Growing up I had an average experience with Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I went twice at age 6 and 12. I also went on my senior trip in 2008. In between my family only ever took one other vacation, so these trips made a pretty big impact on me.
In addition to going to Walt Disney World, Disney music and movies were a mainstay in our house. My mother always says “life’s a musical.” She has a Disney lyric for everything; from doing the dishes (“don’t believe me ask the dishes, they can sing, they can dance..”) to getting your heart broken (“some day my prince will come”).
In 2011 I received a diagnosis that I never saw coming, I had Celiac Disease. This really changed how I approached food, obviously. The diagnosis made me afraid to eat at restaurants, but what it really made me fear was traveling. When I got engaged to my husband and we started discussing honeymoons it was very important to me that we go
somewhere I felt safe eating and would not wind up sick the entire time. We kept coming back to one option, Disney Destinations are great with food allergies/ restrictions.
So in October of 2016, we got married at 11AM and got on a flight to Orlando at 8PM. We flew in, got on the magical express (RIP) and were in our hotel room at Port Orleans French Quarter around midnight. We spent 8 magical days in Walt Disney World, eating and drinking, riding rides, meeting characters, and we have never been the same.
In February of 2020, we took our gluten sensitive 18-month old daughter down as her first and only vacation as an only child. While there we took pictures to reveal that we were pregnant again with another girl. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter again so she could experience the joy that is a gluten-free beignet
In April of 2021 we booked a stay at All Star Movies to take both our girls down for the first time. In March of 2021 we got a call, that (after some Disney magic) ended up with our room being moved to The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
In October of 2021 we stayed at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa with my parents and got to experience the unique magic that is grandparents in Walt Disney World.
In March of 2022, we got to take our girls back to Walt Disney World, sans grandparents, and stayed at Port Orleans-French Quarter again, as a complete family of 4. Watching them dance around the lobby, eating beignets in their princess costumes felt like a full circle moment. Six years after the honeymoon that changed our lives, our little princesses were dancing around where we ate some of our first meals as husband and wife.
All this is to say that planning your Walt Disney World (or Disneyland Resort, or Disney Cruise Line) vacation isn’t just planning a vacation for me. It swells my heart to know that I have a chance to help bring your family the same magic that Disney has brought my family over the years. It’s knowing that I was a part of your children meeting the princesses they adore. It’s knowing that I helped your teenager experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or Tower of Terror for the first time. It’s knowing I helped you and your partner reignite the love that you have for each other, and for a certain mouse. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to be apart of your family’s Disney Vacation memories.
Ready to Plan a Vacation?
Friend Like Me Travel Co. helps busy families just like yours plan the vacations of their dreams and provides services completely tailored to you and your needs. Click below to get started and one of our Genies will be in touch!