Cast of Characters:
Me47- WDW once in 1975,and again in the mid-80's (wow things have changed!! Disneyland in 1996.
DH47-never been to WDW. Disneyland in 1996
DD17-never been to WDW. Disneyland in 1996 on her 9th birthday DS7-never been to WDW. Fast becoming a Disney fanatic.
Background info: DH and I moved to a rural South Arkansas community from Dallas, TX eleven years ago to escape the rat race and to be closer to our families. DH is a practicing attorney and we knew two people (not family members) in the town of 10,000 which is now our home. Struggling to grow a law practice, DH took a job as the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney about a year after we moved here. We put down roots, joined a wonderful church, and became involved in community acitivities and charitable organizations. Late last year, the Judge of the Court DH prosecutes in decided to retire at the end of his term, and in January, DH decided to run for the District Judge position the retiring Judge had held for the last 21 years. He knew the campaign in a county-wide contested election would be hard on the family (another local attorney who was born and raised here also decided to run), so DH said that, as a reward for the family, we would go to Disneyworld after the election: win, lose or draw. As we hit the campaign trail (one notable weekend, we attended 4 fish fries and a pancake breakfast in 26 hours), I hit the boards and learned as much as I could about WDW to plan our trip.
The campaign wore on and plans were made. Election Day-Tuesday, May 18th, leave for WDW later that same week. We decided to stay at Beach Club Villas for 5 nights. I found a good deal on airfair for 4 to Orlando flying out of Shreveport, LA. I had to take the kids out of school on the last day. No problem for DD, the last day was only for 7th period exams and she had Yearbook for 7th period. We didn't think missing the last day would be too big a deal for DS, as they really don't do much on the last day in first grade. We actually decided to leave town on Thursday after school was out since our flight was scheduled for 7:30 am on Friday morning, and we don't like getting up at 3:30 am to catch a flight.
I poured over the boards, made our PS's at 90 days out. DH thought I had become obsessed with Disney and planning this vacation. In reality, it was a way to escape the campaign drudgery and focus on making sure the family had plenty of fun after the election, which was getting closer. The big day was getting closer--May 18th was election day, and our flight out of Shreveport was on the 21st. The weekend before the election was the weekend of the big Blossom Festival and Steak Cookoff, full of activities we needed to participate in. There was an Old Fashioned Chicken Supper and Gospel Singing on Friday night which the whole family attended; later that same night DH and I attended a Rock n Roll Oldies "Hayride-type" show which the campaign sponsored; on Saturday morning was the big parade featuring all of the steak cooking contestants and all of the political candidates, DH rode in a borrowed red 1970 El Dorado Cadillac convertible. There was a Dog Show where DD helped out. Lots of campaigning, hand-shaking, and small-talking in and around the town square during the day on Saturday. Saturday evening was the big steak cookoff, steak supper and concert just off the town square, where DH and the whole family were very visible throughout the evening.
In the meantime, I also had to plan the big election night watch party, which DH and I decided should be at our home. I found a caterer to do all the food, hired a bartender to take care of the guests' liquid pleasures and got the house ready, all the while trying to take care of those last few days' packing issues. I finally decided that I'd lost my mind trying to leave town for a WDW vacation less than 3 days after an election and election party.
Finally, election day arrived. There was nothing left to do but wait.....
Me47- WDW once in 1975,and again in the mid-80's (wow things have changed!! Disneyland in 1996.
DH47-never been to WDW. Disneyland in 1996
DD17-never been to WDW. Disneyland in 1996 on her 9th birthday DS7-never been to WDW. Fast becoming a Disney fanatic.
Background info: DH and I moved to a rural South Arkansas community from Dallas, TX eleven years ago to escape the rat race and to be closer to our families. DH is a practicing attorney and we knew two people (not family members) in the town of 10,000 which is now our home. Struggling to grow a law practice, DH took a job as the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney about a year after we moved here. We put down roots, joined a wonderful church, and became involved in community acitivities and charitable organizations. Late last year, the Judge of the Court DH prosecutes in decided to retire at the end of his term, and in January, DH decided to run for the District Judge position the retiring Judge had held for the last 21 years. He knew the campaign in a county-wide contested election would be hard on the family (another local attorney who was born and raised here also decided to run), so DH said that, as a reward for the family, we would go to Disneyworld after the election: win, lose or draw. As we hit the campaign trail (one notable weekend, we attended 4 fish fries and a pancake breakfast in 26 hours), I hit the boards and learned as much as I could about WDW to plan our trip.
The campaign wore on and plans were made. Election Day-Tuesday, May 18th, leave for WDW later that same week. We decided to stay at Beach Club Villas for 5 nights. I found a good deal on airfair for 4 to Orlando flying out of Shreveport, LA. I had to take the kids out of school on the last day. No problem for DD, the last day was only for 7th period exams and she had Yearbook for 7th period. We didn't think missing the last day would be too big a deal for DS, as they really don't do much on the last day in first grade. We actually decided to leave town on Thursday after school was out since our flight was scheduled for 7:30 am on Friday morning, and we don't like getting up at 3:30 am to catch a flight.
I poured over the boards, made our PS's at 90 days out. DH thought I had become obsessed with Disney and planning this vacation. In reality, it was a way to escape the campaign drudgery and focus on making sure the family had plenty of fun after the election, which was getting closer. The big day was getting closer--May 18th was election day, and our flight out of Shreveport was on the 21st. The weekend before the election was the weekend of the big Blossom Festival and Steak Cookoff, full of activities we needed to participate in. There was an Old Fashioned Chicken Supper and Gospel Singing on Friday night which the whole family attended; later that same night DH and I attended a Rock n Roll Oldies "Hayride-type" show which the campaign sponsored; on Saturday morning was the big parade featuring all of the steak cooking contestants and all of the political candidates, DH rode in a borrowed red 1970 El Dorado Cadillac convertible. There was a Dog Show where DD helped out. Lots of campaigning, hand-shaking, and small-talking in and around the town square during the day on Saturday. Saturday evening was the big steak cookoff, steak supper and concert just off the town square, where DH and the whole family were very visible throughout the evening.
In the meantime, I also had to plan the big election night watch party, which DH and I decided should be at our home. I found a caterer to do all the food, hired a bartender to take care of the guests' liquid pleasures and got the house ready, all the while trying to take care of those last few days' packing issues. I finally decided that I'd lost my mind trying to leave town for a WDW vacation less than 3 days after an election and election party.
Finally, election day arrived. There was nothing left to do but wait.....
