joedisney
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2000
- Messages
- 70
Now well over a year since this trip, I am still determined to finish this report. I had intended to make this the last installment, but it got a bit long. Chapter 9 will now have a part 2. As a reminder, at the time of the trip the cast of characters: Joe - the dad at 41, Kathy - the mom at 37, Christopher - the map boy at 11, Connor - without a nickname at 8, Alex - the octopus at 4 and Caley - the sassy princess at 2.
Chapter 9 (Part 1): The circle of life
Life brings along with it many ups and downs. The far extremes of these peaks and valleys are often described as, lifes defining moments. The birth of a child and the death of a loved one are two events that surely fall into this category. In October of 1992, I experienced them both in an instant of time that can best be described as a roller coaster ride of emotions that began with the death of my father and culminated with the birth of my son. It all began on a Friday night when my two older brothers and I pulled up some chairs around my Dads bed at the hospital. At first we just sat in silence, trying to comprehend what life may be like without the man that meant so much to all of us. A victim of a senseless habit, my Dad was losing his battle with a deadly disease that took so many before their time. Although he had kicked the habit and hadn't picked up a cigarette in over 20 years, the damage of a three pack a day addiction eventually caught up with him in the form of one of the more lethal types of lung cancer. Even near death, my Dad's breathing was strong and steady and its rhythm paced our thoughts as our silent memories turned into countless shared stories. Over the next several hours we laughed and we cried as we recalled the memories that formed the fabric of our relationship with our father. While my brothers and I have always been close, we are different people and it was interesting to hear their stories from their individual perspectives. While we are different, we are made from the same thread; a thread that was created by the man that lay before us. Together, that night, we shared in a time of great sorrow, yet that thread that ties us together became stronger than ever. As the steady breath of our Dad first became sporadic and then came to a stop, we huddled together and wept.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
With only two days left on our magical Disney vacation, I wake up to that feeling of dread. As I struggle into full consciousness, I force myself to forget that the end is drawing near. The subconscious mind, however, is not an animal easily tamed. It's always the same, a few days before the end of any vacation, a certain uneasiness begins to take hold. Try as you might to push it away, it surrounds you like the cloud of dust that follow Pigpen on Charlie Brown. Although it is tough to shake, there are a couple methods that I have used to lessen the blow that comes at the end of every trip to Disney. The first, and for me the most effective way, is to plan on coming back. Even if it's not for a few years, the prospect of knowing that you will be back does wonders for those end-of-trip blues. Do the best you can to make it official. Make an agreement, right then and there, with your spouse and kids that you will be coming back in two or three or even ten years. Write up a contract and have everyone sign it, you'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel. The second, not quite as effective method, is to fill your schedule with so much to do that you don't have time to think about going home. For this trip, I have done both. We already have plans to come back next year and the next two days are packed with fun.
Today we plan on heading back to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, followed by some time at MGM and finishing the day off with Fantasmic. It is sad, but I am more than happy when we make it to the Magic Kingdom just before 10 o'clock. My wife has done a good job at setting my expectations low, so that a 10 a.m. start actually seems good to me now. After checking out a few more of the 75th anniversary Mickey's outside the park, we hop on the train to Toon Town. For the next half-hour, Caley and Alex have a blast while Connor and Christopher are miserable. In an effort to keep everyone happy, we decide to split up. The boys do Thunder Mountain Railroad while the girls do the Pooh ride. On our way over to Thunder Mountain, the boys and I stop for popcorn. We are eating our snack on the neat path that leads from Liberty Square to Frontier Land when we notice that we are surrounded by birds. These birds are quite aggressive and the smaller you are, the more aggressive they become. I need to stand right next to Alex before they would leave him alone. After Thunder Mountain, we meet up with the girls and Alex, Christopher and I do Splash Mountain. Even after applying my best remedies for those end-of-trip blues, we are all still a bit on edge. I try and talk the crew into doing Small World, but no one wants to go. With our Priority Seating time getting close for the Plaza restaurant, we decide it would be good to stop for lunch and get recharged. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse. Although we have Priority Seating, it takes over 45 minutes before we are seated. The boys are bickering, the little ones are very hungry and I am a tad grouchy. Yes, even joedisney can get grouchy on occasion. I am pretty sure they forgot about us and after a gentle reminder to the hostess, we are soon seated. Sensing the tenseness of our group, however, the Cast Member is able to quickly change our mood by applying just a touch Disney magic. Shortly after we are seated, we are interrupted by the Mayor of Main Street. It just so happens (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) that we are the 100th customer and are presented an award and a complementary picture of the special event. It was a small touch, but along with the good food and excellent service, we are all in a much better mood by the end of our meal.
After lunch we stick to our plan and take the bus to MGM. There is a huge crowd waiting for the bus when we get there. I'm thinking there is no way we are getting on this bus. As the crowd stuffs in, I am amazed by how many people those buses can hold. We are stuffed in like sardines, but we are glad to be on our way. Once at MGM, Alex, Christopher and I do the Tower of Terror. As we board the elevator Alex looks pretty scared, but won't admit to it. This is a tough ride to go on with a little one for two reasons. One, your hanging on for dear life and there is little you can do to console them if they get scared. Two, most of the ride is pitch black and you can't even see them to determine if they are having fun or are scared to death. You do get a two-second-glimpse when the doors open at the top, but unless they are outright balling, it is tough to get a read on their emotions. Alex was definitely scared, but came off the ride with a bounce in his step and ready to go again if anyone else was interested. Instead, we gathered back together with the less adventurous among us and took in the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. I hadn't seen this show for several years and it was even more entertaining than I had remembered. After Indy, we walked over to the entrance of Fantasmic. The plan is to get something to eat while we wait for the show, but Christopher and I decide to go check out the wait at the Rock'n Roller Coaster before we eat. We are pleasantly surprised when we find that there is only a five-minute wait. We ride the coaster before joining the rest of the crew just as they are sitting down with their dinner selections. I take a quick look around at the food choices before opting for one of those big turkey legs. Does anyone know what these things really are? Why do they taste like ham? Don't get me wrong, they're delicious, but they don't taste like any turkey that I've had before. As the sun goes down, it starts to get a little chilly. I am the only one without a sweatshirt, so I head over to one of the stores and get a nice long sleeve tee shirt before the show. Fantasmic is fun, but I can understand my wife's criticism that the show is a bit dark. There are an over abundance of bad guys that can be a bit scary for the little ones. Not unlike most Disney movies I suppose. After the show, it is nice to be able to walk back to our hotel, as everyone else is scurrying to board busses, trams or boats.
My plan to keep everyone busy has definitely worked its magic, as we are all exhausted by the time we get back to our room. As the kids fall asleep while watching cartoons, I take the time to scribble some notes on our day at the parks. I wonder how our experiences, while physically the same, will be recorded in our individual memories. I laugh as I think of the kids reaction to my request to ride It's a Small World. For me this ride always sparks memories of my first trip to the Magic Kingdom. The thought of my Dad singing and laughing as we floated along will stay with me forever. I guess I expected Christopher to somehow understand this. I have always believed that part of my Dad was passed on to Christopher. That, somehow, in the three days that separated the death of my father and the birth of my son, there was a spiritual bond that took place. I realize that I expect too much. That it is up to me to pass along my experiences in an effort to tie these two generations together. Just as someday, my grandchildren will roll their eyes as they are forced to go on some silly ride that triggered some distant memory that they don't understand. Such is the circle of life.
Next up: Chapter 9 (Part 2): The circle of life
Chapter 9 (Part 1): The circle of life
Life brings along with it many ups and downs. The far extremes of these peaks and valleys are often described as, lifes defining moments. The birth of a child and the death of a loved one are two events that surely fall into this category. In October of 1992, I experienced them both in an instant of time that can best be described as a roller coaster ride of emotions that began with the death of my father and culminated with the birth of my son. It all began on a Friday night when my two older brothers and I pulled up some chairs around my Dads bed at the hospital. At first we just sat in silence, trying to comprehend what life may be like without the man that meant so much to all of us. A victim of a senseless habit, my Dad was losing his battle with a deadly disease that took so many before their time. Although he had kicked the habit and hadn't picked up a cigarette in over 20 years, the damage of a three pack a day addiction eventually caught up with him in the form of one of the more lethal types of lung cancer. Even near death, my Dad's breathing was strong and steady and its rhythm paced our thoughts as our silent memories turned into countless shared stories. Over the next several hours we laughed and we cried as we recalled the memories that formed the fabric of our relationship with our father. While my brothers and I have always been close, we are different people and it was interesting to hear their stories from their individual perspectives. While we are different, we are made from the same thread; a thread that was created by the man that lay before us. Together, that night, we shared in a time of great sorrow, yet that thread that ties us together became stronger than ever. As the steady breath of our Dad first became sporadic and then came to a stop, we huddled together and wept.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
With only two days left on our magical Disney vacation, I wake up to that feeling of dread. As I struggle into full consciousness, I force myself to forget that the end is drawing near. The subconscious mind, however, is not an animal easily tamed. It's always the same, a few days before the end of any vacation, a certain uneasiness begins to take hold. Try as you might to push it away, it surrounds you like the cloud of dust that follow Pigpen on Charlie Brown. Although it is tough to shake, there are a couple methods that I have used to lessen the blow that comes at the end of every trip to Disney. The first, and for me the most effective way, is to plan on coming back. Even if it's not for a few years, the prospect of knowing that you will be back does wonders for those end-of-trip blues. Do the best you can to make it official. Make an agreement, right then and there, with your spouse and kids that you will be coming back in two or three or even ten years. Write up a contract and have everyone sign it, you'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel. The second, not quite as effective method, is to fill your schedule with so much to do that you don't have time to think about going home. For this trip, I have done both. We already have plans to come back next year and the next two days are packed with fun.
Today we plan on heading back to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, followed by some time at MGM and finishing the day off with Fantasmic. It is sad, but I am more than happy when we make it to the Magic Kingdom just before 10 o'clock. My wife has done a good job at setting my expectations low, so that a 10 a.m. start actually seems good to me now. After checking out a few more of the 75th anniversary Mickey's outside the park, we hop on the train to Toon Town. For the next half-hour, Caley and Alex have a blast while Connor and Christopher are miserable. In an effort to keep everyone happy, we decide to split up. The boys do Thunder Mountain Railroad while the girls do the Pooh ride. On our way over to Thunder Mountain, the boys and I stop for popcorn. We are eating our snack on the neat path that leads from Liberty Square to Frontier Land when we notice that we are surrounded by birds. These birds are quite aggressive and the smaller you are, the more aggressive they become. I need to stand right next to Alex before they would leave him alone. After Thunder Mountain, we meet up with the girls and Alex, Christopher and I do Splash Mountain. Even after applying my best remedies for those end-of-trip blues, we are all still a bit on edge. I try and talk the crew into doing Small World, but no one wants to go. With our Priority Seating time getting close for the Plaza restaurant, we decide it would be good to stop for lunch and get recharged. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse. Although we have Priority Seating, it takes over 45 minutes before we are seated. The boys are bickering, the little ones are very hungry and I am a tad grouchy. Yes, even joedisney can get grouchy on occasion. I am pretty sure they forgot about us and after a gentle reminder to the hostess, we are soon seated. Sensing the tenseness of our group, however, the Cast Member is able to quickly change our mood by applying just a touch Disney magic. Shortly after we are seated, we are interrupted by the Mayor of Main Street. It just so happens (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) that we are the 100th customer and are presented an award and a complementary picture of the special event. It was a small touch, but along with the good food and excellent service, we are all in a much better mood by the end of our meal.
After lunch we stick to our plan and take the bus to MGM. There is a huge crowd waiting for the bus when we get there. I'm thinking there is no way we are getting on this bus. As the crowd stuffs in, I am amazed by how many people those buses can hold. We are stuffed in like sardines, but we are glad to be on our way. Once at MGM, Alex, Christopher and I do the Tower of Terror. As we board the elevator Alex looks pretty scared, but won't admit to it. This is a tough ride to go on with a little one for two reasons. One, your hanging on for dear life and there is little you can do to console them if they get scared. Two, most of the ride is pitch black and you can't even see them to determine if they are having fun or are scared to death. You do get a two-second-glimpse when the doors open at the top, but unless they are outright balling, it is tough to get a read on their emotions. Alex was definitely scared, but came off the ride with a bounce in his step and ready to go again if anyone else was interested. Instead, we gathered back together with the less adventurous among us and took in the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. I hadn't seen this show for several years and it was even more entertaining than I had remembered. After Indy, we walked over to the entrance of Fantasmic. The plan is to get something to eat while we wait for the show, but Christopher and I decide to go check out the wait at the Rock'n Roller Coaster before we eat. We are pleasantly surprised when we find that there is only a five-minute wait. We ride the coaster before joining the rest of the crew just as they are sitting down with their dinner selections. I take a quick look around at the food choices before opting for one of those big turkey legs. Does anyone know what these things really are? Why do they taste like ham? Don't get me wrong, they're delicious, but they don't taste like any turkey that I've had before. As the sun goes down, it starts to get a little chilly. I am the only one without a sweatshirt, so I head over to one of the stores and get a nice long sleeve tee shirt before the show. Fantasmic is fun, but I can understand my wife's criticism that the show is a bit dark. There are an over abundance of bad guys that can be a bit scary for the little ones. Not unlike most Disney movies I suppose. After the show, it is nice to be able to walk back to our hotel, as everyone else is scurrying to board busses, trams or boats.
My plan to keep everyone busy has definitely worked its magic, as we are all exhausted by the time we get back to our room. As the kids fall asleep while watching cartoons, I take the time to scribble some notes on our day at the parks. I wonder how our experiences, while physically the same, will be recorded in our individual memories. I laugh as I think of the kids reaction to my request to ride It's a Small World. For me this ride always sparks memories of my first trip to the Magic Kingdom. The thought of my Dad singing and laughing as we floated along will stay with me forever. I guess I expected Christopher to somehow understand this. I have always believed that part of my Dad was passed on to Christopher. That, somehow, in the three days that separated the death of my father and the birth of my son, there was a spiritual bond that took place. I realize that I expect too much. That it is up to me to pass along my experiences in an effort to tie these two generations together. Just as someday, my grandchildren will roll their eyes as they are forced to go on some silly ride that triggered some distant memory that they don't understand. Such is the circle of life.
Next up: Chapter 9 (Part 2): The circle of life
Thanks for continuing!! 
