In the past I’ve experienced some remarkable vacation destinations: the Southern charms of Savannah and Atlanta; the hustle and bustle of Vegas; the friendliness of Puerto Vallarta; the excitement that is The Big Apple. But there’s one place that I’ve visited that draws me back time and again. It’s a place of beauty and a place of fun, where you can travel the world, experience thrills (if that’s your thing), or just sit back and enjoy the magic, whether you’re a kid, or just a kid at heart. It’s also the #1 vacation destination in the U.S. and one of the top vacation resorts in the world. It is, of course, the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.
I first visited The World almost exactly 20 years ago, and my first impression wasn’t a good one. I had booked the trip on a whim, expecting to go with a friend. The friend backed out and instead of canceling, I decided to go it alone- my first solo trip anywhere, ever.
I had booked a room at the Polynesian Village, a sprawling, island-themed resort that I was told sat on a lake directly across from the Magic Kingdom. I arrived in a thunderstorm, and I was soaking wet by the time I finally made it to the hotel. After calling the folks to let them know I arrived safely and then changing into dry clothes, I headed out to see what the resort had to offer. Unfortunately, thunderstorms in Florida mean gray, dark skies, heavy humidity haze, and constant dampness. I ventured out to the beach and found the lake, but it was so hazy I couldn’t tell where the water ended and the sky began, and I certainly didn’t see any signs of a kingdom, magic or otherwise. So, I found an ice cream shop, had a quick snack, and went back to the room to hang out. I looked through park info, watched a tour of the resort on TV, listened to it rain, and finally went to bed- not quite what I had expected from my first night.
The next morning I woke up bright and early, with the Florida sun streaming through the windows. The Orlando news showed the temperature as 79° and 80% humidity…at 7:00 in the morning- not a great start. I ventured outside and found the beach again, and from there I roamed up a grassy hill that overlooked the beach and the lake. It was all haze across the water, with nothing to be seen but gray skies, and I couldn’t believe I was finally at Walt Disney World, and I was disappointed. And just then, something amazing happened. As I stood there, a gentle breeze stirred through the palm trees, the skies across the lake began to brighten, and floating in the sky at the far side of the lake was the glint of something golden. As the breeze continued to blow the haze away, spires came into view. And as the last of the haze faded away, Cinderella Castle emerged from the mist, gleaming in the morning sun. The Magic of Disney, indeed.
I just came back from my 7th trip to WDW, and no matter how many times I experience it, my first glimpse of Cinderella Castle sitting majestically at the end of Main Street always takes me back to that first moment, some 20 years before, when my first Disney trip really began. And I’m happy to report that to this day, the Magic lives on.
°o°
I first visited The World almost exactly 20 years ago, and my first impression wasn’t a good one. I had booked the trip on a whim, expecting to go with a friend. The friend backed out and instead of canceling, I decided to go it alone- my first solo trip anywhere, ever.
I had booked a room at the Polynesian Village, a sprawling, island-themed resort that I was told sat on a lake directly across from the Magic Kingdom. I arrived in a thunderstorm, and I was soaking wet by the time I finally made it to the hotel. After calling the folks to let them know I arrived safely and then changing into dry clothes, I headed out to see what the resort had to offer. Unfortunately, thunderstorms in Florida mean gray, dark skies, heavy humidity haze, and constant dampness. I ventured out to the beach and found the lake, but it was so hazy I couldn’t tell where the water ended and the sky began, and I certainly didn’t see any signs of a kingdom, magic or otherwise. So, I found an ice cream shop, had a quick snack, and went back to the room to hang out. I looked through park info, watched a tour of the resort on TV, listened to it rain, and finally went to bed- not quite what I had expected from my first night.
The next morning I woke up bright and early, with the Florida sun streaming through the windows. The Orlando news showed the temperature as 79° and 80% humidity…at 7:00 in the morning- not a great start. I ventured outside and found the beach again, and from there I roamed up a grassy hill that overlooked the beach and the lake. It was all haze across the water, with nothing to be seen but gray skies, and I couldn’t believe I was finally at Walt Disney World, and I was disappointed. And just then, something amazing happened. As I stood there, a gentle breeze stirred through the palm trees, the skies across the lake began to brighten, and floating in the sky at the far side of the lake was the glint of something golden. As the breeze continued to blow the haze away, spires came into view. And as the last of the haze faded away, Cinderella Castle emerged from the mist, gleaming in the morning sun. The Magic of Disney, indeed.
I just came back from my 7th trip to WDW, and no matter how many times I experience it, my first glimpse of Cinderella Castle sitting majestically at the end of Main Street always takes me back to that first moment, some 20 years before, when my first Disney trip really began. And I’m happy to report that to this day, the Magic lives on.
°o°
1 comment:
I have never been to Disney Land or world, not even when i was a kid, so thank you for making me feel like a big piece of crap, i aappreciate it. Yeeeeaaah.
Post a Comment