Can I go back to Orlando?

I love Disney. I love the magic, how you feel the moment you step into the parks. The cleanliness, the wonderful service, the smiles. It rained much of the time we were there, but, we kept reminding ourselves, that a rainy day in Disneyworld is still better than a nice day at home.

Since we were there with only Addison, we were able to really appeal to her interests, and we did everything girly. She visited her "fairy godmother-in-training" at the Bippity Boppity Boutique, and received a makeover fit for a princess. We met Belle and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, et al. We enjoyed It's a Small World, a Pirate and Princess Party, parades, fireworks in Norway, belly dancers in Morocco.

Addie especially loved taking a drawing class at Hollywood Studio's (formerly MGM). A trained Disney Artist taught us step by step how to draw Disney characters. We loved it so much, we took three classes!

But for all of the magic and high tech fun, the most magical moment came just as we thought our vacation was over.

It was our last night in Florida. We were in the Hollywood Studio's park, we missed out on the closing show because it was raining. Feeling rather melancholy, we did a little shopping, and came to the realization that our vacation was really coming to a close. We gathered our sopping wet belongings and sadly started to make our way out of the park.

Suddenly, we noticed a line-up of strollers outside a theater, and music and blinking lights beckoned us to see what was happening. Inside, was a DJ, playing music for the 10 or 12 families that had gathered here. The children danced, and even though we felt a little silly in our raincoats and wet sneakers, we decided to join them. We danced to the music with Addie, and I giggled as I watched Gregg "boogie on down" in his enormous blue rain poncho, his wardrobe staple for the weekend.

I was completely caught of guard when Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy showed up to dance with us. If you've ever been to Disneyworld, you know, that you usually have to wait in mighty long lines, or pay for a "Character Meal" just for a moment with any of these characters, especially Mickey. But here they were, dancing with our family. At one point,Minnie even grabbed me, and hugged me as if I were her long lost friend. And even though I know that it's all for pretend, my heart still skipped a beat when they walked into the room. (Of course, don't even get me started on the Goofy thing, because, I still find him strangely attractive).

I don't know if this was a scheduled dance party, which it probably was, or if it was put together as a consolation to the few families that stuck it out at the park, but it felt like a rainy day at camp. When it rains at camp, we put together alternate activities to keep the kids busy. I like to call them "back pocket activities". They may not be the most well planned, costly or high tech, but we keep the campers engaged. And sometimes those rainy days are the most memorable, the rules somehow change, our demeanor, a little more relaxed.

I felt like this activity, as simple as it was, was put there just to keep the Disney guests engaged. Just when I was feeling like the day was a disappointment, they pulled this wonderful moment out of their back pocket. And for all the "imagineering", all of the beauty, the piped in music, the "fast pass" events, the gardens, the animitronics, the hidden Mickey's, the choreography, the fireworks, the laser lights and the make-believe, this simple little moment, with a turntable, my family and some Disney friends peppered in, was the highlight of our trip.