by Robert Spalding

Created on: January 07, 2009

The first time I visited Disney World was with my grandparents when I was six years old. The place had only been opened a few years at the time and a few of the attractions were not done yet. It was the first of many summer trips with my grandparents who had decided that my parents needed a little time alone away from me.

I'd like to think that my grandparents really wanted to spend time with me and that I wasn't that hard to handle and that it was only a coincidence that I had become a bit of a handful that previous winter. Sure I had painted the grout of our bathroom with my mom's lipstick and had a "gun fight" with a friend using my mom's tampons but don't all kids do those sorts of things?

Whatever the reason for the trip I was really excited. It was the first time I was on an airplane and my grandfather, having worked many years for Boeing, explained every sound and movement to me. He had even managed to secure us seats over the wing so I could watch the mechanisms during take-off and landing.

When we landed in Florida it was hot and bright, funny how that happens in Florida in July. It was so bright that our first order of business was to buy me sunglasses, the first and only time I have worn them and not looked like a complete idiot.

All I knew was that we would be going to Disney World and I was so excited but my grandparents had other plans as well, some of these didn't excite me. We went to SeaWorld and on day long drives to other places before the fateful day came.

Finally the day came. We parked in a lot named after one of the Disney characters which by the end of the day we would assuredly forget. I remember the monorail ride and being terrified that the car would fall from the rail, such is the imagination of a little boy. What I remember most though is arriving at the gate to pay for our admission. My grandfather was shocked, shocked and appalled by the high price of admission. Now I don't remember and perhaps I never knew what the price was but I'm sure it is nowhere near the second mortgage causing cost of entrance Disney World now charges but my grandmother had to convince my grandfather not to turn around and leave. This tantrum would set the tone for the day.

My grandparents were part of the generation who survived the Great Depression, who defeated Hitler and the Japanese and who managed to save money and work hard. My grandparents were certainly no exception, they worked hard, they paid off their mortgage in half the time they had planned and

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