Travel: Disney Land

    It's funny, but of all the places I've traveled to, "the most magical place on Earth" had never been one of them until last spring.  I wanted to go as a child, but it was out of the question and after one visit to a local theme park, I decided I was a one and done kind of park goer.  

    It's not that it wasn't fun, it was just so much...so much driving, so much waiting in line, so much muddling through crowds, so much money for everything, so much junk food, so much dizzy, whirling.  

    When I had children of my own, and they asked if we could go to Disney Land some day, my response was, "No, it's too much."  But suddenly, here we are just an hour away from not one but two Disney theme parks, both of which are within easy distance of reasonably priced lodging.  

    So, it wasn't too much anymore and I really had no other reason not to go, but I wasn't expecting to enjoy it.  Since I'm not big on theme parks, or rides, or Disney in general, what I expected to do was quietly stand back and let my little ones revel in the magic while I looked for a place to sit down and pop an Advil or two.  

    But, that's not what happened at all, and there really is a reason it's called the most magical place on Earth (or "the happiest place on Earth", depending on which coast you visit in the States).  I can't explain exactly what it was that made it so great, but I think it had something to do with the fact that everyone from the performers to the street sweepers was kind, patient, and professional.  They knew how much this sort of experience can mean to a child or an entire family.  

    Although I had low expectations, the truth is that I loved every minute of it.  I was hooked from the moment we walked through the gates til we squeezed onto the train heading back to our hotel loaded down with souvenirs and a giant Marie balloon that kept bopping serious looking Japanese business men on their heads.   Our visit was to Tokyo Disney, but we have firm plans to visit the one and only Disney Sea in the next few months and I may be even more excited than my children.