Family Travel Adventures by Disney - Grand Canyon National Park

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Sunset at the Grand Canyon National Park (Jennifer Miner)The Grand Canyon! It’s probably the most famous of all the US National Parks, and many of our family vacation group’s members said they were most looking forward to seeing it for the first time. The Adventures By Disney Southwest Splendors tour schedule had us arriving at the Grand Canyon midway through the trip through Arizona and Utah. Yes, it is easy to travel from Sedona to the Grand Canyon, when you’re on a Disney tour bus with energetic guides, games for the kids, and that great scenery of the American Southwest passing by the window.

Seeing the magic of seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time is truly awe-inspiring; something of which our Adventures By Disney guides were well aware. They asked us to look at the ground (childrenGetting Ready to See the Grand Canyon for the First Time (Jennifer Miner) too, no peeking) as we walked to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This enabled those first-time visitors among us to arrive, look up, and be almost stunned by the vastness and spectacular beauty of the Canyon. We passed a small group of young adults who apparently had a similar idea: They were walking up the path with paper bags over their heads, so as to take in the South Rim all at once too. I was a bit curious to see that group’s reaction, but - of course - much more interested in watching my own family see the Grand Canyon for the first time.

Now, I’m not an especially corny woman. Nonetheless, it brought tears to my eyes to witness my children - my TV-addicted, blase, here-mom-goes-again children - rendered speechless upon first viewing the Grand Canyon. This National Park is iconic of the Southwest, and at some point everyone has at least seen photographs of it. But it’s simply different, and better, to take it in personally.

The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona (Jennifer Miner)The Grand Canyon is over a mile deep, and 15 miles wide at its widest point. Watching the Colorado River wind its way through the bottom of the canyon, it’s easy to understand how this river carved its path and irrevocably changed - and slowly continues to change - the earth around it. The Grand Canyon is around 4 to 6 million years old: Standing there, with my young kids, feels like witnessing something timeless, and miraculous, on our planet. The preservation and accessibility of the US National Parks is one of our country’s greatest gifts. Adventures By Disney must know that helping parents share the experience of the Grand Canyon with our children is a gift, as well.

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August 14, 2008 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel, The Cookie Jar, Travel News 

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10 Responses to “Family Travel Adventures by Disney - Grand Canyon National Park”

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  1. CajunMama says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    It sounds as if you made wonderful family memories by taking this trip together. Now you make me want to take my kids!

  2. jamie says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    Mudslide: Okay, I know I’m paranoid, but walking near the rim of the flipping GRAND CANYON with a paper bag on your head cannot be a good idea. Right? Still, that’s a great picture…

    My husband and I did the GC pre-kids (hiking all the way down and back up on the 4th of July in 100-degree weather, which is a story for another day). Are there any reasonable hiking trails for kids? Whiny, hiking-averse kids?

  3. MudslideMama says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    Hi Jaime! There is a really child-friendly trail we all took, called the Bright Angel Trail. Well, it’s still super hot in the summer, so my younger kid got really cranky on the way back up, but it is not too hard…Plus you walk right by an ice cream place when you’re done. My kids got double scoops! (So did I…)

  4. polyGeek says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    I used to give tours at the Grand Canyon for Angels Gates tours out of Flagstaff. We entered through the East entrance and our first stop was the Desert Tower. From that location you can’t see the canyon until you walk right up to the edge. I would always tell people that the best experience is to keep looking at your feet until I say look up. I did this 100+ times and watching people’s reaction never got old.

    It was cool to watch someone’s head tilt up but their jaw usually stayed in place.

  5. Sandra says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    Sounds awesome. With all that walking you could have triple scoops and not worry about it. Cute capture with the paper bag family.

  6. Keith says:
    August 14, 2008 at

    So far, I’ve seen:

    Gordale Scar (Yorkshire’s Grand Canyon)
    Cheddar Gorge (England’s Grand Canyon)
    Avgas Gorge (Cyprus’ Grand Canyon)
    Samaria Gorge (Europe’s Grand Canyon)
    Wadi Moujib (Jordan’s Grand Canyon)
    and the Katherine Gorge (one of several claimants to be Australia’s Grand Canyon)

    I really must visit the original sometime!

  7. Jilly says:
    August 16, 2008 at

    Yup. This is one of my favorite places in the world. In my Top Three. :-) Backpacking in there is an addiction once you get started.

    It makes me happy to hear your children appreciated it too. :)

  8. Carol says:
    November 4, 2008 at

    We are thinking about taking the Adventures by Disney Grand Canyon trip in April ( Spring Break). We are travelling with a 5 yr old and a 7 yr old. They are not big hikers. Is this trip worth it given their young age?

  9. MudslideMama says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    Carol, there are many easy trails along the Grand Canyon. The Adventures by Disney tour ensures that people only take on what they can manage, so the trip stays fun.

    (note: Carol and her husband subsequently did book this vacation with Adventures by Disney.)

  10. Saddlehorn Campground at Colorado National Monument, FruitaFamily friendly says:
    May 13, 2009 at

    [...] Campground. (By the way, a National Monument is established by the declaration of a president. A National Park is established by an act of Congress. Remember that one for your next game of U.S. [...]

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