Disney Magic

My husband and I lived in So Cal for five years at the beginning of our marriage. We always LOVED going to Disneyland when we had a chance. It's really just a magical place. Even with horrendous crowds, there will be something that makes you smile, laugh, giggle, or, if you're lucky, something that opens your heart.

When our daughter was 2 1/2 months old, yes MONTHS, I began planning for her first birthday. Now don't even roll your eyes at that, my husband has already taken care of that task! When you've waited 13 years for a child, every event about that kid ends up being BIGGER. Disneyland was the only thing I could think of that was good enough for my baby's first birthday. Of course, I started planning it a little early; that's what I do, I plan! When the day came and we were there, it was truly amazing. She had just learned to walk and I'll never forget watching her toddle down the path past Big Thunder in her pink Stride Rites and Red LLBean jacket, overflowing mommy-tears of joy! Listening to her say "Wow!" over and over again was addicting, so cute, and also made me cry. When she slid off the hotel bed the second morning and ran to the door yelling "me go Dissy, me go Dissy!" I knew I succeeded in delighting this child and I wasted a lot of eye make-up.

I also have a girlfriend from San Diego who is a Disneyland addict (her husband proposed to her outside the Haunted Mansion and I'm still jealous!) She happened to have a baby just months after we did and we meet up at Disneyland when we visit, that's another special bonus. The first pictures of our children together are at Disneyland, in their 50th Anniversary Mickey Ears, sitting in the Golden Tea Cup. It's the first time I got to see her baby! How much more magical does it get?

Needless to say, the first birthday trip was so addicting and magical that I immediately made plans for the 2nd birthday. Disneyland is pure amazement for everyone and once you see your child's reaction to that magic, the experience is completely new. To top it off, every visit with your child is unique. What delights them on one trip is topped by something else on the next trip. Because of that initial experience, we've taken to visiting Disneyland three times a year as our family vacation. We now live in Colorado, so the journey is a bit further for us. We accommodate that by spending an entire week there each time we go and still, we simply never have the same experience and in 7 days we never have enough time to do everything. When my daughter was 2 1/2, she met her favorite Princess, Jasmine and that encounter and conversation was so incredible that my husband was teary-eyed!

These visits have made me NUTS about Disney. I am guilty of incorporating Disney into my home decor and, though tasteful, I do likely have more Disney things in my home than most people you will meet. Decorating with Disney is not easy, my colors are browns and burgundy, and I do insist that Disney pieces meet my decor rather than decorating around the items. Simply put, Disney must fit into our lives rather than us fitting into Disney's culture and that should mimic life.

I want ALL families to go to Disneyland (or DisneyWorld - whatever's closer for you!) The experience you have together as a family is so incredibly memorable - I still vividly remember my first trip as a kid and my dad's excitement before the trip. My hope is that my daughter will remember these times we spent with her and know just how much we loved being with her.

I am an unpaid, walking, talking advertisement for Disney, always trying to convince someone to get there with their kids and showing them how to save money to experience as much as possible - you never can tell where that special memory will occur for a child. Just knowing that bit of magic touched a child's heart or made a mother smile or a father cry, is a huge reward. Successfully encouraging someone to take that trip opens up another magical gift for me. While the family owns these amazing memories and will talk about them for years, a part of my heart smiles with the knowledge that a child had the gift of an incredibly happy time with their family and nothing will ever take away that piece of magic. I probably won't remember or know half those families in another 10 years and they probably won't remember me unless it's something like "that lady who was so nuts about Disney," but I'll always know that once they have experienced it, every individual will spend their life trying to repeat that magic for the people they love.

What girl doesn't remember those princess movies as we grew up? Though you can't recall all the details, who doesn't remember that family vacation and all the talk leading up to it? I am now one day away from that plane trip taking my family to Disneyland for my daughter's 5th birthday and I couldn't be more delighted and excited for this experience. I wonder what our amazing and memorable event will be, I wonder what fantastic pictures we'll bring home, and I wonder how much more my daughter will remember and take with her as she grows.

Disney connects families and miraculously opens the door to the magic and we can all use a little more magic. Bon voyage!