Rae La Soul

You are reading that correctly: this is definitely a post about spending Christmas at Disney being posted in February. I thought it was only right to get this out since we’re gearing up for a true winter vacation in two weeks. I wanted to do something different last year and set a tradition for the years to come. I’ve been trying to introduce minimalism into the lives of my children for some time now and offer them experiences over things. They have adjusted to it quite well might I add.

So fast forward to 2016. Then fast forward to the Christmas Club account I began putting money in for flights, park tickets, etc. Then fast forward to the time we spent there.

Since my brother also joined us, we rented a home via Homeaway in Kissimmee. Our first night was spent enjoying the pool and dinner. The next day, which was Christmas Eve, we spent some time around the neighborhood and then ended it with dinner at Medieval Times. The food was decent. I think the best part was watching the children eat everything without utensils.

 

 

We actually decided to do Disney World on Christmas Day. It was insanely, insanely busy but we enjoyed it. The ride to Magic Kingdom was an adventure in itself since it involved hopping on the ferry. The lines were extremely long, but we managed to use our fast passes a few times. Whenever we decide to go again, we’ll make sure we plan things out a bit better. It helps to have the rides and everything figured out before you go, especially if you visit during peak periods.

Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves. We were able to grab a turkey leg and lemonade, catch a parade, catch the dance performance at the entrance of the park, a 7-D experience (that really scared my daughter because she has her roody-poo moments) and much more. And ya’ll, we had EVERY INTENTION on returning to the park later that night to see the castle light up, but NONE of us woke up until morning.

For the next two days, we spent at other areas that were a little less populated by tourists. We stopped at Fun Spot, a theme park that was right down the street from our vacation home. It reminded me so much of an amusement park in Baton Rouge that my parents used to take our siblings to. Nostalgic.

 

 

We also had a chance to have this Zombie 7-D experience while waiting for the Orlando Eye. The kids chickened out at the last minute, so while they were golfing, my brother and I took on the Eye. You can barely tell that you’re moving, that’s how slowly it moves, but the views are pretty nice. A lot of the reviews tell you not to waste your time and money, but I enjoy seeing things from a different view, even if that’s in a little glass egg-like structure.

This was a special trip for me. I had never gone to Disney World as a child. I really don’t think it was something my family could afford at the time. And to be honest, I think my mother felt guilty about that. I never resented her for the fact, but I can understand how she’d feel like that from a mother’s perspective. My mother started saving for Disney World once the kids got a little older. She even included the children in the process. I’d like to think that’s the reason my daughter is so good with saving. We had every intention on going that year. 2012. And then she passed.

So it was important for me to bring my mother’s idea to fruition. To make this memory in honor of her. Four years have passed and I still have my moments where I miss her more than words could ever describe. I’m pretty sure I’ll always have these moments — but that is why moments like these are important for me to create with my children. They help me cope and they help me keep her memory alive while simultaneously creating my own.