Right here at Disney, we all know army service is a household enterprise. Simply in time for Navy Partner Appreciation Day on Might 9, we had the possibility to sit down down with planDisney panelist, Carrie H., to talk about her love for Disney and her experiences as a army partner!
Carrie’s husband, Eric, is a Sr. Chief Petty Officer within the U.S. Navy, working as an aviation electrician. Like Walt Disney, Carrie and Eric are initially from Illinois, the place they met as youngsters.
Let’s study a little bit bit extra about Carrie, Eric and their Disney-loving household!
Disney Parks Weblog: Inform us a little bit bit about your loved ones.
Carrie: “My husband and I began as highschool sweethearts, and we now have celebrated over 20 years of marriage. We’ve got three children (center faculty, highschool, and faculty age) who maintain our life fascinating and our schedules full. Whereas army life has its ups and downs, we can’t complain that the Navy has allow us to name San Diego residence now for the second time — only a brief drive to Disneyland Resort! You’ll discover us within the parks getting in as many sights as we will, but additionally leaving loads of time to verify the latest Disneyland snacks off our listing of must-tries.”
Disney Parks Weblog: What’s it like being a army partner?
Carrie: “Being a army partner means lengthy separations aside, lacking milestones and holidays. My husband was deployed when our first youngster was born. However then you’ve gotten these actually particular homecomings. It’s studying to be actually impartial, however then additionally studying that the whole lot doesn’t need to go your method as soon as they’re again. It’s studying numerous persistence and never sweating the small stuff.”
Including Some Disney Magic Throughout Deployments
Carrie: “Disneyland Resort has actually develop into a house away from residence for me and our youngsters. Clearly, we love coming to have fun—making up for misplaced time when Dad’s right here—nevertheless it’s additionally a spot we select to go after we’re having a tough time, and we simply need to get away for a little bit bit. A number of years in the past, throughout my husband’s deployment, the children and I made nice pals inside our army neighborhood who additionally had family members deployed, and we might all simply go up collectively.”
Disney Parks Weblog: Why do you take pleasure in going to Disneyland whereas Eric is deployed?
Carrie: “Spending time there is without doubt one of the methods the children and I can expertise a little bit magic, so the children aren’t centered on Dad not being right here—particularly throughout holidays and celebrations when he can’t be with us in particular person. Now that my children are older, I additionally love coming on my own and getting a day away from the whole lot.”
Disney Parks Weblog: How do you and the children keep near Eric when he’s deployed?
Carrie: “Past frequent messages and video calls, the children and I like to search out artistic methods to make sure Eric is with us in spirit, even when he’s on the opposite facet of the world. When my children have been youthful, we had this “daddy doll” that they’d insist on bringing with us to the parks, so he was with us. On the flip facet, when he was deployed, Eric introduced alongside a Woody doll that he would take from place to put to ship us images, and the children would at all times stay up for seeing the place Dad was with Woody. He even had an opportunity to deliver Woody to Hong Kong Disneyland!”
Disney Parks Weblog: What are a few of your favourite reminiscences from visiting Disneyland Resort?
Carrie: “I don’t assume I can decide one! We’ve got so many alternative, nice reminiscences at Disneyland. Clearly, celebrating when my husband comes again. There was one homecoming specifically, when our youngest had only in the near past grown tall sufficient to have the ability to experience the Incredicoaster, so she couldn’t wait to get into the park and experience that with Dad. That was positively a core reminiscence!”
Carrie: “Our first go to was simply me and my oldest when she was simply three months! However two years in the past, we bought to go on our first Walt Disney World trip as a household. I do know with numerous army households, when we now have depart to take, it’s going residence to see Grandma, Grandpa and the cousins. So, this was our first vacation spot trip with simply us as a household and that was actually an thrilling expertise!”
Carrie’s Path to planDisney Panelist
Disney Parks Weblog: When did you first uncover your love for Disney?
Carrie: “Rising up, you could possibly discover me in entrance of the TV carrying out one of many many volumes of Disney Sing Alongside Songs on VHS. A Disney trip was at all times a dream, and it lastly got here true in my early 20’s when my mother earned a household journey to Walt Disney World via work. Shortly after that journey, the army moved us to southern California, which meant we bought to discover and fall in love with Disneyland Resort.”
Disney Parks Weblog: Why did you resolve to develop into a planDisney panelist?
Carrie: “Disney was at all times a spot I beloved going with my household, particularly with the children whereas Eric is away. My pals would at all times ask for data or recommendation for his or her journeys, so I figured being a planDisney panelist would work out completely! I like serving to others benefit from their visits to ‘The Happiest Place on Earth!’”
Disney Parks Weblog: What’s a enjoyable reminiscence you’ve gotten from being a planDisney panelist?
Carrie: “Final 12 months we went to Walt Disney World as a household and our oldest daughter was ready on faculty acceptances. Whereas we have been there, she discovered she was accepted to her best choice!”
Disney Parks Weblog: What does Eric take into consideration Disney Parks?
Carrie: “He loves it! Though we haven’t gotten him on board with the matching shirts simply but, he actually enjoys the journeys we take collectively and the reminiscences we make as a household.”
Disney Parks Weblog: What would you like different army households to find out about Disney?
Carrie: “The parks are actually a magical escape from the challenges of army life. Fortunately, Disney provides superb army offers and reductions for visiting Disneyland and Walt Disney World for eligible service members, so households like ours can escape into the magic, spend time collectively and create fantastic reminiscences.”
Affords for Eligible U.S. Navy Members
You probably have questions on army reductions or planning your Disney trip, go to planDisney.com.
*Affords topic to alter and availability.
