We're going to Disney! Kind of. We're going near Disney, but not going to any of the parks. We leave this Sunday to spend five days at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - a New Orleans themed Disney resort in Orlando - for our "Last Chance" vacation, as I've been calling it. Some people call it a Babymoon. Either one means the same thing - this is the last chance you'll have to take a vacation alone without begging and pleading some family member to take your child for an entire week so you can reconnect with your husband. I think most grandparents are too smart for that. Although I just learned that my mom has every intention of offering us that service once a year (saint that she is), so maybe the situation isn't as desperate as it sounds. Either way, it's the last chance to sit by a pool and do nothing but enjoy warm weather without too many complications.
And it's true that we're pinching our couch pennies around here, but I firmly believe that there are some situations in life that require you to just spend the money. Plus - I'm a SUPER shopper (thank you Expedia & Southwest Airlines).
So how did I come up with a Disney vacation when we have no intention of going to any of the parks? Well, I knew that we wanted to take our Last Chance vacation, but being pregnant (and extremely financially conscious) I had all kinds of criteria. We had to stay in the country (ruling out any of the islands), the flight had to be short (ruling out anything west of the Mississippi), we had to go someplace warm (ruling out anything above the Mason-Dixon), we had to be someplace where we could cheaply or freely get from the airport to our destination (ruling out any car rentals), and we had to be someplace where all of the food and attractions were walking distance (ruling out lots of places).
It all sounds so easy, but it took me a while to figure out that the more touristy and corporate of a place we picked, the more they could cater to all of my demands. One night while lying in bed it occurred to me that Vegas fit several of the criteria, but was too far away to be an option. Plus, B has never been there before and he deserves to have his first Vegas trip be filled with all kinds of gambling and golf and other fun things that defy the point of our sit-by-a-pool-and-do-nothing-for-five-days vacation. "What's like Vegas, but on the East Coast???" I thought. Disney! All of my best thinking occurs while lying in bed in the morning.
We've already been to Walt Disney World and every other park but Epcot (which we may visit if we're feeling up to it) has rides which I can't go on anyway, so that's the reason for no parks. But if anyone has mastered the art of cheap tourism, it's Disney. You can get everywhere for free and there are hundreds of restaurants and ferries and walking trails and everything else you would need. And previous to this, the thought of a Disney vacation made me shutter with abject horror. I'm not good with big touristy crowds at ALL (and neither is B), but then I realized that a warm pool is a warm pool. And if you're avoiding all of the parks anyway, then the touristy thing is dulled down a lot.
So that's where we'll be for the next week! If I'm feeling up to it - and no promises - I'll mobile blog a few pictures for you. At the very least I'll post a bunch of pictures when we get back - I know you're dying to see me in a maternity bathing suit.
4 comments:
B and I did the same thing when I was preggo the first time. He had never been to Disney, so we did do the park thing. We savead a lot of money at the time by adding a meal plan. Stayed at the same place as you and we really liked it. Beignets for breakfast! It's convenient because you can take a boat ride down the river to the marketplace (where you don't need to pay admission) to eat and walk around. You can also bus it to the boardwalk areas near epcot for other nighttime activities. Have a great time!
Have a great time! I'm so glad you're doing this. Still bitter that the Husband wouldn't let us...grrr. Whatever, bygones.
But wait, didn't you guys do a Disney vacay a few years ago? I thought you love it, no?
You will have such a good time. I am so jealous! Give Mickey a big hug for me.
For extra credit while you're whiling away the hours pool-side, you can try to spot all the multitude of different designs Disney makes for every little thing in their parks. Every tiny piece of decor is designed specifically for that hotel, that restaurant, that you-name-it. Everything from the trash cans and wall sconces to the park benches are all designed specifically and uniquely. Have fun. Here's what I'm talking about: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tavie/sets/72157602771236476/
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