Vacation Planning is Stressful

Shades of a Vacation

April 16th, 2008

It is getting to be that time of year. Spring is settling in and most importantly my wife and I will be having another wedding anniversary. This year is one of the big ones - we will be celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss

More amazing than 25 years together is the fact that before we set on the journey we only knew each other for 5 weeks - yup, 5 weeks. I proposed to her after knowing her just 7 days - then it took us 4 more weeks to get the church wedding set up. I remember the Minister demanding we attend his pre-marriage counseling sessions before we would officiate over the ceremony - and then him kicking us out of his first counseling session threatening not to marry us because I was too much of a smart ass.

Anyway, here we are, 25 years later, and I’m taking the wench on a vacation. Determining what to do and where to go has been more challenging than any of the years we have been married. First we thought we’d like to go back to Europe - you know, take a military hop - it’s what military retirees are supposed to do! Well, Mr. Bin Laden - not that there needs to be additional reasons for you to rot in hell but, military hops are now very difficult to plan for - I cannot find a posting of destinations or time frames, got a few phone numbers but all-in-all, screw it, too stressful.

So, option two - camping. We love to camp, not RV type camping but outdoor, in a tent with mosquitoes type camping. First we looked into the Florida Keys, narrowed down a campground and we decided not to go when in talking to a representative about where to go out for a formal dinner and drinks on our big day, hopefully something in walking distance, she replied with, “Oh, you wouldn’t want to walk around at night, it might not be safe.” We canceled our tent site reservation.
Our old stand by. Something we do so often we could write a book about how to see and do everything in 45 minutes. Walt Disney World - heaven on earth. What a majority of Sailors may not know about Disney World is that the Army controls a hotel on the park grounds. It is located right across the street from the Polynesian Hotel so you have easy access to the monorail and the rest of the parks. The hotels name is “The Shades of Green“. We have personally stayed in the facility about 5 different times - within the last few years it has been remodeled and they have done a fantastic job. Make sure you make your reservations WAY in advance - even up to a year - the Army is very familiar with this place and like the place as much as we do. Pricing is “rank based” so a Third Class Petty Officer family isn’t going to pay as much as a Master Chief family - good stuff. Make sure you also check specials at the Shades of Green, currently;

The Shades of Green invites our U.S. Troops from all services and DoD personnel serving a minimum of 12 consecutive months in an OEF/OIF location and their dependant children the opportunity for a special “R&R” vacation on Walt Disney World® Resort. The package offers a 20% discount on all available room categories, breakfast and dinner buffets in our Garden Gallery Restaurant. Limited to a one time use and ranges from a 4 to 7 consecutive night package. Please contact our Reservations Department for questions on eligibility.

This year, we attempted to make our Shades reservations too late. So we will be staying at Fort Wilderness - camping AT Disney! The best of both worlds

Now that THAT is all set up…what to get her… DAMN, here I go again!

Help!!

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