Disneyworld

Disney World Resort Map

Disney World in Orlando, Universal Studios, CSI: Miami and the Everglades - it is all we think of when someone says Florida. When I, as a 10-year-old hemiplegic sufferer, heard this same word, it was Disney World that caught my attention!

Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse
Statue at the Magical
Kingdom.

For many kids, it is to quote Walt Disney "a wish come true." A chance to see all your favourite Disney characters, I'm not afraid of admitting my favourite was Pluto the dog and being disappointed at not finding Simba or Winnie the Pooh, seeing as these two characters made up my early childhood. No, I refused to see Peter Pan when there as I'd watched it enough with two of my closest cousins enough to recite the story line backwards and by heart. Despite living my life around geology, environmental engineering and having a simple fireworks display being transformed into a quick scientific periodic table of elements once I reached high school age (thanks Mum! thanks Dad!), going to Disneyworld is, in my opinion, the better park to go to. Unlike Paris, California and Tokyo, Orlando has a lot more to offer and a lot more opportunities to explore.

Animal Kingdom!!

As the second resort park after the original in California, Orlando has expanded and developed into the largest resort, with the likes of the Animal Kingdom, EPCOT [Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow], Universal Studios and Disney Downtown being added onto the outstanding complex of the Magical Kingdom, with its landmark Castle and Walt Disney and Mickey statue. During my time there, I also saw everyone's favourite chipmunks Chip and Dale but didn't see everyone's favourite triplets, Hewey, Dewey and Louie.

Myself unafraid of showing my
disadvantage as no-one
cared about my
limitation.

 As a hemiplegic, it gave me a chance forget that I was different, especially when there was another hidden reason for my visit to the massive complex. My dad had a friend whose son was also disadvantaged and he wished for that boy to experience some kind of childish wonder in the word. As disadvantaged kids, there was a lot of pressure to see us both achieve well as we were definitely at the back of the pack when it came to our academic studies and how we saw the world. So, as the child who was going to this wish and dream come true place, I made a vow to enjoy it for us both and to bring him something back in return so that same boy could also live like a child for a time and to give us a time to forget that we were in the proverbial and stupidly named outcast group.

EPCOT!

This is why kids at some point should get to visit Disneyworld Resort, or even its sister complexes in California, Paris and Tokyo, for the wonder of Walt Disney's legacy can touch every child, whether they be able-bodied or disadvantaged, allowing them to dream and wish and fuel their creative imaginations.