blogs
The Quintessential Family Vacation
We have decided to make the voyage. It is a voyage that all families eventually make. It is a voyage that encompasses all things commercial. It is the voyage that pretty much inspired National Lampoon’s Vacation. It is the family voyage to Walt Disney World.
Deciding to go to Walt Disney World is easy. Planning the trip is more complicated than launching the Space Shuttle. Who? What? When? Where? Why? They all have to be answered. Currently, the only definite is that our vacation will finish before Jaley turns three so we can skip paying the crazy admission prices for at least one in our family.
This will actually be my first trip to Disney as a tourist. It’s not that I haven’t been to Disney; I have been many times. It’s just that I grew up in Orlando. When I went to the Magic Kingdom, I was a local. We locals considered ourselves in the know, special you might say. We knew every ride backwards and forwards and we certainly didn’t need park maps. Of course, I haven’t lived in Orlando for the better part of two decades. The last time I went to Disney, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom didn’t even exist. Neither did the FASTPASS. When I was a kid, you waited two hours for Space Mountain and that was life. Either wait or don’t ride.
Times have changed. My days as a local are long gone. I am definitely no longer in the Disney know. Which parks should we visit? Where should we stay? Will funding this trip require breaking into Fort Knox? I have no clue. However, millions of others do. I am knee deep in guidebooks and Web pages gleaning all that Disney knowledge.
So here I sit, planning out our family’s first Disney vacation. Like all kids, especially those from Orlando, I loved Disney and all of its magic. As a parent, I can’t wait to see that again through the eyes of my girls. Of course, I know the trip will be exhausting. I anticipate a daily eruption of tantrums. I worry that I’ll pass out when our Visa bill arrives after our trip. But who cares. It’s Disney. It’s worth it.
Most families make the Disney voyage, for our family that time is now (or at least before July 27, 2009 when Jaley turns three).
Gigi appears every Friday on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Gigi at her blog Stroller Lane.
Gigi Harrell
Gigi is a TriangleMom2Mom featured blogger, appearing every Friday.
She's a mom of two daughters, ages 4 and 1½. Gigi’s path to a career in writing took the scenic route. She graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Industrial Engineering and a husband-to-be. After a few years of work and lots of play in California, they returned to their roots in the South. They landed in North Carolina where she graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with an MBA. She worked in marketing for a large multinational company, but career priorities changed with the arrival of her girls. She stepped off the corporate track to start her own business. She now works full-time as a mom and part-time running her business and writing freelance. Gigi lives in Cary with her husband and two daughters balancing the havoc and harmony of everyday life.
Comments
A couple of tips from someone who's done it with small kids a couple of times(like you need MORE info to digest:-) Definitely schedule a character breakfast! When were young, you may remember the characters were walking around everywhere-these days not so much-your kids may never see one up close if you don't do the breakfast! Also, you MUST do a parade! And finally....you must be there the minute they open in the morning. It's the least crowded and least hot! Now this part is optional according to your family's preferences: but we pushed our kids until noon, got out when it started getting hot and crowded and before we were on the hook for an expensive lunch. Went back to the hotel, made sandwiches, napped and swam in the hotel pool all afternoon. We found this leisurely pace much more practical and enjoyable with the little ones. Other people want to push the kids the entire day to feel like they don't miss anything and they get all their money's worth. I say, have at it. I was sipping pina coladas by the pool at 5:00 while others were pushing screaming exhausted kids in strollers in Dizzy World. Whew! We also stay at Embassy Suites Resort Lake Buena Vista, which is an unbelievable deal 1 mile from the disney gates(free snacks and drinks in the evenings, full huge breakfasts, pizza hut, starbucks, and italian restaurant on site, indoor outdoor pools-a two room suite-)all cheaper than disney and they provide free shuttle service to the parks. It was AWESOME.
http://www.embassysuiteslbv.com/ if anyone is interested-I can't recommend this place highly enough!
Thanks so much for all the tips LilyBug.