On Monday, we visited Disney’s Magic Kingdom with our three little princesses. Natalie, who’s three, had been once before, before she’d turned one. Back then, she recognized and loved Mickey and Minnie Mouse but has since gotten into more characters. So we knew her return trip would be special.
Hailey and Hannah, who are turning one next week, were pretty much along for the ride. We thought they’d be “done” early and inconsolable because of the heat and interrupted schedule, but they really seemed to enjoy the excitement. They even recognized and cackled with some of the cartoon characters. Hailey even made loud noises and waved her arms to get their attention.
When you’re running from place to place, it’s hard not to notice other families creating their own memories. During lunch, a family with eight children (one left behind) came over to see the twins. They had made the trip from Texas for their first visit to the park. Oddly enough, instead of me mentally calculating what their trip might have cost, I found myself really excited for them. This would be the trip of a lifetime for them and nothing could ever take it away.
At one point while walking outside, I watched the crowds and thought of how special it was that parents or grandparents or aunts or uncles had sacrificed their time and resources to make these children’s dreams come true. It’s a wonderful place to be; it’s clean and beautiful, the cast members are friendly, the rides are exciting and the shows entertaining. But what truly makes it magical for me is something I didn’t quite notice as much before—the sparkle in the eyes of the children and the beaming pride of the ones that brought them. If all hearts were as full as ours were, what an incredible place it truly is.
Read more posts about Disney and theme parks here.
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