I have had the pleasure of visiting Disney World twice in my
life. The first time was as a young child. I was seven years old. I remember
myself as sometimes being very afraid of the world at that age. But all fear
was gone when I rode “It’s a Small World After All.” My family and group lost
me for the next long hour or so as I jumped the line and rode it over and over
again until I was spotted, nabbed, and led back to my parents. It was a turning
point in my life to see that the world wasn’t scary after all. There were two
other things I distinctly remember from that trip: I was sadly whisked through
the World Showcase when all I wanted was to explore every nook and cranny of it
and I REALLY wanted a Mickey Mouse shaped Ice Cream Sandwich. With five
children and a strong sense of equality of treatment, this would have been a
costly endeavor for my young parents.
Fast forward twenty seven years. Christmas time is
approaching and all my siblings are preparing to spend their Happy Holidays off
with the families of their spouse. I, being single, don’t really have an alternative
to an empty house with just Mom and Dad, though I love them dearly. My
childhood friend Madelene calls me up, “Heidi! Do you want to go to Disney
World with us for Christmas?” Well, that was an easy yes. So I flew down to
Orlando to join in the Holiday Festivities Disney style with my dear life long
friends. On Christmas Day we make plans
to meet up at Epcot Center for lunch. After delicious Moroccan Cuisine, our
group scatters and I find myself standing alone looking out over the World
Showcase. It was my Christmas gift from God. He remembered my childhood wish
and I explored every nook and cranny of those vignettes on my own terms and ended
the glorious experience with none other than a Mickey Mouse shaped Ice Cream
Sandwich. It is a gift I will never forget.
Thank you Disney for helping a young child see that all her
dreams can come true.
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