We've completed twenty-four trips to Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort and Aulani combined, just finished our eighth cruise with Disney and another cruise in the near future and they ask, "why Disney all the time?" Well that's easy, here's why.
Last week my husband gave me the green light to hunt around for our next vacation and I was elated when Europe was in the mix. For some reason, land tours popped in my head so there I was comparing different companies and what they offered. I even contemplated the famous River Cruises. I found a wonderful itinerary encompassing five countries over a span of two weeks and was ready to book it but something was bothering me. My gut wasn't right, something was askew. Meanwhile, the prices with the other companies were very high, the price of a full year's tuition. Yes, that's all we compare things to around here, tuition. Bless my daughter's sweet brain and efforts, but it looks as if our tuition road will be a long one, God willing.
Anyway, back to my instinct. It was unsettled, so I took a step back and I listened. I then took out a piece of paper and started to write down pros and cons of using another tour company. I quickly discovered that it was because of my son Andrew. What we need on our vacations is convenience, comfort, peace of mind, and high standards. These are all the things that are provided us when travelling to any Disney Park, resort and ship. Things that have become the norm and the standard and we're so used to that. It is because of that standard that it's incredibly difficult to venture away from a vacation with Disney. That doesn't mean theme parks. It means that we've grown accustomed to being well taken care of, respected and listened to.
Now, with my list in tow, I quickly started looking at a ninth cruise with Disney, but to the Mediterranean. I mean how much better can that get? Now we would be going off to foreign lands but backed with the security, ease, comfort and peace of mind with Disney in the mix. It all makes perfect sense now. I feel so much better, as if a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I even get my luggage tags, but destined for Venice!
My son will be on the reimagined Disney Magic, a ship very familiar to him with a few new twists; he'll see his beloved characters and play in his favorite lands. I will be on a Disney ship, I will only have to unpack once, be able to do laundry with ease and in familiar territory, know my surroundings, know what to expect from A-Z, have the peace of mind knowing that when my shoreside excursion is done I'll have the sanctity of the Disney Magic to come home to....it's a no brainer and I should have thought of it first, but at least I've got it right now! I was even able to secure our beloved stateroom 6612, which has been ours for four cruises on the Magic now. You see, we have a favorite stateroom on each of the four ships and we stick with them.
Why make my life any more complicated? Why should I have to worry about anything other than focusing on my family and my vacation?
We've decided to try itinerary A leaving from Venice and returning to Venice (Pamela, my daughter cries when she speaks of Venice, so guess who'll be happy there while eating gelato?). We even get an overnight stay in Venice at the end, what could be better? We'll visit Katakolon, and Pireus in Greece and you can be sure that once off the ship we're headed for the auto train straight into Athens and in this subway system we'll glean over archeological digs that have been left intact, visible through heavy glass.
Once in Athens, we're roaming back to my old, childhood places. I'm taking Andrew by the hand and we'll climb the steps towards the Acropolis, meander down through Plaka where I'll buy him an authentic souvlaki and I'll let him break a dish or two, I'll take him to the glorious museums and end the day with a trip to Vouliagmeni beach before headed back to dine with Mickey and friends....and that's only the beginning. I've already started working on his Athen's acclimatization journal as I write this and I am so excited! I can't wait to show him Rhodes, a Dodecanese Island that has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period, and Ephesus, Turkey and Mykonos, oh how he'll love the windmills....I cannot wait.
Last week my husband gave me the green light to hunt around for our next vacation and I was elated when Europe was in the mix. For some reason, land tours popped in my head so there I was comparing different companies and what they offered. I even contemplated the famous River Cruises. I found a wonderful itinerary encompassing five countries over a span of two weeks and was ready to book it but something was bothering me. My gut wasn't right, something was askew. Meanwhile, the prices with the other companies were very high, the price of a full year's tuition. Yes, that's all we compare things to around here, tuition. Bless my daughter's sweet brain and efforts, but it looks as if our tuition road will be a long one, God willing.
Anyway, back to my instinct. It was unsettled, so I took a step back and I listened. I then took out a piece of paper and started to write down pros and cons of using another tour company. I quickly discovered that it was because of my son Andrew. What we need on our vacations is convenience, comfort, peace of mind, and high standards. These are all the things that are provided us when travelling to any Disney Park, resort and ship. Things that have become the norm and the standard and we're so used to that. It is because of that standard that it's incredibly difficult to venture away from a vacation with Disney. That doesn't mean theme parks. It means that we've grown accustomed to being well taken care of, respected and listened to.
Now, with my list in tow, I quickly started looking at a ninth cruise with Disney, but to the Mediterranean. I mean how much better can that get? Now we would be going off to foreign lands but backed with the security, ease, comfort and peace of mind with Disney in the mix. It all makes perfect sense now. I feel so much better, as if a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I even get my luggage tags, but destined for Venice!
My son will be on the reimagined Disney Magic, a ship very familiar to him with a few new twists; he'll see his beloved characters and play in his favorite lands. I will be on a Disney ship, I will only have to unpack once, be able to do laundry with ease and in familiar territory, know my surroundings, know what to expect from A-Z, have the peace of mind knowing that when my shoreside excursion is done I'll have the sanctity of the Disney Magic to come home to....it's a no brainer and I should have thought of it first, but at least I've got it right now! I was even able to secure our beloved stateroom 6612, which has been ours for four cruises on the Magic now. You see, we have a favorite stateroom on each of the four ships and we stick with them.
Why make my life any more complicated? Why should I have to worry about anything other than focusing on my family and my vacation?
We've decided to try itinerary A leaving from Venice and returning to Venice (Pamela, my daughter cries when she speaks of Venice, so guess who'll be happy there while eating gelato?). We even get an overnight stay in Venice at the end, what could be better? We'll visit Katakolon, and Pireus in Greece and you can be sure that once off the ship we're headed for the auto train straight into Athens and in this subway system we'll glean over archeological digs that have been left intact, visible through heavy glass.
Once in Athens, we're roaming back to my old, childhood places. I'm taking Andrew by the hand and we'll climb the steps towards the Acropolis, meander down through Plaka where I'll buy him an authentic souvlaki and I'll let him break a dish or two, I'll take him to the glorious museums and end the day with a trip to Vouliagmeni beach before headed back to dine with Mickey and friends....and that's only the beginning. I've already started working on his Athen's acclimatization journal as I write this and I am so excited! I can't wait to show him Rhodes, a Dodecanese Island that has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period, and Ephesus, Turkey and Mykonos, oh how he'll love the windmills....I cannot wait.
Here I am with my Andrew aboard the Disney Dream celebrating his eleventh birthday.
Comments
Post a Comment