Disney Smells Like Sugar and the Tears of Overstimulated Toddlers
We just returned from our annual End-Of-May-Disney-World-Trip. It was a glorious time filled with laughter, rides, shopping, balloons, mostly average food with a few exceptions, and general festivity.
I had this vacation on my mind for weeks and even packed a bathing suit that fit. And I know you might be thinking that we are Grade A morons for going to Disney World for the millionth time over the last 30 years, but what can I say? We love the mouse's house.
Disney World is our happy place, and our kids had a few days off work and were able to join us, which made it extra special.
Our room at the Beach Club had a beautiful pool view.
One day, we walked to Epcot to Ride Guardians of the Galaxy. Later that evening, we had dinner at Summer House in Disney Springs.
We spent time floating in the lazy river and I felt this wondrous sense of being rolled back in time. Old Disney vacation traditions, like devouring a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream immediately after checking in, eating greasy fish and chips for dinner at Epcot, and then playing Rock Paper Scissors to see who had to plod to the gift shop later that evening to buy overpriced Rolaids continued.
We quickly learned that moving through Disney World with a toddler was super easy, as compared to, say, trying to perform a brain transplant with kitchen tongs while blindfolded and without causing any permanent damage.
The heat was a lot. Like a LOT a lot. It was at least 95 degrees every day. Sometimes I swear my shoes were melting into the pavement.
Bill had immediate pleasure because he got a higher score than me on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin for the first time. I couldn't aim my gun because I was too busy watching a two-year-old LOVE her first ride.
She kept going: Heh-heh, heh-heh, and I thought that was the best noise ever...until the ride was over, and she made her preferences clear by issuing a verbal complaint.
Maybe you heard it. It was a shrill screech that began whenever we exited any ride from Wednesday through Friday. It may have shattered your wine glasses.
NOOOOOOOO!!!! AGGGGAAAIIIIIN!!!
NOOOOOOOO!!!! AGGGGAAAIIIIIN!!!
NOOOOOOOO!!!! AGGGGAAAIIIIIN!!!
NOOOOOOOO!!!! AGGGGAAAIIIIIN!!!
What. The. Hell. Kid.
But OH the memories we made! Those were good times, such a makes-everything-worthwhile couple of days. It was hard to believe it was me living that charmed life. I wanted to stay stay STAY in those moments.
When it comes to Disney World you either get it or you don't.
You are either a person who will grumble about THE HEAT!! THE CROWDS!! THE PRICES!! Or you are a person who understands a Disney World vacation is a vacation like no other because you can step into a place of magic and memories, a respite from the "real world" and find true joy in the land of manufactured joy.
Coming home was both a relief and a reminder to practice gratitude for everything I'm lucky enough to have in my life. As I'm sliding into my 60s my body is reminding me that the amount of time I have left to lumber around the parks is getting smaller.
I'm holding on to last week's memories, and since we got back, I've been trying to limit my screen time and news reading to feel that Disney magic just a little bit longer.