From Deployment to Disney (2009)

My brother is one of the most honorable people I know.

I wouldn’t say we were the best of friends growing up. We argued and tormented each other as many siblings do. And we don’t always see eye to eye on things.

But he is my hero.

My brother has served his country for over 27 years in the Indiana Army National Guard. Including a tour in Afghanistan from July 2004 – July 2005 and again in Iraq from April through November 2008. While serving in Iraq he suggested we take a family trip to Disney World once he returned home.

Now that was an idea I could get behind!

I can’t even imagine what deployment is like for a solider. But I know first hand how stressful it is for the soldier’s family. Anticipating a trip to the most magical place on earth was just what our family needed to get through the remaining months of my brother’s deployment.

He returned to Indiana safely, and we celebrated as if we had just won the Super Bowl.

We’re going to Disney World!!!

Six of us piled in my parents’ mini-van. My parents, my two daughters (just 5 and 2 1/2 back then), my brother, and me. My family has always been all about road trips. Flying was never really a consideration for this crew.

I was divorced at the time and was thrilled about an opportunity to take my girls on a memorable family vacation. And as a single mom, having doting grandparents and a devoted uncle with us meant it would actually be a vacation for me too!

Shades of Green

We stayed at Shades of Green, Disney’s resort for military members and their families.

Disney really knows how to honor service members!

The rooms were very nice and comfortable, and there were several large pools on the property. While Shades of Green definitely has the Disney feel, I found it to be a more relaxed environment than some of the other “Disneyfied” resorts. This worked very well for our family. We needed our lodging to be a relaxing oasis after very long days in the theme parks, where it is easy for kids of all ages to get overstimulated!

One day we took a break from theme park hopping just to enjoy the pools and dining options at the resort and check out Downtown Disney. This Disney shopping and dining mecca is now called Disney Springs…and it’s awesome!

Shades of Green is on Walt Disney World property, so buses are provided to transport guests to and from the theme parks and other Disney resorts. Not having to worry about driving or finding parking at the theme parks is a huge plus for staying at a Disney resort!

One of the things I remember most about Shades of Green is the iconic, patriotic Mickey in the lobby. I cannot tell you how many times we posed for a picture with that Mickey during our week-long stay!

My absolute favorite souvenirs from this trip were the t-shirts we had made at the hotel. The whole gang is featured on the shirts with “our” Mickey! Sam and Danni are way too big to wear their Disney Extravaganza t-shirts now. But you can bet these shirts are tucked away in their memory boxes for safekeeping.

The Parks

We purchased five-day park passes at Shades of Green and were able to get incredible discounts as a military family.

We spent five very full days in the parks! One day each at Magic Kindom, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. On our fifth day at the parks, my parents chose to enjoy a more relaxed pace, returning to Epcot Center. While my brother and I took the girls for another fun-filled day at the Magic Kingdom.

(Call me crazy, but the next year I returned to Disney, without the kids, and completed the Disney Marathon with a dear friend. We made it to every theme park…all in one day!)

Because our trip was in January, some days were a bit cool. But this was an excellent time to explore Disney because the crowds were small. We hardly ever waited in line for more than a few minutes and had front row seats for several fabulous shows.

Enjoying Disney during the offseason is a great idea if you can swing it. You will see so much more of the parks…and really get your money’s worth!

Rides and Shows

I can’t remember everything about this trip since it was almost 10 years ago. But these are some of the rides and shows that really left an impression:

The Lion King show (AMAZING!!)
Pirates of the Caribbean ride
Toy Story ride
Danni meeting Snow White (she was starstruck!)
Haunted Mansion ride
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
The Finding Nemo show
Riding the Teacups with my friend Heather who works at Disney
It’s a Small World ride (this is iconic, old-school Disney at its best!)
A Bug’s Life performance under the Tree of Life
Fireworks at Epcot Center (It was just announced that IllumiNations, which has been running for almost 20 years, will end the summer of 2019…so schedule your trip to Disney soon and enjoy this phenomenon)

Priceless Memories

Danni was only 2 1/2 during this trip so she doesn’t remember it at all. But I will never forget walking down Main Street USA and then observing my girls as they watched the Disney Princesses sing and dance with their princes in front of Cinderella’s castle. I was teary-eyed as I witnessed Sam and Danni experience the magic that only Disney can do.

While I’m a firm believer that you can never have “too much Disney”, we did take a Disney break and drove about an hour outside of Orlando to visit the Kennedy Space Center. I highly recommend this educational excursion for kids and adults of all ages.

Almost a decade has passed since our Disney Extravaganza, yet the magical feelings from our trip still remain.

I’ll always remember how special it was for 3 generations to celebrate a hero’s homecoming in one of America’s most iconic destinations.

I am by no means a Disney expert, but there are plenty out there! If you have any Disney tips/tricks or follow an awesome Disney blog, feel free to share in the comments below.

If you are ready to plan your next Disney adventure, check out this post featuring the Best of the Best Disney Planning Tips and Ideas, which includes my own article where I interviewed one Disney fanatic!

Also, check out this article by my friend Pam who offers tons of tips to help you plan your next Disney adventure.