We are a family of late sleepers; it is not unusual for the four of us to be pajama-clad and bedheaded at 11:00 a.m. on a weekend morning.
Last week was spring break, which meant ten mornings of waking up after sunrise, at our own pace. No blasted alarm that rudely interrupts those dreams that I know are good but can’t quite hold onto once I awaken.
Except. There are very few occasions for which my teenagers would give up sleeping in, and this spring break was one of those occasions. Because the right way to do Disney World is to get there when the park opens, and to do that we need the blasted alarm.
This is what Space Mountain looks like at 7:55 a.m.
There was no moaning and groaning about getting up so early, because it’s Disney. We keep going back, forgoing lazy vacation mornings for the ear worm that is It’s a Small World.
The kids have fun together.
Being of different genders and three years apart, Gwen and James haven’t really played together since he was young enough to be willing to do whatever she told him to do. But Disney is their shared love, and they bond over it. When we were in the Swiss Alps last summer, the two of them chatted as they hiked, discussing their favorite parks and rides. They trade pins together, and often sit next to one another as they careen down the roller coaster track, hands high in the air.
Front row!
The kids have fun with us.
Matt and I behave like kids in Disney, and the four of us have a blast. We aren’t Mom and Dad who make them do their homework and clean up their rooms; we are Mom and Dad who scream on Space Mountain and shoot laser beams with Buzz Lightyear. We are far less embarrassing in Disney World than we are in real life.
I did embarrass the kids a little as I attempted to take a selfie with the Epcot ball.
The parks are so much easier with potty-trained, adult-sized people.
No ride is height-restricted, and no strollers must be maneuvered through the crowds. We walked more than sixty-one miles over the course of seven days at Disney World, and the kids covered it all on their own feet, with no complaints. I carried the family backpack for all of fifteen minutes; James shouldered it most of the time.
There is no time for screen time.
Sure, the kids can Snapchat their friends while we are waiting to board a ride, but most of the time they are too busy interacting with other human beings to stare at their phones.
The adolescent angst magically disappears.
There are no tantrums or mood swings, and grumpiness dissipates quickly when surrounded by Disney magic. While younger kids are prone to meltdowns even in the happiest place on Earth, teenagers understand how fortunate they are to be there.
This photo is not relevant to this post, but it makes me laugh – who knew Snow White wore bloomers?
We are creating memories for all of us.
I am keenly aware of the fact that this was our last spring break family vacation. Next year Gwen will be in college, and the kids will have different weeks off. It will become increasingly difficult to take family vacations, and knowing this makes the ones we take now more meaningful than the ones we took when we had years of childhood ahead of us. The kids don’t remember our first few Disney trips, but they will remember this one. The inside jokes and the amusing anecdotes are now a part of their childhood memories, and they will recall our days in the parks with nostalgia when they get older.
(When I asked Gwen if she would want us to come with her to Disney if she brought her own kids, she replied, “If you pay for the trip…” So much for nostalgia.)
They can be little kids again.
It can be stressful to be a teenager; the demands of high school and impending college are higher than ever before. Adolescents have one foot in childhood and one in adulthood, and Disney allows them to firmly plant all ten piggies back in the days of carefree youth. On rides, they laugh and squeal with abandon. They pose with characters willingly, because you are never too old to love Mickey and his friends.
It’s good to leave your bubble.
While I’m sure the majority of Americans have not been to Disney World, there is certainly a diverse cross section of the population in the parks. People watching is superb, with families from all over this country and the world. A visit to Morocco in Epcot is not the same as venturing to Africa, but any opportunity for my kids to interact with people who aren’t just like them is a learning experience.
No one does it like Disney.
Yes, it’s costly. But the attention to detail, friendliness of cast members, and quality of the attractions cannot be outdone. Disney does everything at 110%, and each time we go we find something new to amaze us.
Such attention to detail: this is the men’s room sign near Gaston’s Tavern. If you’ve seen Beauty and the Beast you will get the reference.
They keep asking to go back.
We have visited every other year since Gwen was in kindergarten, and she is now a high school senior. Matt and I always suggest other options, but they both vehemently request Disney again. As we set off on this seventh trip, I assumed it would be our last. I seemed to be the only one making that assumption; neither kid is ready to let go of this staple of their childhoods. And if they aren’t ready to let go, I’ll grab my mouse ears and hold on tight along with them.
This brought back memories. My family went almost every year up until I was 17. My father worked for Pan Am so we had free flights! Haven’t been since. My husband’s never been and he has no wish to go (the traitor!). I’m hoping to go when Zoe’s a bit older. First, I must save up! No more free flights.
We drive (crazy, yes) – four people flying adds up! I hope you get to go back with Zoe – just think of the material it will give you for your blog! 😉
If she still enjoys hanging out with you guys at this age, it’ll never change. I was like that. I probably mentioned to you before that my husband and I went there for our honeymoon. We haven’t taken Christopher other than once to Universal Studios which doesn’t count. I’d like to take him one day and hope that he doesn’t mind hanging out with us.
I think we’re going in December! EEEP!!! Pinned to my Parenting and Life board. My favorite line? That you’re far less embarrassing at Disney than in real life. HA!
Yay! I have lots of Disney posts on my Traveling with Kids board on Pinterest, too. Excited for you!
Awww, I’m so glad this is an experience that the whole family can enjoy. Unfortunately we did Disney World when my kids were younger, and having sore little feet, and a stroller to push, and whining, and I even heard one mother yell at her kid, “Did you just fucking bite me?” Well, it was our first and last trip. I relive my memories through yours. In your memories there are no cannibalistic children.
Ha! I hear you. We had our share of meltdowns when the kids were young, and every time we go I witness a few. We powered through though, and it was worth it. But it’s not for everyone, I know!
College does not have to mean the end of Disney trips! Both my daughters are Disney fans, and now that they are both away at school, we have taken advantage of longer Christmas breaks to go to Disney in early January before they have to return to their respective universities. Pretty short lines, and a week of warmer weather before heading back for spring semester!
That sounds wonderful, Kirstan! I look forward to doing that when both kids are in college. Thanks for sharing your experience; I feel more hopeful about future trips!
This is so well written- thoughtful without being sappy. We will be taking a Disney Cruise in May- thanks to Nana and Grandpa and their 50th anniversary – and I think all of the points you make here will hold up “on board”. In fact, as the stress of preparation approaches, I plan to revisit this post to remind me of what’s important.
Thanks, as always. 🙂
I’m excited for you, Julia! We went on a three day Disney Cruise one year – it was great! The shows are fabulous, and the meals were an experience. You’ll have a fantastic time.
Disney is so much fun, and I think it gets better as you get older. I love the Snow White pic. It’s time to bring bloomers back 🙂
Ha – maybe you can write a post about that! I’d love to see that photo shoot. 🙂
I went to Disneyland and Universal Studios a decade ago with my dad, stepmom and best friend. So much fun, especially with all the antics my friend and I got into. We still occasionally laugh about it to this day.
These days I just don’t have the money nor the energy to go to Disneyland. Crowds make me weird and occasionally cranky. That’s why I spend most of my travel time in small towns and/or on Route 66. For nostalgia purposes though I would like to go at least once more in my life. The hard part will be convincing the husband. Haha.
Go during the least crowded time – it makes a world of difference! I look forward to going back during off times, which we will be able to do once we don’t have to worry about the kids being in school.
love this post! i would love to have this family tradition! who doesn’t love disney? even now, franco sleeps with “mouse” in his crib every night. mickey mouse is his best friend.
i have been trying to decide when to first take franco, some people say 3. i figure sometime between 3 and kindergarten (like you did with gwen) would be good.
I agree. He may not remember, but you will all have a blast. And you’ll remember. There is nothing like the magic of Disney when kids truly believe they are meeting Mickey Mouse. That reminds me of when James was around three, and he tried to pull the sword from the stone – he really believed that he could do it if he was King Arthur. Boy, did he try hard!
May they keep asking to go back! And may I write a post similar to this, in ten years.
Had my parents wanted to keep going, I never would have stopped.
As it was, I stopped, but now I am on year three of a new tradition.
I’m hoping that if Matt and I keep going (and keep paying for it!), the kids will keep joining us. I think they will.
I hope you write a post like this in ten years too! Although your photos will be much better.
We haven’t been to Disney in a long time. It sounds like you had a wonderful time! Although I got a queazy feeling reading about it being your last spring break as a family.
I know. But I’m rethinking that – we may not vacation on spring break, but we will still vacation together. And separate spring breaks just give me the opportunity to have one on one time with each kid! I’m looking hard for the silver linings, Allie.
Wow Dana! what a lovely post it is… What’s the way of writing and presenting the post in front of us.. This is an excellent trip to Disney, I Love it too much.
Thank you!
Wow…what a wonderful family tradition. The Husband keeps asking when we’re going to take our kids there, and I’ve been putting it off. Not sure my heart will let me do that much longer after reading this!
It probably would be easiest to go while your son is still stroller-age. And go during a less busy time – you can do that while your girls are still young. Spring break is really crowded, and a first visit during that time may send you over the edge. 😉
I vividly remember my first trip to Disney. I went back three times — one with family, one as a high school senior with band, and once with my college boyfriend — and each trip was really amazing and magical. I really look forward to doing this with Eve one day (probably when she is older and able to appreciate it more), and this is why. I’m so glad your family had such an amazing time together!
Every trip is amazing in its own way, isn’t it? I’m excited for you to take Eve one day – there is nothing like the look on a kid’s face the first time she sees that castle.
We are going to Disneyland next week! At first I was vehemently against it, then I softened to allow one Disney day while we’re in SoCal, but reading your post has made me incredibly excited (and strangely nostalgic, even though I have many potential Disney years ahead of me). As soon as the park opens, I am making a beeline for Peter Pan’s Flight :).
Smart gal! We used a Fast Pass for that ride, because the wait gets really long very quickly. Have a magical time Nix!
Oh how I wish we lived closer to Disney World (and warm weather). Teenagers likely need Disney more than any of us, so I say play on! I can wait till my little one is old enough to enjoy and remember experiences like this…but he is tiny, so we have a ways to go!
Amy, I saw so many teeny tiny babies in the parks – some where only months old. That just seems exhausting to me. I used to think 7-10 years old was the perfect age to go, but now I’d say 14 and 17.:)
Well, now I want to go back to Disney even more!!! Even if just in for the disappearing adolescent angst part!! The one time we went, our girls were 4, almost 7, and 9 so there was still a good bit of stress and plenty of rides they couldn’t do. There was still tiredness and whininess, too. Maybe someday we’ll go back with our big kids and enjoy it even more!
I bet you would, Lisa. This was our most enjoyable trip yet!
We’ve been to Disney a few times too, though the only time they were teens we went to Disneyland Paris. (Nearer for us, but a lot smaller.) One of our daughters, is like yours and ready to leave school. She’s going on holiday with some friends in June, and guess where they are going? 🙂
BTW, you are braver than me. I went on Space Mountain about 20 years ago – never again. The Crush ride terrified me enough!
I’m a roller coaster gal, although my body is starting to protest a bit. I went to Disney with some friends while I was in college – it was a blast. Your daughter will have such a great time!
***We aren’t Mom and Dad who make them do their homework and clean up their rooms; we are Mom and Dad who scream on Space Mountain and shoot laser beams with Buzz Lightyear**
A W E S O M E !!!!!
We are! Oh, you meant the sentence. 😉
Your experience completely mirrors that of our family. Boy and girl, 3 years apart, bonded for life over their love of Disney. It truly is magical, right? I know it is hard thinking that this will have been your last Spring break trip to Disney World but I’m pretty sure that you will all figure out ways to squeeze in a trip here and there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And I can promise that Gwen WILL want you to come along when she takes her children to WDW. James, too!
I hope you are right, Mo. Although I do want to get there for the Food and Wine Festival one year – with no kids whatsoever.
I think you know how much I love Disney and will find no arguments at all with going back for more. Seriously, it is the most magical place on earth and do believe we also will continue to go back as much as we can possibly too even when the girls are older here, as well. Glad you all had a great time going back once again 😉
I’m sure you’re looking forward to your next trip, Janine!
Btw, did you see the Frozen Singalong in Hollywood Studios? Really good, and I was thinking about your girls while we were there. The dad next to me knew all the words to all the songs. 🙂
I love this so much, especially because I grew up going to Disney with my family as well. Whatever people may think about Disney, it is a truly magical place and they go above and beyond to make sure you have a magical time. I absolutely loved bringing the boys there (and I took my dad and stepmom…and brother and his wife and kids!) and it was one of the best trips ever. I’m SO looking forward to taking the boys again and again – with no naps, height restrictions or whining!! Love it.
Love that you are a fellow Disney lover, Allie. It really has gotten better every time. And I didn’t feel too guilty for eating ice cream every day – we walked until our feet were falling off!
My kids are almost there!! I actually hope to be able to make it Universal Studios this year with them and be able to do all the rides! Disney is pretty expensive but hopefully, some park hopper deals will come up!
It is expensive, but going for multiple days makes it less per day. We’ve never gone to Universal – the kids aren’t interested in cutting into their Disney time!