Expectations

Have you ever had certain expectations that have not been met?  For example, I took my DD who is 2 to see Finding Nemo 3D. We own the movie and she loves it. I just knew that she was going to find seeing it in the movie theater, in 3D no less, amazing. I had high expectations......they were not met.

If you've ever taken a toddler to see a movie, you know what I'm going to say. She would not sit still. She wanted to be held half the movie, which made eating popcorn difficult. (Isn't the popcorn half the reason you go to a movie? It is for me). She would talk to me or her daddy in her normal, and loud, speaking voice. She wouldn't keep her 3D glasses on. She wanted to walk around the theater. It was a mess.She made it difficult for the entire family to enjoy the movie.

Basically, my expectations were not met. I was expecting her to hand me my "Mother of the Year" trophy and instead, she acted like a 2 year old.  This got me thinking about our upcoming trip to Disney.  What if my expectations aren't met? What if the trip if a disaster?  Can I handle a less than perfect Disney vacation?


We all know that a Disney vacation is not just a vacation, it's an adventure. There are so many sights, sounds, tastes and experiences to be had by all. Not only do you get to see your favorite Disney characters in person, but you get to eat meals with them or shaped like them (think Mickey waffles), you get to experience shows and parades, and ride exciting rides. You also get to experience heat, humidity, rain, cold, rain, and more rain. Add to the unpredictable weather the high levels of crowds, some of whom don't know what deodorant is, lots of walking, and lots of waiting (well unless you allow me to plan your trip where I give you tips to limit your waiting) and you get a lot of frazzled people.

Please don't misunderstand me. I would never trade a trip to Disney for anything. Just seeing the joy on my children's faces is enough to outweigh any irritations that I might face along the way. But, as any vacation spot, Disney can be trying even on the best days. My point, y'all, is that no vacation can live up to the expectations we have for it. Not even our beloved Disney.

What we can do to help make any trip magical is lower our expectations. I don't mean that you shouldn't expect it to be a wonderful, magical trip, just don't expect your family or the people around you to be perfect at all times. Don't be shocked when your child or DH is exhausted and becomes cranky.  Don't be surprised when the people around you aren't filled with pixie dust and try to cut in line. Don't break down when it begins to pour and you are soaking wet. These things can happen, but how you handle them is what will determine if your trip is a happy trip or not.

DH gets tired and cranky, have him park himself on a bench or in a restaurant while you and the kids hit some rides or shops. People are cutting, just ignore them or tell a Cast Member if it's really bothersome. It starts to rain, pull out that handy poncho you should have had packed or buy one at the gift shop and keep going. 

If y'all remember to go with the flow and keep in mind that things will come up, you will have a much more enjoyable vacation.

See y'all real soon,

Wyndie