About six months ago I told my friends at Disney Canada that they'd never catch me dragging my kids into an amusement park the size of Ottawa, Ontario. They rubbed their hands together as though given a dare. They welcomed the challenge of my anti-Disney sentiment and were confident they would one day convince me of the Disney magic. To prove it, they cooked up a plan to get me down to Orlando to see it all for myself. Those Disney folks may seem sweet, but underneath all that they are a determined and committed crew, especially when it comes to converting the Disney non-believers! My reasons for never having been to Disney World and never planning to go were legitimate. First up, I find princesses profoundly irritating. The books my girl kiddos read come directly off the anti-princess reading list. I also get a bit antsy when I'm surrounded by hyper kids on sugar highs. It probably doesn't help that seeing exhausted toddlers forced to stay up late makes me want to shake parents and say "can't ya see the kid is no longer having fun??" Bringing five kids to Disney just seemed too hard, plain and simple. Plus, I don't like to mess with a good thing and my kids think going to the cottage is high-end holidaying.....no need to raise that bar! So I post this today fresh out of my first Disney World in Orlando experience. I attended an online media event where Disney Canada kindly hosted me and a half dozen other mama blogger types for four days of the finest they had to offer. As a Disney first-timer, my head is still spinning from touring fabulous resorts, visiting the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Epcot. I will have a hard time forgetting the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Mickey's parade, the fireworks, Playhouse Disney, Fantasmic, Downtown Disney, Character dining, IllumiNations and so much more. Let me tell you, once away from our computers, we mama bloggers can pack a lot of action into a few short days! So am I a Disney convert? Well, let's say that I will concede to now understanding the 'magic' I hear everyone going on about. Am I ready to pack up my crew and head for sunny Orlando? Perhaps. One thing for sure is that it no longer seems like the impossible and daunting task it once did. ***shameless Mabel plug: I wouldn't step foot in the place without all my kids wearing our Mabel 411 wristbands!***