Carey and I have been coming to Walt Disney World for almost twenty years.   Except for times when it was closed, we have always gone on Spaceship Earth, the large geosphere at EPCOT, which transports its riders  through time in the context of the history of communication.    In the last two years, the attraction has gone through a major change and  refurbishment.   Although I miss some of the former scenes, I love the addition of mathematics and the fields it made possible, including communications from space and the dawn of the computer age.   I particularly love the scenes of the large computer rooms with blinking lights and rows upon rows of tape drives, as they bring back fond memories of when I worked for the University Computer Center at the University of Southern California.   (No that is not me in the mini skirt and boots.)

At the end of the ride, the passengers are asked to choose their future.   They are asked a series of questions, and then a far distant future is built for them, where space travel is a means of everyday commuting and automation removes many of the hassles of everyday life.   Although we laugh everytime we sere our faces superimposed on this fanciful future, I come off the ride wondering how best to plan my own future during the brief time I have with my fellow passengers on “Spaceship Earth.”

The day finally arrived.  We woke up at 3:30 AM, our car to the airport picked us up at 4:30 AM and then at 10:30 AM we were finally on Disney soil.   As soon as we passed under the welcoming arch, we felt the stress of our daily lives melt away and entered  a world where dreams really do come true.

So often in life events which are so eagerly anticipated, fail to live up to our expectations.   But when we visit Walt Disney World, the experience is always worth the wait and usually exceeds all of our expectations.   When we enter our resort, the welcoming cast members greet us with ‘Welcome Home” and we feel that we are home at last.    And so we look forward to ten glorious days of rest, renewal, relaxation and inspiration, with a lot of walking inbetween.   We are also looking forward to spending a day with our friend Jody whom we have not seen for almost 20 years.   And spending time with Mickey and Minnie is magical, too.