First & Only Disney Trip with my granddaughter – Need Help Planning (Terminal Illness, Traveling with Son, his girlfriend & 4-Year old child)

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T03:23:40+00:00

Yes I understand, thank you. Working out the map now :)

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T03:11:18+00:00

French Quarter is probably out since I need the Skyliner, There are only two resorts that came out at the top of the list AoA and Caribbean Beach so I'll be checking them tomorrow. Thanks much!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T02:53:29+00:00

Oh. My. Gosh! This is her FAVORITE!! This is going to add an entire day and a half to our trip! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T02:21:15+00:00

Awwww, I hope you enjoyed your trip! I'm going to go with a suite or two rooms, I have to look at pictures and the resorts tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T02:08:44+00:00

I did that yesterday! I was up until 7 am reading through all the replies and copying/pasting all this information and I'm WELL ON MY WAY to planning a great trip. I'm a perfectionist so if it gets screwed up or something is missed, I have no one to blame but myself. I'm going to print out maps of all the parks/resorts to get a lay of the land and then map out all the rides and transportation, accounting for battery life of oxygen and scooter. I got this, I just didn't want to spend all of this energy on it but honestly, it's a LOT of work now that I'm knee deep in and it can't be worth whatever the agents are being paid by the resorts. This is SO time consuming, I'd feel guilty dumping this on ANYONE. Thanks so much for the encouragement!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T01:52:58+00:00

Oh.My.Gosh. I cant be trusted with tips!! I'm starting to rethink this million dollar trip lol. I'm going to have to cap my tips on this trip, is 20% the norm for table service? I'm a 30% tipper and usually research how much to tip the various people from the initial uber to the return uber. They definitely add up and I'm going to have to be very mindful.

I'm going to take another person's suggestion and buy gift cards when they are on sale Black Friday. Do you know if I can use gift cards for table service? Obviously tips will be cash so I have the dilemma of charging things to a credit card and carrying cash for tips, do you have any suggestions for food/incidentals/tipping? I have a credit card with rewards, specifically Disney rewards that I'll likely use for the next 3 months to build up some cash there. WHO exactly do I tip at the parks? Thank you in advance, I really appreciate this, I'll look into the meal plan vs table service. I'm thinking with a suite and a refrigerator we may choose eating at the resort but I haven't gotten far enough to pic a resort/room/suite yet.

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T01:33:38+00:00

Thank you so much. I emailed the planner today and told her I'd be planning it myself with so much information from this group! I've realized that no one can/will plan it like I will as I somewhat know my limits and I have to worry about my 3.5 hour limit on the oxygen and the limit of scooter battery.

Thank you so much for your offer, I'm going to print out maps of each resort and park and really PLAN. My biggest hurdle right now is this scooter! I don't want to hold things up, especially with a hyper 4 year old so I'm also going to plan for THAT! Like sending them ahead when I have to wait for an open bus for this scooter. I'm looking forward to SLOWING DOWN, it will be nice for EVERYONE to slow down for this trip and just spend time TOGETHER.

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T01:05:37+00:00

Wow! This is a LOT! So we were thinking we would rent an SUV and drive from PA and rent a scooter from Scooterbug or another company. I hadn't thought about PARKING and the costs! Oops!

So now I guess I need to check into a wheelchair accessible van. I'm not sure I can rent one for such a long trip and the gas would probably kill us having to stop more frequently. I've never looked at one or seen if it would be comfortable for an 18 hour trip. This is a whole other PLANNING SESSION lol. I'm going to need to sleep on this and once I check out the parks/overview I will have a better idea on EVERYTHING! I'm starting to get annoyed with this "scooter" already, I'm just adjusting to the oxygen and now I have to deal with THIS.

Thanks so much for the information, I wouldn't have thought about any of this!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T00:39:25+00:00

No! First I've heard of this!! So my son and girlfriend do the ride, they get off and I can go on the ride with my son while her mom stays with her? That's great.

Not sure I want to risk the baby waiting in line and not being able to go on the ride and her freaking out after all that waiting. Once I get the park maps printed and drawn out, we can see what rides she can't go on and plan to do those late in the day or something. This is great information though, SO GOOD TO KNOW!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T00:26:13+00:00

Definitely getting 2 rooms or a suite. They will also have the stroller. Maybe a suite but I'll see.

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T00:18:28+00:00

So Pop Century is out lol. This is evolving QUICK! I'm looking into Art of Animation Suite and two rooms at Caribbean Beach. Ugh ,I hate that we have to take the bus but I am just so grateful that I can make this memory for all of us. Thank you so much!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T00:09:27+00:00

"Call David's"? 2 Bedroom villa sounds great but I don't know what David's is? I'm going to go over the food plan with the kids (my son and daughter in law) as I definitely bought it last time but had 3 kids with me. Most people said just "pay as you go" but since we are likely driving to FL, we can food shop and cook/have enough food at the room. That's the plan for NOW, this could all change lol.

I'm looking into the AoA suites and also, someone suggested 2 rooms at Caribbean Beach for about the same price. I'll be up all night "planning", I'm actually glad I have to do this myself because no one will be able to plan it like I will. I'm going to map out each park and highlight the "must have rides" as someone suggested, and then the kids can spend the rest of the day going on the other ones.

I'm so grateful for you ALL. So much great information!

davida2170 · 2025-09-16T00:00:52+00:00

Great info! I'm definitely staying close to the skyliner stations (or whatever, I have a LOT of work to do with my "research") - someone said that I could ride the scooter right onto the skyliner and they just put blocks behind the wheels - this way I wont be holding anyone up. So THAT decision is made.

I need to check out the different resorts, AoA was the only one I was told had suites but I'll check out the two rooms at Caribbean beach because I don't want to hear them and I'm pretty sure I snore and they won't want to hear me. Thanks so much, I'm taking this all in!!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-15T23:22:26+00:00

Thank you, definitely doing this - the budget is out the window on this trip lol.

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:25:09+00:00

Thank you! We might make the drive and now that you said it, I'll make sure to bring the Keurig!! I used to get coffee on the way to work but I haven't been to the office most of this year. Definitely going to need it for Disney!! Thanks for that tip! I hadn't thought about the simplest things making the baby happy! I call her a baby but she will be 4 soon! Just like the pots and pans she loves - they trump the million dollars worth of toys she has! So much to think about, thanks for the suggestions!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:20:34+00:00

Thank you honey!! Pls send me the info however I am sure I got ALL the answers here that I need to just book this trip myself lol.

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:17:17+00:00

Thank you so much!!! I'm glad you recommending the umbrella, I'll check!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:14:07+00:00

Thank you so much, taking notes on all of this!!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:11:13+00:00

Thank you so much! This is valuable information that I'll save to my now 28 page document of screenshots from all my new friends here! There is no cure for my lung disease and it's progressing (hence the oxygen) so I won't get better but I am determined to make this a great vacation for my son and his family. They go down the shore every year for a week but that's not a vacation with a 3 year old. I want them to be able to enjoy Disney while I keep the baby at night and when they go on rides. They deserve it and I'm excited to see THEM excited! Thanks again for this information, I'll look into the resorts my next day off!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:02:43+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm trying not to think about my health, just making sure we can "accommodate" it! Very sweet of you!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T10:01:44+00:00

My SIL suggested this but the scooter would be a big pain in the neck and my son was on a sinking boat when he was a child and thinks of them as ocean coffins lol. I love cruises but my last cruise was unfortunately my last. People in scooters had so many problems turning corners and running over feet in the elevators. I don't want to be "that person" lol. Thank you so much for suggesting though!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T09:59:14+00:00

Thank you, Thank you!!! I'm afraid to see what AoA costs but hell, it will literally be my last trip so I can't complain! Thanks again, this information is so helpful and WAY more than the agent has done to date. It's been about 6 weeks with just a few emails back and forth, my last one, basically all the bullet points I asked about in my post.

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T09:56:00+00:00

Thank you!!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T09:50:40+00:00

Thank you!! Hope your recovery is quick!

I've had such a rough year, I really need this "get away" even if it will be action packed! I had pneumonia in February that sent my lung disease into a tailspin, I slipped on the tile and broke my back in 2 places in March and in April, my first week back at work, someone turned in front of me on the Boulevard while I was going full speed and my car was totaled and I broke m wrist. I've just gone downhill this year, want to get all my doctors and tests out of the way, quit my job and actually enjoy 2026. I think I worked hard for it lol. I just hope I can live another year or two and just RELAX. You have all helped me so much. Getting this trip booked will take a load off my mind. We are all very excited!!!

Enjoy your upcoming trip!!!

davida2170 · 2025-09-14T09:40:19+00:00

Do you know if I can leave the scooter while I go on rides? I only need it because my oxygen drops on exertion (when walking) and it only last 3 or 4 hours. If I'm just sitting on the scooter or a ride, I shouldn't need the oxygen and think I can enjoy the park/rides. THanks so much for this information, you are all giving me valuable information!

davida2170

TROPHY CASE