Back to the Resort by 2PM
Back in December 2020, my family of four traveled to Disney World while COVID restrictions were still in place—mask mandates, social distancing in lines, and no park hopping. We purchased two-day park tickets and planned to spend our first day at Magic Kingdom. Because this park has several family-friendly attractions, I assumed we’d be able to fill the entire day with rides, snacks, and enjoy the ambiance of being back in the park after its reopening. Little did I know, my kids would be more than ready to pack it in early.
We spent the morning riding a few attractions—Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Haunted Mansion. The kids seemed to be enjoying themselves until we got off Pirates of the Caribbean and my five-year-old son discovered the gift shop at the end of the ride. He pleaded with me to buy a toy cannon that shot orange foam balls. To prevent a meltdown, I said yes, and he was the happiest I’d seen him that day.
We sat down for lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace, where neither of the kids ate anything, and my son played with his new toy nonstop. I had to remind him several times to be careful where he aimed the cannon and not to hit other guests with the foam balls. When lunch was over, my son was ready to call it a day. I’ll never forget standing on Main Street U.S.A. when my son looked right at me and said, “Can we go back to the hotel now?” Laughing, thinking he was joking, I asked him why he wanted to leave so soon, and he responded, “I just want to play with my toy.” And that was it. We packed up, left Magic Kingdom, and returned to the resort by 2 PM.
When my son was born, I fantasized about taking him to Disney World because I had heard how magical it is to take your child there. So imagine my disbelief and disappointment when I gave birth to two kids who still, to this day, don’t care about going to Disney World. To be fair, I’m sure I was like them as a kid—taking for granted my family’s yearly trips to Magic Kingdom, being stubborn and difficult while my parents dragged me from one attraction to the next, and not having the enthusiasm to be at the parks from rope drop to close. While I completely acknowledge my kids’ lackluster affection for Disney World, I hope the trips we take are creating lifelong memories that they’ll one day look back on fondly and inspire them to continue the tradition with their own families.
