5 Things I Had Forgotten About Disney World

These 5 things I had forgotten about Disney World may motivate you to take your children or grandchildren on a trip they will never forget!

When my mother was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer the one thing she insisted on doing was taking her grandchildren to Disney World. Because she was so ill it was a bitter sweet vacation. Every ride that jostled her even the slightest brought her indescribable pain, but you would never know it from looking at her face. She wrapped her arms around her grandchildren and smiled all the way through “It’s a Small World” and when we got to the Swiss Family Robinson tree house she summoned the energy to get out of her wheel chair and follow the children through.

A few weeks after we returned home from Disney World mom’s condition worsened and by the next month she was gone. My husband videoed that trip but for years I couldn’t watch it, it was too painful.

The Invitation

In March of last year I received an invitation to the Disney Social Media Moms Conference (#DisneySMMC). I had heard of it but wasn’t exactly sure what it was and since I am a nana, not a young mom, I wasn’t sure I would fit in with the group. I asked my blogging friend, Anne, if I should go to the conference. Anne LOVES conferences and has been to more of them than any person I know.

“Are you kidding me?” she yelled over the phone. “Tell them you are coming and pack your bags. You don’t want to miss this opportunity!”

I took her advice and soon found myself back at Disney World with a grown daughter, a husband, and two granddaughters. Now it was my turn to be the grandmother at Disney World.

Going Back With Grandchildren

My oldest granddaughter was almost 11 and the younger one was 4. This was their first trip to Disney World.

Here’s what I remembered that I had forgotten.

1. Even though you may have seen it before when you experience Disney through your grandchildren’s eyes it’s different. Watching the 4 year old’s face light up when she twirled with Cinderella and seeing my older granddaughter’s expression as they styled her hair at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique was priceless.

2. Customer service at Disney is the best in the world. I told my daughter that we needed to take some of the “Happy Medicine” back home with us and make sure every grouchy person we knew takes some!   From the performers, to the guy picking up trash, to the bus drivers, every single one of them went above and beyond.

3. Either the “Wow Factor” is bigger and better at Disney than it was years ago or I had forgotten the glitter, the sparkle, the lights! The night time parade of Disney characters on floats with lights was breathtaking and the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle were spectacular. From musical performances, to the Safari Ride in Animal Kingdom, my granddaughters were left gawking as what seemed impossible happened before their eyes. In a world where television is constantly bombarding our children with noise and flashy commercials to try and capture their attention, watching them experience magic first hand warmed this nana’s heart.

4. The hotels are as awesome as the parks! This trip the conference planners booked us rooms at the Yacht Club and once again it was above and beyond my expectations. The rooms were large enough that all 5 of us were more than comfortable. The granddaughters loved the sand bottomed pool. The view was amazing and the Micky Mouse waffles for breakfast literally melted in my mouth.

5. Finally, I had forgotten the magic. I remember my children being amazed by what their Disney experience but I think during their childhood years I was so tense (we had twins after my mom died so we took all 5 to Disney) and distracted (4 of the 5 were boys who didn’t understand the concept of “NO”) that I really didn’t FEEL the magic. This trip I did. From the first day until we boarded the plane to come home it was like being in a giant happiness bubble.

If you haven’t been to Disney in awhile, go back. Experience the magic for yourself. Take your children and grandchildren with you. You won’t believe how different it feels to experience it through their eyes. Disney isn’t just for younger folks! It’s for the young at heart and if you aren’t feeling young when you get there, I guarantee you will be by the time you leave!

This article was adapted from a post I wrote after returning from my first conference….the good news is I’m going back! I am invited to this years Land and Sea Event and you can bet you will be reading about it at NanaHood.com, seeing pictures on Instagram (NanaHoodRocks) and tweeting about it on Twitter (NanaHoodRocks).  We are spending 2 days at Disney World and 3 days on a Disney Cruise. Woo Hoo! I’ll be doing the Hot Dog dance all the way to the ship! Stay tuned to hear about this year’s Disney magic!

Disclaimer: Disney Social Media Moms Conference paid for a portion of my trip but I paid airfare and some other expenses. All opinions expressed her are completely my own and I pledge to always be totally honest with you!