Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Disney Trip: Day One

It's good to be home. This morning I woke up in my own bed, had my tea and toast, and devoured the Word. I totally fell off the quiet time wagon while we were at Disney World and I've never been so glad to get back to my Bible. I had the house almost all to myself for most of the day. It was blissful. Annabeth was with me, but she was sweet and peaceful as usual. Even though I worked, I'll count today as the last day of my vacation. It was so relaxing. Tonight my mom is joining us for some Mexican food. I might lose my mind if I don't get something spicy. A week of hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and pizza did me in. I've even been speaking Spanish in my head for the last few days. What does that tell you?

I've really struggled with following up Melissa's Calcutta trip with our Disney vacation. If you think it's ridiculous, don't worry because I do too. But the trip was paid for and we were not going to skip out on it. I've had lots of conflicting emotions about this and I'm just going to post about my trip and trust that God knows my heart.

With that said, I will probably do a separate post for each day of the trip. If it's too much for you, come back in a week or so. Or don't come back. Whatever works.

We packed up the truck and headed to the "airplane port," as Jackson says, late Tuesday morning after dropping off a Mother's Day present at my Mom's house. We did the Park 'N Fly and made it to our gate without a hitch. Pappasito's has a little restaurant in the airport and we enjoyed the best nachos of our lives before getting on the plane. I knew that would be the last Mexican food we'd have for a while. Texans go into withdrawal without it. The kids were great on the plane. I definitely don't ever want to fly with both of them alone, help me Jesus. As soon as we landed, we met up with Nana (Curt's mom).

We stayed at a Disney hotel, so we had some awesome perks that made our trip very easy. First of all, our bags went straight to our hotel and we bypassed baggage claim. We were picked up by a huge Disney bus and whisked away to the Wilderness Lodge hotel.

My boys on the bus.


My girl sleeping on the bus.


This is not the hotel I would have picked since it has a Yellowstone theme and we have actually been to the real Yellowstone before, but it was just beautiful and had a great atmosphere. We loved it. Curt had heard this was a great place to stay and we had determined that he would manage this whole vacation. Like I've said before, Disney is his thing more than mine. He did a great job planning everything out for us. We used TourGuideMike.com and it was incredibly helpful. I highly recommend it.



A river bubbled up from a hot spring in the hotel lobby and flowed outside where there was a mini Old Faithful.









While we were checking in, Jackson got to sit in this rocking chair and watch a movie in the lobby.



Our room was connected to Cozy's and that was such a blessing. We had a queen size bed and a bunk bed. Jackson and Curtis took the bunk bed and I had the queen to myself. Do I even need to tell you that my son LOVED the bunk bed?



Then we had dinner at the hotel and ate the first of many hamburger/fries/nuggets/pizza meals, which will henceforth be referred to as HFNP. This is when I first realized that Disney rejects all things Dr. Pepper. Sad, sad, sad.

After dinner we went to the pool and swam with lots of other people. Oh, and ducks.



After swimming, we collapsed in the room and watched The Biggest Loser. The finale is tonight! We're rooting for Tara. But seriously, all of those people are amazing. Gotta go now because my mom will be here any minute to see our pictures and go get salsa-fied.

70 comments:

debra parker said...

Swimming with people and ducks--now that is vacation.

I am pretty hungry for Mexican food too. Oh my. Actually, I am pretty hungry for almost everything.

Fran said...

So glad you are back. What a week y'all had!!! I completely love Disney. Its so hard for me to transfer from Disney to real life! Ha!

Can't wait for the pix.
Big hugs,
Fran

Megan said...

Looks so fun! I have always wanted to stay at the Wilderness Lodge! Can't wait to see more pictures!

Danielle (Life with the Hewitt Family) said...

Enjoy your Mexican food...I have been craving that all day long!

Can't wait to hear all about your trip. I have been wanting to take my son, but my husband wants to wait until he is older and remembers 100% of it because he only wants to go once.

Kelly said...

Well now you have me craving mexican!
Thanks for sharing your trip with us!!!!!

Jen said...

How fun! What great family memories. Glad to have you back!!!

Bobbie said...

It looks like day one was a hit! Your hotel sounds fun in and of itself!! We stayed at the Contemporary Hotel many years ago and had a scavenger hunt in the hotel one day--the kids loved it. I don't think the Wilderness Lodge was there when we went! I bet Jackson had a great time.

I'm surprised that Disney hasn't perfected a good Mexican food!!! Enjoy your dinner with Bibby, I know they're happy to have y'all home! There may be some praise dancin in your evening plans!

Sunni said...

My husband and I stayed at Wilderness Lodge in January and we loved it. We are thinking about staying again when we take our daughter because of the quick and easy boatride to Magic Kingdom.

Can't wait to read all about the trip!

Immeasurably More Mama said...

The Wilderness Lodge is a really nice place. We usually stay at the Coronado Springs Resort which has a great pool...it's big so you don't feel too crowded.

We were just at Disney last week and we ate at the Whispering Canyon while we were there...it was a fun place!

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip! Enjoy the mexican food and good company tonight.

Heather said...

We're leaving for our Disney trip this Friday...any tips?

You're pics are great. The kids are super cute!
~Heather

Deanna said...

We are big Disney fans here, too.... and yes, I share your dislike for the fact that Dr. Pepper does not exist anywhere on Disney property! A bit envious of your lodging.... we've always wanted to stay at the Wilderness Lodge but have always opted for the "value resorts" instead. Glad that you had a great time!!!!

Moose Mama said...

Honestly, I could live at the Disney theme parks. LOVE 'EM!!

And yep, the lodge looks like the real deal! (Yellowstone)

Melana in Wyoming

valerie said...

I love hearing all about your vacation.
Looks like such a fun place to stay!
Have fun with your mom tonight. I know she'll want to hear every detail
Yummy.....Mexican food, my favorite.
I'm glad you got to spend some time (almost) alone today. I know what you mean when you've been away from that special quiet time in the Word.
Can't wait for day two.

a boy a girl and a pug said...

oh looks like so much fun! so glad you all had a great time and hope you get your texmex refill.

AKat said...

I am glad y'all had a great trip! It's always good to get back home, though! :)

Anonymous said...

Girl, you needed this trip just as much as Melissa needed India. Don't let the haters get you down! I hope you enjoyed every moment and did not let the emotions get you down! Have fun with your sis! H

Alison said...

Your vacation sounds amazing! Especially the part about you getting to be by yourself in the house! Only a great mama would view that as a luxury! (and it is)

Sarah said...

Yeah! We loved our Disney trip this past Sept. and I can't wait to read more about your trip!

Mexican food sounds so good! I have been craving it since Cinco de Mayo. Which is why I'm making enchiladas and con queso for Caleb's fourth b'day party on Saturday. Recipes courtesy of the LPM summer Bible study this past summer - THANK YOU! :)

Spicy Magnolia said...

Welcome home! It sounds like a wonderful trip...even from day 1! :) I echo:

1) craving Mexican food every time we go out of town; Chuy's is our first stop once we get home. Love getting salsafied, oh yes I do!

2)having conflicting emotions about vacation/trips like Melissa's to Calcutta. After I took a trip like that one year, it was so hard for me to be on our family vacation at a resort. We are incredibly blessed, aren't we?

Yeah for a Yellowstone Lodge hotel. :) That's cool! I can't wait to take little Brennan to Disney World.

More than anything, I'm glad to hear your traveling went well...our first plane trip is coming up!!

Take care!

Unknown said...

How fun! Dont feel guilty for having the opportunity to take a family vacation--even in light of the oh-so convicting Compassion bloggers blogs.... Like you said, God knows your heart!!! I know thats easier said than done, but I dont think you should feel guilty! :) WHERE did you find the solid white Nuk paci that Annabeth has in one of the pics? I loved those with Cooper, but havent been able to find them ANYWHERE (even the big Babies-R-Us in Jacksonville) for Annabelle.... The only ones we have are the pink ones and the light green ones. The solid white are my favorite... I've even looked online!!! Glad Disney was great for your first family of four vacation!

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

Looks like y'all had a great first part of the trip!
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your posts...
We are Biggest Loser FANATICS around here! I used to not like Tara AT ALL, but... I dunno... I kinda want her to win now. :)
Ok, gotta go watch. Glad you got your Mexican. :)

Jennifer said...

I'm so excited to hear about the rest of your trip! So glad you're telling us day by day - how fun!! I'll be taking mental notes as I plan our family's vacation!

Hope you had fun with your mom tonight. Bet she couldn't wait to get her hands on her darling grandchildren!

Love,
Jennifer

Mindy said...

Can I just tell you that my husband used tour guide Mike, too and our days were totally planned and not stressful since we followed Mike's advice.

I look forward to seeing the rest of your pictures.

Unknown said...

I triple love the Wilderness Lodge! The pool is so great!

Your children are adorable and look so cute in their Mickey and Minnie gear! :)

Surrounded-By-Boys said...

I LOVE me some DISNEY! I am the PRO! You should try staying at the Port Orleans French Quarter or the Cabins at the campground! At the FQ you can get HOT beignets! (YUM) and the cabins have a full kitchen so you can cook things that are healthier than pizza, nuggets, etc. and/or save money by at least eating breakfast in.....(although it would prob. be hard since you had to fly in) The kids are darling in their Disney gear!

Heather said...

Wow, that placed y'all stayed at looks awesome!! I can't wait to hear more about it and see more pictures!

Emmy said...

How much fun! Nothing is more exciting then taking the kids to Disney! I am just thrilled for you all!

I want my grandmother name to be "Cozy" one day! Just precious!

Sharon said...

Oh Amanda,

Sounds like a wonderful 1st day! Thanks for sharing!

Much love,
Sharon, NC

lori said...

I want to hear all about your trip...so don't even second guess anbout posting on it. I was at disney this past saturday, we ran a muddy buddy race there.

Lauren said...

Is the Wilderness Lodge not absolutely amazing??? I've been there and LOVED it. It's absolutely beautiful, and you're right, a GREAT atmosphere :)

Sunni at The Flying Mum said...

OH MY GOSH! The pictures are already so adorable! can't wait to see more! Got your message today...I want to go so badly!

Tara G. said...

We went to Yosemite this weekend and dined more times than I care to count on PB and J.

Did you see the Bear Country Jamboree? That was my favorite as a kid. We even had the record.

I hope you had an absolute blast!

KM said...

It isn't just a Disney boycott of Dr Pepper...they are pretty much hard to come by in Florida itself.
Sad. Very sad.d

Keri said...

Wilderness Lodge is our favorite - hope you guys had some good animal sightings out your hotel window!! I was in Florida for a couple of days a week ago and my girlfriend and I went to Orlando for a night. It brought back many memories of lots of trips to Disney when we lived in Florida......it is truly a magical place!! Can't wait to hear all the details!

Just finished watching Biggest Loser and I HAVE to get to bed to make it to my spin class at 5:45 in the morning. Not that I will make it a habit, but BL is incredibly motivating so I'm taking advantage of it. Was disappointed......all I'm going to say in case anyone hasn't seen it.

Anonymous said...

We did our big, over the top Disneyworld vacation last October. My Bible study was also doing your mom's Daniel at the time and we were in week 3 or 4. Talk about being sickened by Babylon for my entire trip! I'll never forget it for many reasons. I had a great time with my family, but it was hard. Part of me was glad it was hard. Your mom's hard work didn't go to waste on me!

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

We are in Animal Kingdom Lodge, starting our first day of a week at Disney. There is nothing like the magic in little eyes...but tonight they are very tired eyes.

The Davidson Den said...

Disney's Magical Express (Expressway?) is the single best thing I can remember about taking my kids to Disney World. WHAT would we have done without it? It's unthinkable, really.

Angela said...

I enjoy reading about other people's trips to Disney. It gives me a new perspective on my norm. I've never noticed that Dr. Pepper doesn't live at Disney. We are Coke people.
And Orlando does have Mexican food, but I'm sure it's not as good as it is in Texas. Looking forward to Jackson's take on the parks and the 'magic' of Disney.

Big Mama said...

I hope you had those chicken soft tacos because I can't quit thinking about them.

Tonya Gray said...

...so it was Helen! Can you believe how small her waist was? And Jerry winning the at-home contest, who would have guessed? It was amazing to see all of those transformations. I almost spilled my gigantic bowl of ice cream every time a new group came out :D
...not a fan of Kristin's blonde hair, even though I LOVE her!

Holly said...

WONDERFUL!!

And that baby is a darlin'. I do believe my heart did a flip when I saw those sweet eyes closed. Mmm.

Have a blessed and heartburn-free sleep, Amanda!

Anonymous said...

This looks like such a fun trip--amazing (and a little jealous!).
Can't wait to see more pics!

KR said...

Yahoooo for Wilderness Lodge! We went in January and loved it. Loved the ducks...could have done without the whole ketchup screaming thing at the hotel restaurant.
I'm so glad you posted and for whatever it's worth..I appreciate a Disney post on the heels of the India posts. God does know our hearts and from what I've read of yours...I'm sure you ministered to some hearts in Orlando. Or the ones in the bunk beds next to you. Of such special value to God because the daily ministry inside our plush lives is sometimes so much harder and always less celebrated. Thanks for being exactly who you are. Can't wait for day two!

Desiree said...

Thanks for sharing your vacation stories and pics...I'm going to look forward to hearing about each day.
Glad to see you all had fun and you made it back safely.

Casey (@ Chaos and Cardboard) said...

Girl! I haven't had Mexican food in a YEAR! Can you imagine? In 4 weeks I will be flying into that very airport and you better believe I am stopping at Pappasitos. Then Chick Fil A on the way home. Amen.

Marla Taviano said...

I will be here for every day of your recap. :) I can't wait!

And even if I wasn't excited (which I am), I owe it to you for all those zoo posts you've endured. :)

WELCOME HOME!!

Inksstillwet said...

It looks like y’all had so much fun! That smile on Jackson’s face tells it all! We’ve wanted to plan a Disney trip, but it seems so overwhelming. Good idea to have Curtis plan it all! Surprises for you and the kids too!

Angela said...

I know this may seem like a dumb question, but did you take your own stroller for the baby? We are taking our 1 year old and 6 year old in June and I think we should take our own for the baby....any thoughts would be great!

katiegfromtennessee said...

I'm so glad you had a great time in FL. Your pics are fun-I like your hotel. When I went to Disney on my honeymoon, we stayed at the hotel that is based on the architexture of New Orleans:)

Much Love in HIM, ((HUGS!)),

katiegfromtennessee

Melissa said...

I saw your blog from Kelly's Korner and I just wanted to tell you what a beautiful family you have.

Anonymous said...

Hope you enjoyed your Mexican food!

Great pictures.

-FringeGirl

Dionna said...

I struggle with the "regular family vacation" and God-cause travel vacation too. But I'm learning that God wants us to enjoy life. I think if we go on trips like Melissa's - they will profoundly affect our lives. But that doesn't mean that it's wrong to spend money on vacations like Disney World either. As long as their is a balance and our lives show who and what we put first.

Tara said...

Wow! What a wonderful trip! Your hotel looked amazing and Jackson looks so happy in all of the pictures. I can't wait for each days' installments of your trip. How fun!

April said...

We've never been to Disney, but would like to go. I'll have to remember to bring my own Dr Pepper. (I guess the lack of it, will ensure I drink plenty of water!)

And no Mexican food, what's up with that! I thought it was a small world!

Cathy said...

Looking forward to hearing all about the trip. You can never have to much Disney in my opinion!

Marc and Charity said...

I'm happy to hear about your trip, so I'll be back! :)

Glad you are home and eating Mexican food. Have some for me. Sigh.

Allison said...

That looks like so much fun! Was Jackson old enough to really enjoy it? We may have to plan a trip for the twins next year, but I'm worrited about them being too young.

Ashley said...

Can't wait to hear more! We really want to go very soon. Our kids are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2 and I think it's a perfect time. I will definitely be checking out the travel guide link you added.

And I would feel competely the same way about posting all about Disney after Melissa's whole trip to a land of extreme poverty. But, you are right...the Lord knows your heart and I do, too. Just journal about it so you don't forget all the memories.

Love,
Ashley

Claire said...

Oh man! I really want to go swimming with ducks!

Cxx

petrii said...

I heart Yellowstone ~~ my fav vacation EVER!!!

Great looking motel!!

Have a Blessed evening,
Dawn

CAROL LIVIN FOR GOD said...

The pictures were great that wilderness lodge you all stayed looked awesome if I ever go to disney world I will have to try to stay there I have been there once and it was fun has been many years by now. The pictures were great also Jackson looks so much like his dad he was having fun can't wait for more pictures. Gotta go now and watch Wednesday night with Beth on life today Love you have a great week Carol Albuquerque nm

Rhonda said...

Hope the Mexican food was as good as could be! Looks exciting. My hubs would love to stay there because he loves to hunt! Looking forward to more details:)

Cindy- My Life HIS Story said...

We took our one and only trip to 'The World' in the summer of '07 - We would go back in a heartbeat if funds would allow! 7 days of pure happy. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and loved, loved, LOVED it!

Must admit it was this grown-up little girl's dream vacation. Forget European castles...give me Cinderella's!

And how fun is it that your luggage 'magically' appears in your room?

Nicole said...

Ok...you are inspiring me! We have been talking about a Disney trip at the end of this year. We have 5 kiddos and it is one of those "I-really-want-to-do-this-but-dont-know-if-it's-do-able!!" BUT... If you can take a baby and a 3 yr. old, surely it can be done!

Excited to see and hear about the rest of your trip. Will you please give some recommendations/tips/pointers for any future Disney travelers!! :) Thanks!

Lauren said...

I need to be Salsa-fied, myself.

You're really making me miss Mexican food! And I have no hope of getting anything good for months! At least I can get Dr. Pepper. :)

Mary R Snyder said...

So glad you're back and it sounds like y'all had a blast.
Tourguidemike is so great! I love it.

Can't wait to hear more about your Disney days!!

Grace said...

I understand the Mexican food craving...

I have a bad habbit of booking early flights. So, on Sunday we were up at 4 am to catch the Disney shuttle back to the airport and our flight at 7:30. We got home about 11 and I headed straight for the couch. After an hour and a half nap, I got up and we headed to our favorite Mexican restaraunt for lunch. It was Mother's Day after all and I had missed my Mexican food!

One of our favorite places was Casey's in the Magic Kingdom. Grace loved their corn dog nuggets!

Holly said...

We stayed at the Wilderness on our second trip to Disney and loved it! So beautiful. I have a picture of my then-2-year-old standing in front of that same totem pole in the lobby! (he is now 9 and taller than me)

I have one tip to avoid the chicken nugget/pizza/hamburger routine: The Dining Plan! We went last September during the FREE dining plan promotion and it is the way to do Disney. We ate like Kings and Queens and didn't have to worry with prices (which is totally NOT how we normally are, so it was a real treat). I recommend to everyone to take advantage of the free dining if you can go during that time frame. They usually offer it in August and September, I think.

Kristyn said...

Ditto the dining plan deal...the food is excellent!
We also stayed at Wilderness Lodge...did you see the hidden Mickey's everywhere..even in the bedding? I loved that! :)

Lora said...

We are heading to Disney next week and I've so enjoyed all your posts.