A Little Time Out at Disney - Grandparents.com

At this five-pool resort - a stone's throw from Epcot - find elegance that's playful not stuffy.

My Aunt Merry Ann approaches a day at Disney World with the same maniacal insistence on swift, tactical maneuvers as a general who invades a small country in the morning, fully expecting to have it conquered before dinner time.

Once a year, she, my Uncle Jerry, their daughter Jessica, and Jessica's now 9-year-old daughter, Abigail, spend several days preparing provisions and planning the route of their forced march through Disney World. On the appointed day, they rise before dawn and set out on their two-hour journey down I-4, expecting, as always, an unambiguous victory.

Merry Ann was always the most fun-loving of my aunts and uncles; as a grandmother, she's nothing short of a force of nature. They're back home an hour or two after midnight, having conquered every corner of every park, carrying their Disney booty in colorful plastic bags, "It's A Small World" no doubt playing endlessly in their drooping heads. Fortunately for Abigail, she was born with the long legs and stamina of a thoroughbred filly, and can keep up with her grandmother.

It's Not All About the Kids

Force of nature or not, when making the supreme grandparental gesture of taking your grandkids to Disney World, you may not want to try to see every possible sight, and ride every possible ride, in one day — particularly with small children in tow. You may also prefer a little character-free time to enjoy a few grown-up meals and some sound sleep in a comfortable bed, perhaps even get in a little spa time — all without driving back to a World Beyond Disney hotel at day's end.

Three words: Swan. And. Dolphin. The whimsical, pastel-colored confection of a resort is the unmistakable handiwork of architect Michael Graves, who also recently helped with the redesign and renovation of the interior. Its colossal clamshells, swans, and triangular towers are unmistakable as you float across the lake from one park to another in a water taxi.

Unlike other hotels on the Disney property, it's not technically a Disney resort; both the Swan and the Dolphin are Starwood hotels — Westin and Sheraton, respectively. Consequently, they reserve the right to keep the more, um, overtly Disney elements to a minimum — unless required for special occasions — in favor of something more understated and elegant. Yet, they are not so stuffy that children aren't perfectly comfortable chasing each other around in their bathing suits in the enormous lobby. In other words, the Swan and Dolphin has managed to strike a near-perfect balance between luxury and fun.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin

Let's start with fun. On the grounds of the resort, you will find five pools — including two lap pools and a rock grotto pool with a waterslide. There's also a miniature golf course, two game rooms, four tennis courts, a basketball court, beach or water volleyball, a beach, paddleboats, and — for a fee — Sony PlayStations available in all rooms.

Camp Dolphin accepts children ages 4 to 12 from 5:30 pm to midnight so you can have a nice, relaxing, adult night out. If your grandchildren would like to have a meal with a few Disney characters, it is possible to have breakfast with Goofy, Pluto, et al., who promptly return to the Magic Kingdom afterward.

As for the theme parks, Epcot is within easy walking distance, giving you a definite advantage with regard to being first in line for the truly awesome Mission: Space ride in the morning. Disney-MGM Studios is also close by, and there is free transportation to the other parks just outside the hotels. If you time things right, and NASA and the weather cooperate, you may observe a shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral. Just be sure to find someone knowledgeable to tell you in which direction to look before the rocket lifts off.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin

On the luxury end of things, make an appointment for a massage and/or treatment at the Mandara Spa. I recommend the Lime and Ginger Salt Glow. Even if you're not a spa fanatic — and I'm not, particularly — this one, with its Balinese-inspired design and temple-like tranquility, is the perfect antidot to the high-energy parks. It also offers a teen spa menu, which includes the "Mother and Daughter (or grandmother and granddaughter) Paradise Massage" for girls with a taste for grown-up indulgences and some quality time with their grandmothers.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin

For dinner, choose among celebrity chef Todd English's bluezoo, Kimonos Japanese restaurant, complete with karaoke — if that's your thing – Shula's Steak House, and the brand-new Il Mulino New York Trattoria. Of the four, only Shula's does not offer a children's menu.

End the day in your heavenly bed, piled high with pillows and down, and by morning, you'll all be back to full force-of-nature status for another day at Disney World.