How to keep all ages happy?

[ardyt]

Going to Disney World 6/7-6/14. Staying at OKW 2 Bedroom Villa (not DVC members but thinking about it). 2 Grandparents (us 50's) 1 Mom (30's) 3 Children (10DG, 6DB & 3DB). Should we plan to split up to accomodate all the age groups? Can anyone make use of the Kids Clubs at the different resorts? Any advice for making the most of this "can hardly wait to get there" vacation? Last visit to Disney was 1997. Also does anyone know anything about the Ice Cream Social at Garden Grill? Grandpa might like this one!!
How do you get your countdown into your message?

 

[Barb D]

Welcome to the DIS, ardyt!

Our last couple of trips have been multi-generational, too. My mom and I take my kids. (My DH doesn't do Disney.) My brother came along last time, too.

It works for us to stick together most of the time, and split up occasionally. For instance, my DS loves Space Mountain, but one DD hates fast roller coasters, and the other is too short. So I'll take him on Space Mountain while my mom takes the girls on Pooh and Small World. We set a time and place to meet up again, keeping in mind that there may be a bit of a wait if someone is stuck in line. We also use cell phones. Some folks like 2-way radios for the same purpose.

Also, you can do "baby swapping" if there's a ride everyone wants to do except that the little one is too short. Tell the first CM (cast member) you see at the ride that you want to do a baby swap. S/he'll give you a baby swap pass. All of the adults except one, plus the big kids can ride, and then the remaining adult can use the baby swap pass to go through the fast pass line. At least one of the big kids can ride again so that the 2nd adult doesn't have to ride alone. On most rides they'll let both big kids ride again.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Half the fun of a Disney Vacation is being able to stay together as a family! I have a family of 4 kids (8-15) and we still manage to have fun staying together. You will definitely need the baby swap, and there's no harm in splitting the group up to do alternative rides. You are going to have a blast! Give serious thought to joining DVC, too. We did it a while back and it was the best thing we have ever done for our family. We LOVE it. Imagine, getting that 2 bedroom OKW villa, but checking out without a room bill! Let me know if you have any DVC questions, I'd be happy to answer them!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

BTW, take Grandma and Grandpa and the kids to Ghirardelli in downtown disney some afternoon for an ice cream treat. They have GREAT stuff. Then you get to shop, too.

 

[Jenn]

We are traveling with a group of 12 for the third time this August. We mostly stick together. We have my in laws (60's), us (30's), my SIL (30's), and kids that will be 2, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 16. So, quite an age span.

At MGM, we usually split up for a couple of hours while the big kids and some adults hit TOT and RNR, the Moms take the little ones to Mermaid and Playhouse Disney. We only do this because the attractions do not appeal to kids of the other age group at all. Then we get back together to do Muppets, GMR, Backstage Tour, Fantasmic, etc.

At Epcot - we do everything together since the vast majority is appropirate for all ages.

At MK - same thing (grandparents sit with the baby and relax while we do SM, etc.)

At AK - same thing (granparents will skip anything too crazy like Dinosaur).

For our group - splitting up is such a hassle. We never seem to get back together when planned, so one group is waiting.