Our 2024 trip to Florida was definitely a mix of joys and struggles. In all of our trips since my fall, we’ve endured a heavy dose of illness and injury while traveling, and this trip was no exception!
Pre-Trip Worries
I was still dealing with foot injuries and knee pain when we left for this trip, and I was full of anxiety. I didn’t know how I’d manage sitting in a cramped plane seat for over three hours. I wasn’t sure if my feet could handle beach walks, and I hadn’t even done a full lap around our block in ages—so how was I going to walk the miles that the theme parks demanded?
A Surprisingly Smooth Start
I can start by saying this: the flight to Naples was miraculously easy! We took off on time, the skies were perfectly clear, and there was absolutely no turbulence. Trevor played on his iPad and was an absolute angel (he’s always an amazing traveler). We even landed ahead of schedule! We arrived at a stunningly beautiful hotel on a gorgeous beach—The Ritz-Carlton.
Then … we waited. And waited. And waited. Hours passed before we could get into our hotel room. We grabbed some pizza and pasta at a hotel restaurant and continued to wait. Chris took Trevor to the arcade while I sat on a bench and read—still waiting. The problem? We arrived at The Ritz the day after Thanksgiving, and the place was absolutely packed. Every single room must have been booked. Moving forward, I’ll probably avoid traveling on this weekend due to the crowds!
That evening, after finally getting into our room, cleaning up, and unpacking, Chris found an amazing restaurant just down the street: The Turtle Club Naples. They set up tables directly on the beach, so our feet were actually in the sand as we ate! It was a gloriously warm night, and I loved hearing the soothing sounds of the ocean waves. The food was absolutely delicious—fresh pretzel bread with whipped Dijon honey butter, beet and watermelon salad, miso sea bass with risotto, and grouper with citrus beurre blanc and lump crab. So much yum! I love when we find an amazing new (to us) restaurant.
Our Stay at The Ritz-Carlton
Oh, our room at The Ritz-Carlton! I loved it. It was spacious and so quiet. Our one-bedroom suite had two bathrooms, so I got my own—what joy and freedom! The bathroom was spacious, with a jetted tub and a large vanity—heaven! The only downside? The balconies were tiny, barely fitting two chairs, and there were no barriers between neighboring rooms. Since the beach view was a major draw for this hotel, the lack of outdoor space and privacy was a big letdown.
Beach Bliss
The beach itself was absolutely lovely—soft, powdery white sand and warm, gentle waves. The only downside was the holiday weekend crowds. But in the early mornings, when we took peaceful beach strolls, it was wonderfully quiet.
One of my favorite memories was watching the sunset on the beach. The sky was breathtaking, drawing a huge crowd snapping photos. But after the sun dipped below the horizon, the crowd would clear out—and everybody missed the best part of the evening. The sky remained brilliantly lit for quite a while, and Chris, Trevor, and I practically had the beach to ourselves. We’d sit, talk, and play in the sand together. It was wonderful and so peaceful.
One night, a little boy about Trevor’s age ran up and asked if he wanted to play football. That was a highlight for Trevor—he found a playmate and got to play ball. What more could he ask for?
Exploring Naples
Chris also found the perfect outing for me: the Johnsonville Night Lights in the Garden at the Naples Botanical Garden. Although it required a lot of walking (I took it slow and rested when needed), I was amazed by the tropical garden filled with towering palm trees. The Christmas lights were elegant, and the event even featured live music.
Another great discovery? A local neighborhood where every house was decked out in spectacular Christmas decorations. We had so much fun driving through, checking out the displays, and singing along to Christmas music in the car.
We also took Trevor to the famous Tiburon golf course, where they were setting up for a PGA event. The weather was a bit chilly, but the sky was bright and sunny. I found a really cute golf shirt for both Trevor and myself, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the clubhouse.
Struggles
At the time of this trip, I had sustained five injuries within a year. My feet and knees were still sore, and I was terrified of worsening my injuries. For longer theme park days, I opted to rent a wheelchair. My other choices were either skipping the parks and missing family time or pushing myself too far and risking further injury. So, wheelchair it was! It was humbling. When you’ve taken walking for granted your entire life, suddenly relying on a wheelchair is jarring. I felt bad for Chris and my dad when they had to push me, and I felt a little ashamed, wondering if people thought I was being overly dramatic. But after five painful injuries, I knew I didn’t have another option.
Adding to the struggles, Chris got sick on day two of the trip and stayed sick the entire time. He powered through our activities but was clearly feeling awful. He had headaches and a nasty cough that worsened at night. I knew something was wrong when he barely ate the whole trip—eating is one of his favorite vacation activities! Somehow, I managed to avoid catching whatever he had, even though we were all packed into hotel suites. Trevor had mild cold symptoms (a stuffy nose and cough) throughout the trip, but never lost an ounce of energy like Chris did.
Disney: The Good and the Bad
One last major hurdle: we couldn’t book the cabin we usually stay in at Disney. Instead, we had a one-bedroom suite at the Wilderness Lodge. Unfortunately, these rooms are not soundproof. For two nights straight, it sounded like a stampede was staying above us. After tossing and turning for hours the first night, I finally called the front desk at 12:30 a.m. The noise didn’t stop until around 1:30 a.m. The second night, Chris went upstairs to check, and sure enough, there were kids jumping and screaming. Security was sent up, but the noise continued until 1:30 a.m. Apparently, the room was occupied by a mother, grandfather, and four young boys, and the grandfather admitted he was struggling to settle them down. I couldn’t believe how inconsiderate they were. Thankfully, they checked out after two nights, and our room was peaceful for the rest of our stay. I told Chris—I’m only staying in the cabins from now on!
Disney Fun
For the Disney portion of our trip, my parents, my brother Dave, and Chris’ parents all joined us. One afternoon, I got to have a special lunch with my parents at Paddlefish, a restaurant on a moored steamboat at Disney Springs. We reminisced about dining there decades ago when it was called Empress Lilly. I vividly remember booking a reservation as a kid, feeling so fancy—until Dave spilled his water all over the table. I was mortified!
We did a couple of character breakfasts, which felt extra precious now that Trevor is eight—his days of wonder might not last much longer. My favorite is Topolino’s Terrace, where we enjoyed Breakfast à la Art with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. I got the cutest photos of Trevor hugging the characters, and he had a blast mimicking Donald. The croissants with strawberry jam and chocolate hazelnut spread? Perfection.
We also did the Winnie the Pooh character breakfast at The Crystal Palace, which felt extra meaningful because Trevor and I have loved reading the original Winnie the Pooh together.
Roller Coaster Adventures
Tru talked me into riding a few roller coasters I thought would be too extreme for me. The first was Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom—Trevor’s favorite ride there and an absolute thrill! I loved it. I remember him convincing me to go with him, taking my hand, and leading me onto the ride, my heart pounding. It was such a special moment to hop onto a ‘bicycle’ next to Tru, glance over, and see his giant smile.
I also went on the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster at Epcot. I had sworn I wouldn’t, but Trevor persisted, assuring me it wasn’t too intense and that I could handle it. Of course, I wanted to join him on a ride he loved so much—and I’m so glad I did! It turned out to be incredibly fun, maybe even more exciting than Space Mountain. Afterward, I gave Tru a big hug and thanked him for convincing me to go for it.
Chris was excited to take me to the Moana: Journey of Water attraction at Epcot, knowing I’d love the gardens and fountains—and he was absolutely right! The entire space was beautiful, and at the end, there was even a massive topiary sculpture of Te Fiti.
We also enjoyed the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party. Trevor must have eaten ten cookies – he was even able to decorate his own with lots of colorful frosting and sprinkles! We all sang the lyrics to the fireworks show (Happily Ever After) together, since we’ve listened to the lyrics so many times on YouTube at home:
The story comes alive / When we look inside / A new adventure, there in your eyes / It’s just beginning / Feel your heart beat faster / Reach out and find your / Happily ever after!
Another unforgettable memory was staying out late at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom! Tru and Dave had fun sampling different types of Christmas cookies throughout the park, and we all loved trying out the newly re-imagined Splash Mountain, now called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. I’ve always loved that ride, despite how much I hate getting wet! We also rode another of my favorites, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, several times.
We were all pleasantly surprised by the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree. The shorter performances and updated Disney songs made it so much more enjoyable. I wish I could remember some of the jokes, but Tru found them hilarious. Seeing him laugh like that makes my heart light up every time.
In addition, Chris, Trevor, and Dave spent a day at SeaWorld. Tru was beyond excited to tackle the most extreme roller coasters there—thankfully, Chris and Dave were able to keep up with his adventurous spirit! He also fell in love with the live emperor penguins on display, and he found a giant sea turtle stuffy (Wisdom) to add to his Tru Crew.
