5 Things I Learned at Disney World

Last month, we had a family vacation in Florida to celebrate A&Z’s birthday and we spent a day at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World.  I think I’ve been there four times in the past eight years or so, but they change it up so much that there’s always something new to see.  For A&Z, everything was new and exciting.  (They were there 2 years ago, but I doubt they remember much).  So here are some pictures from our day at the Happiest Place on Earth, along with five things I learned along the way: about my kids, about me, and about life in general.

1.  It’s okay to fall off the grid, especially if you’re already with the ones you love.

There is so much to see at Disney World, that I didn’t even want to blink or else I’d miss something spectacular – or as my sis calls it, “FOMO” or “Fear of Missing Out.”  The last thing I wanted to do was bury my face on my smart phone to update Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  Plus, I was already sharing these wonderful moments with my favorite people and I didn’t want to spoil it by zoning out into social media land.

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Okay, fine.  I did upload a few Instagram photos, but there was not much else to do while we were waiting for the parade to begin…

2.  Dance.  And don’t hesitate to do so.

Zavier, who just turned 3, is anxiously waiting for his life to begin because tends to live in the shadow of his big sis, Arielle.  The Disney cast members started square dancing in the middle of the street and they invited Arielle to dance, but she was not in the mood to participate.  Then, when they asked Zavier to dance, he jumped out of his stroller without hesitation and danced his little heart out.  The opportunity to dance or do other great things can pop up when you least expect it.  You just have to be ready, don’t hesitate, and just go for it – even if you don’t know all the steps.

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 3.  No matter how busy you are, your kids deserve your attention.

The lines (OMG, the LINES!) just to meet the characters were at least 45 minutes long.  But even though they had an endless queue of kids waiting to see them, they acted like my kids were the only ones in the entire park.  They took their time with A&Z, answered all their questions, and gave them extra hugs.  Merida stopped and played Spidey with Zavier after noticing his Spiderman shoes.  Ariel made Arielle feel special because they had similar names, even though Arielle totally got star-struck and didn’t say anything to her favorite mermaid.

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger have adventures to get to, the Fairy Godmother has millions of wishes to grant, and the Princesses are super busy, no doubt.  These character encounters taught me that even though I’m a busy mom, I should still stop and give my kids my undivided attention at their precious, young age.  Sometimes the dishes, the emails, and the laundry can wait.

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4.  Every Little Girl is a Princess

One of my biggest fears is Arielle as a teenager.  I’m scared that she will try to grow up too fast.  You know, like girls who wear make-up at a young age and go totally boy crazy before they hit sixteen.  Arielle is my little princess.  She’s five and I love everything about this age.  She has big dreams and the world is amazing and beautiful and exciting in her eyes.  She’s sweet, curious, and charming all at the same time.  Every little girl is a princess and seeing Arielle experience all-things-Princess at Disney World made me want to preserve and cherish that innocence for as long as I can.

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5.  When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true

I’m so happy we stayed for the show where the “Cinderella’s Castle comes to life” and the fireworks at the end of the night.  The entire production left me in awe and totally inspired.  All the mean people, negativity, limitations, and boundaries ceased to exist and I actually believed that anything was possible!!!

And then we left sunny Florida, came back to the miserable cold weather in the midwest, I went back to work, and reality set in.  Womp, womp, womp…

Just kidding, it wasn’t all that depressing.  Those feelings of hope, inspiration, and wonder can exist no matter where I am, or how old I am.  I think that’s what the magic of Disney is all about – instilling hope, dreams, and possibilities.  Just see what these friends have to say:

Source: Babble.com

Source: Babble.com

Source: Babble.com

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Thanks for reading along!  Have you been to Disney lately and learned something new?  It doesn’t have to be about life – general park tips would be welcome, too.  For example, we learned in the late-afternoon that our ticket came with 3 free fast-passes so we actually only got to use 2 of them.  Also, those character dining events have to be booked months in advance so we missed out on that as well.

xoxo // gracielle.

Comments

  1. Your little princess is sooo cute 🙂 Glad you guys had a fun time and it is definitely important to stay OFF your phone and devote that time to your kids when at a magical place like that, and most other times as well 😉 Lovely photos and cherish all those memories Gracielle! -Iva
    AwesomelyOZ recently posted…The Friendship ConundrumMy Profile

  2. I love that last photo of Arielle! And they must have so many women employed as Ariel. That’s not the one we saw in the seashell or in the princess breakfast.
    I totally agree about being off the grid. I put up a few photos on Instagram in the beginning but then it was too overwhelming. FOMO, and all!
    My biggest advice and this is mostly only if you’re saving money and can’t afford to pay for so much food (although we did). Protein, protein, protein! I brought organic beef jerky, cheese sticks and power bars wherever I went and I had so much energy! Like an athlete. And it’s a lot of exercise doing these parks.
    Tamara recently posted…Winter’s Leftovers.My Profile

    • Arielle keeps asking me whether the characters are really them in real life. I said yes about the princesses and no about Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. I just didn’t have the heart to tell her. I hope she doesn’t think I’m a bad mom when she finds out later. Protein is sound advice! Disney is like a sporting event on its own!

  3. Disney really is magical, isn’t it, Gracielle? I can’t imagine what it looks and feels like to experience it as a small child. Magical to say the least. I agree with you about going offline. Especially at Disney World. 🙂 And dancing is always appropriate no matter what:)
    Jennifer McCullough recently posted…Why Moms Need to Wear MOZO ShoesMy Profile

    • Hi Jennifer! Sorry for the late response…I’ve been offline a lot lately – life is just happening and I can’t keep up with my online world. BTW, I was finally able to enter the MOZO shoes giveaway!! #crossingfingers

  4. loved these lessons learned! your kids are so adorable. and i know about those lines… if you come after labor day, they are so, so, soooo much shorter.
    Roaen recently posted…SF Bay Area Eateries and Drinkeries…My Profile

  5. Disney is indeed magical no matter how old we are. I probably won’t be able to bring my family in the US for a Disney experience yet. Maybe in HK as it’s less expensive and nearer to us. Lol. So glad to see you all enjoyed and brought with you the values you’ve learned. 🙂
    Rea recently posted…Thank God It’s Friday Ask Away!My Profile

  6. LOVE all of your pictures! What a fun week at Disney for your family! I took my 4yo this January and we had a BLAST. It really is such a special place.
    Hatton recently posted…Visiting Hilton Head: Large un-snapping turtles & an evening in Harbour TownMy Profile

    • Must have been nice in January – wondering if the lines wouldn’t be as long at that time of year. Isn’t it so fun to take them at this young age?! Well, at any age Disney is a blast!

  7. Oooh this post makes me yearn and itches to go to Disney world with my boy. We never been there. I think the closest one would be the one in Hong Kong. 😀 One day! Thank you for sharing the joy with your post.
    Maureen recently posted…Leaving The Comfort ZoneMy Profile

    • I want to go back!!! I think next time we’d spend more time meeting the characters. The kids were more stoked about that than the actual rides, and the lines were just as long.

  8. Love this perspective on the parks and on life! I think I experienced some of that “live in the moment” attitude this weekend–I didn’t check social media once, and it was amazing. That’s the great thing about blogging though, right?!?
    Jennifer-Mommy Life After PhD recently posted…5 Favorite Make-Ahead MealsMy Profile

    • So much of life is happening all around me! I’ve been MIA from blogging for the past few weeks. I really do miss it! So I’m trying to ease back into blogging and catching up from these past few weeks. Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!

  9. These pictures are beautiful! Such wonderful memories to cherish. I couldn’t agree more with you, my trip was about family and not my iPhone. Although, I wanted to share all the fun, I didn’t want to miss all the fun. The castle and fireworks show *is* magical, I cannot wait for my next visit!
    XOXO

  10. looking at these pictures makes me want to go to the happiest place on earth!
    catherine gacad recently posted…My God, My God, Why Have You Abandoned Me?My Profile

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