We Went to Disney World

And my son’s favorite part was the hotel pool

As of last week, my husband and son had never been to Disney World. I, on the other hand, had been several times — a combination of family vacations and school field trips. In the past, whenever I asked my husband about planning a Disney trip, his response ranged from “Meh” to “No, thanks” to “Absolutely not.”

When you look at it objectively, I get it. Big crowds, Florida heat, expensive hotels and tickets, long drive. On paper, it does not sound appealing. At all.

But if you’ve been to Disney World before, you know that it’s worth it (and I really, really hate being hot). For my husband, there just wasn’t any appeal in going on rides based on animated narratives, walking around imitation countries, and sitting through condensed versions of musicals and films. “Maybe someday… when we have kids,” he always told me before our son was born.

A couple of months ago, I interviewed for a new job. Later that day, as my husband and I discussed how the interview went, he asked, “What do you want to do if you get the job?” I knew what he meant, but I responded, “I want to go to Disney World.” We chuckled.

When I was offered the job, I called my husband immediately to tell him the good news. “I got the job! Looks like we are going to Disney World.” He laughed, but I was serious.

I grew up with Disney movies (my husband did not — which explains his lack of enthusiasm. Watching The Sword and the Stone doesn’t count). As soon as my son turned three, I started introducing him to some of the Disney narratives and characters. When my husband saw how much my son loved the stories, I could sense his resolve to avoid Disney World was weakening.

I spoke with my friend, the resident Disney World expert, and gathered evidence for my argument. My husband would be off for the summer, our son would love it, it was much more affordable in May, we could go the week of my son’s fourth birthday… It all lined up.

So we went. We made it to all four parks. We rode on Peter Pan’s Flight and Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. We drank slushies and ate Mickey Mouse pretzels and bought a t-shirt and light-up “magic” wand that were significantly overpriced. We visited the countries in Epcot and watched the fireworks show on our last night. It was great, but…

It was really, really hot. The crowds were thick. The lines were long. By the end we were exhausted. And my son’s favorite part of the trip? The hotel pool.

We will go back some day. There’s a magical and addictive quality to Disney World. How else do you explain getting hundreds of people to stand so close together in hour-long lines and 93 degree heat and humidity while children have meltdowns of epic proportions?

My son has enthusiastically described his favorite rides to people who ask him about his trip. My husband enjoyed experiencing the world of Disney for the first time with us and seeing how much our son enjoyed it. And for me, seeing the films and characters I loved as a kid come to life invoked memories and nostalgia that few other experiences have in my adult life. We made some unforgettable memories as a family this week.

But the experience was also a great reminder.

Our trip reminded me that kids love the simpler aspects of life.

My son adores water and will play in the sink at home for hours if I let him. The look of pure joy on his face as he donned his yellow life jacket and jumped into the hotel pool for the first time by himself was unparalleled by his reaction to anything else we did during our stay.

I enjoyed the magic while it lasted. Right now, though, I’m looking forward to getting home, sleeping in my own bed, and starting the vegetable garden that my son is so excited about.

Because when I look at the world through his eyes, there is just as much magic in our backyard at home as there is in Orlando, Florida.