Elysha and I are taking the kids to Disney World for a week. It will be their first time frolicking at the Magic Kingdom.
I can’t wait.
Elysha visited Disney World as a child, but I did not. My first visit came when I was about 19 years old. My best friend, Bengi, and I drove from Massachusetts to Orlando to visit the Magic Kingdom.
I spent most of my time chasing after a girl.
Elysha and I were fortunate enough to have our friend and Disney expert plan the trip. Our meals are planned. Reservations made. Fast passes are secured. Wrist bands and luggage tags have arrived. An Amazon Prime shipment of snacks and other necessities is scheduled to arrive in our room just as we land in Florida.
Everything is ready to go.
As we’ve mentioned our upcoming Disney trip to various friends and acquaintances, their reactions have fallen into two distinct camps:
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Excitement about our upcoming adventure
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Warnings about the potential pitfalls of a trip to Disney World
As you might imagine, I adore the people in the first category and am astounded and appalled by those in the latter category.
It’s shocking how negative people can be when you tell them that you’re planning a vacation to Disney. They groan. They complain about the heat and humidity. They warn you about the long lines and large crowds. They whine about the drudgery of dragging kids through the parks. One person actually warned me about how annoyingly happy everyone will be.
Sadly, these awful, negative jackasses outnumber the folks who are excited for us by at least 2:1.
What is wrong with these people? How awful and dreary must your life be to denigrate Disney World to an excited parent? How stupid and sad must you be to listen to a smiling, happy father talk about how excited he is to bring his kids to the Magic Kingdom and then spend the next ten minutes warning him about the heat?
These are probably the same rotten souls who tell glowing, pregnant women how challenging and impossible parenting will be. Probably the same sad sacks who spend most of the Christmas season complaining about the crowds and shopping.
If you are one of these people who thinks that warning parents about the pitfalls of Disney World is a good idea, STOP.
You’re not helping.
Also, no one wants to hear it. People probably don’t like you.
I certainly don’t.
I was explaining this post to my ten year-old daughter, Clara, when she said, “Sometimes I feel negative about things. I can’t help it. But I’d never try to make someone else feel the same way I was feeling, especially if they looked excited or happy. That would just be mean.”
Exactly.
So if you’re about to tell a parent why their trip to Disney won’t be as magical as they’re hoping, shut your stupid mouth. Take a lesson from my daughter. She gets it.
So should you.
