One million dreams made by the end of the year. That's the goal of Walt Disney World, where they create the magic to make those dreams come true. Will they reach their goal? Will their advertising campaign pay off? I would imagine they'll come close to having one million visitors this year, but whether those one million dreams come true remains to be seen. The unknown factor in the equation doesn't have anything to do with WDW and what they offer. It has everything to do with the families that visit - more especially, the parents who take their children there.
My partner had a business conference at the Contemporary Resort, located right outside of the Magic Kingdom - a five minute walk to the gates of everything Disney. With the prospect of time in Florida, and more importantly, at Walt Disney World, the game was on. We could purchase discounted park tickets because my partner was attending a conference. Who could refuse that deal? A four day Park-Hopper passport would be ideal - it would give us the opportunity to see the four major parks, and park hop if we wanted to during the day. Park hopping is very easy with Disney's incredible transportation system. Warm weather, no rain, experiencing the Disney charm and magic - what a great trip!
But, there were a few nightmares along with those one million dreams. Oh, nothing terrible. Nothing that would keep us from a return trip in the next decade. But I'm sure what I would consider a minor nightmare was a major nightmare for other parents. You see, Disney can give parents all the tools they need to help create the magic and make those dreams come true. But ultimately, it's the parents who are responsible for those dreams being happy and magical.
After observing models of parenting at work in the various parks, at various times of the day, here's what I learned:
1. If bedtime for your toddler or very young elementary school aged child is 8 PM on a normal night, stick to that bedtime at Disney. OK - stretch it for a bit more, but no more than an additional one half hour. Young children do not do well with changes in their routine, and when you start to play with bedtime, there are no winners. The magic fades, other guests have to listen to the cranky children and short-fused parents, and you wonder, "Where has all the magic gone?" We did quite well in sticking to a routine and there were no losers. Of course, having older children helps.
2. Before you take the plunge and decide to stand in a long line, waiting for the ultimate roller coaster, or the Tower of Terror, make sure everyone's tummies are full and bathroom duty has been taken care of. Trying to soothe a hungry tummy with 300 people in front of you and 150 people behind you makes for close encounters that aren't of a nice kind. Bathroom duty can't take place in line, so make sure everyone has done what they need to do before you begin the long line journey.
3. It's OK to miss a few attractions in each park. If you run out of time on vacation, recall the good times and the fun you had at the attractions you were able to see. Of course if you're able to stretch your stay into a seven or ten day visit, this shouldn't be a problem.
4. Plan your day the night before. Take into account everyone's wants and needs, along with your routine from home. Don't skip naps or down time - you'll pay for that later, as will those around you in line and on Disney transportation.
5. Remember, this is a kid's vacation. We saw parents with YOUNG children (ages 2 and 3) getting on the buses at 10 PM to head to Disney's Boardwalk and Downtown Disney. Some of the resorts offer babysitting services, but it wasn't difficult to wonder whose needs were being served with the family getting on the bus at 10 PM to head out to these places. Sometimes it's hard to know when to call it a day at a place like WDW, but all you need to do is ask yourself, "When do we call it a day at home?"
6. When you receive outstanding service from a "cast member" (employee), make sure you notify the management. We encountered nothing but friendly faces and outstanding service. A phone call was placed to the Director of Transportation after our bus driver to the Boardwalk made us feel like we owned WDW. We were informed that he would be receiving a highly coveted award for outstanding customer service. Who doesn't like that?
The year of a million dreams. Yes, they have the magic. Yes, they do make dreams come true. But we, as parents, have to partner with WDW to make the dreams of our children come true. A little common sense and relying on routine can turn a good vacation into a great vacation!
