A Magical Place for All: 3rd draft

Disneyworld has always been a special place to me. I took my first plane ride there with my family when I was 9 years old, it's where I spent my honeymoon, and it will be where our daughter takes her first plane ride. I have so many fond memories; feeling the warm air in April, sitting by the bar at the pool ordering a hot dog (seeing I was way too young to order an adult beverage), getting out of the heat even if it was on the ride 'It's a Small World,' seeing real flamingos and palm trees, having the biggest worry be what time the shuttle bus was coming, riding on the monorail, watching the fireworks among the crowd, and seeing everyone around you smiling. It truly is a magical place for all ages and I can’t wait to see that same excitement in my daughter’s eyes.

One of my most memorable moments was the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review dinner show. My husband and I were sitting at a small round table up by the stage. We had just finished our first course when the actors came out to say hello and ask the crowd some questions, 'who's celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, and who's on their honeymoon.' I have never been one to shy away from attention, so immediately my hand goes up. Had I known what would come next, I may have chosen not to reveal any information. One of the actors came running over to our table and told me to come with him up on stage. I really didn't have much of a choice when 500 people sat there smiling and waiting for me to respond. Meanwhile, my husband was laughing hysterically trying to find our camera.

It was exciting being picked, but I could just feel my palms getting sweaty and my mouth drying up. Could this be my big Hollywood break? I may be a high school math teacher, but my dream was always to become an actress. There might be someone in the crowd that would see some me up on stage and.....,who am I kidding? I'd be lucky if I got a few claps and a 'nice job up there.' Back stage there were three of us from the audience who were asked to get changed in the dark and were given verbal instructions of what to do, when to do it, and what to say. When it was my time to go out on stage I forgot almost everything. I could just feel myself getting hot and it wasn't just because the lights were in my face. This stage fright must have happened before to others, because the actors just played it off like nothing was wrong. They responded for me, but it all seemed part of the skit.

This summer my daughter turns 5 and we are going to Disney for the first time as a family. We've been preparing her little by little for the upcoming trip. Everytime a Disney movie or character comes on the tv, we'll tell her that we're going to 'their house' this summer. I don't know if she completely understand but her eyes open real wide, her face resembles a sucker fish, and she says a five second 'Wow.' I cannot wait to see her reaction when we get there. It's been 9 years since our last trip there (3 weeks before 9/11). Last year I started researching airlines, hotels, places to eat, etc., so most of everything has been planned. I'm not the most organized person, but I do a pretty good job planning events. I see the big picture and then work on the small touches. We've received some criticism from friends and family because we're traveling in August, but it really is the best time for our family and that's exactly what I tell them. It's cheaper to travel to Disney in the summer, the crowds are minimal, there is no stress in returning home and having to plan or correct papers, my daughter doesn't loose instruction time at school, it's not one of the busier times at work for my husband who is a store manager, and I don't have to worry about traveling to or from the airport in a snow storm.

I'm really looking forward to the end of school so I can concentrate on those little things; like making a list of items we'll need to bring with us, calling the hotel about room arrangements, and finally watching the vacation and planning video Disney sent us six months ago. I couldn’t wait to make dinner reservations again for the Hoop Dee Doo show, but this time I think I'll just sit back and relax. Of course I’ll remember my time on stage and I’ll be glad I did it. There are many ‘should of, could of, would of’s’ in this world, but I’m not one to say them often.

Memories will always remain after something new and different has happened, even though some experiences don’t turn out exactly as planned. Family vacations are the best kind of memories because you’ll have someone to share them with years from now. Remember to laugh and step out of your comfort zone a little. Don’t ever worry about making fun of yourself,….especially when you’re out of town.