Disney World ... We love it!

Disney World - May 2009

We are home! It feels good to be home and having the whole summer ahead of us is a breath of fresh air. I have posted a ton of pictures on facebook and I am going to break our trip down here on my blog so I can journal it better.

I had written the following post before we left but I was never able to finish it. Just a little diddy about why we love Disney so much :)

All the below pics are from previous visits ...



I know families who visit Disney the way we do. Scheduling their trips over the years and looking forward to each vacation with more excitement than the last!

I also know families who have never been. Never want to go. Could care less.

I just want to share a few reasons why Disney has become one of our favorite family vacations:

*** Escape!

Disney is one of the few place where we go that I feel like we have truly "escaped" from the daily grind. Because we make an effort to budget a trip where we fly instead of drive and we have eaten for free (Free Dining has been offered every year from August - October) then that means less work for momma!

Plus, we can sing at our table and swing our napkins.

We arrive in Orlando and the Magical Express bus picks us up and takes us to our resort. They even pick up our luggage and take it directly to our room. When it's time to head home, the bus picks us up (and our luggage) and takes us to the airport. So, contrary to my life on planet earth, I don't have to drive ANYWHERE at Disney World!

The first year we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. It is a wonderful Disney resort but we made a goal to upgrade for the next visit. We started using a Disney Visa for all of our purchases including our cell phone bills, car insurance, and cable. We have never carried a balance (credit: husband-who-would-rather-die-than-carry-a-balance) so our "points" which actually transfer to "Disney Dollars" have been absolutely free! We have accumulated over $1,000 Disney Dollars this way :)

We upgraded in 2007 to The Contemporary and were hooked! Using the monorail system means we are minutes from Magic Kingdom and Epcot and a 10-minute walk from MK.

Our Private Jet -
(Note: it makes the teeny-tiny airplane less scary when you pretend)

*** Variety!

I cannot think of another place that offers the variety of activities for so many age groups. We most always swim in the afternoons at our resort and head back out to the parks in the evening.

The thrill rides are awesome:

Tower of Terror, Rock-n-Roller Coaster, Space Mountain, Escape from Everest, Mission Space, Test Track are just a few of our favorites.


The vast majority of the park offers shows and rides for our entire family. The stunt show at Hollywood Studios is a favorite among the men as well as the Indiana Jones show. We all love the parades and the fireworks are amazing!


With four different parks and each one being completely different from the other, the choices are endless!

*** Magic!

As cheesy as it sounds, the Disney folks work extra hard at making your vacation special. There are always those people who could use an extra dose of sweetness but for the most part they are accommodating and helpful in every way. Because the parks are built with children in mind, there is an added convenience that is often missing from other vacations.

Walking through the gates on our first visit and hearing the familiar Disney music piped through ... rounding the corner to see the castle with Mickey waving frantically AT ME!

Okay, maybe he was waving at the children. Still, it was a special moment that I treasure and take with me each time we go!