We are less than two months away from our next Walt Disney
World trip, and it will be the last trip for the boy as a kid. What?
Yep, his last trip as a kid. I
don’t mean that we won’t ever return to Walt Disney World or that he will be an
adult before he goes back. It’s just
that he is 9 right now and in Disney terms is considered a child. When he turns 10, he is no longer a child in
the eyes of Disney. That means a higher
price tag for his tickets, being able to order from the adult menu at both
table service and counter service locations, and a more expensive trip in
general.
Often, I hear or read about families trying to decide when
to take their children on a once in a lifetime trip to Walt Disney World. The dilemma seems to be finding the magical
age between being able to remember the trip and being able to handle the
perceived stamina a Walt Disney World trip requires. My caution. ... don’t wait too long. The price goes up once your child is 10 or
older and the list of reasons not to go and activities that get in the way gets
longer. There’s a reason children under
3 are FREE at Walt Disney World—free entry into parks and free to eat off an
adult entrée or buffet at restaurants.
The boy in two months will have had 9 once in a lifetime
trips to Walt Disney World so we don’t wrestle with the dilemma of when to take
him. It was great at every age he has
been when we have visited the most magical place on earth. Just last night, I was requested to find
videos of Coronado Springs, the resort we are trying on our next trip. Particularly, he wanted videos of the themed
pool. Once I found them, I was directed
to leave him alone, but the conversation traveled from the computer to the
kitchen. “Mom, when are we going back to
French Quarter?” “Mom, does Coronado
Springs have a kids club?” Soon, I could
hear the songs of Splash
Mountain followed by the
boy’s audible gasp. It must be the big
drop down Slippin’ Falls! So this is how
a 9 year old prepares for a Walt Disney World trip. Research via video. When he was younger, pictures were his favorite
along with multiple readings of “Guide to the Magic for Kids”—click here to read more.
I’m excited about our future Walt Disney World trips; the
one in two months and the ones that have yet to be planned. When will the boy want even more
independence? Will we be ready to give
it to him? When will he want to bring a
friend? (Already he suggested that his
10th birthday party be at Walt Disney World—at least he dreams big!)
There are moments that seem so normal for our family, such
as when the boy is telling us his preference to eat at Les Chefs de France and
disappointed that we won’t be dining at Teppan Edo this trip. Yep, our then 8 year old wanted to eat French
and Japanese food, but was okay with missing Chef Mickey’s, a buffet meal with
characters. Hmmm. . . I shared this story
with a fellow Disney fan and we both laughed.
Maybe this should be normal for every family she quipped. Yes, maybe it should be normal.
We are looking forward to our last Walt Disney World trip
with the boy as a kid. But trust me, we
are still dreaming—and planning—for trips when he’s not a kid anymore, at least
by Disney standards. And we will always
be kids at heart, especially at Walt Disney World.
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