It was four years ago. It was the first time in my life that I would be setting my sights on, “The Happiest Place on Earth”. So the time had come, different car, but similar plan, to once again make the nearly 2,000 mile round trip to Walt Disney World. This time however, we were going to add a quick new wrinkle. Kendall having only seen the ocean once, and Reese never having that opportunity, we decided that we would stop along the way for two days at Daytona Beach, a place none of us had ever visited. What a better way to spend Father’s Day, than doing something with your wife and kids that none of us had ever experienced. With the vehicle neatly packed, each girl with their travel bags filled with books, electronic devices, and snacks we were off on the grand family vacation.
Maybe it was the excitement, maybe it was the nerves, but we were not even out of Guernsey County, when the first, “Daddy are we there yet?”, “What state are we in?”, and “When are we going to stop?” questions were beginning thus prompting our first stop. I chuckled, okay, I complained about having to stop to use the facilities less than 1 hour in to our trip. I thought to myself, how long will this trip be?! Thanks to Gretchen, an excellent co-pilot, she reminded me to just enjoy the journey, something she probably should have recorded, as she was the taskmaster as the co-pilot with this job. So with that, we were off again.
When traveling, we always like to make a stop at the welcome centers. It is always enjoyable to stretch your legs, take a picture or two and to explore the “You are here” map. I often find myself migrating to the mountainous amounts of brochures of what there is to do in each of the states we are traveling through, generally picking up several then never getting to read them. I must admit, probably my favorite stop along the way is the Virginia Welcome Center. If ever traveling through the Commonwealth of Virginia, our 10th state, make sure to stop for a photo opportunity to cherish at one of the various LOVEwork locations. With the word, LOVE spelled out, the LOVEwork is approximately 16 feet wide and 8 feet tall and ties into Virginia's message that "Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation". In fact, this has become so popular that a facebook page has been created to display pictures with these signs. What a great place to remind, or in my case to be reminded, to enjoy the journey. I can’t wait to display my picture of the girls.
As the travelling continued, and visiting several other Welcome Centers along the way, we made our first stop to Daytona Beach, Florida. Upon arriving at our hotel, from the bellhops and revolving doors to the gargantuan lobby, the girls were excited to say the very least. After a few minutes of standard checking in procedures, we were off to what we would call home for the next two days. I can’t recall traveling and staying in hotels much as a child, but apparently getting to push the elevator button is real big deal. In fact, the questions, “Can I push the button Daddy?”, or “What number Mommy?” were just as popular as the, “Are we there yet?” question. This would be a common theme throughout our vacation.
Although short lived, the beach was fabulous. The girls enjoyed playing in the sand, making a moat with a new friend, enjoyed trying to body surf by catching a wave, and even had a pretty close encounter of swimming with a dolphin that decided to come by for a gander. Gretchen took a picture of me with our daughters on Father’s Day at the beach, one that I cannot wait to display. Our first leg of our journey was complete, Reese had her first taste of the ocean, now it was time to continue our journey. Next stop: Disney World.Walt Disney created Disneyland in California as a place for moms and dads to enjoy with their children and this idea extends to all of the Disney theme parks today. Over 55 million people visit Walt Disney World every year, and sometimes it seemed like all 55 million decided to visit at the same time as we did. At times this can become a bit overwhelming, if not frustrating. With the sweltering heat beating down on you, some long lines, bumps and near trips, the moniker, “The Happiest Place on Earth” is often put to the test. Once again in the role of taskmaster, Gretchen was constant to remind me that Walt Disney was a family man and that the most important thing in his life was the relationship he had with his wife and his girls. In fact, Walt Disney was and continues to be celebrated as a great dad. After all, what other dad has ever built such a beautiful monument to their children? What other dad put his children at the very center of everything he did? As a dad, it would behoove me to buy into the Disney spirit and honor the man whose park bears his name. Walt dedicated himself to building something where families could visit and have a clean, safe, wholesome place to spend some quality family time together. What a tremendous lesson we all should keep in mind while building our families.
Calling the Animal Kingdom Lodge home for the next 7 days, we were ready to go. The girls were initially and particularly excited with the bunk beds in our room. This was until they came to the window to look into the safari and realized that they were going to be sleeping within about 20 meters of various giraffes, elephants, zebras, and ostriches to name just a few animals that would be our neighbors. It was now time to settle in and get ready for the madness of Disney. Fast Passes arranged, Mickey ears on, it was go time. The Polen’s were ready, only one questioned remained to be answered, “Was Disney ready for us?”
We hit the parks at a fast and furious pace, as if we were taking a lap on Test Track. We took time to do the “must do’s”, according the 30-minute Top 7 Must-Do’s at Walt Disney World, which runs on a loop, all day, every day in the 25,000 resort rooms! From Splash Mountain to It’s a Small World. From Magic Kingdom to Epcot, to Hollywood Studios to Animal Kingdom, princess after princess. Disney has an unbelievable pace and market that you can embellish.
As frustrating as some times were, I would have to admit, yes, I would say I loved Disney. It is one adventure that I wish every father and family could experience. With lines sometimes marked as long as 90 minutes long for a 3 minute ride, you sometimes begin to question yourself. However, after waiting 70 minutes to get a picture with and autograph from Anna and Elsa, I know from experience, when you see your daughter’s face light up when she states, “Daddy, it was worth it!”, you know she is right and you are thankful that you were able to experience such an incredible moment with your daughter.
We all had our favorite moments and things at Disney. When asked by the girls what Gretchen and I liked the best, we both came to the conclusion, that our favorite things were not really things. They were not the rides, shows, and food, although all of those were great. Our favorite moments were seeing our children’s faces just glow with smiles. It was seeing their genuine excitement when meeting their favorite characters, while taking in the amazing scenery, when meeting people from all over the world, and being treated like princesses themselves. What more could a father and family want from a vacation. With that, now we know why Disney considers itself, “The Happiest Place on Earth”.
Monthly Quote: “All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney
Monthly Challenge: Take a vacation. Whether it is a single day, one tank trip, or a week long journey, make time to be with your family and see the joy in the eyes of your children. A good vacation can help us to reconnect with ourselves, our family, and operates as a vehicle for self-discovery and helping us get back to feeling our best.
