Wow! It is indeed the last chapter of my travel story up to this point. What I am really looking forward to is getting to travel AGAIN. I must say, that has been my biggest disappointment during this time..the thought of a world with no travel, adventure, or dining out is a very sad world indeed. I know that there are more grave matters at hand at this moment, but I also feel that it is important to acknowledge that grief is grief. I know that we will return to normalcy. In the meantime, I can find joy in memories of past travel.
During our first two years of marriage, Chuck and I had much to learn about one another, what being married looked like, and how to blend our lives together. I had a lot to learn about being a stepmom and we faced a lot of uncertainty in our first year of marriage due to a changing custody agreement. But, life has a way of working things out and things have settled down somewhat. One thing that was certain in that first year was our commitment to curiosity, discovery, adventure, and travel together. We started out our marriage by having a "Disney moon." Some people asked us, "Oh are your kids going along on the honeymoon since you are going to Disney?" UM NO. Did kids go with you on your honeymoons? Most likely not. LOL
Disney is a GREAT place for adults. There is SO much to do (shop, food, spas, shows etc that are SO adult friendly).
We needed a week to celebrate the life we were beginning. We needed alone time and a getaway. Disney is the PERFECT place to honeymoon. We have never felt so loved and adored. We stayed at the Yacht Club resort (one of the Deluxe accommodations on property close to Epcot, my favorite park.) We decided very early on that we would invest the bulk of our budget into lodging and food because that is what we value most. We also spent more than normal because it was a once in a lifetime experience. We flew from TN to FL on a budget airline because who really cares for an hour flight?!
The week that followed was the most magical of my life. It ignited in me a love of Disney and ALL things related to the parks and especially Disney dining. I will never forget how special that week was for Chuck and I.
We were told by our travel agent at the time that we were her only clients up to that point who had booked the Deluxe Dining plan at Disney. (For those who aren't familiar with the Disney "system" which I will blog lots more about in the future, you can save MUCHO bucks on food by using the Disney dining plan.) Let's just say the Deluxe plan includes MORE food than 10 people could eat much less 2, but we were willing to be high on the hog for food that week because it was once in a lifetime and we are foodies. For us, food is travel.
We truly ate our way through the parks and enjoyed steak (a shared favorite) every day. :) The week ended with a meal at Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian resort. Again, I can go into a lot more detail about all this later, but this is THE place for an exclusive fabulous meal. It was not the most frugal night of our lives, but I have NO regrets about this unforgettable experience. I would say however, we did get out of there spending as little as you possibly could haha But again, honeymoon=once in a lifetime ok to splurge!
All week, we enjoyed the rides, the food, the impeccable customer service, going to the spa at our resort, and being told "Congratulations" by every cast member. We have decided that Disney IS our place. We will go back at least once a year. I also dream of buying an old condo, flipping it, and spending my future winters in Florida. A girl can dream right?! If you aren't sure where to begin with Disney planning, you can always contact me or read a guidebook...I personally love this one.