If you have ever been to Walt Disney World in Florida and stayed at a Disney resort, you are familiar with the words “Welcome Home.” This phrase is repeated by everyone from the bus driver, the concierge, the bellhop, the maid and the cashier at the store to the workers at the theme parks.
At first it was a little amusing when I heard this, but after the fifth time or so it became somewhat eerie. I wondered whether or not these Disney people had been drinking some kind of Mickey Kool-Aid and were part of a weird cult. This cynicism slowly faded as I saw the wonder in my five-year-old daughter’s eyes and understood that they were all part of making the magic happen for her (and for her Mommy and me, too).
Disney is all about magic from the moment of arrival. There is a sense of stepping through a looking glass, a sense of wonder that springs from the child we all still have hiding somewhere inside us. It took me a bit of time to adjust to this, but on the way from the airport to the resort, when I saw the road signs with Mickey ears and the billboards announcing various rides at the theme parks, I was hooked as much as my daughter was.
The mat outside each room at Disney Saratoga Springs has the words “Welcome Home” on it, and the room was a comfortable little “villa” with a complete kitchen, a large master suite (with Jacuzzi), a large living room, and a balcony with a lake view. There was a spa, two golf courses, and four pools on the grounds (each with water slides and spraying fountains). Needless to say, though the accommodations were lovely, my daughter’s focus was on getting to the parks (and staying in them for as long as possible).
The first stop on this six-day whirlwind tour was The Magic Kingdom. Since this vacation coincided with our Easter break, we went at a time when seemingly a million other people had the same week and a half off. As we entered the park through the train station and came out onto the sunny Town Square, a parade was in progress and the enormous crowd was enthusiastic. As the floats went around the circle, my daughter caught a glimpse of Cinderella waving to everyone with her Prince at her side. She tugged on my sleeve, gave me a quick thumbs-up, and returned her attention to the parade.
Article comments
1 - diana hartman
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Boston.com, where it will be enjoyed by even more readers.
2 - Victor Lana
Thank you, Diana. As always, I appreciate opportunities such as these. Thanks for letting me know.
3 - steev janssen
hope you used their photopass service! it is awesome. ;)
4 - Victor Lana
I should have mentioned Photo Pass in the article. That was a really great idea. In every theme park there are photographers standing in strategic locations who will take your picture, scan your card, and then you can access them online.
This takes a lot of the worry about missing a shot out of the equation, and the pictures came out great.
Thanks for reminding me, Steev.