Why I Would Rather Staycation in NOLA Than Go to Disney World

Alright, I’ll admit it … a friend of mine rented a giant van and took her entire crew to Disney World for 9 days and I was completely jealous. It’s not that I can’t afford to go or wouldn’t like to. Call me a realist, but I know that taking my two kids under the age of 5 would be tremendous work, especially if we chose to drive to Disney World. I think about weather conditions and how summer would be way too hot for any of us to enjoy it, and winter would be too cold. There’s always spring and fall, right?

But here’s the thing: why would we drive all the way to Disney World to have a family vacation when we can staycation right here in this amazing city?

Every season, I chose a week or so and plan my schedule to take about 3-4 days out (I can do that with my schedule because I’m a nurse) and have a full itinerary to explore the city.

One day, we took our kids to the Cathedral, showed them the big church that me and their dad were married in. My girls loved it because they thought it looked like a castle. Then we watched a group of tap dancers perform right outside. We walked, we ate snoballs, beignets, and went and shopped in the flea market and they each had $20 to spend on whatever they wanted. The next day was the IMAX and aquarium. They got to eat junk food and watch a movie in 3D and run through the aquarium to find Nemo and Dory. Finally, the last day, we had a picnic in city park and played ball, ate, and went and enjoyed the rides and played in Storyville.

Those 3 days had my kids completely full of joy. Not to mention, since we walked and ate so much, they went to bed extremely early those nights. This was a major plus because my husband and I could “adult” and wind down with a glass of wine and relax. Some nights when I only have the weekend off, we’ll throw sleeping bags in the living room and eat popcorn and watch movies until we all fall asleep.

So remember, when it comes to vacationing, it’s not about where you go, its about quality time and how you spend it with your kids: those are the memories they’ll keep forever. As for Disney, I’m saving that for when they get a little bit older and can enjoy it and won’t need me to push them in a stroller to enjoy it.

I implore you, go out, plan a couple of days, enjoy this beautiful city and all that it has to offer. You’ll be surprised how much fun you and your family will have right here at home.

About Amy

Amy has lived in New Orleans her entire life and swears she will never leave. She is a graduate of Charity School of Nursing and is a Registered Nurse in ICU where she enjoys caring for the critically ill. She and her husband, Colin, were high school sweethearts and are still head-over-heels for each other after 14 years together and 7 years of marriage. They are parents of two high-energy, high-maintenance little girls, Isabella age 4 and Sofia age 3. She enjoys spending quality time with her family and planning her calendar accordingly with events throughout the NOLA area to keep her girls entertained. She is a coffee and diet coke addict who enjoys reading, shopping, organizing, and distressing furniture.

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