We're EVERYWHERE!

For thirty years (since I was about 5 years old) I have wanted to go to Disney World.  How much have I wanted to go to Disney World?  I would pick Disney over a cruise to Hawaii.  I would pick Disney over a world tour (at least the first time).   I would pick Disney World over dinner with Abraham Lincoln if a time machine existed and I were somehow able to secure a special invitation to the White House in 1864.

Disney World has been a really big deal on the airforcewife list of things to do. 

After waiting and planning and saving, we decided this year was the year to go.  Everything just fell into place, which is particularly helpful.  We expected a big expense, and as we started pricing things out on the Disney website, our expectations proved to be right on target. 

But then I had a chance encounter with another military spouse, and everything changed.

First off, I should emphasize that in many things I'm quite Type A.  With the exception of the time I traveled to SpouseBUZZ Live in Utah with Sarah and Sarah took care of all the travel arrangements and timing (she was the perfect cruise director for my son and myself) I check every option and plan everything down to maps.  I even make travel folders for each person on the trip.

But Disney World was proving to be my undoing.  The options, the excitement, the hotels... Trying to figure out where to eat, whether I needed reservations, which characters would be where - it all had me nearly in tears, even after I read The Unofficial Guide to Disney World twice.

So, on the advice of a website I found through the guidebook, I contacted Small World Travel.  In the contact form I stated that we were a military family and we would be attending Disney while on an R & R. 

I'm sure you can imagine the hyperventilating that went on when Caylie from Small World returned my email with a quote - the hotel we wanted, the days we wanted, AND A SAVINGS  THAT HAD THREE ZEROES AT THE END. 

Incredible.  Not only do I get my dream vacation, but I got it at half the price I was expecting. 

It turns out that Caylie, our assigned travel agent, is also a military spouse!  So when I mentioned the R & R she got right on it and booked us under a special promotion that Disney is offering for military families.  She answered all my questions, spoke my language and understood why I was asking things that might sound weird to people in different situations (like:  if my husband has some weird thing come up and doesn't get home when he's supposed to, can someone else use his ticket or can we reschedule?). 

Military spouses - we're everywhere, aren't we? 

In case anyone is interested - Caylie works for Small World Vacations, and the Disney special for the military can be found here.  

Comments

[Sarah P. (luvslikepi)]

Awesome!! I love DisneyWorld, wrote my undergrad thesis on Walt Disney and World War 2, and even worked for a semester at The Magic Kingdom. If you need hints or touring tips let me know!

[Christine C]

We went to Disney with our daughter this year too. The military discount in tickets is what sold us. Unfortanately, we went during spring break so we couldn't stay at any of the resorts, but it was too good of a deal to pass up! We also went to Sea World using the free Anheiser-Busch Salute to Military program offer for military, so we saved even more money!

[airforcewife]

Christine - we go to Busch Gardens nearly every year using the Salute to the Heroes program. I LOVE Busch Gardens!

And Sarah - I'm always up for tips to tackle Disney! I grew up in California, so I'm well acquainted with Disneyland, but have never made it to Disney World before.

[Sarah]

Yay! Have fun! And I love that your kids are old enough to be able to remember Disney...I didn't go until 8th grade and was glad because if I'd gone too young, I wouldn't remember it.

Also, if you want me to log online and confirm your flights the day before, just ask :) I liked taking care of you on the way to SBL.

[Apryl]

We do SeaWorld every year as well. And Disney..well unfortunatly I'm waiting until the kids are old enough to understand why you have to wait in line and also until they're tall enough to do the rides. It kills me when we go to the state fair and the little guy balls hysterically cuz he can't go on the rides. Freakin' slays me!!

[David M]

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 10/19/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

http://www.thunderrun.us/2009/10/from-front-10192009.html