We’re home. Just in time for over 8″ of snow. Yippee.
We’re all sorta feeling a little Eeyore-like today. At this moment, Mark is out shoveling, the kids are laying around, I’m looking at all the hidden Mickeys in my dirty laundry mountains, and we’re all feeling a lot less magical post-Mickey.
Despite cool temps and very little sunshine, Disney World was awesome…I mean, magical. I love seeing the kids walk hand in hand, smiling until their faces hurt. I love hearing my daughter cackle on her first real roller coaster ride. I love watching my children respond to big costumed creatures that only play charades and women in wigs with way too much makeup who may actually believe they are princesses. (Okay, so I was standing in several of those character meet and greet lines either by myself or with my sister. It was all for the autograph for the kids, I swear.) I admit that I tear up at the ceremony to open the Magic Kingdom every morning. The train…the mayor…the main street performers…the music…Mickey and the gang waving directly at us…it truly is magical (so what if my husband laughs at me).
My first visit to Disney World was at 4 years old. My sister and I walked onto Main Street holding hands and asked my parents if we were in heaven. I’ve got lots of sweet childhood memories there of ferry boats, running to get on rides, character breakfasts, waiting in long lines, and eating Dole Whips and Mickey shaped everythings. The pixie dust magically made us all get along when we were there growing up despite all the fights about toys and sharing and eventually clothes and the phone and pretty much everything back at home. And, that’s what I love about Disney—the way they have mastered everything, their attention to detail, the red carpet treatment they provide as if they really have been waiting specifically for us, the way they allow families to leave “real life” for a week and help them rediscover real life as they laugh together and wave to Mickey together and snuggle up watching parades and fireworks.
We’re already talking about when we can go again.
I think I’m going to try to hold onto the magic through blogging—posts to come about how to get ready for a Disney trip and my list of lesser known must-pack items.
