5/30/14 06:57
Last Monday we flew back from Orlando. Ever get nervous with the slightest turbulence? I was like that on the way back to Long Island, and there was no reason for the nerves - the flight
was fairly smooth. We spent a total of
four days at the Disney Parks. Left last
Thursday on a 6:15 flight from Islip. It
was the first time flying for the whole family in about ten years. Joe was nervous as well as Bella who sat next
to me on both legs since I have more experience flying. The time together at Disney was a graduation
gift for Emma Tess who is graduating from high school, as well as Ali and I
celebrating our twentieth anniversary. I
took the week off from work since it was…time to take a week off. The first day of vacation was volunteering
almost a full day out at Quill Hill Farm in Amagansett where the stoic poet and
noble farmer, Scott Chaskey warmly welcomed us.
The organic farm is on the Southern fork on Long Island. It was a beautiful day, a good gust of wind
as I worked side to side with female graduate students from Stony Brook. After a few hours my left knee begged for
mercy, but I still huffed it out, listened and partook in the folk song the
young organic farmers were singing - as we pushed our fingers through the soil
and planted the seedlings. The following
day I was back at the Sharing Garden with Iman and a student from Stony
Brook. We planted seedlings, added
mulch, and I learned some basic yoga poses which I have been curious about. In a little while I will head back down to
the garden and work for an hour or so before starting my real work…
Before I wrap this up I have to share some of the experiences
at Disney. We stayed in a suite at the
Art of Animation Resort. There was a
large pool in the center which had a good crowd, you can hear music playing
under the water and I was struck by the various sizes and shapes of the parents
and children who could care less. We
were half asleep as we swam. And what an
easy transition from the airport to the resort, don’t worry about the bags –
they get from the airport to your room.
Walt Disney World is a good place to get a perspective on what sort of
tattoos strangers will imprint into their flesh for eternity. Super heroes, Superman crests, dragons and
Mickey’s ears which were oval shaped and not centered. Why?
The crazed eyes especially on the mothers who use their strollers like
tanks as they zip through the pockets of people who may be strolling and taking
it too slow since there is some place these mothers have to be at…character signing? Speed pass?
The bathroom? Who knows and who
cares just get out of the way or you will be roadside casualty. I fell into the role of the quiet father who
follows the orders his wife commands at Disney, you know, the yes dear whatever
you’d like to do dear. And I am perfectly
fine with this role. I don’t need to
think. My wife loves Disney…and so do I…but
she knows what she wants like the mothers with the strollers. Got to see the Belle show, it starts in five
minutes and we are here and there it is.
We need to get past the Muppets area, the big hat and past the Star Wars
and then we can make it. With the new apps
Disney has, you can know in advance what the lines are like for the rides. The apps are great but were a little slow. We did not make it to Animal Kingdom, darn we
did not do the rapids or the Everest roller coaster, but Emma and I did take
the rocknroll roller coaster and again it scared the shit out of me. There is the countdown, three to one and I
was slammed into the back of my seat roaring down the tracks at 60 miles an
hour and directly into a loop…and more loops and dives. It was a blast. Amanda and Emma and I rode the Tower of
Terror. Amanda screamed in my air, clutched my arm, digging her nails into my
flesh as we dropped stories in pitch dark.
It was a scary and more intense than I recalled. We rode the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Roller
Coaster which was less severe and yet fun.
Also last Friday Magic Kingdom was open 24 hours which is a rare
event. Ali and Amanda and Emma and Joe
stayed out late…got back at 03:30…and we started out late on Saturday. Since we stayed in a resort, well this was an
economy one, we were able to take the shuttle buses which make life easier, we
could go to the park, bask in the heat, get exhausted and go back to the suite
and take a nap. The suite slept all of
us and had two full bathrooms. It was a
good size. We had the meal plan and
again this made life easier, we had good meals and snacks and refillable cups
for the resort. After four days at
Disney, we woke up, finished packing and slowly waited in the lobby for the bus
back to Orlando International. We did it
and we survived and what was most impressive we did not have to use our credit
card. We actually saved money each week
for this trip which is a responsible act for us – the credit card was our
choice in the past…with the goal: eventually we’d pay it off…slowly and painful…but
not this time. The primary reason, we
didn’t have little ones who wanted everything.
Still, while riding the shuttle bus after visiting Magic Kingdom, I
looked at the young families and felt the longing. Not missing folding the strollers which are
huge. And these days, the seats are side
to side instead of front and back. Not
missing the cries or the exhausted and dazed eyes who may look up at you and
ask…when are we leaving and you’d think we just spent $350 to walk in here and
you want to leave? What?! So, you try distractions. Look at the castle and the fireworks and
listen to the music…and you wrestle with this banter within your mind; is this really for the kids
or are am I trying to escape from the real world and discover the magic I
abandoned decades ago…the distraction…wishes do come true; well only at Walt
Disney World.
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