Disney Vacation 2013

Vacation has come and gone.  It was SO awesome again this year!  We started our journey on Tuesday night, June 22.  We packed the car during the day, I finished cleaning up the house, and Derrick and I tried to nap.  We had planned to drive through the night, letting the kids sleep in the car.  After supper, we cleaned up, locked up, and we were off.  We left around 8:00 pm.  The kids bedded down in the car with a movie.  After one last restroom stop, and a snack, they fell asleep.  Amazingly, they did well!  No one made a peep until around 7 in the morning.  Although I am not a fan of driving over the night, only because we arrive exhausted, it ended up working very well.  The kids slept so well, and that meant no fighting, no feeding, and no boredom!  As a kid, I always remember that time passed so much quicker when I slept on road trips!  So, as our littles dozed in the back seat, Derrick and I chatted, and I dozed every once in awhile, all the way to Orlando.  

Natalie, Lucas, and Matthew all ready to go!  

This sweet girl slept so soundly! Mouth open and all!

We arrived at our resort, Disney's Beach Club Resort, around noon.  Granted, we were tired.  But we were SO excited to be there that we didn't care!  So, Derrick dropped me off at the entrance so I could check us in.  I was greeted by a cast member, who took me straight up to the Fifth Floor.  We had booked a room on the Club Level, which entailed some additional amenities that we wouldn't have had otherwise.  They are SO accommodating!  While I was being checked in, she offered me a drink, told me about the access to the lounge, offered to make dining or special event reservations for us, and even ended up giving us a few hundred dollar credit because we had requested a room with a daybed and they didn't have any available.  So, we got a roll away for Nattie, and a few hundred dollars to spend :).    Our room view was pretty great, too.  We had a view of EPCOT's Spaceship Earth from our balcony.  We could walk to EPCOT in about 10 minutes and to Hollywood Studios in about 20.  

Our resort was on the Boardwalk.  Lots of shops and restaurants!  

The view from our balcony.

After we went to the room, the kids watched a movie and enjoyed snacks from the lounge.  Derrick started to unpack, and we decided it would be a good idea to get some lunch.  We decided on Beaches and Cream for our lunch.  It's a small diner style restaurant, and is very famous for its ice cream.  After some burgers and salad, the kids and I hit the pool while Derrick finished unpacking.  The pool was super fun!  The waterslide was huge, which the boys loved.  The bottom was sandy {in keeping with the beach theme}, and there was a lazy river.  It was so hot that day, and the pool was awesome!  After some swimming, Derrick came down to join us for a little bit.  We swam a little longer, and decided that we needed some dinner.  We went to the lounge for some appetizers, and then we went to Downtown Disney for some shopping.  

Since the boys had money burning a hole in their pockets from Grandma and Grandpa, we let them do some spending.  They each decided on a new Vinylmation figurine and a pin for their lanyards.  While the boys and I shopped a little more, and stopped for a Mickey ice cream bar, Derrick and Natalie went to the World of Disney in search of a mug for one of our church members.  

Lucas and Matthew can't go to Disney without enjoying one of these!

Since his had broken, his wife wanted us to pick up a new one to replace it.  I also replaced my Tinkerbell mug that I had dropped earlier this year {which cut my foot deeply and gave me 6 stitches}.  While they were in the World of Disney, Derrick and Natalie picked out some jewelry for her!  

Matthew with his new Vinylmation figurine.  

Lucas also got one.   His is an Ewok.  

After Downtown Disney, we were so tired!  So we headed back to the resort for a late dinner and bed time.  We had an early morning reservation at EPCOT the next day to dine with the princesses!