5 Days to Go...

I canNOT believe that, Lord willing, we will be at Disney World is just 5 days.

Even harder to believe is the fact that I have barely started packing.  Normally, I pack about a week out because I want to give myself plenty of time to remember what I forgot.  This time, I can't seem to get my pack on.  Why?

Because I'm dreading this trip.

I canNOT believe I just admitted that.

I really want to be excited about it.  The kids are super excited- and are completely unaware of my dread.  Normally, their excitement would be enough to convince me into my own.  But, it's not working.

I think the biggest issue is the way all the Disney lovers talk about Walt Disney World (WDW). They create a picture of a magical land that requires secret knowledge to be able to enjoy.

I don't have secret knowledge.  I don't want to have secret knowledge.  I don't want to be online just after midnight to make sure I get the right FastPass so Coralynn can meet Elsa and Anna.  (I'm still not completely confident I know what  FastPass is or how I use it.  And don't even ask me what a Magic Band is...)  I want to be able to enjoy my kids and our time without feeling like I'm constantly playing some "game" to get the most out of the trip.

This probably means I shouldn't have picked Disney. We should have gone to the beach.  Nothing tricky about that.  Towels, sunscreen, go.  WDW requires research, maps, planning.  I think escaping Alcatraz would have been more simplistic.  (And, we travel a LOT- international travel. It's not like this is my first trip and airports scare me.)

Ultimately, though, I'm an eternal optimist.  I'm trusting that once I get there that all the "magic of Disney" will convince me that this trip was a great idea.  I'm trusting that there is plenty of fun for us newbies who don't know the secrets.  I'm trusting there will be laughs, and smiles, and "magic" regardless if we "do it" "right."  I'm trusting that we'll have an amazing time- if for no other reason than we really like being together.

But, do me a favor.  Next time I decide to take a fun family vacation, please remind me to choose something that doesn't require breaking the secret code.  Deal?

Comments

Anonymous said…
RELAX. We worried about LEGOLAND and that turned out to be a blast. Let the optimist win out and leave the doubter at home. Have a ball!!!
Unknown said…
Jonathan and I go on a downplay the expectations binge when we take a vacation. What do you most want to do while you there? Like just 1 thing a person with a family of 6. Maybe the kids agree on the same thing. We'll try to accomodate those single dreams, as a family. As a family we agree that we all want to help one another accomodate that one thing. So there is joy in that because its a family vacation and our goal is to have family time so the "race to the next place ATTACK FUN" is not going to happen. We have family members who like to Attack Fun. We don't so much like to vacation with them because everything feels like a mission, a battle plan. We're going to Cambodia in June. We specifically told the friends we're visiting for a few days to put us in a hotel. Give us a suggestion of their family's favorite place in the city and beyond that we're good with swimming and ice cream and playing with friends. We've never been there before and may never go back but we're determined to meaningfully see/ do whatever it is. Good luck!

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