Disney World, part 2

So...Tuesday was DISNEY DAY. So grateful that Mom and Dad took Daniella and I to Disney World when I was 8 and Daniella was 6. The memories came flooding back as we pulled into the park. We girded ourselves for long lines, no food (Drew had forgotten most of my lunch back at the resort; we had, on the advice of Darryl and Daniella, bought lunch the day before at Publix so we wouldn't have to stand in line and pay for Disney's overpriced food) and what I thought would be a pretty unpleasant experience.

It actually turned out to be FANTASTIC. Not as crowded as last year, apparently; we had FastPasses for three rides, which allow you to skip the long lines on popular attractions, and for the one ride we waited for (45 minutes), a slightly scary roller-coaster, the wait was worth it because of the quality of the ride and the little things along the way that they had to keep kids busy (a feature where you could stick your hand under the water and it turned different colors, for instance), so that the time seemed to fly by. We of course took Rachel on the "It's a Small World After All" ride (halfway through she said, "This is getting annoying," but later claimed she'd really loved it) that I remembered from way back when. Mostly we walked around looking at stuff and resting when we were hot, eating lunch and then  drinks when we were dehydrated.

During one of our rests, Rachel turned to us and said, "Thanks so much, guys, for taking me to Disney World." That is one of the most wonderful things about our daughter -- she is generous about expressing gratitude.

I should note here that Rachel's first FastPass ride request was the Hall of Presidents. How many 6 1/2-year-old girls do YOU know who would choose that? (Thought so). Anyway, it was actually a good exhibit; they had some presidential tchotkes and a dress that one first lady had worn, and then there were animatronic (at least, I think they were animatronic) characters representing Lincoln, Washington, Clinton, and even Obama -- we all enjoyed it. (On a "jungle cruise" with funny cruise guides and animatronic animals representing different jungles of the world, the cruise guide seemed quite surprised that Rachel's favorite event so far had been Hall of Presidents. This is what happens when you have a kid who is as obsessed with history as Rachel is...)

Also at one point, after the slightly scary roller-coaster ride (that was a couple of hours after what I thought would be scary log flume drop, and I almost didn't go, but then said sure and was glad I did, because it was only 3 seconds and very doable, and then the teacup ride, which I thought would leave me horribly dizzy but wasn't so bad) I called Mom and Dad and said that now I know what Dad went through when he felt compelled to go on all the scary roller-coasters I insisted on going on (including Space Mountain, which is still there, Dad!). He wasn't much younger than me when we all went to Disney (I believe he would have been around 40 or 42), and I can't believe what I put him and Mom through (she reminded me that she and Daniella refused to go on anything scary, so they had each other for company). So...thanks again, Mom and Dad. Yet another small reminder that I get the whole parenting thing in some small way.

We had dinner at the Crystal Palace, which Darryl and Daniella had smartly reserved for 7:30. It was buffet-style and the food was quite good (I got to to try spoon bread, which I am now determined to recreate), and Disney characters kept coming around to our table -- Winnie the Pooh, Eyeore, Piglet and Tigger -- and Rachel got their autographs for her autograph book (the only thing we would buy for her; she was actually very good about not nagging us for things) and I took pictures like mad.

(The other thing we bought her was a key chain for her teacher, Mrs. McAdam, that says, "#1 teacher," because, as Drew said, "We're buying this for you because you wanted to get something for someone ELSE, not yourself.")

We finished up just in time for fireworks, which Rachel watched after sitting on Drew's shoulders, and then I offered to carry her back. And then, she fell asleep in my arms. Just totally conked out. Which means I carried her for what felt like 5 miles (was really probably 3, between the walk, and then holding her on the ferryboat back, and then the walk/wait for the tram, and then the walk back to the car); she is about 50 pounds and getting heavier by the day, but I refused to let Drew or Darryl help me. (Call it the legendary Lisa Lednicer stubbornness).

On the way back I whispered into her ear, knowing she couldn't hear me, "I hope you remember this, Rachel. When you're 13 and you hate me, remember I once carried you 5 miles -- 5 MILES! -- back from Disney World to our car."

I hope she'll remember this trip for the rest of her life.