Sometimes it is entirely necessary to disappear. The middle of winter is a good time for that. When the weather is dark and grey and all that is visible outside is brown foliage covered with ice and snow, it is time to flee for a while and gain some perspective. We opted for Disney World.
This planned escape started almost two years ago when we told the kids, "when Meg is old enough to remember the trip" we would go. They held us to that promise. And so, we procured airline tickets and with the help of relatives and friends were able to find a place to house the seven of us and getting us into the parks without completely breaking the bank. We left exactly one week ago on an airplane bound for Orlando and it was perfect!
Disney World is truly an amazing place if you ask me. Yeah, there is a lot of merchandising and food is too expensive, 
but they are one of the single largest employers in the country and most of their employees seem to be fairly happy with their jobs. I like Disney's optimism, tenacity and vision. Each of the theme parks that we visited had a fairly good message. For the Magic Kingdom it was believe in your wishes and dreams really can come true. Epcot was all about the earth and the people on it - we are many people of many cultures but we all share the same home - it felt a little like taking part in the Olympics. The Animal Kingdom was my family's favorite and expressed the importance of taking care of the other species on the planet - the animals, the plants and the insects. Oh, and it also had the greatest roller coaster ride as well.
but they are one of the single largest employers in the country and most of their employees seem to be fairly happy with their jobs. I like Disney's optimism, tenacity and vision. Each of the theme parks that we visited had a fairly good message. For the Magic Kingdom it was believe in your wishes and dreams really can come true. Epcot was all about the earth and the people on it - we are many people of many cultures but we all share the same home - it felt a little like taking part in the Olympics. The Animal Kingdom was my family's favorite and expressed the importance of taking care of the other species on the planet - the animals, the plants and the insects. Oh, and it also had the greatest roller coaster ride as well. I do realize that most of those messages were probably lost on my soon-to-be 5 year old who was completely enamored with the Princesses that she was able to meet, but I think that some of it did sink in for the teen and pre-teen in the crowd.
The other thing about Disney is how memorable it is. I have been to other theme parks and amusement parks, but I don't remember much from them. I think that Disney is so much more memorable because most of the rides have a slightly scary aspect to them - a story line that you get to be a part of and then some aspect of it becomes frightening, but with a good resolution. When you are scared or stressed, you remember things more clearly. I have very clear memories of the first time that I went to Disney when I was 8 
due mainly to the fact that I was freaked out by some of the rides. I don't remember being scared, but I definitely remember them.
due mainly to the fact that I was freaked out by some of the rides. I don't remember being scared, but I definitely remember them. So, we had a memory making week and now it is back to the same old grind for another few months of winter. But spring is coming, followed in short order by summer and as we remember and process all of the memories from this week, we can start planning for the next fun adventure. To use one of Disney's own phrases, "there is a great big beautiful tomorrow..."
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