Why Disney?

Why Disney?

As we plan our sixth family trip to Walt Disney World, one question I'm often asked is: Why Disney? Or, rather, why Disney again? Keep reading to discover some of my family's reasons for happily visiting the World time and time again.

• It is an immersive experience. Everywhere you go on Walt Disney property, well thought out details abound. From hidden Mickey's, to beautifully themed hotels and in-depth ride queues, to inside jokes written on the side of supply crate props, details abound. They are creative and detailed, and they make for a visually interesting place to visit that transports you to many faraway places, real or imaginary...and all you have to do is walk a few feet in any direction.

• Wonder - in both the children and the adults! Our family agrees: you aren't really in Disney World until you have entered the gates of the Magic Kingdom. I get choked up just thinking about it! From the moment we set foot in that park, our vacation has truly begun, we feel our usual cares slipping away, and we can't wait to get over to Pirates of the Caribbean or the Teacups, and experience the rides together. We remember the carefree feelings of our childhoods, the sense of wonder and imagination, and we love what Walt Disney's purpose in creating the parks was to begin with: to have a place where adults and kids could have fun together. And we do!

• It is a different experience each time. Yes, we go on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and Pirates of the Caribbean EVERY time we visit the parks, but it doesn't mean that each trip is exactly the same as the others. We have visited Disney with no kids, with babies, toddlers, and teenagers (sometimes all at once!) The children have had a different level of enjoyment at various ages, and we have loved to watch them revisit favorite rides and still enjoy them as they get older, or perhaps to change their tune about a particular ride. I've seen kids overcome fears about a ride that they didn't want to go on, but to become more adventuresome just a year or two later, tackle that roller coaster, and have a good time doing it! It is a joy to see the magic through the eyes of our children. It has also been really great to see our children go on a ride with a younger sibling that they enjoyed themselves - to tell them not to be afraid, that it will be fun, and to fight over choosing the "baby" as their ride buddy. These are family memories that I wouldn't trade for anything! For our upcoming trip, we will be ushering in a new era, as with our youngest being five, there will be many more rides that we can all go on. A first for us! We are all so excited to be able to do them together. Last, but not least, the parks are always changing. The framework has stayed the same, but they are always working to improve and update the parks, adding new rides and making some changes to existing ones to keep the parks fresh and engaging. One of my favorite quotes is, "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney.

• Nostalgia. I'd be willing to bet few of us grew up in a household without Disney in some way. My family wasn't hugely into it, but I grew up watching the same movies as countless of you surely have done. Few things bring me back to my childhood so acutely as the opening music of When You Wish Upon a Star or an image of Mickey Mouse. One of my early dates with my husband was to see Toy Story, and we also took a niece, nephew or younger sibling to see what is now a classic movie at the theater. We reminisce about times like these with fondness.

• We are a family of history & trivia buffs. As a family, we like to know how things came to be, why they are the way they are, how things narrowly missed becoming what is now solidified in our minds. The story of Walt Disney's life and dedication to his work, and also how things came to be, is an interesting and inspiring one, and the myriad details that went into building the parks and why is something that we've enjoyed delving into. We also enjoy the trivia of the movies - how a certain actor was chosen, how different or weird it would be if they chose actor B vs. actor A, funny things that happened behind the scenes, the "easter eggs" that appear in Pixar movies, hinting of the next movie to come, have been a source of entertainment and conversation in our home.

• Convenience & safety. We have traveled to many different places both near and far as a family, but sometimes, you just don't know what you are getting into. With Disney, we have a reasonable idea of what to expect. We have visited enough times that it is comfortable place to visit. We also always feel safe and secure there, especially considering that the types of crowds that are drawn there are likely to be family oriented.

• It is FUN! Swashbuckling pirates, a Yeti chasing you through the mountain, going back in time to find a dinosaur, hitching a ride on Aerosmith's limo, trying to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg, trying NOT to be late for a very important date with the teacups, singing bears, a little bit of pixie dust, cruising through the jungle, traveling through movie history, escaping through the briar patch, helping to find Little Red, trekking through Asia, visiting Tatooine, Endor and Cloud City, passing green army men on the street, visiting Japan, France & Italy in the course of an afternoon...need I say more??

• We can hold on to our children's childhood for just one moment longer. I'm going to be completely honest with you: this part of the post is the one that tugs at this mom's heartstrings the most. For me, this is the bottom line, and when it dawned on me and I shared it with my husband, I didn't just get choked up, I cried actual tears. Our eldest child will be graduating next year, so it is likely that this will be our last trip to Walt Disney World with all of our kids under our roof. As any parent knows, our time with our children is all too short, and the older our kids get, the more I appreciate how precious it is. Soon they will be off into the world, with the cares, concerns, choices and pressures of adulthood..and I'm so looking forward to hanging onto their childhood for a just a little while longer. We can head into the parks, have a great time, act silly, and capture a few more family memories while we still can.