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Summer at Disney vs. Winter in Michigan - A Disney Diversion
by Rebecca Pearson

As I sit here in Michigan, where yesterday it was 14 degrees farenheit, I'm DESPERATE for a trip to Walt Disney World.

I'm lucky to be counting down to a trip presently, but with this weather, it can't come soon enough! So while I try to escape to the internet, reading articles and participating on the PassPorter forums, I can't help but think of Walt Disney World multiple times a day. Then, about a week ago, I began to convince myself that being in Michigan, or any northern state for that matter, during the holidays and in the winter, is exactly like being at Walt Disney World in the summer. While the holidays may be over, winter is unfortunately not, and hopefully you can still relate to these!

1. You spend a lot of time hurrying quickly from one building to another. In Disney during the summer, this is either to escape the scorching heat or rain, or to make your FastPass window or dining reservation. "Up north" during the winter, it's to escape the sub-zero temperatures and wind chill!

2. You're waist deep in water upon occasion. Yep, this one obviously refers to pool or water park time at Disney. Just this morning, it was while digging my car out of my driveway, but the water I was in was frozen. And yes, it was waist deep. 3. There are happy children (and adults) everywhere! Obviously at Walt Disney World, you can see enough delighted children interacting with characters, riding rides, or watching parades that even the biggest scrooge might smile, even if they aren't your children. Likewise, nothing is better than watching smiling children playing outside in the snow or opening gifts during the holidays.

4. On the flip side -- somebody may have a breakdown. Whether it's your children or you, the stress of a vacation at Disney, the hectic schedule, or the lack of a nap may cause you or your children to have a mini-breakdown. At home, the stress and demands of the holidays, the wintery weather, or a roadside slide-off may cause a slight breakdown!

5. You can get a turkey leg! Only an avid theme park fan would think of Disney when they stare at the giant turkey leg on the table at Christmas, but that's exactly what I did. The holidays are a great time to get turkey legs and pretend for just a few minutes that you're in the Happiest Place on Earth, whether you like turkey legs or not.

6. You're wringing out your wet socks. Again, this can be fun at Disney. Think Kali River Rapids, Splash Mountain, even Pirates of the Caribbean in the front row. But during the winter in the Northern States, it's probably because you were trekking through a winter wonderland or took a misstep into a frozen puddle. Definitely not as fun.

7. You stand in a lot of lines. Yes, the Holidays are over, but picture yourself on Black Friday, standing in that 60-minute "queue" for the register. Not the same as Disney? Okay maybe not, but still a thrill for some, and I often find myself making friends in the line I'm on, regardless of whether it's Black Friday or at Disney.

8. Your kids get much needed time off of school, and you get time off of work! Obviously a trip at Walt Disney World may occur on a school break, and some may even occur during a school week, offering not only you, but your children a break from the "real world." Up north in the winter, snow days offer the kids some much-needed (according to the kids), time off of school, and as adults, hopefully you'll get time off at the holidays and if you're extremely "lucky," the occasional blizzard warning may give you a day off of work!

9. You can people-watch. Disney is a great place to people-watch, especially if you're sitting down, trying to rest and escape the heat at the park. During the holidays at home, any holiday or Black Friday shopping at a department store can offer an amazing array of great people-watching opportunities!

10. You spend a lot of money. I know; this is a no-brainer comparison: holidays at home, and away at Disney. Wallet empty. Ouch!

11. You have to plan your travel. Whether it's from a resort to a park, or resort to resort, or even to a destination outside of Walt Disney World; planning your travel while on vacation is a must. Similarly, during the winter, whether you're planning travel to visit family during the holidays, or just planning to leave earlier to traverse the winter roads, planning travel time and routes is a must.

12. You eat. A lot. I don't consider myself much of a dessert person, however, nothing makes me eat more desserts than the holidays at home, or a vacation to Walt Disney World. Who can resist Mom's cookie bars or a Mickey Bar?!

13. You often check the weather forecast. While in Walt Disney World in the summer, I find myself checking the forecast or looking at the sky hourly, trying to determine when the afternoon downpour will come. At home in the north, I find myself looking at the forecast, desperately trying to determine when the temperature will be above 0, or the snow will stop.

14. You spend a lot of time with a huge cast of characters. At Walt Disney World, you obviously get to see Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and any other character that you track down or stand in line for. If you want to, you can even get an autograph and if you're lucky, a hug! At the holidays, and probably with your own family, you can spend time with your own cast of characters! Whether it's Goofy, Uncle Scrooge, multiple Princesses and Princes, Anastasia or Drizella, or maybe even your own Evil Stepmother, you'll have many opportunities to visit with them. I dare you to ask for an autograph!

15. You can't wait for next time, and may even start planning well in advance! I know that for me, even during our vacations, I'm already thinking of when we'll go again, where we'll stay, and what type of tours or attractions I may want to see next time. During the holidays, I already start thinking forward to the next year, trying to plan what I'll do differently for dinners at my home, or how I'll decorate. And for the winter in general, I keep promising myself that I'll plan ahead next year and hire someone to plow my driveway, or buy a better snowblower, and if my dreams really come true… I'll win the lottery and move to FLORIDA!

So whether you're planning your next trip to Florida, counting-down to one, or just dreaming during this long winter, remember, if you look at it with your Disney Ears on, you can come up with almost any comparison to how your day at home is just like a day at Walt Disney World. And if not, just walk outside, slide down a snow bank in your bathing suit, and pretend like you're at Blizzard Beach!

Added to PassPorter's Article Collection on 03-04-2014 12:03 PM

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