Something my son said...

[DfromATX]

My DS was 7 when we first took him to the World and now he is 17 and has no desire to go back. When he was younger he always wanted to move to Florida and work for Disney.
Oh well I will always have the pictures of a smiling kid sitting on dad's shoulders having the time of his life.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that! Why doesn't he want to go back?

 

[juniorthomas]

I have a tear in my eye....it's hard being a teenager we have all been there and it's even harder as parents watching them grow. My mother use to say everyday is different..... the difficult will be learned from and or forgotten the good ones will be cherished. Loved your post.

I have a three year old who is infinitely adorable. I'm doing my part to take note of every single moment because there may be some rough days during her teenage years. It's nice to know that throughout all of this, Disney has a way of cutting through.

 

[Glasgow]

Our kids are still pretty little but I enjoyed your story - we just don't have time to appreciate our current lives because we're all too busy to sit and experience that introspection. I fully believe that life is made up of "moments" and its not an infinite amount, sadly. When you hit upon one of those moments, it just feels so good, almost cathartic. I think that's why I enjoy WDW go much - because practically every time we go we collect one of those moments and I fully understand the implications, being a parent for a while now.

Last time we visited we took our folks along and my mum was skipping up Main Street with our 5 year old - i took a mental snapshot that I'm going to store indefinitely because I just knew that was one of those moments, much like you just experienced.

 

[TeamUBR]

My DS was 7 when we first took him to the World and now he is 17 and has no desire to go back.

Give him a few years. Hopefully he'll get back into the magic. I was surprised when my 15 y/o started pushing us to go back. He is such a teen.

j

 

[docdebbi]

did anyone mention to you before that 17 year olds eventually become human again? yup, this might be the first sign, not sure yet, but it will happen. from 17 to 18 is the only year i tried to give my daughter away- alas, no takers. but at 18 she got HUMAN. no, really, now 30 with a great husband and the three most adorable children ever born on this planet (and don't even try to argue with me).
if yours really is a "good kid" as you put it, and your post backs up, yup. he'll be human again soon, hold on, and enjoy the little kid that comes out again while you are at disney. looks like he's already peeking around the corner at you!

 

[DfromATX]

did anyone mention to you before that 17 year olds eventually become human again? yup, this might be the first sign, not sure yet, but it will happen. from 17 to 18 is the only year i tried to give my daughter away- alas, no takers. but at 18 she got HUMAN. no, really, now 30 with a great husband and the three most adorable children ever born on this planet (and don't even try to argue with me).
if yours really is a "good kid" as you put it, and your post backs up, yup. he'll be human again soon, hold on, and enjoy the little kid that comes out again while you are at disney. looks like he's already peeking around the corner at you!

Hallelujah! Your post really made me smile, thanks.

 

[Skyrider]

Might add my story to the mix.

Now I guess this may be from the opposite viewpoint. I’m 19 and a Landscape Architecture student (Sophomore), and one of the reasons I chose to go into design is because of Disney. Whatever it is, but every time I’m in Orlando I just relax (especially in front of the castle or on the Poly beach). There are only 14 students in my year and a couple of us were talking about what we’d love to go into. I took a chance and said I’d love to work in the planning department for Disney Parks. This started a two-hour discussion in which I wasn’t the only one who loved the idea of becoming a planner there. In fact we all agreed that it would be one of the best career paths any of us could choose.

What ever creates that calming feeling in front of the Castle, we all agreed, we want to create that in other places.

Ironically, that feeling has shifted locations lately. For some odd reason, on my last trip in January (3 College kids and I planned it all) the Castle didn’t give me the feeling, but the “Celebrate You” song at the end of the Dance Parade just killed me; like putting on sunglasses so my two friends (who are like sisters to me) wouldn’t see me crying like a baby. For some odd reason, I think growing older changes WDW, but for the better.

And believe me, I have had friends who thought I was crazy when I said I still love Disney. Whatever, less people to get in the way J.

-Sky

 

[Blufusion]

I got to go to WDW for the 1st time in 1982 I was 19 yo. See when i was growing up in my house I never ever got to go to the movies and the only Disney I ever saw was on TV. Another fact. walt passed way on my 5th birthday and I always had a connection to him by that. I know it's weird. So when I started my long career in TV. I went to the bank got a loan and the 1st BIG Trip I ever took by myself was to Disney World. I had always wanted to go. I had the book called the Walt Disney the Art of Animation and when I saw the Contempary Resort Hotel I was like in dreamland. Well I went I stayed at one of the resorts in LBV. And the day I went to the Magic Kingdom and walked on main street I was literally living a dream. that and I got to see a preview of Epcot Center and I was hooked Since then I have gone back and stayed at FW campgrounds and various hotels in the hotel plaza and I become n that excited 19 yo excited kid all over again. I have always want to stay at The Contempary Resort in the main building and in 2016 I will turn 55 and me and my partner will have been together 15 yr. Were are planning on going to to SW weekend that May and staying for 4 days. I hope Disney has lots to offer and lots of news stuff to explore. Yes it will cost some money. But money is only money. I will do some rides and I really want to go and just mosey around take as many pictures and enjoy the experiance while Im young. This will probably be the last visit for me but it will be a 39 yo dream of staying that close to the magic and my memories.

 

[riverscu0m0]

I'm 16 and I made such a fuss about going somewhere else this spring that my parents gave in and decided on Disney... I'm getting married there even if my husband doesn't want to!

 

[Hedwig's Keeper]

Hurry, someone get that kid in front of a Disney marketing campaign camera! Seriously, awesome kid! Any kid for that matter that is not afraid to stand up for what they believe in, especially in the face of peer pressure.