Disney Time

They say the person who needs a vacation the most is the one that just came back from one. By “they,” I really mean me. As The Wife and I leave port for our eight-hour drive back to our normal daily routines, we know a truer statement has never been uttered.

But this story isn’t really about our first Disney cruise. It’s about something even more magical than anything the Imagineers or even Walt Disney himself could’ve dreamed up.

Disney Time.

Our cruise didn’t really begin when we left Port Canaveral. It began months earlier when we were deciding how to celebrate our twenty-seventh wedding anniversary. If I’m being honest, “Why don’t we take a Disney cruise with the grandkids?” wasn’t exactly at the top of my list.

Disney Time is expensive.

It didn’t take long browsing the four, five, and seven-day cruise packages to realize that sailing with the famous mouse and company was going to cost us a whole lot of cheese. Still, you only celebrate your twenty-seventh wedding anniversary once, and there happened to be a rare “book now and save ten percent” promotion. So…we booked it.

A Surprise in the Mail

A week before departure, a package arrived containing our Disney watches. They were the key to everything. They opened our stateroom door, reminded us of upcoming events, let us board and leave the ship, and allowed us to purchase almost anything onboard with a simple tap. I even used mine each morning to buy a hot chai from one of the coffee shops strategically placed around the ship.

We drove the eight hours the day before boarding because we didn’t want the vacation to begin with stress. Besides, as soon as we pulled out of our driveway wearing those watches, The Wife informed me we were officially on Disney Time.

Disney Time means you don’t hurry, and you stop worrying about everything. Oh…and you absolutely do not start counting the days until you must go back to work.

A Pleasant Surprise

Our hotel was just around the corner from the beach, so after checking in and taking a short nap, we enjoyed a long evening walk along the shore. We watched seagulls darting along the waves looking for dinner. Across the jetty stood Cape Canaveral, where rockets launch into space. Unfortunately, that evening’s launch had been canceled.

The next morning, we drove, parked at the dock, and got in line to board. To say the fifteen-story ship was impressive would be the understatement of the year. From the first-ever water roller coaster and spectacular Fourth of July fireworks to Disney’s private island and the countless moments of laughter with family, everything somehow encourages you to slow down. Except the first-ever water roller coaster of course.

Nobody seemed rushed.

Nobody seemed stressed.

We were all on Disney Time.

So here are a few vacation takeaways.

First, if we go again, we’re adding an extra day before the cruise. We both want more beach time, a visit to Kennedy Space Center, and – if we time it right – watching a rocket launch.

Second, you don’t need the Disney watch to pay for the buffets, soft drinks, or ice cream, they’re included. The watch also won’t help much when you step on the scales after you get home. That’s where you finally “pay” for all that free food.

Third, take a few pictures…then put your phone away. Between the live dinner shows, beloved Disney characters strolling around the ship, and a crew of 1,400 determined to make your vacation memorable, you’ll discover that the best moments aren’t always the ones you photograph.

Fourth, after an hour of early-morning driving on the way home, I confidently tried to use my Disney watch to pay for my hot chai at that famous coffee shop with the green sign. It didn’t work.

But it did make the barista smile.

And finally, though perhaps this should have been first, there’s only one thing better than Disney Time.

Family Time. 

And that’s the best time of all.