FLORIDA! DISNEY! BEACH!

So here's the thing. Nellie has been asking to go to Disney World since she was about 3. At that point, we told her we needed to wait until Annie was old enough to walk on her own and enjoy it. And then we had DJ, and so on. Eventually we had five kids asking us about Disney, but the cost! Not to mention that it seemed really...confusing. There are maybe bracelets involved? You need to contact a Disney specialist? Get an app? There are 1,000 rules, tips, suggestions, and best practices. Disney truly started to feel like a dream that's really a wish your heart makes. Not a reality for the Wernets.

Finally, we just went for it. Step 1: Ask a colleague-friend to recommend a Disney specialist. Step 2: Email the Disney specialist (not sure that's actually what she's called.) Step 3: Make lots of decisions that make you feel like a real grown-up.

One of the biggest decisions we had to make was: Drive or fly? When we looked up the cost to fly, it was an easy answer. We would drive. We would brave any weather and likely car trouble and all the sanctification that one experiences riding in a minivan with seven people, and we would drive.

Guys - we did it. And it was magical. I won't go into all the details, we kept a journal for that. But I will say that the universal highlights were the car ride itself, the Guardians of the Galaxy ride, the German Biergarten, and long beach walks hunting for shells and Dunkin' Donuts. Here is a (large) selection of favorite pictures.

Florida or bust! Leave time 4:17am.

MarioKart in the van was dizzying but fun.

Picnic lunch in Kentucky

Travel day 2 - rain in Georgia

Then sun in Florida! Or maybe still Georgia.

We made it to Port Orleans Riverside!

Poor Eddie, no one wanted to share a bed with him.
We caught photo evidence that he is indeed a bed hog.

The lovely resort

The photo we were waiting for

Up first, Space Mountain! Then Disney donuts and coffee.

True story - I cried in this part of It's a Small World.

It was HOT.

But Disney ice cream helped.

Dinner was a few shared Mexican dishes in Frontierland.
This was the grouchy part of the day.

The last ride of the night was the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - it was worth the wait!

So tired at the end of the day

Epcot the next morning was misty

We were thrilled to make it in the "queue" for the new Guardians ride!

The aquarium was a surprise family favorite.

Annie had been looking forward to visiting Canada for ages :)

Sharing a single beignet

The Biergarten! Dinner was a Christmas present from Aunt Pam.

Disney waffles revived us...

...and we were beach bound!

Made it to Treasure Island!

Sunrise beach walking

The Friendly Fisherman

Kevin's been coming here since he was a kid!

Sunset beach walking

The last day, we were sunburned, hot, tired, sore...
we spent the afternoon in the stinky alligator rescue.

Last swim

Last shell hunting

Headed home - we drove through the night because we were anxious to get there!

Home again, home again.

Family nap after little sleep in the van

I consider the road trip to Florida and taking on Disney among my greatest life accomplishments. :) Was it the last time we'll make that trip? No. Are we ready to go back any time soon? No. Was it a family dream come true? Yes.