My Trip to Disney World Or One Hell of a Spring Break

Well, kids, I am taking you on a trip back to 2001, before the horror of 9/11, before my life took a personal turn, and before all the stuff that has tried to take over me happiness took over. My friend Nicole and I spent a fun-filled week at Disney World.  This was in March of 2001 when we took this lovely trip, as a matter of fact the day we flew home was St. Patrick's Day. We drove up to her house in New Jersey, and that was an eye-opener to me, because coming from the South, and not really knowing what an Italian family was like, I learned very quickly. I met her grandmother, who was the definition of a feisty woman (may she RIP), met her mother and her aunt and got treated to a true Italian dinner..and the food, let me tell you something..THAT was food!
When we flew out of Atlantic City, NJ it was my first flight, and I will admit I was nervous. I sat by the wing, and as we made the hour and 20 minute flight, I will say that I would stare out onto the wing and thoughts of William Shatner and The Twilight Zone went through my mind. The flight was smooth, and before I knew it we had landed at the Orlando airport, then we waited, and waited and waited for our shuttle bus to get to our resort.
When it finally showed up, we headed to our resort, the Caribbean Beach Resort, a amazingly beautiful resort, where a man dressed as Prince Charming greeted us and welcomed us to Disney World...he was pretty damn good looking, I remember. We checked in, and since our room wasn't ready, we headed into the park.
Now, I am a kid at heart, always have been, always will be. When I stepped onto Main Street USA, I would by lying if I said I didn't have tears in my eyes. That first day, I ate at a Cosmic Cafe, braved a Haunted Mansion, sat at Casey's Corner, and rode a Riverboat to Tom Sawyer's Island. Then that night, I ate inside a Mayan Temple...I highly recommend the San Angel Inn! Plates as big as your head!
While we are on that subject...Oh the food! The food was amazing! From the Prime Time Cafe to Mama Melrose's, from Gepetto's to the Le Cellier Steakhouse...to the breakfast at Ohana...the food was amazing!!
Then the rides...from Dumbo to Dinosaur....everything for the wild-at-heart, the young-at-heart, and the ones who are a little of everything. Only ride that I still cannot stand is "It's A Small World"....I warn you now, sing that song to me and I will go Mob Wives on your ass, hahaha!
The shopping, the entire thing was the greatest week I had ever had. Having a friend like Nicole with me, made it better too. We got pictures taken with Mickey, watched the Muppets in 3-D, watched Goofy pass out from heat stroke, got faces painted...all of it. It was the best week ever.
It's been almost 12 years since we went, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that week, and live it again.  Here is a song that reminds me of my trip and also begs the question...what if Disney World was heaven?