It’s hard to believe, but Chuck and I just celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary in May! What is even harder to believe is that we haven’t been able to get away for an anniversary celebration in 9 years! Yep, since our 10th anniversary we have been lucky to even get dinner out just the two of us. We decided we needed to change that this year! If there’s one thing we’ve learned the last couple of years, it’s that time with loved ones is the most precious gift. So we aren’t taking it for granted and we opted to plan a kid-free staycation at Walt Disney World Resort! Since Walt Disney World is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, it seemed serendipitous. Plus, I pray that we see a 50th wedding anniversary, so it never hurts to have some Disney magic mixed in with our celebration!
Now, as any parent knows, a weekend away requires PLANNING – a lot of planning! We started our planning a few weeks ago to make sure we had everything lined up. We are going all out and we started our anniversary getaway planning by reserving a car with Enterprise, the Official Rental Car of Walt Disney World. Why rent a car when we are close to Disney you may ask? Well first off, we want a fun and clean car that doesn’t have kids’ sports equipment, food wrappers, or needs washing! I mean, a vacation should feel like a vacation in all ways. I am all for ditching my mom-mobile for a few days!
So back to the planning…Enterprise makes that so easy. I not only booked the car in advance, but I pre-paid the gas and the car is equipped with the toll easy-pay so we can take it right to Disney and won’t have to stop to fill the tank on our way back. Ease is the name of the game! Anyone can do this – whether you’re local like us or coming from out of town, definitely take advantage!
I’m a native Floridian and have been to Walt Disney World many times, but if you’re not a local, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has a location at the Orlando airport which makes pickup-up and drop-off so simple. (And that pre-paid gas is clutch!) The airport is about 20 minutes from Disney, so it’s a very quick drive to get that vacay started.
One of the best things about having a car with you when you’re staying at Disney is the convenience. Did you know Walt Disney World is over 25,000 acres big? It has 4 parks, 2 water parks, over 25 hotels & resorts, 4 golf courses, and Disney Springs which has a variety of shops and restaurants. If you want to get around to these locations with ease, you need your own car! One of our favorite things to do as a couple is stroll Disney Springs. They have so many different restaurants (The Boat House and STK are two of our favorites) and shops to explore. Plus, they have live entertainment at night and you can even take a ride in the Vintage Amphicars! We did that one year a long time ago, right at the time the fireworks were going up and we might be due for another ride this year. Plus, if we find we need to leave Disney for any reason (e.g., a pharmacy run) then having a car is not only convenient, it’s necessary.
Last, and probably the most fun, is making the reservations! Dinner, spa, pool time loungers, park ride passes – you name it! We are booking everything in advance, so we don’t miss out! I love that the Walt Disney World app makes all these reservations so simple, I can make them all right there – even mobile dessert orders when the time comes! Yum yum!
*Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of Enterprise.