Disney Diatribe Part II

What?! You're still here? Yours is a small world after all.

But since my world doesn't bore your world, here's a few more family-centric moments that made this Disney trip so special.

Justin's first kiss

Day one, on the bus ride back to the hotel, an overly affectionate, little red-haired girl decided to set her sights on my nephew. After asking Justin's name, she abruptly declared her love for him. Her parents were amused, Justin was non-plussed, I was mortified. Every time she planted a kiss on him, Justin would grimace and I would bemoan the non-consensual nature of each physical advance (forever a Dean of Students, folks). But don't worry (Emily), this relationship fizzled quicker than a summer camp romance...but for Justin and that little red haired girl...well, they'll always have Disney.

Casablanca Engine

On the 2nd day, we slowed down a bit because Justin wasn't feeling too hot. (I blame the red haired girl.) On a whim, we jumped on The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios because of its slow pace. As rides go, it's pretty mediocre, but here's the cool thing--Sara's family used to have a airplane repair business and one project was for an unknown theme park. Turns out, their engine ended up in the Casablanca section of the Great Movie Ride. Holland family history in an unexpected place...that's pretty cool.

I've Got Class

While the timing of the trip was in many ways ideal, it did not quite mesh with my class schedule. On Day 2, I had to tackle a hellacious stats final while everyone else slumbered. Taking a 3 hour exam--computer perched on the end of the bed and my wife occasionally kicking off my notes--is not a scenario for success....or apparently it is based on my test score. (#humblebrag) On Day 4, I missed Dinner with Mickey for Class with my Cohort. I showed up in style, rocking my Mickey Mouse ears and an inspired stats presentation if I do say so myself...and I can...it's my blog...you can't stop me. 

The People Mover

Justin's favorite ride was called the People Mover. At a pace of about 20 miles an hour, the People Mover takes you on seated tour of Tomorrowland across about 10-15 minutes. Slow paced doesn't describe any moment in Disney...except for these glorious 15 minutes. Needless to say, I relished these moments...and so did my weary bones.

Space Mountain

No family vacation is complete until someone is scarred for life. This moment occurred when Sara and I introduced Justin to Space Mountain. Until that ride, Justin had been pretty adventurous, and Space Mountain pretty much crushed that spirit but the 3rd pitch black right turn. Yeah, we blew it on this one. You should have heard Sara faking cheers of glee in an attempt to calm Justin in what I believe was the longest 3 minutes of his life. While I think the night sweats have stopped, I'm pretty sure Justin starts to whimper any time he hears the word space...or mountain...or Ben.

I think he'll get over it eventually...by the time he graduates...from college.

Sigh.

Thanks for letting me rehash my memories. It'll be 6 years until we introduce our newest niece, Elizabeth, to the wonders of Disney...and I'm fully prepared for my princess makeover.

It's an AWESOME world after all

Greetings, dear readers,

Long time, no write. I blame myself mostly...myself and Mr. Walt Disney.

You see, a few months ago, I was dragged kicking and screaming (metaphorically...and in a dignified manner) to Walt Disney World.

I'm not going to lie, kids. I was not excited about this trip. I just couldn't envision myself enjoying a vacation consisting of long lines, screaming children, and mediocre food. Now, I'm not a theme park naysayer, but I'm a one day visitor; not a seven day inhabitant. But this trip was my mother-in-law's vision--one she'd been planning since Justin, my nephew, was born, and being one who relishes his #1 son-in-law status, I put on my happy pants in preparation to meet Mickey.

So how does Uncle Walt factor into my blogging deficiency? Well, after what turned out to be an amazing experience, I couldn't in good conscience blog about any other subject matter until I had blogged about this trip...plus, I think Sara's mom would have disowned me if I had.

But how does one capture the wonder that is Walt Disney World in a solitary post? You actually can't (as if that would stop me), but hopefully, my remarks will be intriguing to the uninitiated and reminiscent for those who have.

First off, there's something magical about witnessing Disney World through the eyes of a child so you'll notice this post is very Justin-centric. Plus, the presence of a child allows you to abandon certain adult-like pretensions: Ice cream at 10am? Sure! Ride the Buzz Lightyear 16 times in a row? Why not! Dance in the middle of the streets while eating a churro...okay that last one was just me...but you get my point. Disney is much more fun when you can experience it like a child...and it's a whole lot less creepy when you actually have a child with you.

Secondly, the hotel was amazing. My nephew loves the Cars movies so you can only imagine how excited he was to see life-size versions of his favorite characters as we entered the Cars section of the Art of Animation resort. His trip was made in that moment alone, and each day, we got to walk (as much as a six year old ever walks) by Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Luigi as if they were old friends.

Thirdly...okay enough with the -lys, bullet points from here on out:

• Production Value: This is what separates Disney from other theme parks I've been to. You don't just enter a park when the gates open. You're "paraded" in by Mickey and the gang. You don't just take a picture with a character. They sign an autograph book. You don't just swim in a pool. You swim in Nemo's "Big Blue Pool" with speakers pumping music underwater.
• Timing is Everything: We visited outside of the peak times--the first week of December...and it...was...glorious. Crowds were manageable, lines were pretty short, and the heat/humidity were just fine. Everyday, we spent far more time enjoying the park than waiting to enjoy the park. Of course, now that I blogged about this to my readership of 12, I'm certain I've just ruined a good thing, unleashing a stampede of new visitors to Disney World on December 1.
• Food/Snacks: We had one of those fancy-shmancy meal plans that pretty much allowed us to gorge ourselves throughout the day...you know, the polar opposite of "a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and then a sensible dinner." And the food was pretty good. Sure, I got tired of eating a bacon cheeseburger every day, but yet, I was drawn to it like a moth to the flame every time. 

I'm pretty sure I've exceeded blogger word count etiquette two bullet points ago so I'll sign off for now, but stay tuned next time as I detail how this inexperienced Disney visitor inadvertently scarred his nephew for life.

Good night, folks!

Ben