It's in the little things

by LynDee Walker of the Femmes Fatales.

I might write about twisted people who do terrible things, but at heart, I’m a big sunshine-and-rainbow-hearts Disney nerd. 

Yep. I know all the words to all the songs, we have inside, instantly-recognizable-to-us family jokes about movie lines, and Walt Disney World is probably my favorite place on the planet.

I didn’t set a toe on Disney property until I was married—darling took me for our first anniversary because I’d always wanted to go but my mom was never able to afford it. We spent seven days in glorious Florida sunshine in February, I rode every ride (even the ones that scared me, because Disney), and I was hooked. Almost 20 years later, walking into any of the parks still brings me a feeling of simultaneous peace and excitement I don’t quite find anywhere else. 

I booked a surprise trip for darling’s birthday the following year, and we started daydreaming about taking the kids we wanted to have someday. I wondered and worried that our imaginary-at-the-time littles would grow up going fairly often and be bored of Mickey and magic by the time puberty rolled around.

Having just returned from my teenager’s sixth Disney trip, I’m thrilled that she still loves the parks as much as I do—and amazed that even with the time evolution of taking older kids meaning we had little choice but to go during spring break peak time (having a kid who plays high school basketball means our days of wintertime trips are past), this was our best family trip ever, and that was entirely in the little things.

My little boy is 10, a talented athlete and adrenaline junkie, and he bores easily and is forever asking questions about everything around him (I wonder where he gets that?). He’s in a big transitional year, getting ready to head to middle school in the fall, and I wanted this trip to be one he’d remember fondly even when he has little ones of his own someday. I asked him on the last day which part of the week was his favorite, expecting a high-speed roller coaster or the absolutely enchanting Avatar ride at Animal Kingdom to come out of his mouth in response. 

“I liked being at Epcot best this time,” he said thoughtfully. “Because I got to spend special time alone with you and with my big sister, too. That was the most fun part of the trip.” 

A fifth grade boy gets to spend spring break at Disney, and his favorite memory is walking around World Showcase with his big sister. That right there was worth every penny we spent on this trip, friends. 

Similarly, my teenager enjoyed being the Disney expert, leading her younger siblings on private adventures while Darling and I spent time alone in the parks for the first time in more than a decade. And my little one? She loved the flower sculptures at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, and getting to sit in the front on Space Mountain.

Sitting on the plane Friday morning watching Orlando disappear beneath the clouds that rolled in behind the perfect weather we’d enjoyed for nine days, I realized that I was happy to have another round of wonderful Disney memories, happy my littles still love to be there as much as I do, but happiest that it’s not about big-ticket souvenirs or how many times they got to ride Everest for my kiddos—it’s about being together and laughing and living in the moment. Not sweating the small stuff. Darling and I have given them much more than a love of travel and Mickey, and sitting here with my feet still recovering from nine days of walking around 10 miles each, I can’t wait to go back.

Comments

[Art Taylor]

Oh, sounds like such a fun trip! And yes on that one moment being worth it all. :-)
Glad you had such a relaxing and rewarding time!

[Mark]

I’m a big DisNerd, too. I haven’t been the Disneyland for two years now and it’s killing me. I only live an hour away, too. I get the feeling you are talking about from the moment I walk into Main Street.

Now I really want to go!

[catriona mcpherson]

Love this! We used to go swimming in a public pool and then eat apples and very plain biscuits in a park, as a cheap family day out. And all of us remember it as the best of times.

[LynDee Walker]

Thanks, all!

Mark: I always vote that if you want to go, you should. Which is what I'm going to tell Darling when I start planning another trip soon. ;)

Catriona: yes! My kids would rather take a picnic to the park than just about anything else. I love it.