So I sit here and read how the magic is gone for so many. But Disney does more than theatrical magic, it brings families together. Being in a place unto its own, WDW, and its other properties, is just not like being anywhere else, IMO.
Here’s my Disney feel good story…
After Hurricane Katrina, many of the family sustained severe damage to their homes, catastrophic. We lost almost everything. I could salvage what I didn’t initially take with me in the trunk of my Mitsubishi Gallant. Other family member suffered similar, not as much but similar. We just passed the anniversary of Katrina so its a reminder of what we endured. My mother in law, she lost almost everything! Just about EVERYTHING. Her house was by one of the canals that broke. Her house was 4 feet up and her water line settled at 7’8" on 8’ sheetrock. She was able to salvage 2 tupperware containers that apparantly floated up when her house filled with water. One contained comforters, one contained all of her family photos. She evacuated to Ohio, where her boyfriend had family. It was nice. She bought a reasonably priced house (compared to New Orleans house prices) and tried to make a go of life in a new place. We all begged her to come back home. ALL 4 of her children, 2 in law kids, and all 8 of her grandchildren were in the New Orleans area. Its hard to lose everything and its easy to lose faith in the area in terms of reliability. After a year and a half of asking, pleading I told my husband, she needs to see her grandbabies. We have 3 out of 8. We borrowed a travel trailer and devised a road trip to Disney. We stopped in Gulf Shores and Manatee Spring on the way there. FABULOUS TIMES. They had no clue where we were going. We left the camp ground early, early in the morning so they stayed sleeping once we were on the road. When we pulled down the hwy with the Welcome to Disney sign, we woke them up. They were so excited to see the sign. We checked into the campground and headed to AK. Told the kids DH had to do a timeshare visit but would be right back in a couple hours, (did one before so they bought it!). Me and the kids went about the day and ened up at Dawa bar area, by the bridge. DH texted take the picture. So I told the kids, say cheese! And then, turn around! DH flew grandma in for a Disney trip! To see grandma walk over that bridge, to see them run to her, to see them soooo excited and tell her ALL ABOUT DISNEY still brings tears to my eyes. That whole week, everything was about grandma and what she wanted to do, my plans be damned. And I let it go. The magic was happening. She didn’t want to rope drop to close. She didn’t want to see every show and character or eat at all the fancy restaurants. She wanted to be in the magic with her babies, she just wanted to be in the magic with her babies. After all the attempts we made to get her back home, Disney did it. She put her house on the market 6 weeks later and was back home before it even sold (took about 2 months to sell). So does Disney have magic? Yes. Is it the same experience we’re all accustomed to right now, No. Can Disney still be families together time in a magical place… I have no doubt. For the past several year MIL has lived next door (duplex, she’s always there!) Sometimes I get that “what did I sign up for” but I love her and wouldn’t change a thing. Point is, one trip can change your life. We set it up to hopefully be life changing, but sometimes things just happen in the moment. And Disney is a better place than any to make a moment! So magic is what you make it. Quit worrying about what you’re missing out on and concentrate on what you can actually do. 
This is such a nice story! Thank you for sharing!
This is actually true for every trip we’ve taken to Disney. There’s always some closure, illness, weather, lost item. Concentrate on what you can do.
And our go to: we’ll do that [whatever] next trip.
We do have a couple of Disney magic stories.
One is similar to yours. My sister moved to Washington state for a better paying job. We continued to meet at WDW every few years. And after her granddaughter was born she visited twice a year, here.
After about 4 years of that, we’re ending another WDW trip and she’s tearing up. Doesn’t want to say goodbye and we said, don’t. Move back. But, she says. But. We said, No buts, just move. You’ll get a job, get a place. You’ve got a safety net.
And six months later, she did. Cashed in something for the moving pod expense, got in her little Scion and drove. In January. Interesting trip.
Thats so awesome! I hope yall are much closer to Disney than… Washington! Live to here Disney brought another family closer together
We’re 1100 something miles from WDW, smack dab in Missouri. We drive thru Memphis and Birmingham, staying overnight in southern Alabama - about 12 hours the first day. Early on the road puts us at WDW about 2 pm, and usually into a room. Going home, we visit a park in departure morning, overnight in Alabama and home the next day.
Btw, my sister almost gave up job hunting before landing a job she loves/hates - depending on the time of year 
- and is about ready to retire.
She misses the western Washington weather occasionally except that she knows her old town is much warmer now than when she was there. And here she gets to share in her granddaughter’s growing up.
eta: I think we’re like due north of you - by about 700 miles. DD’s DH was stationed at Morgan City once upon a time.
Worth any sacrifice in weather!
Hey now! Washington may be far from WDW but it’s much closer to DLR!
Yes it is!
The first time I took my girls to DLR was in February 2010. My niece was getting married in Los Angeles and we drove down with my mom. We went to the parks one day with my mom, brother and sister-in-law. The next day we went with my dad and step-mom. Three years later, my mom passed away on March 31, Easter Sunday. That was a tough year dealing with her illness and then death. I started scheming … how could we get back to Disneyland? I found a killer hotel deal for the week of spring break (the following year) and booked it knowing I could cancel if it didn’t work out. Figured out my budget to drive down in gas and hotel on the way there and back, buy tickets, food, etc. Decided my entire tax refund would fund our trip and we did it. We were back at Disneyland on the anniversary of my mom’s passing. I’m pretty sure she would have been thrilled that we were doing something so joyful on that day! For every spring break after that until my older daughter graduated high school, we drove down to DLR. And often the anniversary of my mom’s passing would fall during our trip. And if we see a butterfly, we like to think she’s with us.
This is such an awesome tradition and tribute to your mother’s memory!
Absolutely! I’d hope for that sort of celebration after my visits are done!
Such a beautiful touching story! I too lost everything in Katrina due to a levee breech. I wish we had made a trip to Disney! I loved your moving story!