Some people say large theme parks might be the worst place a family could go post-deployment. Far from it, Minton says. Not only do large theme parks offer discounts for military families, but there also are many different activities for all ages. “There is so much on the property
that the returning servicemember can have some downtime: There’s golfing, the water parks, [and] places to just sit and chill. ... Your activities can be more low-key together. Do the evening fireworks or ride the mono- rail,” says Minton. “Don’t think you have to be together 24 hours a day. It’s not a bad idea for one spouse to take the family to the [park’s rides] while the servicemember is having down time and [everyone] get to- gether at lunch later.” Central Florida contains so
many entertainment options that even terrible twos or sulky teens can have a great time, Minton adds. Universal Studios has a big “thrill factor” for teens. SeaWorld lacks the bells and whistles of the other parks, but “the shows are outstanding,” Minton says.
Busch Gardens in Tampa has an excellent water park, as well as one of the best gorilla and lion exhibits around and four of the best roller coasters in the country, he adds. Plus, don’t forget the beach is an hour away as are shuttle launches and NASA tours at Cape Canaveral, the Cypress Gardens near Winter Haven (another low-key option), and the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne. On the other side of the continent,
San Diego has many options, includ- ing the San Diego Zoo and also Lego Land, which Minton recommends for kids ages 6 to 10. In the Midwest, water parks are plentiful, with the Water Park of America in Minnesota, the Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark in Michigan, and the Riverview Park and Waterworld in Wisconsin. While factoring in everyone’s unique interests, ages, entertain- ment threshold levels, and rest needs, also determine each person’s expectations. Before you leave, get everyone to talk about his or her wants. And al- ways sched- ule time
for decompressing — for the service- member and the rest of the family.
Take a timeout Once at your destination, don’t “shoehorn” yourself. “The family is going through a hard time as well, so don’t force them into anything. They want normalcy, too,” Minton says. Sometimes, the whole family needs a timeout. A lot of amuse- ment parks have places specifically set aside for quiet time, where noise traffic is reduced and there are lots of places to sit and relax, Minton says. “And remember, if you’re bothered
by something, it is going to get worse. Don’t think you can ‘man up’ and hopefully the family will understand it. Have a meal or a snack, and take in the surroundings sitting down, or go on another type of ride. If necessary, go back to the hotel,” he says. Duchac points out shoehorning also might mean putting yourself in a bad financial situation by forcing a vacation for which you don’t have the money. “I have a friend who was overseas, and he’d lost a large por- tion of his job as a reservist,” says Duchac. “Their income was reduced, and the first thing they did was take off for Disney. They were already in a financial crunch. The whole time they were there, they fought about money. It created conflict for them.” Although your instinct might be to whisk your family away right after you return from deployment, take a step back and figure out what your and your family’s expectations are and what vacation is best for you.
MO
— Heidi Russell Rafferty is a freelance writer based in Kentucky. Her last article for MOAA was “The Job You Didn’t Con- sider” at
www.moaa.org/secondcareer.
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
■ Is a train vacation what your family needs? Turn to page 60B for train-travel ideas across the U.S., Canada, and Russia.
AUGUST 2010 MILITARY OFFICER 63 A
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