When Disney is Added to the Itinerary, a 5 Year Old's Dreams Come True: Part I

During our family reunion beach trip, my 5 year old son was surprised with a flight down to Disney for his very first 4 day visit to all four parks. His excitement was contagious as we packed and prepared for our trip. This would also be his first time on an airplane which he was equally delighted by. As a new single mom, I felt prepared to handle this journey after having flown to Oregon on 3 flights earlier in the summer. (Click here for tips on flying with children.)

We packed up and headed to he airport early. Tyler did a great job going through security and had plenty of snacks and few toys for the flight. He was glued to the window as we took off and ended up above the clouds. Something about seeing the joy and amazement in a little boy's face, especially my little boy, from experiencing something many of us take for granite is so endearing and reminds me to savor the little things in life. Moments like these are so precious and fleeting. I try to hold on to them and stay present with him sharing in that enjoyment. Once we landed and found our way out of the Orlando airport, I was hit with so much gratitude again and a disbelief that I had accomplished planning and funding this trip on my own. I can't tell you how much travel has changed my perspective, confidence and gratitude for life. I'm doing things I never thought possible just a few months back and to share these experiences with my children is so rewarding.

Our Lyft driver was also a single mom and could relate to what I was feeling. She was inspiring to me seeing her working hard to provide for her family and so full of life and happiness. Her kindness and helpfulness made that leg of our journey so much better. That was the first time I've ever used Lyft and it was a comfortable and rewarding experience.

After seeing my sons eyes light up as we passed under the Disney sign with Mickey and Minnie welcoming us in, we arrived at the Disney New Orleans French Quarter Resort greeted by smiling faces and helping hands with our luggage. It's funny how gentle, kind gestures like these make me tear up. I just feel so blessed and cared for these days and I find that I never take these kind gestures for granite. After enduring years of disregard and unkindness, it means that much more to me to have people take a few moments to show kindness and curtesy. I always try to be mindful of offering the same to everyone I meet because you never know how those thoughtful gestures will impact someone's life. Always lead with kindness and you'll never go wrong. The world needs so much more of this.

Once our bags were checked, we were free to explore the resort. Tyler was given two gold coins to make wishes in the fountain inside the lobby doors. He held each one close to his heart, closed his eyes and mouthed his wish before dropping them in. Something about being in Disney makes you believe in wishes that much more. My daughter took a photo of us together by the fountain before we went in search of lunch. Walking into the main restaurant we felt like we had been transported to center city New Orleans. Jazz music surrounded us, the air smelled of sweet beignets and spicy creole dishes while the architecture and décor made us feel like we were joining in a Mardi Gras celebration. I just love the way Disney creates these immersive experiences that take you away.

We found a cozy spot on the patio to eat and enjoyed discussing our plans for the day and people watching as we soaked in the beautiful manicured gardens and French inspired buildings. Thankfully, the pricey meals satisfied our desire for carefully crafted and authentic creole cuisine. I'd much rather pay a higher price at a destination and get great food than an overpriced average burger or pizza. That's one thing Disney seems to have a good grasp on. After eating we were able to check in to our hotel with a tap of our cell phones and immediately embarked on our first park visit. A short bus ride took us to the entrance of Epcot. The world showcase never disappoints and we had hit it during a beer and wine festival. Although incredibly hot at feel like temperatures of 103 we embraced the experience and were able to get relief in many indoor attractions. Tyler loved exploring Mexico in an Aztec pyramid as a quick wait time brought us to a night boat tour in the air conditioned building. He pointed out the volcano and enjoyed following Donald Duck on a silly adventure. We snapped one of our favorite photo ops with giant sombreros before heading to our next stop.

A few steps away we found ourselves immersed in Nordic tradition. The beautifully crafted woodwork and artistic design captivated our imaginations as we waited in a long, slow moving line towards the Frozen attraction. The last time we were here the ride was Viking themed and although just as enjoyable and immersive adding the Frozen theme and characters took the ride to a new level. We delighted in the playfulness of Olaf and Sven and the unforgettable soundtracks from the movie. It was a ride we look forward to experiencing again. Afterwards, Tyler picked out a stuffed Olaf that he held on to for the remainder of the day.

After a visit to the rest of the countries, a bowl of ramón in Japan and some live music, we ended the day by the water watching spectacular fireworks display.

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