Our vacation to Disney

We finally took our kids to Disney!

Our oldest is almost 13 and though she has been asking for years, we wanted to make sure that the youngest (almost 5) would be old enough to enjoy and remember it.

Our plan was to go once. There is so much to see in the world. That's still our plan...mostly. Disney makes family vacation so easy.

Some of the things that wowed us:
The Dining Plan made all the difference in the world. Plenty of food. Excellent service and help with food allergies. We feel that it really saved us a great deal of money and hassle.

The lines. We went at the end of January, first of February. We utilized the fastpass system a few times, but really didn't need to on all typically crowded rides. The longest we spent in line was 25 minutes the whole week.

The time of year. Again, crowds were minimal. A few rides were closed for refurbishment, but it didn't detract from our fun. The weather was between 79-84 degrees all week. Perfect for us.

The cost. While it is not a cheap vacation, we were aware of the costs upfront and didn't come away with buyers remorse because we felt pressured to spend more than we planned. Part of that success, I think, is giving the kids spending money and allowing them to spend it at their discretion. No negotiating and begging, so no feeling guilty or pressured into impulse buys from the family funds.

The cleanliness. It was clean, really clean. There were only a couple of bathrooms that needed attention and both times there was a cast member either already there working or passing us as we walked out. The rest of the park was just pristine.

The Cast. We never heard the word, "No." There were always smiles. They seemed happy. We hope their working environment is as happy and satisfying as it seems to the guests.

The resort (Port Orleans-Riverside). Clean. Lush vegetation. Quiet. 24 Hr heated pools. Easy access to transportation and parking. Decent food.

What didn't wow us...NOTHING. (Well, maybe we got a little tired of the food by the end of the week, but...we just missed homecooking, I think)

It was a totally satisfying vacation.
While we may not go back, it will always remain a favorite for all of us, I am sure.

In the next week, we'll be sharing our photolog of our time at the parks.
Hope you enjoy!

Have you been to Disney and had a great experience too? Tell us about it!

Namaste