Lessons from the mouse
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:03AM 
Recovering from a few days spent at the Disney parks in Orlando with my two adult kids and oldest grandson. We had a wonderful time. We got along well, the weather was great, we got to all the parks and rode on everything we wanted to ride, saw a bunch of shows and fireworks and parades, and just enjoyed each other's company. The hotel had nice enough rooms, a great swimming pool and easy access to the efficient Disney bus system. The FAME conference sessions went pretty well, too.
I was feeling really good about the whole trip until I got on the car park shuttle at the Minneapolis airport. During the 10 minute ride back to my truck, two couples discussed their week in "the Magic Kingdom." It was hot. The rides were lame. The crowds were impossible. The food was inedible. All the kids wanted to do was play in the hotel pool. They dropped a bundle. On and on they complained - with their elementary-school-age kids right beside them learning just how terrible a vacation they'd just had.
How could we have had such a great experience and these folks such a poor one - at the same place at the same time? Am I just too dumb to know when I've had a bad time? Are my expectations too low?
I starting thinking about how these families and mine approached the experience in quite different ways...
1. We read about where we were going. The Unofficial Guide to DisneyWorld is about the best $20 a person can spend to make one's trip a better one. It describes and rates everything you find in the parks including restaurants, hotels, shows, transportation systems and the rides. It gives lots of advice on how to manage your visit when the parks are busy. And it is spot-on accurate. I even bought my grandson Paul his own kids' guide which was nearly in pieces by the time we got there. He about had it memorized and knew just what things he really wanted to do. He's my kind of 6-year-old! (My bus companions seemed to be surprised that some of the rides were old, some were too scary for young kids, etc. They went in clueless.)
2. We got a jump on the day. We were at each park by the time it opened at 9AM. We went on the most popular rides first, grabbed and used FastPasses when possible, and tried to eat a bit before standard dining times. We followed a touring plan and the longest we had to stand in line was 15 minutes and for most attractions is was less than 10 minutes. We had fun at the less glamorous attractions. Mid-afternoon when it got really hot and crowded we headed back to the hotel for a nap and a swim and then sometimes went back out again in the evening. We snacked often! (For my bus companions, it wasn't a vacation unless they could sleep in until at least 11.)
3. We knew the reason for going. At least I knew my reason - to spend some time with my kids - to get a chance to talk to my busy daughter, to watch my son shop for gifts to take home to his first girlfriend, to see the excitement in Paul's eyes and voice when he talked about being chosen for Jedi training and tell his dad about it on the phone. Yeah, the rides and shows are fun, but not as much fun as seeing the whole experience through the eyes of kid who adores Star Wars, dinosaurs, and pirates. And who probably did like the hotel pool and playground as much as the parks. (My shuttle group seemed to go for the adults rather than for the kids in the group. The vacation was all about them.)
It sounds trite (and probably is) but the visit was a wonderful reminder of that happiness is less a matter of circumstance and more a matter of attitude. I chuckled the entire flight back home about my daughter's response when I asked if she wanted my upgraded first class seat or to sit back in coach with Paul. "Is this a trick question?" just popped out!
I sincerely hope my shuttle bus folks next year just find a hotel with a nice pool close to home where they can sleep in, let the kids play, and come home happy.
A thank you from my kids.
I guess they don't realize it was their inheritance I was spending ;-)
Reader Comments (7)
I'm a big fan of analogies and I'm sure there's one here for teaching. I realize that may not be the intent but I know there's one in there.
I was just thinking about our family trip this summer to NYC. How some folks from our small town said they'd never want to go there....too busy...crime...dirty...whatever. But all the planning I did made our trip awesome. My thought was isn't that how some think of the internet? They see the web as a dangerous, scary place with lots of bad stuff. I'm sure there are those places there but with careful planning and some sense of adventure, we found it to be a wonderful place. Met friendly people, saw really cool things. Very similar to my online experience.
So I don't know if your post can provide lessons beyond the actual experience nor does it have to but it made me think. That's a good thing.
Doug,
You are a hoot!!! I love to read and laugh when I read your blog entries. I wonder how much "preparing" I am required to do when I take a Disney Cruise with my grandchildren on December 30th for four days!!!! Seems I must really get going with the "reading" and "preparing"!!
Thanks for agreeing to share your expertise (and humor) with Georgia eduators at the Georgia Educational Technology Conference next month. As the program chair, I just cannot avoid having you at our conference for our media specialists as well as other educators! You're the best. As my grandchildren would say, "You da' bomb!" I DO look forward to seeing you......Best, Jerrie
Hi Doug,
We were there last week too. We took our four-year-old daughter for her first visit. I have to agree with everything you said. It was magical for her. And just because I knew she was having a magical time eating with princesses and seeing Tinker Bell fly through the air, I had a magical time. I, too, did a lot of research and made sure we were at the park 30 minutes before it opened. We also went on the Disney website and mapped out our attractions based on a "preschool" experience. Made a world of difference.
Michelle Miller
Virginia Beach Schools
Hi Dean,
I did think that the experience sort of echoed life in general. Are we prepared? Are we willing to lead? Do we know what we want?
And most people usually bring happiness with them rather than reply on a set of circumstances to provide it.
But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar ;-)
Appreciate your comments!
Doug
Thanks, Jerri.
Yes, I'd start reading up on Disney now! I don't remember if the book covered cruises or not, but if you are going to the parks, Christmas is a busy time so you'll need some strategies!
I am really looking forward to my visit with you next month. Southern graciousness and hospitality is no myth!
Thanks for writing and see you soon,
Doug
Hi Michelle,
I'm so glad you had a good time with your daughter. I had not expected the parks to be as busy as they were. It's been 5 years since I had been there, and then that was in February. I just don't think there is a low season anymore.
But the kids are still delighted, aren't they? I'd forgotten how scary some of the rides and movies were, but was reminded by watching Paul!
Personally, I'm glad we did dinosaurs and pirates and Star Wars rather than princesses, but if a granddaughter ever come along, I'll be there too! I was pleased when the Little Mermaid waved right at me from the parade float ;-)
All the very best,
Doug
Hi Dad!
We all just looked at the pictures again and read your blog. We all laughed about the picture of everyone sitting on a bench at Disney World consulting reference materials!
Paul is bubbling over from the all this. The second he got home he ran over to me and demonstrated the Jedi move that allowed him to defeat Darth Vader (which was also my dream at his age!). I can't even begin to say how thankful I am that you did this. He will never forget this, and as a father seeing my son excited and his imagination of new stories this week brings me joy.
Also, I agree with you about having the right attitude. It makes all the difference. Carrie has a saying, "We're choosing joy!" She's a smart one.
Thank you so much!
Aaron