Real life Griswold Family builds a Truckster and road trips to Walt Disney World

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Aug 01, 2013, 10:00 ET

ATLANTA, Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Every Christmas Steve and Lisa Griswold would get a chuckle when they went to pay for something with their credit card. "Griswold? Ha! I remember those Vacation movies. Is that really your name?"

The Griswold Family takes a road trip to Walt Disney World. (PRNewsFoto/Pixie Vacations) (PRNewsFoto/PIXIE VACATIONS)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130801/MN54835)

"Everyone remembers Clark Griswold from the 1983 movie National Lampoon's Vacation, and, of course, we have heard every joke in the book, having the last name Griswold." Being huge fans of the Vacation movies, one day Steve and Lisa decided to build their very own Family Truckster. So with the help of the internet and several thousand dollars later, Steve and Lisa Griswold were the proud owners of a 1984 Ford Country Squire LTD station wagon. It's not the most glamorous car. James Bond and all the other action movies in the 1980's got those. For the Griswolds, it's a Metallic Pea Green, wood paneled, over the top station wagon with eight headlights and the gas cap installed in the hood.

"Being a fan of the movie, we wanted a vehicle that would make people smile when they saw it, and having the last name Griswold, it was only a matter of time," said Steve. It even has the vintage Samsonite luggage on top and dog leash on the rear bumper.

Even more ironically, Steve and Lisa are the owners of Pixie Vacations. They cannot book you a vacation to Wally World, but they can take care of a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort, a Caribbean cruise, or almost any vacation destination you can imagine.

"We have always loved to travel," says Steve Griswold, "and helping plan fun family vacations was something we always did for friends, so Pixie Vacations was born."

"You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it" is the famous quote from the movie, but Steve says people love to come up and seeing the Truckster when he stops for gas or is just out for a drive around town. It's a fun family vehicle, and for us it is a perfect fit.

The Truckster took over six months to complete to get ready for its inaugural trip to Walt Disney World. Be sure to see the photos of the Ford LTD Country Squire transformed into the Griswold Family Truckster showcased in the photo gallery.

You can follow the Griswolds on their road trip to Walt Disney World on Twitter and Instagram @GriswoldVac.

What's next for the Griswolds? "We will be back to Walt Disney World and I am sure we will be taking many more exciting road trips across America."