Disney Memories from @ADisneyFamly

Photo: Noah seeing It’s a Small World for the first time at the age of two and a half…

Some time ago I reached out to my friends on Twitter to find other Disney fans willing to share their favorite memories. Because this is the week of my own family’s Disney vacation, I thought it was a great time to share these stories with you!

Tonight’s story is from my friend Valerie of @ADisneyFamly.

“Whenever I hear someone say that they want to wait to go to Walt Disney World until their kids are old enough to remember it, I cringe….because they will miss so much of the magic. There is something so extra special about going when your kids are little. Want to know why? It’s because they believe….. Young children believe in all the magic that Disney World represents. It truly is a Fantasyland of a kids reality land.

There is nothing more wonderful than watching your toddler or pre-schooler see one of their heroes. There is a sparkle in a young child’s eyes when they meet their favorite princess or any character that they love for the very first time. It’s because they believe, they truly believe it is who they think it is. After around age six, they know it’s not really Cinderella or Buzz. However from the ages of 2 to 5, it’s magic! And it’s so much fun to be with a child this age experiencing WDW. You can’t help but skip along with them, and wave to everyone in the parade, and soak in all of the excitement. The MAGIC of it all.

At age 3 1/2 my twin girls had been to WDW a handful of times already. And here they were standing in front of Cinderella’s castle, one wearing her Cinderella dress and the other in her Snow White dress. They were holding hands, and looking up at the castle in awe. Hailey says to her twin, ‘Which one do you think is her bedroom?’

Promptly without hesitation Ashley answers, ‘Oh, I think it’s the one with the light on,’ and points up.

‘That’s what I was thinking!’ answers Hailey.

And they turned to each other just astonished and wide eyed, and just laughed that girly girl laugh.

Talk about a priceless moment! This has to be one of my all time favorite moments at WDW. And it’s because they believed, they truly thought that this is where Cinderella really lives. And this is why I tell everyone, ‘Go when your kids are young!’ Sure, it’s a little more work, but it is so worth it.”
– Valerie Loftin