For my son’s 8th birthday, we decided to break open our piggy banks and take him to Disney World. Eight is pretty much the perfect age, by my estimation. Old enough to walk around by himself — no carrying or strollers required. Old enough to remember the trip and treasure the memory. But still young enough that he isn’t too cool for the magic. Right in the sweet spot of childhood.
The trip happened to fall on my birthday, which was supposed to be celebrated on Mackinac Island. But like all best-laid plans … it fell through. Mackinac was prohibitively expensive for three people flying in from Texas, and, well … Disney. A chance to be a kid again with my own child seemed like a great way to grow a year older.
There is something about watching your child experience a place like Disney World that makes you understand why people keep coming back.
I had not visited Disney World in many years. I went as an adult in my early 20s, but after that, there was always somewhere else to go when vacation time came around. A new country. A different city. Friends to visit abroad. Disney never made it back onto the list.
So this trip was new for me and entirely new for my son. My husband, too, had not been since he was 8, so this was a novel experience for the whole family.
We arrived at our resort in the afternoon and spent the first day at the pool. It was the perfect way to ease into the trip because, as any seasoned Disney vacationer can tell you, you have to get up early.
And we did.
We were voluntarily awake at 6 a.m. to make rope drop at Magic Kingdom. Staying at a Disney resort gives you access to the parks before the general rabble comes in. So, if you are smart — or perhaps just hate relaxing on vacation — you wake up while the sun is barely blinking its eyes, get dressed and hurry to the park buses.
You arrive, wait in line and then run around like a chicken trying to accomplish as much as possible before the rest of Orlando arrives.
I promise, it’s fun.
Even while dragging a small boy from one end of the park to the other, pouring sweat and buying ridiculously expensive bottles of water … it’s fun.
Really.
We cycled through the different parks, trying to hit as many rides as possible while realizing — a little late — that our idea of a fun ride and an 8-year-old’s idea of a fun ride aren’t always the same. Or, really, rarely are.
Add in my mother and stepdad, who joined us, and suddenly we had three generations with very different ideas about what was worth waiting in line for. One thing we could agree on? The margaritas at the Mexico Pavilion in EPCOT.
My son happily tossed pennies into the fountain while we cooled off from the Florida heat with mezcal and lime. We could also agree on a champagne flight in the France Pavilion while he munched on a croissant.
We might have had different ideas about fun, but by the end of the trip, we learned to compromise. And by compromise, I mean we did what my son wanted pretty much all the time. Because really, who was the trip for? His grandparents? His 40-year-old mother? Or all of us to watch him have an incredible time at Disney World? That, I suppose, was the real vacation — and the birthday present for me.
There is something about watching your child experience a place like Disney World that makes you understand why people keep coming back. Adults see the lines, heat, crowds, cost of a bottle of water and exactly how many miles we have walked since breakfast. Kids see something else entirely.
Three generations gathered together, experiencing Disney World through the eyes of a child, when our adult eyes just can’t see the magic quite as clearly anymore.
Maybe that’s what makes it the happiest place on Earth.
Alexandria Nolan-Miller is a misplaced Michigander navigating the vibrant chaos of Houston’s urban jungle. She travels with her husband and young son, contributing her insights and experiences to various print and digital publications. As the author of historical books rooted in Michigan, Alexandria brings the past to life through her writing. When not on the road, she can be found immersed in books, teaching, sharing stories, and chasing new adventures to inspire her next piece.
