This year my dad and I made a difficult decision that our family had to skip our yearly family vacation to save money for my college tuition. We were totally fine with this decision, college is very expensive! My family owns a boat business, and my dad found out that we were going to take some boats down to Florida and pick some up and take them back to Chicago. Since I am going away next year, my Dad invited me so we could bond, and we decide to stop in Disney and "rough" it. And by roughing it we camped in a tent in Fort Wilderness. Here are the pictures!
My dad always says from the words of Clark Griswold "getting there is half the fun". It took about 28 hours for us to get to Disney due to us sleeping in Georgia for a few hours. Imagine driving this haul down to Florida!
[/url]
IMG_0529 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
The Florida Welcome Center! I love getting my free orange juice here. This place always makes me feel that I am close to Disney World.
[/url]
IMG_0407 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Day 1
After stoping and dropping boats off and visiting family in Sarasota, FL we head our way to WDW on January 1st. Sarasota isn't too far from WDW it's around 100 miles.
The signs always get me excited.
[/url]
IMG_0434 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
I love seeing the welcome entrance. Welcome home!
[/url]
IMG_0435 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Our campsite getting set up.
[/url]
IMG_0520 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
While my dad was setting the campsite, I decided to go "hotel hopping". I don't know if anybody else calls it hotel hopping, but it's when you go from hotel to hotel, and basically visit the hotels. I took the boat from Fort Wilderness to the Wilderness Lodge, then to the Contemporary, then to the monorail to the Polynesian, and the Grand Floridian. I love seeing the hotels decked out for the holidays. The trees are amazing! I love all of the Disney Resorts.
The Wilderness Lodge always looks great for the holidays. It's so cozy. I also always look for the hidden mickey on the fireplace in the lobby.
[/url]
IMG_0438 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
The Grand Floridian is so beautiful! I got there just in time to hear the fantastic band playing. I also got to see the life size ginger bread house up for the last day, sadly the shop inside it was close i was hopping to buy a ginger bread house shingle.
Usually it is open on New Years Day, but they closed early this year.
[/url]
IMG_0445 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]
IMG_0446 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Next stop was the Polynesian, but I don't know why I didn't take any pictures! While on the monorail we passed the Magic Kingdom, and I saw the dream lights! Ahhh I love the dream lights they are so beautiful. Sadly the stopped early, so I didn't see them when we went to the parks.
Day 2 (Jan 2)
Blizzard Beach. It was 80 degrees that day, and to a person who lives up north, that is HOT! So we hit the water park. It was pretty empty, but we enjoyed having some fun in the sun. Sadly I didn't bring my phone, no pictures.
Day 3 (Jan 3)
RELAX RELAX RELAX. My dad and I had bought our resort mug its around $13 bucks and you can refill it as many times as you want. I think they're worth it. Also, have you ever tried those rocking chairs outside of the Trails End Restaurant? They are so comfortable! And it's so relaxing to sit out on the porch and just take in the Disney atmosphere.
[/url]
IMG_0453 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
More to come!
My dad always says from the words of Clark Griswold "getting there is half the fun". It took about 28 hours for us to get to Disney due to us sleeping in Georgia for a few hours. Imagine driving this haul down to Florida!
IMG_0529 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
The Florida Welcome Center! I love getting my free orange juice here. This place always makes me feel that I am close to Disney World.
IMG_0407 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Day 1
After stoping and dropping boats off and visiting family in Sarasota, FL we head our way to WDW on January 1st. Sarasota isn't too far from WDW it's around 100 miles.
The signs always get me excited.
IMG_0434 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
I love seeing the welcome entrance. Welcome home!
IMG_0435 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Our campsite getting set up.
IMG_0520 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
While my dad was setting the campsite, I decided to go "hotel hopping". I don't know if anybody else calls it hotel hopping, but it's when you go from hotel to hotel, and basically visit the hotels. I took the boat from Fort Wilderness to the Wilderness Lodge, then to the Contemporary, then to the monorail to the Polynesian, and the Grand Floridian. I love seeing the hotels decked out for the holidays. The trees are amazing! I love all of the Disney Resorts.
The Wilderness Lodge always looks great for the holidays. It's so cozy. I also always look for the hidden mickey on the fireplace in the lobby.
IMG_0438 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
The Grand Floridian is so beautiful! I got there just in time to hear the fantastic band playing. I also got to see the life size ginger bread house up for the last day, sadly the shop inside it was close i was hopping to buy a ginger bread house shingle.
Usually it is open on New Years Day, but they closed early this year.
IMG_0445 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
IMG_0446 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
Next stop was the Polynesian, but I don't know why I didn't take any pictures! While on the monorail we passed the Magic Kingdom, and I saw the dream lights! Ahhh I love the dream lights they are so beautiful. Sadly the stopped early, so I didn't see them when we went to the parks.
Day 2 (Jan 2)
Blizzard Beach. It was 80 degrees that day, and to a person who lives up north, that is HOT! So we hit the water park. It was pretty empty, but we enjoyed having some fun in the sun. Sadly I didn't bring my phone, no pictures.
Day 3 (Jan 3)
RELAX RELAX RELAX. My dad and I had bought our resort mug its around $13 bucks and you can refill it as many times as you want. I think they're worth it. Also, have you ever tried those rocking chairs outside of the Trails End Restaurant? They are so comfortable! And it's so relaxing to sit out on the porch and just take in the Disney atmosphere.
IMG_0453 by jessicamanning19, on Flickr[/IMG]
More to come!
