Orlando Still a Thrill
Orlando has never lost its thrill or its appeal to me. As a native New Yorker, going to Orlando was always the trip of a lifetime for us northern folk’. It took a year or more of planning, saving, scheduling and rescheduling. I remember vividly, marking my calendar, counting down the months, weeks, days, even hours, until our blessed trip. Ok, that’s a little melodramatic, but the point is, my Orlando vacation is part of some of my most cherished memories - it’s made an indelible mark on my life.
The Orlando vacation was the trip to see Mickey, palm trees, orange groves, princesses, castles, and rockets!!! I remember the magic, the excitement, fireworks, and oh, the food. I felt as if I had found America’s Neverland, where time stands still, and people, all people, from every land, culture, background, economic status, color, and age, all shared this unspoken bond of hope and joy.
Disney so poignantly describes the Magic Kingdom as “the place where dreams come true.” I believe that can be said of Orlando itself. It’s more than a vacation destination, but it’s a dream vacation, when for maybe a week or two, there is wonder, family, and did I mention, food???? Suddenly, life doesn’t seem as serious, and there’s a recollection of lost feelings, feelings of security, safety, pure happiness, and love. It may be a certain fragrance in the air, or a familiar landmark, or a giant Mickey cookie that causes these feelings to rush back to our hearts and minds.
Five years ago, when my family decided to relocate to Orlando, Florida I was elated, but also a bit apprehensive. Would Orlando now become commonplace to me? Would the trip to Disney still hold a sense of awe and magic for my children, who now only live 25 minutes away? Would my Neverland become a distant memory of childhood lost?
Yet, here I am five years later, still in awe of Orlando. I work for a company, Global Resort Homes, which allows me to share in the making of so many new and beautiful memories. I have the opportunity to see the faces of so many children, who much like me when I was child, have counted down the months, hours and days for this trip. I also get to tell them that I know Mickey personally….and that we’re actually neighbors. In any given day, I can speak to a person from Ireland, South Africa, Spain, or Japan. I get such joy when I see their faces light up as I tell them about all the area attractions in addition to Disney, that Orlando offers. As I describe the incredible water slide at Windsor Hills, or the dancing water splash pool at Oakwater, or the plasma TV and PlayStation 2 that is located in their own personal game room at Cypress Point, I know that I am playing a small part in the making of a memory. For so many of our guests it’s one of many new memories to be made, for some our guests it’s some of their final memories, but they all share the same expectation - everyone wants to see a dream come true!!!!
Dana Broadway
Add comment May 19th, 2008