Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
How Disney Kept Me Going, When I Had Nothing Left
Walt Disney World is an interesting place. Everybody who goes down does so for a reason. Perhaps it's to see the smile on their kid's face. Perhaps it's to put a smile on their own face. Or perhaps it is to take spectacular photographs, or to tell someone how much you love them. Four parks, numerous rides and countless cuisine types, there is something for everybody.
For me, Disney started off as one of those prior reasons. But after some events in my life occurred, it has evolved into so much more. Disney kept me going when nothing else in the world would.
The first occurrence was during when I had an identity crisis. I had been out of college a year and a half, all spent in the field I had earned my degree in: accounting. As we all do, I had a review where my boss told me that I was not spending enough time at the office, ignoring the four hours of work I would do in my apartment every evening. Yes, it wasn't in the office, but it was work. And then my boss told me that I should not be leaving at 5PM to pick up my father from the train station and drive him back to his office, because my job was more important than my family, because my job paid the bills. I learned just how untrue that statement was, but that's during the second occurrence of when Walt Disney World kept me alive and kicking.
It was after that meeting that I decided that it was time for a change, and a big one. I needed to not only change jobs, but careers as a whole. Of course, this was not an easy transition, there was a lot of self-doubt. After all, I had just finished up college, spent countless hours investing in an education for a career in accounting. And now, I was deciding whether or not accounting was for me. Previous to this meeting, though, I had planned and booked a trip to Walt Disney World. Throughout the months that followed, interviews, long conversations with myself and my parents as to the direction I was heading, the knowledge of going to Walt Disney World kept me going. When I was at my lowest point thus far in my life, it was the knowledge that eventually, I would be going down to Walt Disney World kept me going. For months, I would wait with baited breath to find out park hours, and stress over dining reservations rather than stressing about not having a job. And when I got my job, when my Disney vacation finally came, it mades so much more sweet.
The second example of this is slightly more extreme. Those people who follow me on Flickr have known small details surrounding a house fire my family and I were subjected to back in June. Fact of the matter is that our house caught fire and burned to the ground. Very little that was in the house was salvageable, whether from fire, smoke, or water damage. We were, for all intents and purposes, starting over. Again, luckily, I had found out back in January that I won 3 free nights stay at a Disney-area (but not Disney-owned) hotel from an online contest sponsored by WDWLive.com. Throughout the tears, the pains, the realizations of what was lost, my family came together. During a hurricane in our rental house, we used my MacBook Pro to watch the Modern Marvels for Walt Disney World, because the cable was out and the generator still allowed the TV to work. When I was sad, thoughts of spending time down at Disney kept me pushing through. Knowing there was something good on the horizon, and each bad day I suffered through would bring me closer to a few days where nothing could hurt me. Disney was providing a feeling of safety that nothing else could provide. It did the same for my parents, too, as the trip I won was only for two, and I took my younger sister down for part of her graduation present. They ended up booking a trip as well, to the Grand Floridian for my Dad's birthday, just the two of them.
So, the deposit paid for my next trip in May, my dining reservations locked in, I am so thankful that there is nothing bad happening. I get to look forward to my trip to Disney unhindered by a job search, or by daily trips to a burned out hulk of a house, looking for whatever little trinkets, however meaningless before, survived. Ironically enough, however, it will be that sort of trip for my travel companion, Mike. My roommate in college, Mike has never been to Disney before. And shortly after booking our room, he lost his job. I told him, "Mike, in May we are going to be down at Disney, laughing about this whole ordeal." And we will be: he just accepted a job offer after two months of being unemployed.
Walt Disney World. Keeps you pushing through things were you normally thought all you could do is curl into a tiny little ball and give up. When my tank was on empty, that magical place kept me going through.
For me, Disney started off as one of those prior reasons. But after some events in my life occurred, it has evolved into so much more. Disney kept me going when nothing else in the world would.
The first occurrence was during when I had an identity crisis. I had been out of college a year and a half, all spent in the field I had earned my degree in: accounting. As we all do, I had a review where my boss told me that I was not spending enough time at the office, ignoring the four hours of work I would do in my apartment every evening. Yes, it wasn't in the office, but it was work. And then my boss told me that I should not be leaving at 5PM to pick up my father from the train station and drive him back to his office, because my job was more important than my family, because my job paid the bills. I learned just how untrue that statement was, but that's during the second occurrence of when Walt Disney World kept me alive and kicking.
It was after that meeting that I decided that it was time for a change, and a big one. I needed to not only change jobs, but careers as a whole. Of course, this was not an easy transition, there was a lot of self-doubt. After all, I had just finished up college, spent countless hours investing in an education for a career in accounting. And now, I was deciding whether or not accounting was for me. Previous to this meeting, though, I had planned and booked a trip to Walt Disney World. Throughout the months that followed, interviews, long conversations with myself and my parents as to the direction I was heading, the knowledge of going to Walt Disney World kept me going. When I was at my lowest point thus far in my life, it was the knowledge that eventually, I would be going down to Walt Disney World kept me going. For months, I would wait with baited breath to find out park hours, and stress over dining reservations rather than stressing about not having a job. And when I got my job, when my Disney vacation finally came, it mades so much more sweet.
The second example of this is slightly more extreme. Those people who follow me on Flickr have known small details surrounding a house fire my family and I were subjected to back in June. Fact of the matter is that our house caught fire and burned to the ground. Very little that was in the house was salvageable, whether from fire, smoke, or water damage. We were, for all intents and purposes, starting over. Again, luckily, I had found out back in January that I won 3 free nights stay at a Disney-area (but not Disney-owned) hotel from an online contest sponsored by WDWLive.com. Throughout the tears, the pains, the realizations of what was lost, my family came together. During a hurricane in our rental house, we used my MacBook Pro to watch the Modern Marvels for Walt Disney World, because the cable was out and the generator still allowed the TV to work. When I was sad, thoughts of spending time down at Disney kept me pushing through. Knowing there was something good on the horizon, and each bad day I suffered through would bring me closer to a few days where nothing could hurt me. Disney was providing a feeling of safety that nothing else could provide. It did the same for my parents, too, as the trip I won was only for two, and I took my younger sister down for part of her graduation present. They ended up booking a trip as well, to the Grand Floridian for my Dad's birthday, just the two of them.
So, the deposit paid for my next trip in May, my dining reservations locked in, I am so thankful that there is nothing bad happening. I get to look forward to my trip to Disney unhindered by a job search, or by daily trips to a burned out hulk of a house, looking for whatever little trinkets, however meaningless before, survived. Ironically enough, however, it will be that sort of trip for my travel companion, Mike. My roommate in college, Mike has never been to Disney before. And shortly after booking our room, he lost his job. I told him, "Mike, in May we are going to be down at Disney, laughing about this whole ordeal." And we will be: he just accepted a job offer after two months of being unemployed.
Walt Disney World. Keeps you pushing through things were you normally thought all you could do is curl into a tiny little ball and give up. When my tank was on empty, that magical place kept me going through.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Mr. Toad's Last Ride
Really love this picture of a hidden gem at the Haunted Mansion. An often overlooked detail, but also a wonderful homage to former attractions and the history of Walt Disney World. Even when moving forward, Disney Imagineers remember to honor their past.
Change of Pace
So you know that part where I said this wouldn't be a regular Disney blog about when I'm going and what I'm doing? Yeah, that's not so much going to work anymore. Obviously, I did not have near enough to say about that.
But I will take this space to post up about my upcoming trip, and to post up pictures from my previous trips. To start, I won a contest a few months back that would get me down to Orlando and staying for free. And that is where I start.
Well, after some back-and-forth (actually, a lot of back-and-forth with the travel agency that provided the prize) I finally got my room booked. Now I just have to call and tell the hotel that the reservation is for two people instead of one, and that we'll need two beds for sure; I invited my sister to come along, after all.
So, October 20th to 23rd I will be in Orlando, and am excited to go back down. After the car crash, one emergency move before my roommate's house was foreclosed upon, and the house fire, I could really use a vacation. I haven't booked flights yet, but I will fly down EARLY on the 20th and come back as late as possible on the 23rd. No rental car because the hotel we're staying at will be running shuttles.
I did, however, promise my sister we would go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter whilst we were down there. Now, I've never read the books, I've never seen the movies (and I have no desire to do either), but my sister (who is 21, will be 22 in a couple of days) really likes it, so we can go for her. That seems to be the day one itinerary, which was important to iron out. This is because on the second day, October 21st, my sister and I will be going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! I've wanted to do MNNSHP for a long time, and this is the best excuse to. I just bought my tickets two days ago, so I am locked in and cannot wait there. I've been trying to figure out a good costume idea; I think with my mop of curly hair I might be able to pull off a pretty good version of Aladdin! I'll have to look into getting poofy white pants.
So that is it for now. Still trying to figure out the food things; obviously we won't be needing dinner reservations either the first or second nights, but perhaps the third day (perhaps in EPCOT to enjoy Food and Wine?) we will eat somewhere nice, and I'll clue in the dining service that my sister graduated college, to make it a little special for her. So much to figure out, but at least I know I'm going down.
But I will take this space to post up about my upcoming trip, and to post up pictures from my previous trips. To start, I won a contest a few months back that would get me down to Orlando and staying for free. And that is where I start.
Well, after some back-and-forth (actually, a lot of back-and-forth with the travel agency that provided the prize) I finally got my room booked. Now I just have to call and tell the hotel that the reservation is for two people instead of one, and that we'll need two beds for sure; I invited my sister to come along, after all.
So, October 20th to 23rd I will be in Orlando, and am excited to go back down. After the car crash, one emergency move before my roommate's house was foreclosed upon, and the house fire, I could really use a vacation. I haven't booked flights yet, but I will fly down EARLY on the 20th and come back as late as possible on the 23rd. No rental car because the hotel we're staying at will be running shuttles.
I did, however, promise my sister we would go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter whilst we were down there. Now, I've never read the books, I've never seen the movies (and I have no desire to do either), but my sister (who is 21, will be 22 in a couple of days) really likes it, so we can go for her. That seems to be the day one itinerary, which was important to iron out. This is because on the second day, October 21st, my sister and I will be going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! I've wanted to do MNNSHP for a long time, and this is the best excuse to. I just bought my tickets two days ago, so I am locked in and cannot wait there. I've been trying to figure out a good costume idea; I think with my mop of curly hair I might be able to pull off a pretty good version of Aladdin! I'll have to look into getting poofy white pants.
So that is it for now. Still trying to figure out the food things; obviously we won't be needing dinner reservations either the first or second nights, but perhaps the third day (perhaps in EPCOT to enjoy Food and Wine?) we will eat somewhere nice, and I'll clue in the dining service that my sister graduated college, to make it a little special for her. So much to figure out, but at least I know I'm going down.
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