It's taken me two days to read through all of these posts, since it's kind of hard to hide the fact that you're crying while sitting at work, doing...notwork.
I'm 47 and I grew up, along with my 3 sisters and little brother, listening to records (remember those?) of Disney movies and songs, spending our Sunday evenings watching the Wonderful World of Disney, and all of us wishing upon a star. DH, at 39, did not. I grew up - and STILL believe - in miracles, magic, and definitely Santa. Now DH is one of those crazy Christmas people on the roof in October setting up lights, a regular customer at the Disney store at the mall for anything that a grown up can use at the store, and the two of us just know that we will not be at all self-conscious in the fact that we plan to bring out our inner children the second we get there. DH, despite being built like a linebacker, is an unabashed Sobbing Sally, and we know he will be blubbering his way through the park, and I will be too busy emulating Tigger by bouncing everywhere to see everything, and plan to bring along my Magic Wand my sister gave me for my 40th birthday (7 years ago!) Just Because.
We are still in the planning/getting EXCITED!!! stage of our trip that will take place this late September. My DH and I decided, pretty much at a whim, to go to WDW for our first vacation in 11 years (the last one was our first year anniversary). He is a US Merchant Marine (the 'hidden' military, the ones that used to sail the Liberty ships, and now crew the pre-position ships for the rest of the US military all around the world), and will be in south FL for training, and I will meet him there his last week and together we will fly to WDW. The past few days have kept me busy with admittedly grown-up things like plane tickets, ADRs and arranging for our pets to be kenneled, but I am SO glad I found this thread to remind me of what REALLY MATTERS in Disney; that it is a magical place.
I can't wait to post my own magical moments...