Our honeymoon was…shall we say…nontraditional?
Yes, nontraditional.
The wedding itself was more on the traditional side.
Oh, sure, plenty of young (and probably older) couples have hit Walt Disney World for their honeymoon. When you’re within driving distance, it’s cheaper than a week at a tropical hideaway. And wherever you are in the States, it’s cheaper than a flight to Paris and all that goes with that.
Plus, Disney is fun.
So, no, it wasn’t the destination that really counts as nontraditional. It’s the ending.
We had a great time on our honeymoon. It wasn’t relaxing (have you ever heard of a relaxing trip to Disney World??), but it sure was fun. We went full-throttle through the parks all day and crashed at night. We crashed so hard, in fact, that we missed the fireworks on New Years Eve. The pops from the Magic Kingdom’s show woke us eventually, but by the time we stumbled outside and down to the beach at our resort, we had missed all but the final few bursts of light.
We dined at Le Celier, our then-favorite restaurant at Epcot. (Sadly, future visits to the restaurant would not hold a candle to that dining experience.) We walked along the Boardwalk, one of our favorite places at the World. We rode ride after ride, and happily strolled hand in hand in our bride and groom mouse ears. (Which got us zero special treatment, thereby proving how un-rare a Disney honeymoon really is.) We pushed and shoved our way through ridiculous crowds. (Hint: Do NOT, under any circumstances, visit WDW between Christmas and New Year’s. They were closing parks for capacity at 10am. Seriously.)
But that’s not what this is about, is it? I promised you nontraditional, and you shall have it.
We came home early from our honeymoon.
I know. The looks on your faces right now are priceless. Let me explain. No, it is too much. Let me sum up.
Several days at Disney. One additional night at a local motel, so we could fully enjoy our last day at Disney before driving home the following day.
But we were tired. The motel’s bed was horribly uncomfortable. So we looked at each other, climbed back in the car, and drove home. (Unfortunately, the story would not be complete without embarrassing myself with the admission that I left my purse in that motel room and didn’t realize it until we were an hour out of Orlando. My new husband was remarkably understanding about having to turn back. Ahem.)
This December, we celebrate 15 years since our wedding, and that trip. We won’t be returning to Florida to celebrate. I’m angling for some time on a tropical beach. We do live significantly closer to Hawaii now, after all.
Honeymoon stories – preferably with pictures, but I seem to be missing that album. A search party has been mounted.
Look at you two!! Jason had so much hair! And you…those bangs! Actually, you were both quite beautiful. I think our dresses looked just the same – must have been the “in” style in the mid ’90s. I love that you left your honeymoon early. You had your fun and romance, and you had a car, so why not do what you wanted to do? Oh, and I vote for the tropical beach. Yeah, baby.
You are linked!! And so timely.
Gretchen blogged this: Who’s That Knocking at My Door
I’ve only been to Disney once, maybe 4 years ago and I dream of going back as soon as the boy is old enough to have memory of it (or before if I win the lottery that I probably need to start playing in order to win). Thanks for the tip of when NOT to go though. And I vote for a tropical beach too. It is a noble cause.
)
Arnebya blogged this: Writer’s Workshop: Beware, Robbers! We Have Bats and Knives and Lots of Vinyl
Love it! Now, I want to write about my non-traditional honeymoon. 1 night in Yosemite, where we got married, in a vintage hotel, with NO in room bathrooms. So romantic walking down the hall together in our bathrobes, to take showers in gender specific bathrooms. Oh, the memories.
Oh that sounds like fun!
I’m also a little jealous. I’ve lived in FL for 14 yrs now and I have yet to go to Disney.
What?!?! You get resident rates, too!
I begged for Disney! Very jealous because we STILL haven’t made it to ANY of the Disney resorts….really got to do something about that before the princess stage ends!
But on the plus side, a month on the beaches of Cuba (I guess that could be non-traditional for Americans, but we were Canadians at the time) for two poor students was the best wedding present ever! So I guess I can’t complain too much!
GeorgiaBE blogged this: Mini Owls
Uh, yeah, a month on the beach!! I’d take it!
You must do Disney. Must.
Honeymoons are so overrated. We had two days (the weekend after Thanksgiving) and returned to UNR classes in Reno on Monday AM. The first 2 hours were spent in a gas station having the wheel bearings repacked on the car, then two nights in an old 1950′s style motel in which we were the only guests with the rattling wall heater and tons of snow at Lake Tahoe. WOO HOO!!! But, we’ve had many “2nd” honeymoons that have made up for it!
“Let me explain. No, it is too much. Let me sum up.”
You just made me love you from the bottom of my cold, little Count Rugen heart!
unmitigated me blogged this: Blogging 101 Class
I would love a grownup Disney trip. Alas, I’d have to go with my sister because my husband has ZERO love for Disney. Despite the fact that the one time we went our eldest was just under 3 years old and in meeting Winnie the Pooh said, “You’re so happy to meet me!!”
And I, too, was happy to see a little Inigo Montoya nod!
Sarah at 32Flavors blogged this: If only my children had imaginations
“You’re so happy to meet me!” OMG, so cute!! How can that not melt anyone’s heart?
Although…yeah, Disney with the sister? Also incredibly fun. My sister and I have a blast at theme parks together. Go for it!
At the time she said that, I did bust him swiping at a tear. It was the sweetest thing. But he seems to have conveniently forgotten it now…
Sarah at 32Flavors blogged this: If only my children had imaginations
Perhaps that is why I never go to Disney world. I would hate the crowds. Congratulations on your upcoming 15 years of bliss!
CaJoh blogged this: I need a little push
I can’t STAND crowds. This is why we’ve only gone during the school year since then. We’ve always pulled the kids out of school for it. Happily, most of their teachers completely agree with that decision…at least in elementary school.
Good friends of ours also vacationed in Disney World, and they also had to come home early, but for a sadder reason…it was the week of 9/11. So they ended up having to rent a car to come home. They went back to Disney World for their tenth anniversary, and had a blast!
Hawaii would be a wonderful destination for a second honeymoon!
Ginny Marie blogged this: One Wedding, Two Honeymoons