I love Disney World. There is just no place that has mastered the art of happiness and dreams and fun quite like Disney. For five days, we just walked, laughed, giggled, walked, rode some fantastic rides, walked, and enjoyed each others' company. Even though it was hot, we just smiled until our faces hurt.
It is especially amazing how you forget home and work, and completely absorb yourself into what ride you are gonna go on next. Who cares what is happening in the world when you cannot find a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar when you want one? You know life is good when your main concern is if you can get a fast pass for Rock 'N Roller Coaster or if you can down another turkey leg. Gees, that place has a way of making reality go away.We spent the week with some great band kids and even better band parents. Joe and I spent some quality time with Scott and Laura, catching up for over an hour while we snaked our way up the horribly high staircase heading to Summit Plummet in Blizzard Beach. Somehow they convinced us that we needed to drop 120 feet on a water slide in order to prove our Band Parent Coolness. I'm not sure digging my suit out of my butt crack after going 55 mph down a water slide really proved anything, but I sure laughed doing it--and I would never have done it if it wasn't for them.
We hooked up with our pally, Betty (Ted's birth mother), for a few days and laughed our way around 3 parks together. We went from battling the Evil Zurg on the Buzz Lightyear ride to screaming like little girls on the Rock 'N Roller Coaster. We eyed the bucket 'o ice cream but settled on Mickey Mouse ice cream bars--only after making Joe walk the entire park to look for the vendor. We shopped for Disney car antenna toppers (like a billion times) and Betty bought like 20 of them to swap out for every season and/or holiday. Her car is gonna be stylin'.
We even got Disney tatoos. Yes, we were the envy of every band parent after that move.
So, reality has set in as my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. this morning--and it wasn't playing the theme from "It's a Small World" either. Sigh.It's hard to come home, Disney has me expecting far too much from the things and people around me. Like Christmas, I wish that happy feeling would stay a whole lot longer than it does.
25 comments:
Just stop by my job. Grandpa wears a Disney sweatshirt (in winter-although you know those 80 degree drafts can be rough). I have Mickey Mouse posters, stamps, cartoon cells, figurines, pins on neck ribbons, and more all over the office upstairs and downstairs. Not by choice. When we lived in Florida and residents get huge discounts, I never went there.
Now would you seriously want your alarm clock to play "It's A Small World"? I don't even want mine to beep!
"Disney til you drop" is the way to do it and do it you did. It is the only place we go where you need to go back to work to recuperate from vacation. I love WDW.
Glad you all enjoyed Disney. I, myself, didn't the one time we went (last year). Maybe it was because we had an 18-month-old and 6-year-old in tow. LOL! It'll probably be better when they're a tad older. :) Hope you have a fabulous week my friend!
I've never been a Disney fan, the Mickey Mouse Club and the Sunday tv show aside. I think my favorite character has always been Jiminy Cricket...I'm perverse, I know. And maybe un-American. So glad you had a great time, tho. I enjoy watching people enjoy themselves.
Welcome back Lin. I hope the recuperation goes well. :)
Five-thirty is no time to get out of bed. It is so wrong! Oh yes, I used to do that back when I was a wage slave. The first day of retirement, I discarded my digital watch with the alarm feature and fired the alarm clock. Ah, breakfast at ten.
The let down when you come home is the worst part of a trip to Disney. Why isn't that toll taker concerned with my happiness. It sounds like such an amazing trip. What a wonderful celebration of the end of the school year.
Sigh, I havent been there is ages. So many ages. Last time was a combo park and cruise thing that was so much fun really. You brought back some nice memories.
I do believe I was on crutches tho...lol... Man, a spaz forever...
OK...I met Betty last year when I met you, right? Looks like a great time.
Sounds like you had a fabulous time! What a great mental break from work and home responsibilities. Just enjoy and be a kid in Disneyland!
Glad you had a wonderful time and sorry about the whole 5:30 am thing. I feel you pain.
Glad you had a great time at Disneyworld! What fun memories your whole family will have for years to come! I love going there and have made a trip to Disney every year since 2001. For some reason I'm now craving a Mickey Bar!
There's a song by I believe 5 for fighting that called Disneyland. Part of the lyrics are "It's a nice day when you wake up in Disney land" After reading your post it sounds like it's true
Your smiles just say it all! :)
Since I'm a Los Angeles native, Disneyland was a frequent trip when I was growing up. I've only been to Disney World once, for half a day... but that was with the Goo Goo Dolls (I was doing a road story on them in the early 1990s). So I've ridden Space Mountain with Robby Takac!
No Tigger?!!!!!!
I'm glad you had such a wonderful time. That is why the vacation was invented.
Helene--I like Disney, but I don't think I could do that every year for vacation. Sounds like those folks have OD'ed on Mickey--ugh.
Lola--Well, maybe the first morning home, but after that.....no! But I guess that beats the news though.
Merry--Right you are. That place will kill ya! And I don't even have little ones to drag around!
Sherrie--My kids were 18 and 15--the perfect age for Disney! We actually waited until they were 7 and 10 to go the first time--there is no way I'd do a hot sticky baby at that place!
Grace--I'm with you--not a huge Disney fan and my kids never watched all the movies, but we still enjoyed it. It is the mastering of entertainment on so many levels that is something to behold. The park is immaculate and the people so nice--it really is a great place to visit if you can. I think even you would like it, Grace! ;)
Chuck--Do NOT rub it in, pally! We hit the ground running and this week is just as crazy as last! I'm gonna run away and hide out at your place. :)
Anne--It is amazing how nice Disney is and everyone is so darn happy--and yet, it isn't annoying. We have friends who work there and you wouldn't believe the training they go through. I guess the toll booth guy didn't make the cut.
Tracy--We had some folks on the trip that were just complaining right and left, which I find hard to believe. How do you go there and complain??? I had fun in spite of the heat and crowds. :)
Diana--YES! Oh, that's funny, I forgot you met her! She is a hoot and we just cracked up all week. Nice to have fun people to hang with.
Hot Rocks--It's funny how fast you forget bills and have-tos and such when you are there. It's nice. Wish I could have that state of mind more often!
Highway--Going back to the routine was gonna be painful either way--5:30 or 9:30. Ugh.
Beaded Tail--Don't you LOVE those things??! I keep looking in my freezer, like one is going to magically appear!
Ann--Sigh. I'd like to wake up in Disneyland, but not have to walk the park! My feet are KILLING me!!!
Storm--Yeah, here we are all hot and sweaty and exhausted, but we are still laughing. Good trip. Good friends. :)
Janiss--So, how do you act all cool-like and not freaked out by a scary ride when you are with a rock star??? I think I would embarrass myself screaming like a little girl!
Pricilla--Right you are. I guess that is why work was invented too--it gives us something to complain about! Yes, I have Tigger for you!
To be in Disneyland is my childhood dream and even until now! (LOL)
I so envy you guys for having such a great time! Hahahaha!
Never been to this amazing and fantastic world! The nearest Disneyland we could visit is in Hongkong but that would mean saving enough and lots of money. Well, I could remember one of my essays when I spoke about this enchanting place that I really want to go. As I mentioned on that article, I believe that some dreams do come true. :D
Lin, thank you very much for your warm greetings on my birthday! You made it more special. I really appreciate it! Take care! ^_^
My Disney "afterglow" lasted for weeks! But every morning I'm reminded of my visit, drinking out of my giant Tigger mug :)
Uh-oh. Now I have It's a Small World in my head!
JuneZach--Disney always requires saving a lot of money! Our kids fundraised all year in order to be able to go on that trip and we were very lucky to stay with friends near the park in order to save some money. It is expensive, but it is definitely worth every bit of it and MORE! I hope you get there one of these days. :)
Kathy--I have a Minnie t-shirt and some Mickey pajama pants to keep the feeling just a little longer. :) It's kinda like Christmas, isn't it? You just wish the feeling would linger a whole lot longer than it does.
Lin, honestly, I scrunch down in my seat, grit my teeth, close my eyes and hold my breath 'til the thing is over! I hate roller coasters, actually! Space Mountain is really the only one I will go on. I don't like the ones where you're out in the open and you can see where you could possibly be flung to, should something break.
It sounds like you had a good time. It's a small world is my favorite ride, but we go to Disneyland, just an hour or so of driving from my home.
I like the last picture - tattoos.
Uh, Lin? You came to FL and didn't call me? I'm 90 min from Disney, woman.
Janiss--It's a love/hate thing for me and roller coasters. I like it when they are done and that is about it and then I can say I went on it.
Marilynne--My favorite is Peter Pan. I love how you gently soar above the little town at night and buzz Captain Hook and his gang. I wanted to go around a second time but the lady said the crowd in line would turn mean. Sigh.
Casey--I thought about it, I really did. Problem was that we were just so busy and scheduled for every single minute. I'll get down there again and we will definitely do some visiting.
I'm so glad you got to go away for five days and blissfully forget "real" life. I haven't done that in so long I honestly don't remember what it's like! And you know, I've never spent more than a day at Disney. What a neat idea to go for a week. Hmmm....making plans...
Jen
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