rooms at a value resort is also an option.

Suites and Villas

Having everyone in a regular resort room can get a little tight. It does save some money, but we have found the space of the Art of Animation Family Suites to give us a lot more space and freedom. However, they’re nothing like the magic of the Villas!

If you are able to do so, booking a suite or a villa is absolutely the way to go. This equals a less stressful vacation because everyone has their own space and is not stepping on each other’s toes. They also serve much larger families.

My dream is to join the Disney Vacation Club and book these villas often. They look amazing!

Keep kiddos safe at Disney with these tips and products!

How to Keep Everyone Sane

The most important thing about traveling with many generations is understanding that everyone has their own interests and speeds. It’s important to try to make sure your vacation works out well for everyone.

Give Grandma and Grandpa some time to themselves

Sometimes it’s nice to give everyone their own space.

When we visited Disney with Grandparents a couple years ago, my husband and I took the kids to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party while my parents went for a nice dinner alone.

If there are some activities that don’t appeal to everyone, don’t worry about it. This just gives everyone some time to have some space and keeps them from getting burnt out.

Trips with bigger groups can keep each person much happier by allowing for people to go their own way every once in a while.

Why you must visit Walt Disney World during the holidays!!

Take Turns

One of the best things we did during our trip to Disney with grandparents is to split up our time with the kids.

We all went to the Magic Kingdom together in the morning and then back to the resort to rest in the afternoon. Thanks to late extra magic hours, my husband and I were able to go back to the park while the kiddos turned in for the night with Grandma and Grandpa.

If your kids are decent sleepers, and Grandma and Grandpa are up to it, one of the best part about Disney with Grandparents is the ability for Mom and Dad to get some time alone late at night. You can visit the Boardwalk, Disney Springs, have dinner at a resort, or go back to the parks that are open later at night.

Stay Flexible and Take it Slow

In our experience, Disney with Grandparents is not a time to cram in everything Walt Disney World has to offer.

That’s also just our personal preference in general as you can tell from our tips for Disney with Babies and Disney with Toddlers.

…but I do think it’s good advice for Walt Disney World in general and Disney with Grandparents in particular.

The reason we have been able to take – and afford – so many trips when the kids were young is because we do Disney is small doses.

We enjoy every moment we are on the Disney property. From the resort to the free parts of Disney, we enjoy so much more than just the parks.

This is a great tips for keeping your sanity while doing Disney with grandparents – take is slow and don’t stress everyone out with trying to fit too much in.

Talk with your family and decide what you must do. Also decide what you must do to keep things running smoothly: naps for the kids (and maybe the grandparents too), planning meals ahead of time, making sure you have the freedom to take breaks when needed, etc.

Our typical agenda for Disney with Grandparents

Here is a general idea of what we try to fit in when we do Disney with Grandparents. They are in no particular order, but I’ll let you know when we do have a preference.

Resort Check-in. We take the day to enjoy the resort. We typically stay at Art of Animation and there is so much to see!
Disney Springs. Our first stop is always Disney Springs. If we arrive before check-in we have done Disney Springs early the first day, but usually we can check-in right away. We love Disney Springs first because it’s free and the kids will tolerate shopping because they feel all the Disney excitement and magic around.
Magic Kingdom. We will do a whole day in the Magic Kingdom, and we have a pretty good system for arriving early, leaving mid-day, and staying late. We typically visit during the holidays – our favorite time! – so sometimes we may opt for just Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
One park. We don’t go for the stress of a park each day. During our short trips, we pick one park we really want to visit. We didn’t even visit a park when the kids were babies, but we did do the Magic Kingdom when they were toddlers. The following year, we picked Animal Kingdom.
Dining Experience / Resort Hopping. When the kids were babies we did character dining in place of a park. We have done Chef Mickey’s twice and Tusker House – my fave! – once. We also ate at O’hana for dinner on our last trip. Dining at a different resort allows you to resort hop and get more Disney magic without entering the parks. We love taking the monorail to the resorts or walking around the boardwalk to dinner.
Pool Day. There has got to be at least one pool day! Disney resorts are the best and our kiddos could spend the whole time at the resort pools.

***As I was writing out our typical agenda for Disney with Grandparents, it became so long and I wanted to add even more detail. So, it became it’s own post and you can find Stress-free Disney Vacation: How to Do Disney is Small Doses here.

As the good Disney addict I am, we have many other Disney-related posts for you to check out! Everything from vacation tips to crafts and food!