Happy Birthday Walt Disney World

Selfie at Magic Kingdom
2014

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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October 1, 1971 the world changed for the better.  Walt Disney opened the Magic Kingdom providing families from around the world a theme park experience like no other.  It blows my mind to think Disney World is only a couple years older than me.  

I've been obsessed with Mickey Mouse for as long as I can remember.  My second birthday was nothing but Mickey.  My family made its first trek to Magic Kingdom when I was in kindergarten.  I don't remember much from that trip, but we did take a followup vacation there about four years later that I remember well.  

Honeymoon with Pooh

When I was a freshman in high school we spent Christmas break in Florida and an entire day at Epcot.  I got a Pluto t-shirt as a souvenier.  Other than that as a teenager I found the park boring.  Ten years later, my wife and I honeymooned at Disney. And as parents, my wife and I (along with my folks) have returned on three separate occasions.

The most recent trip was in October 2014.  Here's a highlight reel and blog about that trip.  

We are headed back in Spring 2016.  The high school marching band that my son is a member of will be marching at Magic Kingdom during spring break.  I can't wait to return, even if for a day or two.  Believe me when I tell you the Disney "magic" (although pricey) is a real thing.  

Spring Break: Then and Now

Spring Break views in 1995 and 2015

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

In March 1995, a dozen of my Sigma Nu fraternity brothers loaded three different cars for a week of fun in the sun.  Our destination was Panama City Beach, Florida.  It was my senior year and first spring break getaway.  Fast forwarded twenty years, and my wife and I loaded our minivan and surprised our three kids with a spring break trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Obviously, spring break is much different when you're a 21-year-old college student compared to a 41-year-old father of three.  As I sat in the water park at our resort, I thought about how things had changed over the last 20 years.

In 1995, we all hung out at the infamous Club La Vela at night, having a good time...

In 2015, the only club I saw was the one I held during a rousing round of mini-golf at MagiQuest in Pigeon Forge.

In 1995, we paid $10 to drink all day at a place called Sharky's Beach Club.

Sharks at the Ripley's Aquarium

In 2015, we spent part of the day looking at sharks at the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.

In 1995, a collection of pop tabs needed to be picked up and thrown away.

In 2015, Pop Tarts' crumbs were collected that needed to be picked up and thrown away.

Both trips were a blast for very different reasons, obviously.  New memories were made this time around with the four most important people in my life.