Exactly a year ago we were on a flight home from Florida and the "Most Magical Place on Earth"
Today... well, we are sitting in our hometown reminiscing on all the memories and lessons we learned from our first solo trip
m: Since I was three years old, Disney has always been a part of my life. I grew up watching Disney movies, the Disney Channel, and going to Disney World almost every summer with my family. It was always our favorite place to go, and a place we felt safe and content to let the real world go for a while. Going to Disney World a lot in my childhood definitely made summer a time I always looked forward to, because I knew it meant lots of Dole Whips, rides, and happiness that I could share with my family which made Disney World a huge part of how I grew up, and a place I know I’ll always love no matter how old I am.
(Maddie and Hope in front of Rockin' RollerCoaster in Disney's Hollywood Studios)
h: Unlike Maddie, I didn’t have the emotional tie to the most magical place on earth. The strongest connection I had to the world of Disney was on my tv. Since I was little Disney World was not a place my parents were set on taking us and I was okay with that. When I got older my mom said, “it’s going to have to be a place you visit with friends, because I can’t see us taking the whole family.” Which made a lot of sense to me and gave me the freedom that I’m not missing out on an experience with my sisters. When I was asked to fill the fourth spot on this trip I kept my mother’s words in mind and thought, “this is it.” I never imagined I would be seeing Disney so soon (or ever) in my life. Preparing for the trip I was most looking forward to just the adventure of it all. Getting to the airport was such a magical experience that I could not even fathom the Magic Kingdom topping the thrill of taking off in a plane or exploring the Atlanta Airport.
(Hope at Morrocco in Disney's EPCOT)
m: When I was a senior in high school, I started talking with my sister about how now that we’re getting older and becoming adults, we truly could go on a trip to Florida on our own. We were always fortunate that we could rely on our parents to pay for our trips and get us down there and plan everything, but this time we wanted to see if this was something we were capable of doing ourselves. Planning out finances and plane tickets and doing what we wanted to do was something I’d never experienced before, and it made me feel like for the first time, I was doing something for me and not just “going with the punches.” Being in the most magical place on earth without four members of my usual Disney group was different, but I was grateful to be able to experience it in a whole new light. After so many years of being dependent on the adults around, this was the first time I realized I was an adult. As 17 and 18-year-olds, we were the ones in charge of finding a hotel, making our flight on time, and making decisions throughout the day. Being able to save up enough money and plan a trip to my favorite place with some of my best friends was an experience of a lifetime. It made me realize how many opportunities I can now decide to take on my own in the future. This trip gave me a confidence I’d never felt before, as well as a level of self-assurance. I finally felt like I was stepping into a part of myself I’d never seen before that can go on any adventure I set my mind to.
(Maddie at the Magic Kingdom with her favorite treat, a Dole Whip)
h: A lasting impression of our girls trip to Disney is my surprise at how easily I fell into independence and how comfortable it was to make choices about where to go and when. I was taught a trust in myself and in my friends in a way that can only be done through life itself. Taking a solo trip made me confident that I was going to be okay in college and that is something I am so thankful for this trip for teaching me. Not only did I learn so much but I also created some incredible memories with some of my best friends.
-m&h
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