34 Days at Disney

Is thirty-four days at Disney during the heat of the summer too much? Heck no! We have spent the summer in Disney in 2011, 2013, 2014, and now this year, 2015. It is hot, but it is the only time when my kids aren't in school and we can go for a long stay.

I like the long stay because I like to explore what life would be like to live at Disney. What happens when you have to get up every morning and go to work? Pay bills? Get the groceries? Deal with the garbage and the exterminators and the pool guy and the repair man? I have spent a lot of time in this blog exploring this concept as I prepare for my move to Disney in a few years.We have come to realize that living at Disney does not mean non-stop princess and castles.

I would move to Florida tomorrow. Luckily, the rest of my family is a little more rational than I am. My daughter is finishing up college. My oldest son has two more years of high school. My youngest son will be entering the middle school in the fall. My wife has a job that she loves, works with people she likes, and has several close friends in our town. And my elderly parents live in an attached in-law house that I built for them twelve years ago.

We can't move to Disney right now, but at least we can spend the summers there. We explore the neighborhoods and towns surrounding the Disney area, talk with real-estate agents, and gain an understanding of a Disney life as a local.

My work is flexible and allows me to work from home. During the summer, home is Disney. My wife works at a school and has summers off. While my daughter and parents don't travel with us, my sons do - and they are off for the summer too.

A 34 day stay at Disney is expensive, but probably not as expensive as you might think. Besides, we have learned some tricks on how to make a long stay affordable.  I half considered not going to Florida this year, and instead socking the vacation money into our retirement account. I quickly changed my mind because kids are only young for a very short period of time. I want them growing up and remembering these fantastic family vacations to Disney.

We head back to Disney in six short weeks. The list of work we need to do to get ready is impressive. It is a marathon, for sure. So, tune back often to read about the 2015 Trip Reports!