Can a family enjoy Disney without a helper?

[mamabunny]

One last thing to consider...

...YOU - and your husband - need a bit of "respite". You may or may not realize it, but the demands of being a caretaker for anyone who is medically fragile - regardless of your relationship to them - are enormous. You take a hit physically and emotionally.

Add in the fact that this little person is your child, who you love with all your heart, and it can seem at times to be unbearable.

I understand exactly why you want the family "alone" time. You want to feel "normal". You want to feel like every other family you will see at Disney World.

I would encourage you to look at your schedule differently; instead of trying to go two whole days "alone" (without Grandma), perhaps consider re-arranging your trip so that you create "pockets" of family time, and maybe even "pockets" of just Mommy-Daddy time. Or just Mommy-Son time!

And I want you to know something... There really is no "normal". Anyone who appears "normal" is just someone you don't know well yet! We all have *something* about us that is "different". Something that sets us apart.

"Normal" is just a setting on the washing machine.

Have a wonderful trip - maybe bring along a friend for Grandma too! and don't worry about being "normal".

 

[ember303]

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?

I promise you CAN do it without ANY help! I have taken my twins with just myself to take care of them. My son has special needs. We just plan accordingly. For instance I plan out his feeds and plan out the day based on what I feel his days are going to be like. If we could have been able to afford my mother in law or mother now since my other in law has passed I would have LOVED making those special memories with her.

 

[seashoreCM]

I promise you CAN do it without ANY help!

One secret is to not try to rush things. If the day comes to an end too soon then you need to be able to reschedule undone things to another day or another trip without emotion or misgivings.

From what you describe you can handle almost all of the caregiving without going back to the resort. So you can intersperse caregiving with other activities at any time and in any order while you are in the park. You should be able to find empty space, not in the way of others walking, in the shade if desired, to regroup and bond.

You may want to discuss with Guest Relations on having lots of stuff in tow in the park without each member of the family having to carry some of it. Some form of wheels on the ground for stuff may be a reasonable and appropriate accommodation for a disabled person.

I get the feeling that the first two or three days without Grandma that you are envisioning are the most likely days to be stressed out.

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

Shame on him. He's blaming the wrong person. He needs a complete change in attitude. He should spend a few sessions at the confessional (or whatever it is called if you are not Christian).

 

[Anne5555]

You can probably do it without a helper, but wouldn't it be nice to have a sitter there you can trust while you and your husband have a nice dinner, perhaps at Narcoossee's and watch the fireworks? Or maybe go and ride some of the coasters one night without having to do a child swap? We brought a grandparent as a helper on our first Disney trip, though my child who has special needs is not medically fragile. It was so nice to have a date night at the park! We're planning our 2nd trip without a helper, just us and our two children. Hopefully we don't regret not having an extra adult! The grandparents weren't available this time, and I think we can manage on our own for our 2nd trip.

 

[JennyDrake]

I have a little different angle--I have gone as a caregiver to a senior with mobility and memory issues. I can tell you that sometimes the pixie dust fades and what can be molehills at home become Space Mountains at WDW. Stress gets higher especially with crowds, heat and EVERYONE being out of their normal routine. I have seen family that normally get along come close to homicide on the bridge at AK! LOL! No, it wasn't pretty!

_I_ would not undertake such w/o a caregiver and I so agree with other posts to budget in some time ALONE WITH YOUR SPOUSE.

 

[kandb]

OP, I thinks it's great that your MIL is willing to come and help you out. I don't see anything wrong with the OP wanting the vacation to be with just her family, it gets tough having other people around sometimes when you just want a "family vacation". I also don't think it's anyone's business on here if the OP is going to pay her MIL's flight or if the MIL is going to pay for it herself.