A Decade Since Disney

Ten Years ago today Paula, Michael, James and I boarded a Delta flight at the Nashville airport on our way to the only vacation the four of us have ever taken together by ourselves. 

We went to Walt Disney World for 6 days. It was the trip of a lifetime for us. After a decade I still tell stories about things that happened on that trip. 

Of course a person's memory fades over time and I'm sure there are things about our family Disney World trip I've forgotten. 

But luckily back in 2004 I made sure that I preserved those memories in a book I call "Disney Days." It's a detailed documentation of our time in Orlando. It helps me remember the details of the trip in chronological order. It took me almost a year after the trip to complete it. 

It gives me a way to relive my first Walt Disney World trip any time I want to. I can also share the memories of that trip with any other Disney fan I meet.  

Because it was my first trip to visit Mickey and his friends, everything was new and exciting. It will always be special.  

As a matter of fact I'm probably the only one out of the four of us that even remembers that today is the 10th anniversary of our trip. But that's only because even 10 years later I'm still a Disney geek. 

I went back to Walt Disney World to celebrate my 50th birthday back in 2010. I had a great time then too. Because it was just a 5 day trip with just Paula and me it was a different experience. But it was great as well.  

My goal for the future is to go back to "The World" but this time with my sons and their wives and my granddaughter, Aria. That too will be a different experience. One that I will no doubt cherish as well. 

But there is only one first time for turning the corner at the end of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom and seeing Cinderella's castle at the other end. 

There's only one first time that makes the hair stand on the back of your neck and a tear come into your eye as you look at your family next to you watching the Wishes fireworks show. 

Those are just two of the many memories that will always make my first trip to visit Disney World stand out. So much so that I still love to talk about and relive it a decade later.