They Call it Magic Kingdom for a Reason
It was a type of anticipation that probably isn’t normal for a grown man, but
it happened every year. A flow of energy that literally pulled me through the
dog days of our Michigan winters. I would write the words SPRING
BREAK in thick black marker over the selected dates on my desk calendar.
Seeing those words every morning provided a launching pad to get me
through the day. I knew the trip would lead to thousands of dollars being
spent. There is no exact price for “Magic”, so I felt that money was well
spent.
For a stretch of about 13 years, I coached back-to-back sports at Marine City
high school. A decision was made early in that span that our family would
celebrate the end of the coaching cycle with a spring break vacation.
Following the lead of some great friends and mentors (Mike and Karyn
Alley) we decided to expose our kids to the Disney experience.
Countless times I would hear of coaches getting out of the profession to
“spend more time with their family.” Many times, that statement simply
means that the wife is unhappy with the coaches work life balance. I was
blessed with an incredibly supportive wife matched with very patient
children. I wanted these vacations to create powerful memories. I wanted
experiences that would last a lifetime.
Disney immediately fascinated me, especially the business side of the parks.
I was mesmerized with the flow of crowds through the park. How
merchandise was conveniently located after every major ride. The smell of
freshly popped popcorn as soon as you entered the park. The kids (Gunnar
and Gabbi) fell in love with the whole environment as we settled into a
routine that would maximize each day. Early entry into the parks, well
thought out movement to gain quick access to popular rides, and critical
breaks in the day to recharge at the resort pool.
Kathy and I enjoyed the area and attractions so much that we invested in real
estate and built two separate houses in the Disney footprint. We placed the
houses into a rental program to offset the costs.
We love to vacation with my cousin Mark and his family, this provided the ideal accommodations for our young families. We were always amazed after spending hundreds of dollars daily at the parks, that the kids seemed to enjoy the pool at the house as much as anything else they experienced at Disney.
Fast forward 20 plus years and it is bittersweet irony of the paths my family
has taken. My daughter Gabbi and her husband Manny have just relocated to
Clermont Florida. Manny has taken on an engineering job with Disney.
They got engaged in front of a fountain near Italy in Epcot, on one of our
adult family vacations. Gabbi is an occupational therapist, and her company
has allowed her to transfer to a location in Florida. Their son Luca is seven
months old and our first grandchild. His smile will melt any ice formation on
the planet. His laugh will stop you in your tracks as the sound mimics the
pure joy of innocence.
Kathy and I recently returned from a long weekend visit where we helped
Gabbi set up in their new house. It’s a beautiful location where the screened
porch overlooks a pond and a fountain. Every night they can see the
fireworks from Magic Kingdom. Gabbi confesses when she learned of this
perk, her heart fluttered. When it came time to leave and head back to
Michigan, I quickly realized that our family dynamic would be changing. I
was flooded with emotions. I knew I would struggle to say things without
getting choked up, so I wrote her a card sharing my pride of the path she has
taken. I included a small necklace that appears to be the sun, it opens to
show an inner piece that says, “you are my sunshine.”
After an emotional goodbye, some time has come for me to reflect on
everything that has transpired and again the emotion of pride bubbles to the
surface. Was it our family vacations that led to Gabbi’s love of Disney, and
thus her relocation from Michigan to Florida... most likely yes. How can I
as a person who followed his love of coaching, have anything but respect for
Manny and Gabbi. They followed a love and a passion; they pursued a
dream.
A new excitement has been planted and is starting to grow in this grandpa. I
am semiretired and Kathy is just a few short years from her retirement. A
vision of the possibility of being snowbirds and spending not just one week,
but a couple months down in Florida. A colorful picture of Gunnar’s family
and Gabbi’s family enjoying all the Disney parks. I can hear the grandchildren laughing in the pool of a rental vacation house. I can feel the
pride of a family dinner. A well timed “dad joke” and the picture is
complete.
There is a cost associated with this dream. They say that if you throw
something out into the atmosphere it has a greater chance of materializing so
here it goes. The book, “A Run to the River” will become a best seller and
be picked up to become a screen play. Sprinkle some “Disney Magic dust”
on this and let it grow. Allow this dream to flourish in a kingdom where
anything is possible. A Magic Kingdom!
