Our most looked-forward-to event during our Christmas vacation was a day trip to Disney World. For weeks the kids had talked non-stop about visiting Disney World. We talked about the rides and got them excited to ride their first roller coaster. Marin was excited to meet Princesses and Parker was excited for the big candy store.
Before I continue, I realize that the whining and complaining that is about to commence seems selfish. I mean, shouldn't I just be glad that we had the opportunity to experience a modern-day American rite of passage? I am grateful, and like childbirth, now that the pain has passed, I can reflect on the good times.
Prior to this Christmas, Rob and I have been to both Disney World and Disneyland before and reminisce fondly on our prior experiences. Big difference #1 this time: we have kids. Gone are the days of PDA while waiting in line and staying until midnight. I remember feeling bad for all of the suckers who were tugging children by the arm and pushing around ginormous strollers all while walking at a snail's pace. As a childless couple we could rush to-and-fro, stocking up on fast passes, all while not waiting in line to meet a silly character. We would skip the lame rides like Dumbo and the Carousel and head straight for Space Mountain and the Haunted House.
This time we were the suckers tugging whiny children by the arm while pushing a ginormous stroller at a snail's pace. We also waited in line for many a lame ride. Lame to Rob and I anyway. Both kids were too short for Space Mountain and too scared for the Haunted House. We were able to secure fast passes for Thunder Mountain and I told Rob that we were going to take the kids on that ride even if they were kicking and screaming.
That said, we were able to experience joy during our visit, but in a different way. The sound of your kid laughing while 20 feet above the ground on a ride is a total hoot. Shopping for the yummiest candy and and the perfect princess dress brought joy to all. Watching the kids bewilderd and fascinated faces at A Small World was a kick in the pants. I was able to maintain my composure and not complain too much for the sake of my kids. Both would happily report that they had a great time and couldn't wait to do it again. Happy kids = happy parents.
Big difference #2: It was Christmas break...for the whole world. I swear that 1/2 of New York and 1/3 of Europe (along with a good portion of India) was there the very same day . By far the biggest drag of the day were the crowds. The walkways were so crowded it was nearly impossible at times to push the double-wide stroller we had rented. At 10 am, fast passes were assigning times in late afternoon. In the early afternooon, fast pass assignments were for 10 pm, and we knew we weren't going to stay that long. Any wait in a "normal" line was at least 40 min and way more than that for the more popular rides. After a while, even Parker didn't want to go on rides anymore because he knew he would have to wait in line. It was really unsatisfying to wait 50 min for a 3 minute ride. At one point, Rob and Jack (grandpa Coleman) waited in line for 30 minutes just for funnel cake and ice cream...and they were out of chocolate!
Rob is not as uptight as I am and he remained relatively calm during the day. The saving grace of the day for me was Thunder Mountain. I love roller coasters. Were it not for this ride, the whole day might have been a wash for me personally. It was as if the Disney stars aligned but for a brief moment. One of the two fast passes we got all day (not for lack of trying as they were all gone) was for Thunder Mountain. The kids had a blast too. They laughed, they cried (literally), they panicked and screamed all in the space of 3 minutes. It was hilarious! Both would claim that it was their favorite ride of the day, but neither wanted to do it again. No waiting in line + roller coaster + kids first roller coaster ride = 3 minutes of pure bliss.
At the end of the day as we were returing to handicapped parking (another saving grace), Rob and I promised ourselves that the next time we visited Disney World it would be during the off-season and when the kids were older. As we drove away I felt a little bad for all of the families with a 3-5 day pass that had to do it all over again tomorrow.
2 comments:
We were going to go to Disneyland this past October but things didn't work out. Given the points you made, I am glad it fell through. Maybe when the kids are bigger. My kids are only 4 and almost 2 (and I would have been pregnant at the time).
I would have to say..it was just bad timing. Being prior annual pass holders it's all about when you go. January and February are to die for...we never wait more than 5 min.
Sorry, that sucks...what we do for our kids.
Post a Comment