Oh no my parents are headed to MK tomorrow with "those people"

[DisneyChristmas]

My DHusband and I love WDW. Some years ago we did a Christmas/New Years week trip with two of his siblings and their spouses — all in their 50s and new to WDW. We spent much of our time together, but they were happy for me to go to all the holiday shows and parades on my own Dfrenetic schedule. On day #3 at the Studios, my DBrother-in-law was relaxing at Starring Rolls and absorbing the whole retro scheme. Out of nowhere he announced, “I get it now! Just sit back and get absorbed in the atmosphere” (his take on the fantasy). Hooray!

 

[Magpie]

We took my sister-in-law and her husband many years ago when we only had a four day park hopper. She moaned the whole time, could (would?) not see the point of WDW and just hung around outside the rides whilst the rest of us had some fun. It was on the last day, mid afternoon, when she actually stopped and watched the show in front of the castle in MK - totally awed her, couldn't take her eyes of off of it and was finally converted! Should have made her stop to watch it on our first day then the whole holiday would have been more enjoyable for all of us - sigh - c'est la vie.

When my son was 11, he was invited to go to Disney World with his best friend. Also going along was his friend's stepsister and her friend. So, each of the kids got to bring a friend.

Unfortunately for her, the stepsister was solidly into that, "Everything's dumb" phase of adolescence. Which gave me my absolute favourite video souvenir of the trip - cellphone video of all four kids on the Peoplemover. The stepsister is slumped down in her seat, arms crossed in the massive sulk, while the other three kids are happily hanging over the sides of the car going, "Oooooh! Look at that! That's SO cool!" Every now and then the mic picks up a mumbled, "This is dumb," from the stepsister.

According to my son, she hated the whole trip, poor girl! Her friend quickly abandoned her to hang out with the boys. I don't think she ever came around and learned to love Disney.

(Great trip according to my son - he and the other little girl got lost, were rescued by a castmember, later breathed in helium from a balloon and fainted... the whole thing was basically an 11 year old boy's idea of the Best Time Ever.)

 

[Magpie]

I was one of those people back in the 80's - walked (more like dragged by my wife and 16 year old daughter!) into MK and was actually converted in about 10 seconds. I too am in my 70's now (or as I say below - 70 going on 7) and MK is always our first stop when we get to WDW.

I'm trying to think of how and when my husband got converted... I think it took three trips.

See, when I was a little girl, I used to dream of visiting Disney someday. But as the daughter of a single mother, working multiple jobs to keep a roof over our heads, I knew we'd never be able to afford it. So I used to drop in at travel agencies and lie, saying, "My mom wants me to pick up some planning brochures for a Disney trip we're thinking about taking. What can you give me?" I got some of the BEST Disney travel books that way - big glossy bound volumes all about the parks, with travel agent cards hopefully stapled to them, their phone numbers circled in pen. And then I'd take them home and just imagine being there.

As a teenager and young adult, when people asked me about my life goals, I'd say, "Someday I want to visit Disney World!" And they'd laugh, assuming I was joking.

I filed it away in the back of my head, figuring this would be something I'd get to when I was retired and an old lady and free to do what I want.

Unbeknownst to me, however, my husband was listening. For years, though, he never said a word. Money was tight at first, though our situation gradually improved with each passing year. Vacations consisted of us visiting his parents in Northern Ontario.

We happened to be homeschooling the spring our kids were 7 and 9 (meaning our time was very flexible), and my husband suggested that instead of driving up to his parents we could load them into the car and drive down to Mississippi where my grandmother lived. We could take three weeks off for a grand road trip, see the US, and they could finally meet that side of the family. And, on our way back, he said, "We might as well swing by Disney World and spend a week there. As long as we're in that part of the US anyway."

He wanted to make my dream come true!

So that first trip was for me. A second trip, two years later, was also mainly for me. But then, in 2010, my husband happened to be invited to a big conference at Disney (they put the two of us up at the Beach Club), and somehow that did it. He got the bug. Immediately had to book a return trip just a month and a half later, so he could bring the whole family. And now Disney is his "Happy Place", we have APs, and we visit multiple times a year.

It all began with a gesture of love, from him to me.