Disney Vacation

Disney has always been that magical place for me. Though growing up it wasn't something that we could financially afford. There were times that my parents would book a stay at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground, we would pitch our tents and just hangout in the campground or hop on the monorails and ride them for awhile. But now I am all grown up, married, and have a child of my own. My husband has always made sure that we had Disney annual passes since our son was 6 months old. This year is different, money and priorities are different. I had lost my job late 2009, a month later my husband had lost his as well. We know that God only gives you the trials in life that he knows you can handle, at the time it just didn't seem that way. Robert quickly had a job offer from the University of South Florida Manatee-Sarasota campus as the Assistant Director of Campus Computing, his dream job. I was starting to enjoy the " Stay at Home Mom" job. I was able to spend quality time with our son and take him to and from his VPK classes everyday. But then it was shortly decided! I needed to go back to school, it was the perfect time and it was time to finish up what I had begun. So we are still tightening our belts with everything and I am still taking Sam to school everyday, but now I am attending school year round and full time.
But now we are seeing we could really use a mini getaway from everything, just a moment to breathe. We recently just participated in Hands over Manatee's volunteer program Kitten Kits and Puppy Parcels. This program is in conjunction with Disney for their Give a day, Get a day program. this opportunity has been very rewarding and that fact that we have a new door opened to us as a family for volunteering opportunities in our community. Since we have fulfilled our commitment as a family we will be receiving our free passes for Disney soon. The only one who wasn't able to be involved for the tickets was our son, he is too young to participate in any of the opportunities. But what a deal!! So I have begun the search for our mini vacation, I am planning it for a weekend before school starts - for both Sam & I. I am planing for an all cash transaction weekend when we go. From left over money not spent from our grocery budget to our upcoming yard sale, all going in a envelope till the day we leave.

We have decided that we would like to go to the Magic Kingdom, we haven't been there in awhile. I am researching hotels in the Downtown Disney area, this way we can walk to downtown if we would like as well as parking. For those who know parking is a BIG deal at Disney! You are looking at or around $20 for parking at the park for the day, or stay at a Disney hotel or Downtown Disney hotel and you are able to take the buses to the park - free!! Here are the links I am using right now, but I am planning to do everything Hotel, Sam's ticket, & Food for well under $500. I know I can do it, it has been done before!!http://www.downtowndisneyhotels.com/, http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/. Hoping I will have more to post soon!!!