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3/10/2017 Disney 2.o! Over the years, our family has vacationed at Disney dozens of times! We have taken our children and grandchildren from as young as twelve months to eighteen years old and enjoyed making wonderful memories with each of them. My husband, Bobby, and I teased our baby duck for years saying that once she moved away, “Dad and I will go play at Disney World all by ourselves”. It was certainly interesting the first time we actually found ourselves at the ‘happiest place on earth’ without any children and we learned some fascinating aspects!
Leah and Dad in the year 2000. Disney through the eyes of a child is beyond magical.
Sleeping InOne of the many advantages of staying at a Disney resort is admission to the parks an hour before normal opening time. Bobby and I spent years getting up at dawn with the family to take advantage of the extra time and beat the crowds. On our own, we decided not to set the alarm and enjoy sleeping in. Surprise! Our eyes popped open at the usual time and needless to say, we were up and at it and ready for the rope drop each day. It was like our heart knew, the parking is opening early and you can beat the crowd.
We love the Magic Kingdom early in the morning with or without children.
NapsThe kiddos love when we spend the hottest part of our Disney day at the pool and then return to our rooms for naps. This gives everyone enough rest and energy to stay out late for the incredible fireworks and parades. As it turned out, Nana and Papa still needed a nap even though we were not chasing the children around!
When you stay in the park, a nap is just a moment away.
Quiet DinnerCharacter meals are always splendid and a definite must when we are all together! Bobby and I also took the opportunity for a quiet dinner and discovered the wonderful African cuisine and atmosphere of the Boma restaurant. The evening was a Disney highlight for us. Disney 2.0 is a completely new experience.
ShoppingBeautiful art and jewelry are waiting to be found throughout the Disney parks! Without children, our pace was much slower with plenty of time to explore items and details that would not interest small children. Well, maybe some of it would interest them.
MemoriesBobby and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together at Disney. Every step we took brought back precious memories of family adventures; playing on cars at Epcot with Smalls, one-year-old Agnes staring in the mouth of each furry character, Princess Ana meeting our Ana for the first time, Elizabeth curtsying to every cast member in her princess dress, Admiral watching the parade with strangers, or Parker kissing Drusilla on the carousel. Best of all, I love the memories of our big kids playing with their babies.
Disney 2.0: New PerspectiveTraveling together gave us a new perspective. Traveling alone or just with another adult encourages you to look at Disney in a different way. You travel through time to a childhood filled with memories like when ‘the rain came down down down’ on Pooh or when Ariel got her legs. Our entire trip alone we were planning our next family vacation to Disney. We calculated who would be how old and what rides they could ride and what different resort we should try.
Time away from distractions and other friends provides amazing cousin bonding time.
Traveling as an entire family creates bonding time between siblings and cousins and these magical moments without work, television, or the doorbell are the perfect recipe for amazing memories. I’m glad Bobby and I got to go alone. It gave us time to dream up our next family adventure, where we can watch our children play with their children! Disney 1.0 was the best time of our lives but Disney 2.0 is a close second. If you enjoy Disney information and would like to ask more questions, please join us in our closed group Going Out The Door Disney. Thank you! |
I’m a storyteller, adventurer, and lifelong Disney fan who believes in making the most of every moment. Based in Branson, MO, I combine my love of imagination, exploration, and organization to inspire others to create magical memories and meaningful days.
As a children’s book author, I write stories celebrating family, creativity, and connection. I’m also passionate about time management and have developed tools and systems to help people stay organized while leaving room for adventure and fun—whether at home or in the parks.