Our 25th Anniversary Pre-Trip (and eventual full trip report)

My wonderful husband and I are going to Disney World September 1 -9 for our 25th wedding anniversary celebration. We will then head to Daytona Beach for five days to give us two weeks in wonderful Florida. Traveling with us for the Disney portion is my best friend, Shelley and her husband, Tom. I've known Shelley for 30 plus years; Shelley has been to Disney but has never been to the Studios or Animal Kingdom. Tom has never been to Disney at all. Boy is he in for a surprise. We are staying at the Coronado with free dining. My husband offered me the Polynesian since it is our anniversary and he thought it would bring back memories of our honeymoon in Hawaii, but for two reasons, I said I'd rather stay at the Coronado: 1) I cannot justify the cost of a deluxe with two boys in college--one who just graduated but is going to continue his education to get his teaching certificate/masters and the other a sophomore in college; and 2) I just truly love the Coronado (we are staying for the 7th time). It has everything I could want in a resort and I think it is absolutely beautiful. We have requested the Casitas section--our favorite; and our friends have requested the Ranchos as they like the themeing there.

We have adr's at: LeCellier, Rose & Crown, Yak & Yeti, Cape May Cafe (for breakfast), Crystal Palace (for breakfast), Whispering Canyon, Boma, Mama Melrose, Plaza Restaurant and we will be celebrating our 25th with a special dinner at Fulton's (the first Disney restaurant my husband took me to). My husband I will also have dinner at Emeril's at City Walk at Universal on our way to Daytona.

For awhile, I thought we might have to cancel the trip. My dad was admitted to the hospital in February and then transfered to a nursing home in March. On our actual 25th anniversary in May, he was taken back to the hospital. On at least three occasions, we thought we were going to lose him overnight or the next morning, but he keeps fighting. He is now stable enough to go back to the nursing home. I know my dad...and he has beat death on at least three other occasions, and I truly believe he is holding on so that we can go and enjoy our vacation without worrying about him. That's just the type of man my dad is.

Husband and I are really looking forward to this. I haven't seen a lot of him between my being at the hospital/nursing home/hospital and his umpping over 75 baseball games to make the extra money to pay for our trip and his travels for work.

I'll try to type at least one or two updates before we leave. Six weeks from tomorrow and we'll be at our favorite place in the world.

Kathy and Mark

 

[mouselvrmom]

sounds like a wonderful trip! I bet you can't wait!

 

[JustPlainBill]

I hope your Dad gets well and that you have a wonderful trip.
That is one of our worries, my wife's parents have both had heart attacks recently, but they are both doing good now. We're not the only family they have but we are the closest geographically speaking, right across the street. So being so far away on vacation can be a little unsettling.

 

[PoohBear119]

For awhile, I thought we might have to cancel the trip. My dad was admitted to the hospital in February and then transfered to a nursing home in March. On our actual 25th anniversary in May, he was taken back to the hospital. On at least three occasions, we thought we were going to lose him overnight or the next morning, but he keeps fighting. He is now stable enough to go back to the nursing home. I know my dad...and he has beat death on at least three other occasions, and I truly believe he is holding on so that we can go and enjoy our vacation without worrying about him. That's just the type of man my dad is.

I can relate to this. I hope your dad comes out on top and gets well soon. My dad was admitted to the hospital June 17th. We already canceled one vacation, but he is still fighting and I believe he is so my hubby and I can go on vacation in 2 weeks. Sometimes they are stubborn enough not to listen to you and others they listen every minute. Best of luck and ave a great trip!

 

[SchultzFamily]

Thanks everyone for the good wishes for my dad. If there is anything I learned about my dad over the years it is that he is a fighter...and he doesn't give up easily.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Here's to the next 25 !!!!!!!!!!!

HAve a great trip

 

[KnK]

Yeah! Congrats. Enjoy the celebration!

 

[SchultzFamily]

Yeah! Congrats. Enjoy the celebration!

Here's to the next 25 !!!!!!!!!!!

HAve a great trip

Thanks so much!

 

[NewfieFan]

I am liking the "pre-trip" TR - thanks for posting! Looking forward to more updates...

 

[SchultzFamily]

I am liking the "pre-trip" TR - thanks for posting! Looking forward to more updates...

Thanks. Here are the t-shirts I had made up for my husband and me (they are a surprise--DUMBO is his all-time favorite character). I just got them in the mail:

(back fo shirt)

 

[mouselvrmom]

Those are really cute shirts! Did you make them from disneyshopping.com?

 

[Nemo14]

Congratulations on your 25th! My husband and I celebrated our 25th in April (our actual anniversary is in August), and like you, we have one college graduate and one college sophomore. We're also dealing with health issues with our parents too - hopefully it won't keep you from enjoying your vacation. Have fun!

 

[SchultzFamily]

Those are really cute shirts! Did you make them from disneyshopping.com?

No, they didn't have what I wanted, so I used Zazzle instead. They were quite reasonable (I have another set of shirts for all four of us--my girlfriend and her husband who are traveling with us).

 

[SchultzFamily]

Congratulations on your 25th! My husband and I celebrated our 25th in April (our actual anniversary is in August), and like you, we have one college graduate and one college sophomore. We're also dealing with health issues with our parents too - hopefully it won't keep you from enjoying your vacation. Have fun!

Thank you. And Happy 25th Anniversary to you too! :sohappy:

 

[SchultzFamily]

Update with 36 days to go until we are at the happiest place on earth:

Spent a couple of hours at the hospital tonight with dad and he is doing better. Although he'll never be 100%, he is getting a little stronger and is breathing well on his own and has vocal lessons every day with his trach. They hope to have him out of the hospital and in the nursing home in two or three weeks.

Today we received our Disney Reward Card in the mail which we will use to pay tips and for souvenirs. DH is going to Vegas with our oldest son a week from Wednesday and he will use Disney credit card (he'll be reimbursed before our trip so we can pay it off) and I will transfer whatever new reward points we accumulate to our Reward Card before we go.

I spent a little time tonight searching the computer for Starbucks addresses in Orlando and also Daytona Beach. Also found a nice little boat ride on the Halifax River where we can see dolphins, etc., that I think DH and I will try on the second half of our anniversary trip.

Getting excited...only 36 more days to go. Not sure if DH is more excited about that or the fact that our youngest son returns to college in 28 days!!!!!! :ROFLOL::ROFLOL:

 

[SchultzFamily]

I ordered a surprise gift basket for DH for when we arrive at CSR and get checked in for our anniversary. I got a picture of it--I'm really happy with it. Besides the items you can see, there is also a sports trivia book, a Dumbo mug and a Goofy mug in the back of the front stuff (which is a Grumpy hat, the anniversary ornament and anniversary pins):

 

[SchultzFamily]

It's getting closer...four weeks from today and we'll be on a plane for our favorite destination. We got our paperwork over the weekend and I can now put my luggage tags on my new Disney luggage that our son bought me for my birthday last year. My husband and oldest son leave for a week for Vegas for business on Wednesday and I will start making my packing list (again) and start putting some of hubby's clothes to the side so he doesn't ruin anymore (he is such a child...ketchup, mustard, whatever all over his shirts).

 

[Turcicus]

Congrats on your 25th! My wife and I will also be there at the beginning of September celebrating our May anniversary, although we're a few years behind you - 22 years behind, to be exact . If we see you at any point (the shirts should make it easy), we'll be sure to say hi!

 

[Gucci65]

Congrats on your upcoming anniversary!!! Wonderful to hear that couples CAN stay together that long:sohappy:

I just got back from a wonderful 8 days in Daytona - with one day in Hollywood Studios and had an awesome time!!!! Don't miss the Sunday brunch at Aunt Catfish (on the Halifax River, across the bridge in Port Orange). Dont' miss the blackened mahi at Blackbeards on A1A in New Smyrna (20 min drive from Daytona). HUGE flea market on Fri,Sat, Sun if you are interested.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!!!!!! (Love the t-shirts!)

 

[SchultzFamily]

Congrats on your upcoming anniversary!!! Wonderful to hear that couples CAN stay together that long:sohappy:

I just got back from a wonderful 8 days in Daytona - with one day in Hollywood Studios and had an awesome time!!!! Don't miss the Sunday brunch at Aunt Catfish (on the Halifax River, across the bridge in Port Orange). Dont' miss the blackened mahi at Blackbeards on A1A in New Smyrna (20 min drive from Daytona). HUGE flea market on Fri,Sat, Sun if you are interested.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!!!!!! (Love the t-shirts!)

Thanks for the info. Aunt Catfish has been one of our stops every trip for dinner. Unfortunately, we won't be there on Sunday for brunch...we leave the night before. We will give Blackbeards a try as we wanted to try some new restaurants (we always go to Inlet Harbor as well). And I will tell DH that we will be doing the fleat market on Friday. Thanks for all the info, and for the anniversary wishes.