And to think…it all started with my mom!

When I was fifteen years old, my mom and stepdad took my sister and I on our first visit to Disney World. We stayed at the Contemporary Resort and we really liked it. We spent most of our time laying out by the pool, but I do remember going to the parks and I remember how I really enjoyed the luau at the Polynesian Resort. Even while we were there, I did not have any idea how that first visit would direct my life in the future.

They took me and one of my friends back for a second visit when I was 17. We spent the whole time at the parks and it was a really fun time. Still, it did not seem to impact me in a way that was life-altering. I wasn’t thinking to myself, one day I am going to get married, have children, and bring them here.

It wasn’t until I had my first child and fell so in love with him that I wanted him to experience everything wonderful in life, everything happy and beautiful. I wanted him to experience Disney World.

We struggled financially and the chance of being able to take him was really just a dream. Being a working mom and dealing with all the guilt associated with that, I had started one tradition with him that I always stuck to. I used to take him to McDonald’s every Friday after Kindergarten class. McDonald’s always had promotions going where you peeled something off your cup to reveal a possible prize. Wouldn’t you know it – I won a trip to Disney World! There was only one problem. When reading through the fine print, I found out they covered the resort and tickets but the winner had to cover transportation to and from and meals. Well, that wasn’t going to happen because we couldn’t afford meat for the freezer nor less traveling and meal expenses for Disney World. So, we couldn’t go. I placed that winning ticket in my bible and never talked about it. It is funny that years later when I mentioned it all to my dad, he was dumbfounded at how silly I was for not realizing that he would have covered the traveling expenses if he had known.

Still, something inside me was just determined to take my son to Disney World. My ex-husband had what I considered to be a bingo obsession. He would play bingo at the local hall waiting for that one big hit. He always asked me to go but I never would. Several months after the McDonald’s let down, though, I decided I would go. I told him before we went that if I won anything, it was going into a Disney trip fund and would be used only for that purpose. Wouldn’t you know it, I won $500 the first session and then $500 the second session. I didn’t make any friends that night, as you might have guessed, but there was one thing I did make — enough money to take my son, my step-son, my husband and myself to Disney World.

I planned the trip out very carefully. We saved a lot by driving from Texas to Florida. We stayed off-site at a hotel in Kissimmee that I cannot even remember the name of now, and we purchased tickets without the park-hopper option. We ate cheaply and didn’t splurge on souvenirs but I cannot remember one moment when everyone was not smiling. It was a dream come true! A dream that I believe was planted in my heart twelve years before during my first trip to Disney.

I married my current husband in 1992 (who incidentally was my high school sweetheart during my first visit at 15). We had a son in July 1993 and the dream started all over again. When he was old enough, we would take my son, my step-daughter and our new baby boy to Disney World. I told my husband how important this dream was to me and, thankfully, it became important to him too. I really wanted to share that magical place with him as well.

Money was tight but we planned a trip for June 2000. I remember being so excited but nervous at the same time. What if my husband didn’t like Disney World? This might be my last trip – EVER! I planned everything to be as economical as possible but with some frills like park-hopping. Thankfully, my husband fell in love with DW as much as I had. Now, it is the only place we go. Appropriately, my mom has gone on many of our trips with us and those have undoubtedly been the best trips for all of us. Our family has grown up Disney and I believe it was meant to be that way.

My children are now 25, 20 and 17. One day in the next few years, I will probably be looking into the eyes of my very first grandchild with the same dream in my heart – that one day I will take him or her to Disney World. I hope I am afforded the time to do just that. But, I know that just as my mom started this Disney lover on a journey of a lifetime, I have offered the same to my children and believe that whether I am here or not they will carry on the tradition.

So, today, I would like to thank my mom not only for giving life to me but for starting me on the path of a wonderful, happy life. I love you mom!

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