Comments on: The Happiest Place On Earth

By: Reeky

Reeky — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:32:00 +0000

My family and I were at Disney the same time as your family. We did see the magic.

My kids are 4 and 9 so we had a totally different experience. It’s hard when your children are so young.

I invite you to read about our experience over at my blog.
http://hasneydotcom.blogspot.com/2008/12/through-eyes-of-four-year-old.html

Oh yeah, one thing that did blow us away about Disney was the incredible ammount of overweight people.

By: Bubba's Mom

Bubba's Mom — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:48:00 +0000

Love the pictures! My 7yo is totally in love with your daughter for wearing that costume! Hope your holiday season goes well.

By: ANTM

ANTM — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:04:00 +0000

Best family vacation ever? Age 20. My parents rented a mini van and we toured the Wild, Wild, West. South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Disney was WAY more magical but this vacation really brought us together as a family. Perhaps it was the endless hours in the car together?

Pay it Forward: Hmmm…what about donating gently used toys to the Salvation Army but having Emilia help choose the toys. Or selling them back to a resale shop so less fortunate families can purchase them at a discounted price. Then taking the resale money and donating it to a charity of your choice. Kinda like helping out two different “classes” at once… Does that count as double pay it forward then?

By: mannequin

mannequin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:45:00 +0000

I would suffer and swelter if my child could visit Disney but I don’t know exactly why…Is it because everyone else does? I truly don’t know but I know it almost seems like an unfulfilled childhood if one is never taken there.

Pay it forward by volunteering at the local theater group. Kids can audition and/or do stage construction or a number of things. I am horrified at the thought that some children *have never seen* a play.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:45:00 +0000

I would love to take a train across the country one of these days. I suspect the trans-Canada would be prettier, too.

By: Jena

Jena — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Best vacation my family ever took? easy! 2 weeks to Kauai, Hawaii (I was 12; my youngest sister was 8). We went for Thanksgiving & my dad justified the trip because a dear friend lived there and we spent a lot of time visiting with him and his wife.

But that's really expensive. Closer to home for you: Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The whole of my mom's side of the family used to go for Father's Day (that was: 2 grandparents, five sets of parents, and 11 kids). I think I probably really started appreciating it when I was about 8--tall enough to ride some of the rides outside the kid area. And when I was tall enough to ride all the roller coasters--oh, happy day!

As for paying it forward, what about volunteering to help a kid who's struggling learn to read? It only takes a couple hours a week (which I know can seem like a lot), but I can't think of a better gift. Maybe your local library or school has a program.

By: Bitchilla The Hun

Bitchilla The Hun — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:48:00 +0000

What about giving some Disney toys to Toys for Tots or an adopt a family thing?

By: egm

egm — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:38:00 +0000

My brother, Jonathan, treated six of us to a trip to Disney World a few years ago, and even though it was exhausting (he had severe physical disabilities and required all kinds of treatments at various intervals throughout the day, and my daughter was a very active three-year-old), that trip gave us so many good memories. Jonathan died 18 months later, and whenever I really miss him, I drag out that Mickey Mouse album and look at pictures of him and my daughter watching the daily parades with her perched in his lap in his wheelchair. I have my issues with Disney, but they do know how to bring a little light into many difficult lives.

My only suggestion for a pay it forward is to give someone a family membership to a local children’s museum or any place that allows children to be children and adults to glory in the wonder of young imaginations. The best part about a membership is that you can go again and again without worrying about leaving after ten minutes in the event of a meltdown.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:03:00 +0000

Ack! You were in Orlando?!? But, but, I’m in Daytona Beach – I could have brought you food, and two more children to increase the chaos! But, I could have held the baby…. Sorry I missed you….

By: verybadcat

verybadcat — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:32:00 +0000

I kind of can't believe I'm the first person to go here, but what about some sort of support for the Make A Wish foundation? Just seemed too appropriate, what with the childhood wonder Wonderbaby experienced.

If a donation is a little counter-intuitive because of, you know, money and all, you could do something else, like:

Offering a place to stay if you are close to a child's wish.

Using any bloggy type connections to get a wish fulfilled.

Or a button maybe, that blog readers with a few spare cents could donate straight to?

My other thought was donating some Disney DVDs to a group home for children. There's one right by my office, and they do so much for kids with problems, and they do it with so very little.....