Hi, Donna! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
I am so sorry for the loss in your family. It is always a difficult process to lose someone, but I think that one way to pay our respect to our loved one is to celebrate the great person that they were and the great life that they lived. My motto is “it never hurts to ask”, however, I do have a few suggestions for him to honor his mother’s spirit while at Walt Disney World Resort.
1) Let him make a special wish at the wishing well near Cinderella Castle. Let your sister’s grandson toss a coin and make a wish! All coins are later collected and donated to charity.
2) Write a wish in the Blue Fairy’s Wish Book at Pinocchio’s Village Haus, since it’s filled with magic, maybe he could even write a special message to his mother.
3) Random Acts of Kindness are always a favorite of mine. Any mother would be proud of a child who is spreading joy in their honor. What about purchasing a balloon (or any other treats) for a younger Guest? Watch their eyes light up.
4) Did his mom have a favorite Disney Character? If so, why not bring a photo of her and take a picture with that Disney Character if possible? Let them know how much they meant to her.
5) See
Guest Relations for an “I’m Celebrating” button. As I mentioned, we are celebrating her life, why not have that displayed? You could add something like “I’m celebrating the memory of my mother”.
6) If you celebrate Christmas, perhaps purchasing a personalized ornament would be an option as well. You can find a great selection at Disney’s Days of Christmas or Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe.
I am so sorry that she cannot make this trip with your group, but know that she will always be there in spirit,
Jen