So I just got back from vacation. Y'know, just a standard, vanilla, plain, boring, regular vacation; a.k.a. a non-Disney vacation. We went to the beach for a few days, and while it was nice to relax and do nothing for a few days, I was just... bored; bored with it very quickly. Yet, I have the feeling that before Disney, I might have thoroughly enjoyed it. I try not to, but I can't help but internally compare every vacation I take to Disney, and yet no matter how good it is, it always falls short. It just isn't the same.
And I'm not even including the rides, attractions, characters & shows. It's the Disney Bubble*, the wonderful attitude of everyone around you**, the great food, the constant cleanliness of the parks, the cheerful atmosphere, not having to deal with your own luggage (thank you DME!), the AMAZING customer service (at the resorts, parks and restaurants), the wonderful smells (even though some of them are purposefully pumped out into the air as sales tactics doesn't mean I can't enjoy them!)... the list goes on and on. Am I alone in this?
* - The Disney Bubble:
The magical bubble that encompasses your time at Walt Disney World from the time you get on the DME (or arrive at your resort if you rented a car) that somehow, some way, makes you forget all of your worries and stress caused by your daily grind and helps you immediately unwind and relax. That thing (or things) that's been bugging you all month is somehow forgotten and slips away and is replaced by MAGIC and FUN and your inner child returning, if it ever left (and if it never left, he/she brought FRIENDS.) <--- this is the case with me
** - Those kind strangers (with a touch of magic):
While not EVERYONE you meet in the parks is going to be polite (let's be honest) most people you bump into are. In some cases, it's quite literal; like this one:
On our first trip together, my wife and I were excitedly taking advantage of short lines in Frontierland and after getting off of Splash Mountain decided a repeat was in order. We rushed off and were headed back around to get on again and I just simply wasn't watching where I was going. I was too busy laughing and joking around with the wife, and bumped into this poor, unsuspecting woman at the back of the line; and I mean HARD. I immediately begin to apologize profusely. This was my first foray into Disney since I was a kid (I'm pretty sure it was even the 2nd day we were there, so I was a very recent convert!), so I was not familiar with Disney Magic yet... so when her giant husband turned around, I was totally expecting a confrontation. And then, he simply checked on her, she said she was fine, and he asked where we were from and then we had a rather pleasant conversation with them for the rest of the time we were in line, carrying on as if we'd known them for a long time. I was shocked! And this is pretty commonplace while we're in the parks. People just have a better attitude at Disney unlike any other place I've seen.
Agree? Disagree? Have stories of Magic experiences at the parks yourself? The Magic in the parks converted me from an absolute Disney grump to a full-on Disney FANATIC very quickly, and that's amazing in my book.
And I'm not even including the rides, attractions, characters & shows. It's the Disney Bubble*, the wonderful attitude of everyone around you**, the great food, the constant cleanliness of the parks, the cheerful atmosphere, not having to deal with your own luggage (thank you DME!), the AMAZING customer service (at the resorts, parks and restaurants), the wonderful smells (even though some of them are purposefully pumped out into the air as sales tactics doesn't mean I can't enjoy them!)... the list goes on and on. Am I alone in this?
* - The Disney Bubble:
The magical bubble that encompasses your time at Walt Disney World from the time you get on the DME (or arrive at your resort if you rented a car) that somehow, some way, makes you forget all of your worries and stress caused by your daily grind and helps you immediately unwind and relax. That thing (or things) that's been bugging you all month is somehow forgotten and slips away and is replaced by MAGIC and FUN and your inner child returning, if it ever left (and if it never left, he/she brought FRIENDS.) <--- this is the case with me
** - Those kind strangers (with a touch of magic):
While not EVERYONE you meet in the parks is going to be polite (let's be honest) most people you bump into are. In some cases, it's quite literal; like this one:
On our first trip together, my wife and I were excitedly taking advantage of short lines in Frontierland and after getting off of Splash Mountain decided a repeat was in order. We rushed off and were headed back around to get on again and I just simply wasn't watching where I was going. I was too busy laughing and joking around with the wife, and bumped into this poor, unsuspecting woman at the back of the line; and I mean HARD. I immediately begin to apologize profusely. This was my first foray into Disney since I was a kid (I'm pretty sure it was even the 2nd day we were there, so I was a very recent convert!), so I was not familiar with Disney Magic yet... so when her giant husband turned around, I was totally expecting a confrontation. And then, he simply checked on her, she said she was fine, and he asked where we were from and then we had a rather pleasant conversation with them for the rest of the time we were in line, carrying on as if we'd known them for a long time. I was shocked! And this is pretty commonplace while we're in the parks. People just have a better attitude at Disney unlike any other place I've seen.
Agree? Disagree? Have stories of Magic experiences at the parks yourself? The Magic in the parks converted me from an absolute Disney grump to a full-on Disney FANATIC very quickly, and that's amazing in my book.
We will be going in 2015 though!
Disney just makes me happy!
