Appreciating all that makes America special

Travel: Disney World

We'd never heard of Lake Buena Vista, Florida before Disney World. Shoot, we'd barely heard of Orlando. Then the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, and...BOOM! Uploaded by i2ko.com.

It would be challenging to try to sum up all the great opportunities available at this Florida megapark. The thing is, I don’t have to describe it to most people. Chances are, you’ve already been there. If not, you’ll certainly want more details than my four or five paragraphs can supply.

But I can’t do a post without giving a nod to all that’s available for family fun. SO…basically, there are four main parks: The Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Then there are two additional water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Then there’s what Disney calls “Things to do”: Downtown Disney (shopping, dining, entertainment), Disney’s Boardwalk (shopping, dining, clubs), the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex (game fields, Atlanta Braves spring training), and five golf courses.

Whew. I’m worn out just typing it all.

Uploaded by cheezhead.com.

Of course, that’s just scratching the surface. There are parades, and characters, and theme hotels and campgrounds, and special events throughout the year. There are playgrounds, pools, and beaches. In fact, if you’re willing to spend money on it (and it’s legal), you can probably enjoy it at Disney World.

Two things stand out in my memories of the place. First, it’s obsessively clean. Wonderfully, unrealistically, enthusiastically clean. And second, I forgot time. I was in another dimension that wasn’t dependent on clocks. Of course, that doesn’t mean I forgot about time altogether, because there are lots of reasons to bring your watch. But it was a step outside reality, and I loved it. It comes with a fairly steep price tag, but it’s one of those “we’ll go now, worry about money later” places. Really, it is…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAWu4YQMfT8]

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