Carie Baker
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
No problem.. no offense taken.
Orlando and WDW is definitely our 'go to' place. We do a LOT of travelling throughout the year. Some is paid by others; some is paid by me. My son's father is buried in Arlington and I work for a Military Survivors support organization and we hold a National Seminar in DC every Memorial Day weekend. From 2005-2011, we went to DC on my tab -- as survivors. Since 2012, I've worked for the organization, so most of the travel and attendance expenses are on my employer and I WORK the event; but my son gets to do the activities with the kids as a survivor. DC is a wonderful place to visit with young and old. Museums, Zoo and Monuments are all fascinating. And with the public transit (subway and bus) they have, you NEVER have to drive anywhere on your own.
We also enjoy taking a week during the summer and going to Colorado Springs area. This is where my family vacationed every year as I was growing up and I want to share those same experiences with my son. For me, this is a very relaxing vacation. Since I know the area fairly well, we can just wake up each morning and decide what to do that day. There are a few must do's while there (go up Pikes Peak; go down into Cave Dwellings; visit Ghost Towns, Garden of the Gods), but none require much advance planning.
Last year, we went to Alaska and got up to the Arctic Circle. My oldest daughter and her husband are stationed (Army) up there, so it was great to visit for a week. We would love to go back, but it's a very expensive trip.
This year, we have our Cruise and WDW in November; then, next year, right after school is out and we return from DC, we are planning a trip to Hawaii. Will be staying on Maui; but doing an excursion to Oahu so we can visit Honolulu and Pearl Harbor for a day. If all goes well, we will also stay with my sister in Los Angeles on our way back and do Disneyland for a week!!
Hello,
Thank you for sharing your story. Was wondering about the event in DC. Is that just for survivors of those who died while on active duty? I admit I don't read all of the mail very carefully; but I don't remember hearing about this. Was wondering if maybe it was because my husband was retired when he died.
I'm waiting for the "blessing" part. I'm definitely experiencing the "curse". LOL
I'm hoping to take a cruise in 2016 as well. I've been on several cruises but DD hasn't been yet. I think she'd like it but hesitate to go with just the 2 of us, not sure if it will be awkward or boring for me without another adult or for her without another kid along and I'm a little hesitant to explore some of the islands without a larger group. If we do a short Caribbean cruise and it goes well, we'll add Alaska to our future trips wishlist.
I just did a 7 night cruise on the Disney Fantasy with just DD11 and my niece, who is 16. I'd invited my niece along so DD would have someone other than boring, old mom to hang out and chat with, but honestly, I shouldn't have bothered. DD had a great time in the kids clubs and actually spent very little time with her cousin, who was having a blast hanging out with other teens on her own. I joined a Facebook meet group for the cruise ahead of time and met some fun people through that. There were so many things going on that it never bothered me not having another adult traveling with me. We stopped in St Maarten and St Thomas, in addition to Castaway Cay. In St. Maarten, I arranged for a private tour which allowed us to see a lot of the island and I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. In St Thomas, we just exited the ship and grabbed a cab on our own. I didn't feel unsafe or nervous. If you don't want to do that, you can always book the port adventures arranged by Disney so you'll have a group you are exploring with.
I'd also love to do the Outer Banks, or Sanibel island, but then I stress over getting from the airport to the islands, finding a decent place to stay, etc.
Racking my brain for a Disney alternative for next year. Disney just makes it SOOOO easy! We just got back from a week long beach vacation with extended family, and she had a blast with her cousins, but I just kept thinking about how much more work it was as opposed to Disney. It makes me hesitant to try anywhere else. I'd love to do a DC/Williamsburg trip but I think she's still a bit young to appreciate it.
I'd also love to do the Outer Banks, or Sanibel island, but then I stress over getting from the airport to the islands, finding a decent place to stay, etc.
Also, as an AP holder I like to get Disney trips in to get our money's worth.