Can a family enjoy Disney without a helper?

[kidneymomma]

we are wanting to go to Disney in Feb 2016 as a much needed vacation from doctors & hospitals. My son is medically fragile so we will be traveling with lots of stuff in tow. I want it to be a just the 4 of us trip (my husband & I and our two children) to get away reconnect and enjoy family time. Hubby thinks we need to bring grandma along to help with our son. To me a vacation isn't a vacation if family cones along. Can disney be done & be fun without help if you're traveling with a medically fragile/special needs child?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I would take the "helper".
2) This gives the parents a little time to enjoy themselves.
3) It also gives the sibling a chance to enjoy and not be totally saddled with the other child.

NOTE: I am a volunteer coordinator at Give-Kids-The-World, and the chance for parents and siblings to have some fun is MAJOR and cannot be underestimated. This is not abandoning the ill child, just allowing adults and other family children the opportunity to enjoy.

 

[gap2368]

I can see it both ways if you feel that you can take care of your child with out spending all your time doing so ( and with out knowing your child's medical problem no one can really say) but as the rusty said I think it could help out a lot to have someone that know your child and what your child needs medically to help out and if you feel you really need some time alone as a family tell grandma before the trip we would like some time just as a family so we were thinking like for one after noon for a few ours you would tour the park with just your family, this could also mean that grandma takes care of your child with medical problems while you take your other child on a ride or dose something special I guess what I am saying is we do not know your family but I think having a helper can help in a big way

 

[lanejudy]

Short answer to your question = yes.

However depending on the child's needs, it could be very draining on the parents and ultimately not as much fun for the family. Do you have an extra helper regularlynat home? Would you be able to spend a week at home without extra help? It sounds like your husband does not feel it would be a "vacation" for him without an extra helper along. Maybe you can reach a compromise of a few days just the 4 of you, and then grandma joins to help for the rest of the week.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Bete]

I'm inclined towards having helper grandma. First, she is part of your extended family. You are blessed that she is willing to help. Many would love to be in your shoes with grandma as a helper.

Maybe, a compromise would be to spend part of the day with grandma and part without her. Then, you could have some direct family time only. Grandma could do some soloing at the parks or relax by the pool or shop or whatever.

It sounds like your husband would feel a lot better with grandma along. I don't know how much hubby helps, but maybe, he needs the help of grandma, too.

 

[SamIAm8]

Yes you can do it without a helper but I can tell you as a person who was medically fragile as a child having Grandma come with us made our vacations easier. When you have an illness or disability as a child you spend a ton of time with your parents. Way more than children without one. Being able to go off with Grandma was fun. The way my family did it was from after breakfast to lunch or the parade we were without Grandma as a family. Then we met at lunch and ate together. From lunch until dinner I went off with Grandma. Some days my sisters joined me but one day each trip my sisters got alone time with mom and dad. Often if one kid is sick the others don't get as much time with the parents. Then we would meet for dinner and we would spend the rest of the night together everyone. It really let everyone in our family have a true vacation.

 

[kidneymomma]

I am a stay at home mom; no help with the kids. Ages 5 & 19 months. Our son will be 2 on the trip. I think I'm going to compromise & ask grandma for half the trip. We are going from Monday -Friday. Ask her to arrive on Wednesday and remain till Friday.

My concern is this we rented a room from a DVC owner I know they can get a room at the same resort renting from an owner or through disney but is there any way to make sure the rooms are close?

 

[gwynne]

I am a stay at home mom; no help with the kids. Ages 5 & 19 months. Our son will be 2 on the trip. I think I'm going to compromise & ask grandma for half the trip. We are going from Monday -Friday. Ask her to arrive on Wednesday and remain till Friday.

My concern is this we rented a room from a DVC owner I know they can get a room at the same resort renting from an owner or through disney but is there any way to make sure the rooms are close?

Hi KM,
May I ask, are Monday and Friday your travel days? If so, that gives you Tues, Wed and Thurs as full days. If you arrange for grandma to arrive on Wed that may make Wed busy with arrival and getting settled in.
What would you think of having everyone travel at the same time? That way you would all arrive, and be ready for several full days of fun. Maybe she could be with the kids while you and DH go out to a nice dinner, or spend an evening wandering around Epcot.
I'm not sure how room location requests go with renting points. Possibly grandma could note travel with your reservation # on her reservation with please put our rooms near each other if possible. request. I would think if you all checked in at about the same time that would probably help. I hope you have a lovely vacation.

 

[kidneymomma]

We're driving and will probably drive and be close to Disney on Sunday night and then Monday be ready for Disney fun. Our reservation is 2/22-26. We have a van but with 2 car seats and then our trunk area will be full of suit cases, pack n play, stroller etc. I was thinking grandma could easily fly in & magical express to hotel

 

[Mrsjvb]

I am/was the medically fragile child. my siblings ALWAYS paid the price. when something went wrong with me, THEY had to cut their fun time short. neither parent got ANY down time. you can forget 'quality family bonding time' and the parks are very stressful for everyone.

it got so bad that we stopped taking vacations outside of visiting family. my brother still hasn't forgiven me.

bring along someone who can take up the slack

 

[redberyl]

Really it depends on your comfort levels with his illness and how much help you usually get. I am very comfortable with all aspects of my daughters care and do everything myself. Weve done amusement parks and long trips yo the beach just the two if us, no problem. I could easily handle her alone at disney. My niece is also medically fragile, my brother and his wife rely heavily on outside help and wont even take her to the local playground without assistance. They probably wouldnt attempt a trip to disney at all, and definitely not without at least one helper.

 

[bdarling]

I agree to bring the helper. It is a long day and the heat got to my son a few times even in March. We had to leave early, but we were mostly on the rope-drop to lunch, back to hotel, nap, back after dinner plan. So my son didn't ever come back after dinner. My husband was out of shape back then too, so he napped while a care giver took care of our son. My daughter and I went back every night. If you follow a similar path, you could get family time for the morning and some 1:1 or 2:1 with your other child after a break. It really worked for us.

 

[kidneymomma]

Thank you all fou your input I really appreciate it; and hearing from someone who has experienced it first hand being the medically fragile child. I am very comfortable caring for our son but my gets really frustrated easily and looses patience quickly. The only time I've ever used a person to help with him when I was around was for a family wedding that we were all in. The logistics of getting everyone where they needed to be it just made sense to have a helper that day.

I think I've decided to ask grandma but ask her to arrive on Wednesday that way we have 2 days as the 4 of us and 2 days with a helper.

Does anyone know if there is a way to request our rooms adjoining since our reservation is already confirmed since I rented from a dvc owner?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

the one thing you have not mention is your other child but with a helper/ grandma allows both of you to be able ride with that child or do something special with just that child. I am guessing that child has had to give up time with parents. I know you want the family time for all of you. just something to think about, it cam be a time for all and special time for part of the group

 

[ariel71]

I personally don't think it's very nice to treat one of your parents (and why do I get the sense grandma is your MIL and not mother) as nothing more than a babysitter/caretaker or say it's "not a vacation if she comes along". She'd be doing a lot of travel to only be there one full day. Will you be paying for her airfare and room? Obviously we don't know the family dynamic, but have you considered her feelings/interest as you draw up this plan?

 

[gwynne]

I personally don't think it's very nice to treat one of your parents (and why do I get the sense grandma is your MIL and not mother) as nothing more than a babysitter/caretaker or say it's "not a vacation if she comes along". She'd be doing a lot of travel to only be there one full day. Will you be paying for her airfare and room? Obviously we don't know the family dynamic, but have you considered her feelings/interest as you draw up this plan?

I want to be gentle with my agreement. I hope it's because OP is still thinking about this, and maybe hasn't looked at it from all points of view.
Even if OP is picking up airfare and hotel (which I assume is the case with the grandmother only being invited for a minimal stay) this is still a grandmother and not an employee.

I can tell OP wants to plan a special vacation. Having an extra pair of hands might make a big difference overall in the entire vacation experience. It would work if grandma flew in and got to the resort the same day as everyone else drove in. (I wonder if part of the concern is room in the van?) Anyway, I don't want to overstep. This is OP and her husband's call. Just some musings.

 

[kidneymomma]

I personally don't think it's very nice to treat one of your parents (and why do I get the sense grandma is your MIL and not mother) as nothing more than a babysitter/caretaker or say it's "not a vacation if she comes along". She'd be doing a lot of travel to only be there one full day. Will you be paying for her airfare and room? Obviously we don't know the family dynamic, but have you considered her feelings/interest as you draw up this plan?

We live 5 minutes from our in laws so we see them everyday; and yes we would be asking MIL. Every time I ask my mother for any kind of help or to watch the kids she says no. So if it was family you do not see daily and you met them there it would feel more like a family reunion but it's family you see everyday it's different. That's why I want a day or two by ourself.

 

[daisyduck123]

Does anyone know if there is a way to request our rooms adjoining since our reservation is already confirmed since I rented from a dvc owner?

Hello. DVC owner here....From what I understand, you plan to rent a DVC owner's points to get a room for your MIL as well?

As a non-DVC member, DVC will not talk to you so the only way a request could be made for the rooms to be close together is if you rent points from the same DVC owner who made your original reservation,(unless protocol has recently changed).

I'm not sure which DVC resort you have a reservation at, but some of them fill up more quickly than others. I would not wait too long in trying to secure a room for your MIL.

 

[ButterflyEffect]

I have a medically fragile/technology dependant daughter. We haven't done disney yet but we have done Universal, Busch Gardens and Legoland for trips with her. We enjoy having our time as a family of 4. However we do hire a nursing agency to have a nurse with her through the night so that I can sleep and have a good vacation in the day. That has worked well for our family. The nurse is in the adjoining hotel room with my daughter and she can call for us whenever needed if there is a problem.
My husband or I stay with my daughter and toodle around when the other one of us is on rides with my son. My son has never complained and my daughter loves spending the day with us even if she is just watching the crowds. We do as many shows for her that we can find that she would enjoy. It is a balance for sure. I would do what works best for your family.

 

[minushka72]

Hello. DVC owner here....From what I understand, you plan to rent a DVC owner's points to get a room for your MIL as well?

As a non-DVC member, DVC will not talk to you so the only way a request could be made for the rooms to be close together is if you rent points from the same DVC owner who made your original reservation,(unless protocol has recently changed).

I'm not sure which DVC resort you have a reservation at, but some of them fill up more quickly than others. I would not wait too long in trying to secure a room for your MIL.

I rented points through David's and was able to attach the reservation to my MDE. You should then be able to link the MDE accounts using the Friends and Family portion. We did this last year when paying cash for mine and my sister's reservations and had connecting rooms without even asking.