I am pretty sure I am the only person in the entire history of the universe who dreads going to Disney World. I know I am an abomination, but I just can’t help it.
We’d been planning a trip to Orlando with my sister and her family for almost two years. One thing or another kept getting in the way, but finally, finally, we all got our acts together and made the trek down to the Mecca of commercialism in January.
I was thrilled to be taking a vacation and over the moon about getting to spend some time with my sister and her family. But, honestly, I was not excited about Disney. I’m not even sure I can tell you why.
Part of me despises the whole “Oh, you have to take your children to Disney because it is the most magical, beautiful place on Earth.” People, I’ve watched the sun come up over the Irish countryside and I’ve climbed to the top of El Castillo at Chichen Itza. I have felt the mist from the English Channel brush my face on the ferry between Dover and Calais. You can’t convince me that the slightly freakish It’s A Small World puppets can compete with any of that.
Then there’s the silly argument that went on in my head debating the idea of taking Gracie, who hates crowds, loud noises, feeling out of control to a place full of tons of people, lot of strange noises where she’s at the mercy of snaking lines (albeit beautifully designed snaking lines).
Honestly, though, I think what I was dreading most was failing. Something about a trip to Disney just sets you up with so many expectations. And I just knew that the trip couldn’t possibly live up to everyone’s expectations. Steve, who was looking forward to having fun with his girls and relaxing and enjoying family time. Abigail who was so excited about going to Cinderella’s castle that she could not contain herself for a month before we left. Gracie who wanted to visit every single country at Epcot. And me. I ‘m not sure what I expected. I think mostly I expected to be let down. Turns out, not a single one of our expectations were met. Steve didn’t get to spend much time relaxing at all. Gracie didn’t visit a single country and Epcot. Abigail didn’t get to go inside Cinderella’s castle because she was sick and by the time she felt well enough to visit the Magic Kingdom, the castle was closed. And, me, well I wasn’t let down. Steve may not have relaxed, but he did ride the teacups with his girls and laughed until he could barely talk. Gracie didn’t visit any country in Epcot, but she got over her fear and rode the Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom at least ten times. Abigail didn’t see the castle but she discovered a passion for saving endangered animals after rescuing a baby elephant from poachers on the Safari trip.
While we were waiting for the bus our first day in Orlando, I spied this little bird hopping around as if he didn’t have a care in the world. As I watched him flit from one spot of the bus stop to another, looking for whatever crumbs anyone may have dropped, I started to relax and let the joy of being with my family wash over me. Disney may not be the most beautiful, magical place in the world, but it certainly does have a magic all its own and who was I to resist.