Bittersweet Day at the Magic Kingdom

My wife and I took our two boys, ages 2 and 4, to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom today. It was their first visit, and they really enjoyed it, especially the four-year-old, because he got to meet many of the characters, including Mickey Mouse.

Today was also the birthday of my late father-in-law, the first birthday since his passing last May. My wife understandably was hesitant to go to Disney World on this day, but it ended up being a very nice distraction. The smiles on the boys' faces helped her forget, if only for some of the time.

On a different note, sort of, I would love to go to all of the Disney theme parks on my own some time. I am an avid admirer of the man's vision, and the attention to detail you find in the parks. One of the nice things about waiting in line for 45 minutes just for a picture with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, too, is that it gives someone like me a chance to be introspective about it all. But I'd rather be walking around taking more of it in.

As chance would have it, the History Channel aired its Modern Marvels - Disney World episode tonight. For grownups who may need a different perspective from which to see "It's a Small World" without losing a little of their lunch, I highly recommend catching this episode.