Why Disney? Why now?

From our trip in 2011

In my previous post, I shared the news that we are planning a trip to Disney World for this December! I am beyond excited! I literally have spent hours reading blogs, websites, and books in preparation and anticipation! I dream about Disney. It's serious, y'all!

But as with anything, there have been the nay-sayers. The Negative Nancys and Debbie Downers and Skeptical Sams (okay, I made that one up! Why are all the negative names women??). People want to know WHY we think it's a good idea to take a 2 year old somewhere that has the potential to be extremely expensive and stressful (and MAGICAL, hello!!!). He won't remember it. He's too young to enjoy it. It's a waste of money. We won't even be able to have fun.

So, I'm here to tell you why we decided to do a Disney trip this year! And if you don't agree with our reasons, that's perfectly fine! :)

First of all, about a year ago Scott and I came up with a plan for when we would have baby #2. We originally thought we wanted to wait until Grayson was 3 to start trying. So, after October 2016. But when exactly should we start trying? We are both good at planning and making moments special! So, of course we need some sort of elaborate and momentous plan for trying for #2. We decided we go to Disney World, just us and Grayson, as sort of one last big family adventure before adding another to the mix. Then, we would start trying after we get home from the vacation. That remained the plan for several months.

Shortly after Grayson turned 1, I realized there was no way I wanted to wait until he was 3 to start trying for another baby. I was feeling increasingly ready, and knowing that "trying" doesn't always immediately lead to pregnancy, I knew I wanted to start sooner rather than later. So, we decided to bump up the time frame an entire year! Meaning, all of this would happen shortly after Grayson turns 2.

But we were met with opposition and even had some doubts of our own. True, he'll be a bit younger than we originally planned when we thought of the Disney trip. Yes, it will complicate things. So, we scrapped the whole Disney idea. We'll wait until both kids are a little older and just do it then. Fine.

A few more months went by and for some reason, both Scott and I just felt like we were still going to Disney! We would watch a Disney movie or talk about vacation plans for the fall, and we kept saying, "It still feels like we're going to Disney!" Soon we realized that we both really, really wanted to still go to Disney! So, what was really stopping us? I started asking friends with small children and it turns out that several of my friends had done Disney with a toddler! A couple even with a toddler while pregnant! So, this is totally doable and not as crazy as we thought!

We looked into prices and realized that kids get into Disney for free until they turn 3. This is literally the cheapest we will ever be able to go to Disney, unless we go on our own after the kids grow up or something. And we do still love the idea of having a special trip, just the three of us. So, we started planning and booking and now we're definitely doing it! And I'm not saying there won't be challenges or that we won't face any tantrums or meltdowns, and I'm not saying it's not expensive. I'm just saying...it will ALL be worth it! I know it will! (And whether we start trying for baby #2 before or after the trip has yet to be determined!)

In summary --

1) We love Disney. Period. -- A lot of the people who thought it was crazy don't even like Disney, so of course they wouldn't want to bother with taking a small child there! But I think it's magical, and I can't wait to see it through Grayson's eyes!

2) Who cares that he won't remember it? I'll remember it! And we'll have pictures and stories, and he'll always know that we went on the trip...even if he can't remember it in detail. My friends who took their 2 year olds said they DO remember it for a long time! And also...should we never do anything fun with our kids until they're old enough to really "appreciate" and remember it? What fun is that???

3) Pinterest is my best friend right now. My Disney board has tons of pins! I just love reading about others' experiences at Disney...even if they're all giving the same 10 tips over and over again!

4) While I fully expect it to be wonderful and magical, I'm also being realistic. We won't get to do everything. There will be adult rides that we may not get to ride (but with Rider Swap we may be able to ride some!). Grayson may not enjoy everything as much as I hope. There will be stress and at least one tantrum, I'm sure! We will probably spend our money on something that we later deem as a waste. But at the end of the day, we are going to be relaxed about it and have fun!

5) Grayson is SUCH a good traveler! He's great in the car. He's laid back. He rarely gets overstimulated. He's brave and adventurous. He loves Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse! I am just not worried about how he'll handle Disney or whether he'll like it. He has done amazing on every vacation we've been on. And every vacation we've been on since he's been born have been my favorites! He really does make everything better!! We were concerned about taking him on a trip last year for our anniversary, and it was literally one of my favorite vacations ever! Things are just better when I do them with Scott and Grayson. So I'm not worried. Not at all. :)

So, for those who think I'm insane (and may still feel that way), at least now you know why I think it's a good idea! :) And I'm sure I'll be sharing a full report after our trip in December, and we can see who gets to say "I told you so!" then! ;)