At 80, my father-in-law Lou still held on to one wish: to take his grandson, Ari, to Disney World. It was a dream rooted in memories of taking his own son, my husband, decades earlier. But as time passed and his health declined, Lou quietly let go of the idea. He worried he wouldn’t be able to keep up, that he might slow us down, or worse, that he’d be a burden.
Then, during his 80th birthday celebration, we surprised him with the news that caught him completely off guard: we were going to Disney World together. He was completely stunned, visibly moved, and said, “How fast can we get there?” After the shock wore off, he began to worry that, with his legs having deteriorated, he wouldn’t be able to navigate the park. But when we arrived, something shifted. Watching him side-by-side with Ari, taking it all in, I saw such joy on his face. He was happier than I had seen him in years. The dream he had given up on was now unfolding before him.
Here are some tips that made our multi-generational trip stress-free: