With such a big, fantastic country to travel, why would anyone keep taking Disney trips? That’s what I ask myself every time I start fantasizing about our next Disney vacation, which is pretty much daily. Here’s my answer: I don’t much care, because I want to go back to Disney.
Four reasons I keep giving my vacation dollars to the mouse:
#1 Disney employees are so nice to my kids. I really got that when I began traveling with babies. If your kid is freaking out, which he’s going to do at some point each day of his young life, someone offers a sticker, or an “awww,” or at least shoots you a sympathetic look. It’s such relief from other places, where kids have to be shushed and hustled out of site. I relax on a Disney vacay (I’m talking about DisneyWorld in Florida, and Disneyland in California, and the Disney Cruise ships) because my kids are going to “have moments” but thank goodness everyone understands. The hotels expect kids. The restaurants are ready for kids. It’s all good.
#2 My husband and I get alone time. We joke that we have to go on a Disney Cruise to have a date, but that’s not really far off. The kids are so occupied with the kids’ clubs-doing the stuff of kid fantasies, like like joining a band of pirates-that we never fail to sneak off to an adult-only bar during some afternoon and an adult-only restaurant for a dinner. The kids are close and happy but we get some couple time too. And can I just point out that when the kids are in camp, the cabin is blissfully kid-free? It’s not hard to get my husband to go on one of the ships.
#3 You can never see it all. The Florida parks are so vast. The cruise ships have so much going on every hour. And even the California park, with its manageable size, keeps upgrading. There is always something new to see. When I heard that previews of the new FantasyLand in DisneyWorld begin November 19th, it was all I could do to keep from immediately buying plane tickets. (Breathe in, breathe out.)
#4 We always have a good time. I’ve been in Florida when it’s too hot (avoid June!) and I’ve been in DisneyLand during rain (we wore ponchos and made extra trips back to our room). It’s still a blast. We love the food, we love the characters, we love the parades and the swimming pools and the rides. Sigh.
I am not rich. I have to save and plan like everyone else. (Even if I get sent to Disney for work, I pay to take the family along.) I have a coworker and a couple of Facebook friends who also keep getting drawn back to Disney, which makes me feel like less of a freak. Here in New York City, it’s much more chic to spend vacations in Europe, or at a cottage in Vermont. But I’ll take a Disney trip over anything else. Who’s with me?!
Thinking about a quick getaway for Memorial Day weekend? Before you finalize your plans, explore family-friendly places by using Google Maps Street View. If you’re not familiar with this free tool, it gives you a 360-degree street level look at popular U.S. and world destinations (zoos, amusement parks, public parks, landmarks, museums, etc.). From the comfort of your own home computer or smartphone, preview places to determine if you want to visit them in person.
Get a panoramic look at these following U.S. destinations:
Plus, if you or someone you know manages a unique destination, request a Street View team to visit the location through the Street View Partner Program.
If you’re traveling with a baby or toddler and need to stay for a few nights at a hotel, always look into childproofing the room.
A 16-month-old girl, Jah-Nea Myles, fell from the fourth floor balcony of a hotel in Orlando yesterday before being caught by Helen Beard, a 44-year-old woman visiting from England. Jah-Nea’s mother had left her in the care of friends who didn’t notice when the toddler left the room and then managed to slip through the balcony rails.
MyFox Orlando reported hat Beard saw the child dangling from the balcony and ran to a location underneath the child before she fell. The toddler struck the third floor balcony before being caught by Beard. The child still slipped through Beard’s arms and landed on the ground, but didn’t suffer any injuries. The local hospital determined the child to be in good health and the sheriff’s captain deemed Jah-Nea’s rescue to be miraculous.
When taking a trip with your child, Parents suggests calling the hotel beforehand to ask questions and determine if it’s kid-friendly location. Ask about renting a crib or stroller, the hotel’s crib safety requirements, and any available child-friendly activities, pools, and playgrounds. Most hotels also offer free childproofing kits or will childproof the room for you upon request. Just make sure to ask. Once you’re at the hotel, look for any possible dangers such as open balconies, stairs, and railings, uncovered outlets, sharp furniture, fragile objects, loose curtain or electrical cords, and unlocked cabinets. Above all, keep your child safe no matter where you stay.
In the last video postcard from Disney’s Baltic cruise, Sally Lee and her family take in Russia and Finland–and all the fun offered back on the boat. Check out the vid now or the previous installments by clicking here and here.
In her next video postcard, Sally Lee and her family continue on their awesome Disney cruise through Europe, with a fun stop in Germany. Check it out now:
Don’t forget to watch part 1 here. And come back next week for the final installment.
We were psyched to receive video postcards from our long-time editor-in-chief Sally Lee. She and her family recently went on what looks like an amazing Mediterranean cruise on the Disney Magic. We wanted to book a GoodyBlog staff trip after watching! Check out the vid if you’re curious to see what one of these cruises is like for kids–or if you just want to watch Sally’s adorable daughters ham it up for the camera (they narrate the fun vids, too). Bon voyage!
Thinking about a quick getaway for Memorial Day weekend? Before you finalize your plans, explore family-friendly places by using 
