Getting the whole family to Disney!!!

A few months ago, my youngest sister decided to take her 2 young kids to Disneyworld. My parents haven't been there since the last time we all went 30 years ago, so they asked if she minded if they came down too. She was thrilled. Then, my older sister, who travels quite a bit, said she'd like to pop down for part of the week, so she booked her flights. Tim, Olivia and I just went for the 2nd time in 2008. I was really done. We'd done it twice, when liv was almost 6, and just turning 10, and I'd rather spend my money going new places. Also, none of us 3 do thrill rides. Liv doesn't like them, and they don't agree with Tim and me anymore, equalibrium-wise. We really did everything we cared to do when we went in '08. BUT, once Tim heard that most of my family was going down, he said, "let's go." BUT I HATE GOING ON PLANES and I'm very sad about kenneling my dog for 8 or 9 days(we'll get home too late to pick her up, and probably have to drop her off the day before we leave.) :o(
I did not fly for 23 years after a very rough take-off going to California in 1985. I got on a plane in 2008 out
of sheer desperation. Tim's transplant had failed. His doctor was very pessimistic about what the future held
for him. I wanted, VERY BADLY, to get Olivia back to Disney at an age when she would remember more of it. He was on chemo and we were far too exhausted to drive it, as we did when Liv was 5. So, I did it. Didn't like it, but slapped a smile on my face so Olivia wouldn't know I was afraid. I wasn't as bad as I thought I'd be after 23 years on terra firma, but I am claustrophobic and do not like being trapped in tight places. Well, I figured we could not miss this opportunity and it is a really stinky drive.
Nothing to see and 21  hours in the car with pit stops. We did it in 2 days and were so tired, we're in no hurry to do it again. I booked the flights and a suite in the same resort. My older sister, Lori, stopped by the other night to ask me something. My other younger sister is divorced. Her kids, 20, and 22, are not on speaking terms with her. It was not a good scene. My sister is not even talking to my parents now and none of us hear from her much or at all. My older sister travels to California for business constantly. Last year, she treated my niece and nephew to a trip out to California. Aside from the fact that my niece hates flying more than me, and had a panic attack and cried on the plane coming home, they loved the trip. So, Lori asked me what I thought of trying to get them to Disney with us. My mom's memory is getting so bad. We really feel this is so important for our family and these kids have had a rough time of it these past few years. So, she said she could probably get their airfare on her frequent flyer points and would pay for their park passes. I said Tim and I would upgrade to a multi-bedroom & bathroom villa and cover their lodging so Lori called them and asked if they wanted to do it. They are over the moon. They only went once, when they were 4 and 6, so I'm sure they have no real memories of it. We're hoping they make it down for Christmas Eve so we can surprise my parents with this news with them here. It's so hard for my parents to be estranged from their daughter(totally my sister's fault) and they don't get to see these grandkids that much. This is turning into a really special event and we are all so excited. My parents are going to see Disney again with all their grandchildren. Very cool!

There's just no place like Disneyworld to be a kid again and forget your troubles.