Pack your Bags...We're Going to Disney World!
We took our first trip to Disney World when Jack was seven years old. It wasn't his first plane ride...Jack had traveled to Florida numerous times when he was a baby. But this was our first trip to Disney. We were nervous, of course. We weren't sure what to expect...the noise, the crowds, the characters, the rides, the lines, the food, the parades. Would it be too much? Would Jack feel overwhelmed? Would Jack enjoy this experience or would he want to retreat into his own world and make it all go away? We were all about to find out.
We came equipped with a stroller large enough to hold Jack and his little brother, noise blocking headphones, Jacks favorite snacks, books, crayons and a variety of handheld electronics (with extra batteries, of course!) We were prepared for anything.
"Let The Memories Begin". There it was. Written atop a beautiful display of flowers in the shape of Mickey Mouse..."Let The Memories Begin".
Jacks eyes were open wide...he stood very still.
We swiped our Disney World passes through the machine and took a deep breath...
I could smell the popcorn in the easy breeze, and taste the sweetness in the air. We walked to the center circle of Main Street USA. We stood still...waiting for a sign that this was too much for Jack to handle. He held my hand tight. A low chatter surrounded us. We listened. We waited. Jack didn't cry. He didn't cover his ears. There was no sign of fear or discomfort.
I could see a character coming in the distance. Jack squeezed my hand even tighter. TIME STOOD STILL. Then he looked up at me and cautiously smiled...I let out a breath of relief..."Let the memories begin".
We took our first trip to Disney World when Jack was seven years old. It wasn't his first plane ride...Jack had traveled to Florida numerous times when he was a baby. But this was our first trip to Disney. We were nervous, of course. We weren't sure what to expect...the noise, the crowds, the characters, the rides, the lines, the food, the parades. Would it be too much? Would Jack feel overwhelmed? Would Jack enjoy this experience or would he want to retreat into his own world and make it all go away? We were all about to find out.
We came equipped with a stroller large enough to hold Jack and his little brother, noise blocking headphones, Jacks favorite snacks, books, crayons and a variety of handheld electronics (with extra batteries, of course!) We were prepared for anything.
"Let The Memories Begin". There it was. Written atop a beautiful display of flowers in the shape of Mickey Mouse..."Let The Memories Begin".
Jacks eyes were open wide...he stood very still.
We swiped our Disney World passes through the machine and took a deep breath...
I could smell the popcorn in the easy breeze, and taste the sweetness in the air. We walked to the center circle of Main Street USA. We stood still...waiting for a sign that this was too much for Jack to handle. He held my hand tight. A low chatter surrounded us. We listened. We waited. Jack didn't cry. He didn't cover his ears. There was no sign of fear or discomfort.
I could see a character coming in the distance. Jack squeezed my hand even tighter. TIME STOOD STILL. Then he looked up at me and cautiously smiled...I let out a breath of relief..."Let the memories begin".
"There is nowhere you can go where love can't follow." - 101 Dalmatians