Swimming to Disney World

So, yeah, I took J to Disney World.  It was hard to say no, even though I had sworn we wouldn't go until she was at least six (and even then I meant the much-closer Disney Land).  But J's aunt was at a meeting in Orlando for the week of J's 4th birthday and invited us to squat in her hotel room, and since G is in the National Guard, we got Disney tickets for less than half price.  A few e-mails, and I got the week off.  So, yeah, I took J to Disney World.

I guess I live in a dreamland, because it did not occur to me that the week of March 12 was spring break.  Spring break here is the week of the 26th.  But, in fact, for a good deal of the East Coast and the Midwest, spring break was the week of the 12th.  So the place was packed.  We didn't get to see and do everything I wanted J to see and do.  But once I reminded myself that it was about what J wanted to see and do, I relaxed and we had an amazing time.

After flying the redeye Sunday night, we got to the hotel Monday morning around 11 and napped for a couple of hours.  After lunch and a shower (me), we got off the ferry and entered The World.  

And, um, holy crap.  I should back up.  I have four siblings.  When we went on vacation, which was maybe twice in my memory, it was to somewhere like the Illinois State Fair, where we'd stay at a Super 8 and feed quarters into the Magic Fingers on the bed.  I had been to WDW twice before as an adult, for a grand total of three days.   My most recent visit was in 1996.

WDW has changed a LOT since then (no Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, for starters). Moreover, I had never experienced it through the eyes of a child. More particularly, through the eyes of MY child. WDW does embody a lot of things I hate:  excessive consumerism, marketing to small children, long lines and heat.  But it also has something I love.  A LOT.  WDW has magic.

When I told J we were going to Disney, she was much more excited about the plane ride.  She has seen a few Disney movies--Dumbo, Peter Pan and Cinderella.  She also knows Winnie-the-Pooh and the classic characters, Mickey Mouse and his buddies.  (From watching "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" at her old daycare.  Just one reason she doesn't go there anymore.)  But there are many, many more she doesn't know. She's never seen The Lion King, Cars, or any of the other Princess movies.

In short, she had no concept of Disney World.  Neither of us had any idea what to expect, but within five minutes of walking into the Magic Kingdom, she tugged at my hand, eyes sparkling, and exclaimed, "Mom, I LOVE this place!"

The next day was her birthday, and I had booked a character breakfast with Pooh and friends at the Crystal Palace.  All the other breakfasts had long been sold out, but Pooh would probably have been my choice anyway.  She thought the buffet was super-fancy (chocolate Mickey Mouse waffles! strawberries! three kinds of melons!), and she loved that they brought her a cupcake with a candle.  It was all just perfect, except that, as it turned out, J was scared shitless of all the characters--Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and even Piglet.  She would not talk to them, touch them or look at them.  She spent a great deal of the meal under the table, where they could not see her: 

Money well spent!

Tempting fate, we did wait in line to see the princesses.  J said she wanted to see Cinderella, and well, it was her birthday.  Big mistake at the end of a long, hot day.  Fortunately, the line was indoors, but at the end of that line, they usher you into a big room where Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Cinderella are seated in identical alcoves (color-matched to their dresses), ready for their meet-and-greets.  But my daughter would neither meet them nor greet them, unless I went up with her.  So I ended up in all her photos, looking fat, sweaty and ready to kill someone.  Good times!  

J loved, loved, loved everything else, and so did I.  Dumbo, Peter Pan, the merry-go-round, Small World, even Splash Mountain.  She laughed until she almost wet her pants at the Country Bear Jamboree (there is no WAY old Uncle Walt was not constantly stoned).  I loved her loving it.  And since the tickets were cheap, we I didn't feel bad about just spending a few hours each day at the park.

Because, of course, what she really wanted to go was swim in the hotel pool. My guidebook had warned me that 76% of pre-schoolers report that their favorite part of WDW is the pool.  J is part of that 76%.  Her new trick is "ballet swimming," where she holds on to the side of the pool and does arabesques.  My new trick is a mai tai in the shallow end.

A chacun son gout!