Spring break…or “Why I love Disney”

For many of us down here in Florida, this week is Spring Break. Now that both of my kids are in school, that means a vacation for mama and daddy too…yippee!  And we are going away for four days on a Disney cruise. Most people fall into two categories, cruisers or non-cruisers. If you are a cruiser and want to try a family cruise, nothing beats Disney. I drank the Kool-Aid, I know, but Disney is THE BEST at family-friendly vacations. They really, really understand how difficult it can be to travel with kids.

For starters, the early dinner is at 5:30, which is exactly when my little ones eat. And the drinks and bread basket come out quick, making for happy little travelers. They will also wrap up your food in the event of a quick departure and room service is free if you are just not up for getting everyone out of their swimsuits. They also have healthy child-friendly options and not just pizza and mac-n-cheese. Each meal can begin with fruit and options include salmon, grilled chicken, and a veggie is served with each plate. If your child orders and then wants more or something different, it’s not a problem, they bring out another dish to try.  And they are very respectful of children with food allergies. As the mother of a child with a peanut allergy, that is so important.

There are tons of family activities all day long. Kids and parents get to play together in cooking school, on a treasure hunt, in science lab and on deck.  For children who want some kid-only time, there are amazing kid’s clubs starting at age three, where you check your child into a safely contained space (as in, no railings open to water below) to play. When they are done, they let a “cast member” know and you are called on cell phones that the ship provides you. So easy! There is even a proper nursery for the under three crowd where they will babysit your infant, including feeding and putting them to bed in a crib.

But the best part of cruising, for me, is that I have to unplug. No cell phone, no iPad, no computer goes on board. My children get me and their dad for the entire vacation. They might be too young to verbalize how much they enjoy this, but I know I really need the uninterrupted time with my family. At home, our playtime often gets interrupted by a patient or parent needing something. I’m clear with them why we were interrupted, but I don’t want them to grow up thinking a ring of a phone trumps time with them. This week, they will be reminded that they are all mine and I am all theirs, if only for a few days.

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