My First Disney Trip

Favorite Vacation Moment

Disneyland®

by iamericfuentes May 22, 2009

my mommy n me back in the early 80's

My Disney experience is probably not unlike many others except that it is MINE. All my life I wanted to make it to Disney World. I grew up in Oxnard, CA which is only about 1 1/2 hours from Disneyland. I grew up in a 2 parent family that was a loving as it was financially poor. My 1st trip to Disneyland was with my parents at the age of 5. Just my mom & dad, and me. I had friends & even some cousins who's parents were able to afford trips to Disney World. Not us. But, Disneyland would suffice for the next 33 years. A few years back I chose to make Disneyland a holiday destination not really placing much thought about it. I was not prepared for the sense of innocence, the magic in the air that seems to permeate from every beautifully dressed light post, every Christmas song playing, the SNOW! I knew I found something I wasn't even searching: a Holiday travel destination! ME. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks. But it was nothing compared to what I was about to experience.
My partner & I decided it was time to realize a long lost dream of mine: Vacationing at Walt Disney World. I decided to begin my research on the Disney World website. While adding the figures & trying to make sense of the plethora of options they list there I looked over to the right of the page & saw a button which featured Goofey & read "Do you know the Disney Secret?". Well.... in between hour 4 & 5 of scouring the website for helpful hints on dollar stretching I was ready for a break. I clicked on that button & it changed my life. The math added up & we decided to make our dollar stretch.... for a lifetime. Last year, my dream of going to Disney World came true. Not only that, I got the absolute star treatment. As a member of the Disney Vacation Club I got to stay in a suite overlooking the Savannah at the Animal Kingdom Resort. I woke up to drink coffee WITH GIRAFFES! I posted all of my pics at http://gallery.mac.com/iamericfuentes#100594&bgcolor=black&view=grid I gotta tell you, coming from the mean streets of Southern California I was not at all expecting any of the kindness & hospitality that I received while staying there. Every single person - not just cast members - SMILED! Disneyland is great, but it's no Disney World. We shopped at the many awesome shops, saw amazing shows including Cirque du Soliel's La Nuba & enjoyed generous dinners at the many wonderful restaurants. I knew it would be great but I didn't even dream of how amazing it really was.
I can honestly say that I am a much happier person today because of this. AND, this year we get to do it all over again but this time I'm realizing another dream: taking MY FAMILY with me. Mom's going to flip! I can't wait to see the sparkle in her eyes from the reflection of all of the holiday lights this December. And I have YOU Disney, to thank for it! THANK YOU.