Would Emily still reach those little arms out towards me and call me “Bob” when I returned home from Orlando? I worried about that for several days prior to flying 2,000 miles away from her. I had a hard time leaving my kids- it just seemed so far away. As Friday drew near, my vacation appeared less inviting than when orchestrated months earlier. Nevertheless, I knew the kids were looking forward to their stay with both sets of grandparents- to them it felt as though they were going on vacation too.
Eric and I took off on separate airplanes. With only an hour and a half of sleep the flight felt extra long and I thought about my kids the entire trip. However, once on the ground and reunited with Eric I began allowing myself a little pleasure.
That first night we had fun exploring the hotel atrium, observing the alligators and turtles, eating at the Villa de Flora, and swimming laps in the pool. The Gaylord Palms was breathtaking. I have never stayed anywhere so exquisite. Though the humidity took some getting used to, it was not as bad as I had expected. According to the locals the weather was great for this time of year.
Animal Kingdom was our first stop the next morning and we ran straight to Everest, our most anticipated adventure that certainly lived up to its amazing reputation. We ate at the Rainforest Café for lunch. Next we visited Hollywood Studios- Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was a blast. Epcot was our last stop that first day. We ate at Les Chefs de France, where the waiters and waitresses are French natives. Our waiter complemented Eric on his superb accent.
Day two began with strawberry crepes and French pastries in Epcot and then a tour of the aquariums and greenhouses. We spent the rest of the day running from ride to ride in Disney World. I missed the kids most on this day- Disney is definitely a family atmosphere.
Our final day of fun began with a lecture from our driver, Tyrone, who humbled the entire bus with expressions such as “In God’s eyes we are all the same shade” and “Ain’t nobody better than nobody”. Once off the bus we rode all the big thrill rides at Universal Studios: Spiderman, Incredible Hulk, Dueling Dragons, Jurassic Park, and Revenge of the Mummy. This was the only day we saw rain and it felt good. Our entire trip we never waited longer than 20 minutes for any ride but on this day the rain allowed us to walk right to the front of every line- it was unbelievable.
Every night at the hotel we swam until late and then relaxed in the hot tub. One night we drank strawberry coladas on the atrium ship.
Together we had more fun than I can possibly articulate in words. There are several things I will remember most from this trip. The amazing food- whether it cost a few dollars or an arm and a leg, it tasted delectable. We ran from ride to ride, anyone who knows Eric can attest to his getting a move on- certainly I must have lost a few pounds. Swimming in the pool was a blast- I am a pro at the dead-man’s-float and each night Eric, who sinks like a rock when his arms and legs are not paddling to keep afloat, tried to emulate me- though without success. Eric held my hand everywhere we walked- something we do little of when our four kids are in tow. While standing in line for Space Mountain I felt an overwhelming sense of adoration for my wonderful husband- we really do have fun together wherever we are- it was nice to spend five days alone.
Tuesday morning I packed our bags while Eric attended his conference. Then it was off to the airport- our vacation was over. Eric landed first- he picked-up the kids up from grandma’s house and then drove back to the airport for me. I was excited to see the kids and they were eager to see me too. While unloading our bags into the house Emily, standing on the front porch looking for me in the dark, called out “Bob”- it made everything feel just perfect!
