Travel Tip Tuesday

Wow! As I signed in to write a travel tip, I looked and realized that I haven't posted in almost a month. That post was one of only few in the past few months. I, along with everyone else, have been a little busy the past few months. Actually, I have been busy the last year. Although it has been a busy year, I wouldn't trade it for anything. In our house, we are calling 2011 the year of Disney. We booked a lot of fun hours in Disney parks last year. We kicked it off with a Spring Break trip to Disneyland, had a few days in Orlando in June, took our annual fall break trip to Disney World in October, and had a quick get away for my birthday to Disney World in December. When I look back, I think wow, I can't believe we did all of that. When I think of all of the memories we made, it makes me think of a whole new tip other than the one I logged in to write. So, I will get back to my more conventional tips next week, but for now, humor me for a few minutes.

My new tip for the day is to seize the opportunity, and go on vacation with the family. Of course I recommend going to Disney, but I know that not everyone has the love for it that I do. If your family is not into Disney, do something else, but please please find a time and place that your family will enjoy, and get away together. Don't make excuses. I have known many people who said we will go next year. We are waiting for the kids to be older. We don't want to leave the house (or kids, pets, etc) for a week this year. Well, often that vacation the next year didn't come for whatever reason....someone lost a job, someone got a devastating illness, a loved one passed away, etc. Sadly, these things happen all the time, and we don't know when they will occur, so if you have the time off, and money, go!!!

If you are going to Disney, you don't have to stay at the monorail resorts. You don't have to visit every single park. You don't have to have a sit down character meal every day. You don't have to stay a week. We decided a few years ago, that we would rather go every year for 10 nights and stay at a value resort, instead of going every other year and staying at a Deluxe monorail resort for five nights. We have done short trips (June and Dec were only four nights), long trips (October is always 10 nights), trips where we ate at one sit down a day, trips where we only ate counter service meals every day, and trips where we left property for at least one meal a day. When we went to Disneyland, we stayed at a Super 8 hotel and left every day for at least one meal. Let me tell you, every single trip was amazing and magical and we had just as much fun every trip no matter what kind of meals we ate or the hotel we slept in. You have to take the trip that comfortably fits into your family's budget, and that will be most enjoyable for YOUR family.

We were very blessed last year with some great opportunities (free flights for all of us to California and Orlando, along with the chance to buy annual passes). With my fear of flying it would have been so easy to say no to both California and our December trip. I could have come up with a million reasons to say no, not right now, maybe next time. I even tried to, but thankfully my hubby pushed me to get over my fears and now I am so thankful we took those trips. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Sadly, my daughter will grow up too quickly, and one day will not enjoy the trips as she does now. Odds are, one day we will go on vacation and she will be a typical teenager and think she is too cool to have fun with her family at Disney World. With that in mind, I am seizing every opportunity I am given, and embracing the memories we are making together as a family, that she will hopefully take with her for the rest of her life. I urge you to do the same. Seize the chance, plan a trip, and enjoy time together as a family (even if that means going to the next town over and staying at a cheap hotel or camping out in tents).

In 2012 we will go back to our typical year of Disney which include our fall break trip. I can't wait to take that trip and make even more memories. Where will 2012 take you and your family? Hopefully someplace fun for you! You never know when something big will happen that will disrupt your plans, or your life. Embrace the moments and make some wonderful memories. Don't say no when an opportunity arises!