We were Disney’s First Fans

Welcome to Friday with Friends!! Today we are talking about vacations:) I hope that you can join us…and, if you do, be sure to let me know so I can link you in and maybe one day I will even try to figure out Mr. Linky?? Friends joining today: Miss Debbie, Donna

When I think about vacations, I do remember several really special trips with our children, especially to Maggie Valley! If only I could upload all the family vidoes:) Ha, not really, but I might share about those one day in the future. But, when I was first thinking of this post, my memory went back to all the fun I had with my parents and brother while growing up. Vacation at our house always – and I mean – always meant Florida!

My dad was completely enamored – if not a bit obsessed – with Florida. It was one step from Paradise for him. I remember my mom trying once (maybe twice) to convince him to take the family to a different spot…just for a change…but nothin’ doing. He lived for those two weeks every year! Ok, well, maybe a bit of an exaggeration but he really did love his Florida trips.

Every year, we loaded the family wagon and headed South. We would drive to Savannah, stop and spend the night, and the next head morning head into Florida – of course, stopping at the welcome center at the state line for the complimentary cup of orange juice as if to tell the world, “We’re Back”!! In the very early years, we went to Daytona Beach and then it was Disney. I’m tellin’ ya, we were going to Disney before Disney was even cool:) I remember before it opened, they had a scale model of this new “park” in the welcome center – and Dad was hooked!

Two things that I will always remember about the earliest trips: Dad always packed out the station wagon the best! We even had a small black and white TV that plugged into the cigarette lighter (remember those in your car?) and had a groovy frisbee like antennae that sat on the roof. I don’t remember a thing we watched – could we possibly have gotten any reception?? – but I know I thought I was too cool with a TV in my car:) We also used to often have others travel with us – occassionally my grandparents and often a family friend, Mr. Creech, who was a co-worker of my dad’s. One year, during our stopover in Savannah, Mr. Creech was robbed! Someone actually came in through the sliding door of the motel, stole his wallet (I think that is all), and I won’t forget that trip.

One of the best trips ever was 1978..and we headed to Disney for New Years!! Going this time of year was fun by itself but we also took my grandparents. The best part of this trip, though, was the first time I remember our parents giving my brother and I some “freedom” to travel the monorail without them and to “hang out” some on our own. (Interesting side note I just remembered: when we were young and my parents would want to go out for the evening while on vacation…they would have the hotel call for babysitters! No joke. People you have never laid eyes on in your life would come hang out in your hotel room with your children!! HA…and we thought it was perfectly normal!) But, on this particular Disney trip, as teenagers, my brother and I feeling totally grown-up especially on New Years’s Eve as my parents and grandparents went to their celebration and Scott and I went to the Magic Kingdom by ourselves!! We were too cool for school:)

I have just a few pictures from that trip…….

Yes…..we left Virginia and it was COLD – all the better for making Florida seem so perfect!
(and obviously my tendency for pitiful pictures started in the very beginning! At least now, we have digital and I don’t “waste” so much film.)

And we quickly settled into vacation mode:) That’s Mom, Scott, Dad and Grandma!

And my adorable Granddad!! You have to be totally cool (and know it) to relax on the beach in this style!!:) He was even known to pull off this look with dark black ankle socks!! I love that man:)

Yes…I was there too (didn’t I have my eyes closed in the last photos of me??) and still with the hair!

My parents and grandparents – it really was a perfect vacation! We all such a great time. After swimming or playing or going to the park all day, we would always come back to our rooms and “get dressed for dinner” and enjoy great food! We were staying at the Polynesian which was brand new – Dad really did think it was Paradise!

And here are the partygoers on New Year’s Eve. They went to the Top of the World – also brand new – and had a great time. Aren’t they the cutest??? I will always remember this vacation. I’m sure it cost my dad dearly to plan such a trip…but the memories are priceless.