Obsession.....

I have to admit something...I am completely obsessed with Disney World.  I don't wear the clothes and look for hidden Mickey's while in the grocery store, but I LOVE going!  I have always loved it.  When I was a kid we went every year, and even though my childhood was not the best, I still loved this vacation every year.  Granted, I got to experience Disney like few do...Maybe that is part of it.  I don't know.  I think I would have loved it either way.  Have you ever had a Gold Key Card?  Oh man, that was a rare thing that Disney had back in the 80's, and it was awesome.  Think Disney Dining Plan on steroids.  No points, just walk in and order whatever you want, wherever you want.  Golf carts around downtown Disney (which was The Village at Lake Buena Vista or something like that).  Woo-Hoo that was fun.  Those days are long gone, and while I did take 2 trips there when I was older without kids, I must say that taking my kids to Disney is one of my great pleasures in life. As soon as I get there it makes me happy.  Oddly, I actually enjoy staying off property.  I never thought I would like it, but by accident we did it one year and have ever since.  This is not to say I wouldn't like to stay on property at some point.  In fact, I have plans to do so...I actually have a nice elaborate plan for the next year and a half that involves 3 trips!  It all started with an idea and has snowballed into a year of wonderfulness!  We have been twice already.  The first time (the accident) was a fluke.  I have a timeshare (I don't know if they are a good idea or not, so don't ask my opinion) and in 2008 I was so agitated with the cold winter weather that I declared we MUST go away somewhere warm.  I looked on my timeshare website for what would be available in the winter months, and Orlando popped up for January.  Katie will have just turned 2, and that would be fun to sit in the sun and play in the pool.  Ok, great!  Then it started...Well, what if we just go to Disney for one day.  She is so young she won't even know, but how can I go there and not go to Disney?  The price of one day will make you fall off your chair, so it suddenly became a 4 (maybe 5) day pass.  Everyone told me I was crazy.  Katie will never remember it, you are wasting your money, I heard from all the naysayers...She was free btw.  So we went, while Dan the Man was still in my belly.  I think that was my favorite trip ever!  She was super adorable when she met the characters, she would open up and give them hugs and kisses...That was a big deal for my otherwise reserved little one!  I always tell people to take their kids at that age...They won't remember it, but the pictures and the moments you will have will be amazing!  I guarantee it!  Katie still loves to watch her "Dickey-Doe" video, and look at all the pictures, and I have such fond memories of that trip...They only are that size once!

So now, fast forward a few years and Katie is in school...We have to suddenly follow a school schedule!  You know what that means...So does everyone else and we can only go when it will be crowded.  OH NO!!!  We are from Jersey, we spend a lot of time in NYC, we will be cool.  Right?  Well, just in case I have  devised a plan that will ensure that we will be cool.  Besides me being a drill sergeant every morning and waking everyone up so we can be there at "rope drop".  Keep in mind this is the only time in my life where I will be waking everyone in the morning...I hate mornings...But for the kids at Disney, I will wake my sorry self up.  Then I got to thinking...An Annual Pass would be a smart move.  I think I dislike the month of April the most out of any other month. For me growing up in STL, April is nice, spring is on it's way, you get some nice days thrown in there, you can open the windows a few times...Here, in the NE, April sucks!  I still have it in my head it is going to be nice...It's not.  So what better way to make it nice then to go to Disney?  I did a little looking and apparently spring break in 2012 and 2013 all fall into a one year time frame!  Sounds like a good reason to get an Annual Pass and save a few bucks.  Hello, free parking saves us a TON!  Worth it right there!  But then I said to myself...How can I have this Annual Pass and not take advantage of it fully?  I can't do that!  So then I decided to plan a surprise trip.....I'll keep you guessing for now.....