For as long as I can remember, I have had a paralyzing fear of holidays not feeling the way they’re supposed to. This Thanksgiving break was no different, except for the fact that I knew it would not feel like Thanksgiving since I was going to Epcot. Doubtful feelings arose alongside excited ones: am I too old for this?
While the idea of drinking around the world sounds enticing, something about staying in an Airbnb completely decked out in Disney decor, having my own set of blue sparkly Mickey ears, and having my grandparents accompany my cousins and I on the trip made me skeptical. I tried my best to keep my mind open and expectations low as I made the drive home from Amherst the Friday before Thanksgiving break. There were friends to see, laundry to be done, and homework to complete before my early flight on Sunday. My cousin Juliana and I turned 21 two months apart from each other this summer, and my aunt’s birthday was just around the corner, so this was our celebration trip.
As a seasoned solo traveler, my 6:30 a.m. wake-up call was nothing new, and I found that some of my pre-flight anxieties that I had experienced for so many years seemed to have died down. The plan was to fly to North Carolina on Sunday, where my two cousins, aunt, and grandparents live, then drive down to Orlando on Tuesday morning. Upon landing, I was greeted by a text with a picture of my Mickey ears along with my step-grandfather picking me up, sporting a long white beard accompanied by his white hair dressed head to toe in a Christmas suit. “Here we go,” I thought to myself as we drove home. The following two days before our trek was filled with catching up on life and anticipation for the trip ahead of us. The nine-hour drive to Florida felt relatively short and was populated with “JESUS LOVES YOU. REPENT” signs scattered along the highways. My oldest cousin, Sara, met us at our Airbnb on Tuesday night, and we walked around the festive house in awe of the decor. “We aren’t going to have matching shirts are we?” she whispered to me as we entered a room covered floor to ceiling in Elsa and Anna decor, neighboring a room that could have been taken directly out of Toy Story. I tried to brush off the mocking comments and remind myself of the positive attitude I told myself I would have.
My promise to positivity took a slight turn when Juliana and I found crumbs beneath our Woody and Buzz Lightyear comforters, and we took to the couch as our beds for the night. The following morning was slow, as we gathered on the couch to watch the World Cup, then rallied the troops out for lunch and a trip to Disney Springs.
Disney Springs was crowded. It was lined with gift shops to pop in and out of, and larger department stores which I only lasted five minutes in. We walked around and enjoyed each other’s company for hours until Juliana and I decided to sneak off and enjoy our perks of being freshly 21 and ordered a green tea shot at a bar we stumbled upon. I did not exactly expect Disney to be serving the strongest drinks (which they weren’t), but it was $25 for two measly shots, so I expected a little more from them. This was the weakest drink I had ever tasted, but it was fine since Juliana and I were giddy with excitement from the mere ability to order it in the first place. We returned to our families and drove home — and faced an hour of standstill traffic to get back to our Airbnb which should have only been 15 minutes away.
The main event — Epcot — would take place the next day, which was Thanksgiving. My Wednesday night was filled with FOMO from watching my friends reunite at our hometown bar, but also excitement for the next day. In the morning, I had completely forgotten that it was even Thanksgiving at all and got ready for the day. It was a long and busy day, as we got to the park at around 9 a.m. and did not leave until 9 p.m. “Drinking around the world” was definitely a stretch, as I realized that the drinks being weak and overpriced was a common occurrence in every country. I snacked on churros, a pretzel, a strawberry tart, and lo mein paired with a margarita, a purple sake drink, and a limoncello. The trip was lovely and I loved spending so much time with family that I do not get to see very often, regardless of my tired feet, having to walk painfully slow, and the awkward family tensions that inevitably arise. We tried our best to not complain, and my cousins and I accompanied my aunt on three more rides after our grandparents tapped out and headed home.
While I believe that being 21 was the perfect age to be able to fully experience Epcot, we were walking a fine line between not wanting to be Disney adults but still wanting to embrace every aspect of the trip.
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