AWESOME MOM STILL LIKES ME….I THINK
Posted by Karen on May 08 2008
Awesome Mom comes through with another question for me….
What is your favorite color?
Why do you love Disney so much? I am not a Disney fan so I am baffled by your adoration. I still like you though.
She’s always threatening to not like me, so don’t take her seriously. I surely don’t.
Anyway, to the questions….
I love all primary colors, but if I had to pick one, I’d say red.
And why do I love Disney so much? Hmmm, I guess I should ask you why you don’t!
I went to Disney a few times as a kid, and it was a fun place to be. Mike never went. But he fantasized about it and read travel guide about the parks.
After we graduated from college (and yes, before we were married) we decided to go to Walt Disney World. It was fun to see Mike experience all the things he had read about in books and that I had done as a child.
Fast forward 10 years and we took the kids for their first visit to see the Mouse. Well, that was just pure magic. To see the kids on the exact same rides I rode as a kid brought tears to my eyes. To see their little faces light up when they saw their favorite character was just awesome. To have them see, smell, hear, taste, and feel all of the experiences of the World was…..priceless.
Plus, it is SO far from reality it’s a glorious change from real life. No cooking, no cleaning, no school, no phones, no patients calling at 2 a.m. Employees Cast members who are cheerful and helpful and live to create magic. Mike lives for those vacations. He limps by during a long and tiring winter full of seeing sick kid after sick kid knowing that on the horizon we’ll be heading to Disney. Knowing that in just a short while we’ll be together as a family doing everything together and having fun. (Ok, fine, not EVERYTHING together, I avoid the really big scary rides.)
We always know we’re back home when the sky turns to grey and when the cashier at the grocery store grumbles about her job, your coupons, or the bagger’s lack of packing skills. I just roll my eyes and think, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not at Disney anymore.”
I know, for some, Disney is the big evil corporate giant. They’ve made a killing off of their parks, their movies, merchandise, etc etc. Maybe if there was just a titch more magic in the regular world, I’d be less inclined to go.
Until then, I be goin’ to Disney World!
Oh, actually, when this posts, I’ll already be there!
on 08 May 2008 at 7:04 am 1 Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You said …
As I said before, never been, never really had any interest. But your perspective sounds nice
on 08 May 2008 at 7:47 am 2 Mary said …
Karen I think you described it perfectly and that is why Mark and I go.
I know you are having a great time down there. Enjoy!
on 08 May 2008 at 10:34 am 3 Awesome Mom said …
I am not a a Disney fan #1 because they badly butcher fairy tales. The original stories were not all happiness and sugar, they were a lot more gritty and real. I am also not into the whole theme park idea due to my motion sickness. If I get sick to the point of puking by just riding a ferris wheel and the swings once, then I am doomed. I also don’t think I could go to a Disney park with out constantly cringing all the time about how expensive thing are (if I did manage to get past that I am sure my husband would be happy to remind me).
When I want to be transported to another magical world I go camping. To me there is nothing more magical than the the quiet of an old growth forest.
on 08 May 2008 at 10:54 am 4 Pinkaholic Mom said …
I am so green with envy. The last time I was in Disney World was in 1996. Right now my family is in the very early planning stages of a Disney trip (Land, not World) next fall. This will be my boys’ first time and I’m so excited to see the wonder and awe on their faces when they experience it. I know I won’t be able to go on a lot of attractions because of my back and vertigo issues, but I’ll be the photographer to document to whole event. Say “hi” to Mickey for me.
on 08 May 2008 at 11:05 am 5 Fran said …
Then there are the many people out there who think that a perfect fun spot is Las Vegas, where the “magic” is created by flashing lights, blaring sounds, and all manner of crudeness. And just who is raking in the big bucks here? But I do hear that it is now more “family friendly” than in the past. Really?
So, if you like Las Vegas as a vacation spot, go ahead. For me, I will stick to Disney. It’s fun to once in a while be a kid again! Hope you got in a Soarin’ ride for me.
I do have to agree with Awesome Mom that camping is a wonderful experience as well….with the old growth forest as one of the more fabulous places to camp. Such peace!!
As the saying goes, “to each his own.”
on 08 May 2008 at 11:25 am 6 jen said …
oh, I can’t wait to go next year. I just love that feeling of being in a bubble, separated from the rest of the world.
on 08 May 2008 at 11:52 am 7 Teri said …
Yeah, Jen said it right - it’s the feeling of being in a bubble. I absolutely LOVE WDW. I was there the year it opened, I was there on the 10th anniversary, I was there on the 25th anniversary. The changes I’ve seen over the last 30 years is incredible and it has never been a disappointment. While we have to do “living history” vacations, we still love going to Florida to go to Disney - and then go see my folks!
on 08 May 2008 at 1:02 pm 8 Sue said …
The one thing that isn’t there anymore as far as I know… the one thing that I used a lot of my tickets for was “The Hall of Presidents”. Animation was new back then…in the 70’s and to me it was SIMPLY amazing to watch President Lincoln speak as well as his arms moving..I would take my sister’s “Hall” tickets (yes, it was ticket books back then) and then watch the movements in the background of the presidents sitting there. Amazing.
Another favorite I could go on ALL the time (and did) was
“It’s a small world”.
Camping is also fun and restful if you don’t get next to “party” people or noisy kids (not that I don’t like kids/love grandkids) but at quiet time….
Don’t know if I would want to go to Disney today…it has grown so much that it would take days to go through..would be fascinating though with the hotels with the monorail…etc..
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!
on 12 May 2008 at 1:19 pm 9 Deb - Mom of 3 Girls said …
That is exactly why I’m dying to take the girls there. I remember the excitement, the fun and the pure joy from when I was a kid - and I so want to share that with my own girls. I know they would have a blast and I can’t want to see that someday.