Vacations are planned!!

Well, we are finalizing our vacations plans.

For spring break, in less than one week, we will be spending one night in Columbus, Ohio to go to the American Girl store and to watch the Columbus Crew play.  We love watching the Crew play and try to do it as often as we can afford it. This year the four of us are going with my mom, cousin, and her daughter. We will also meet a cousin and her 2 daughters there (she lives in Columbus). The plan is to spend the day at the mall and go to American Girl. Then once the early evening hits, Xander, Joe, and I will be heading out to watch First Kick for the Crew. We will come home after spending one night. Not a huge spring break trip, but Joe has to work.

As for a summer vacation, we won't be taking one. It is hard on us financially to do much over the summer since I don't get paid. We will probably just relax and swim our summer away.

Then we have fall break. Last year, I told my kids that we wouldn't be going to Walt Disney World over fall break because we needed to take a family vacation. They were both mad, of course. I am so happy that they love the World as much as I do. I told them that if they could convince daddy to go with us as a family vacation then we could go. He didn't take much convincing. He hasn't been on a vacation with us since 2008 and he has never been to Florida in a month when the temperature isn't set on Hell. I think he will enjoy the mild temps and staying on property. He won't enjoy bus/transportation hopping like we have to do to get to certain restaurants so I will plan accordingly and make them close by. (Last year we took a bus to MK, walked to the monorail, and took it all the way around to the Contemporary, it took over an hour). We will even rent a car and go to Universal Studios for a day. He is excited about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, they are supposed to have the other part opened up by this summer so he should be able to experience both. 

I found out one of my good friends and her family are going over fall break as well, although they won't be staying as many days. The kids are excited to have some other kids to hang with and to ride on the plane with. 

I have decided to stay at the Beach Club resort this year, since it holds 5 and is a deluxe resort. My friend also has 5 people but they will be staying at the Art of Animation. I insisted upon deluxe or Villas this time. I like the amenities better as compared to value. I did consider 2 value rooms, like we have had before, or the AOA but I really don't want to ever do value again. I like that the Deluxe resorts are closer to the parks and most of them have alternative transportation (boats, monorail). There are also little things like slides at the pools and the little curtains that separate the bathroom from the rest of the room, essential when you are traveling with teenagers. 

I have our restaurants chosen and am just waiting for my reservation window to open up. I am also waiting for the Disney calendar to open up that far so I can see what parks have EMH and then I can decide when we will go where. The resort is booked so I can start making payments and we have already customized our Magic Bands. I got a cute little packet in the mail today that had a magnet in it that had important Disney dates on it (my dining reservation date, Fastpass+ date, etc.).

I love making Disney reservations!!