CRUEL AND UNUSUAL It has been the longest morning of my life. I have endured five hours of driving in a cramped van with argumentative and whiny children through a thunderstorm that was apocalyptic. DD7 has refused to sleep since I woke her this morning at 2:30am, and it shows. Her frazzled nerves have…
LIVING THE NIGHTMARE For a week and a half I have succeeded in keeping our check-in day a secret from my little Disney investigators. It was not easy, but I cleverly avoided pointed questions from them by appearing momentarily preoccupied and unable to answer. Surprisingly, Grammy did not become an obstacle either. She did not…
TWIDDLING THUMBS ON THE WAY TO MEET TWEEDLE-DUM With all the necessary preparations complete, the week before a Disney trip can be rather torturous. A NDM finds she has already done everything that can be done beforehand to ensure vacation perfection, and there is nothing left except waiting for the remaining time to pass. This…
MOUSE TRIPPING There has been some speculation about the origins of the title, Neurotic Disney Mom. While not certain, it could be argued that the term was born out of a noticeable change in the behavior of maternal Disneyphiles the week before a Disney vacation. The members of a NDM’s family often consider her heightened…
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! Growing up in South Florida, trips to WDW were just a fact of life for my peers and me. Because of this, discussing details of Disney family vacations was commonplace as we transitioned into our tween years. There was a very grown-up feeling to showcasing, comparing and trying to “keep up with the…
DISNEY DINING BOOT CAMP There is a bit of advice often tossed out to parents: Pick your battles carefully. The idea is that you can’t force your way upon your children in every situation, so choose the scenarios that are of the most importance to stand your ground. Let the “less important” matters go by…
UNDERDOG, ALPHA-DOG OR SLY DOG In our family I’ve been homeschooling my children for four years. I started with Margeaux when she was of preschool age, and she has thrived with this educational style. Way back then we began learning the colors and shapes by studying Disney animation, carried on through Disney-centered phonics and math,…
Recently, I found a pancake recipe that uses almond flour rather than the digestively forbidden wheat flour. It spurred me into action. Finding an organic, raw almond distributor online, I ordered these savory nuts in bulk and patiently waited for their arrival. The delivery was made a couple days ago. Since then, I have been…
ON THE JOB TRAINING The basic itinerary for our week has been set. The few dining reservations that we needed have been made. It is time for the task that all NDMs live for – designing a strategy for conquering the theme park. I gather my three mouseketeers into our living room. As a NDM, one…
I sit at my computer to check the park hours of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While I’m notating particulars about Extra Magic Hours for Disney resort guests, a pop-up box notifies me that I have received an e-mail from someone named Chef Patrick. I open the letter to read a thoughtful note from the chef of…
It is decided that we will only spend one day in a theme park during our upcoming trip. Although I have been doing my best to not allow my newly acquired Disney phobia to get the best of me, it has been hard for me to entirely shake it. Traveling with our special dietary needs…
The world is coming to an end. That must be it. There is no other reason to explain the strange feeling that has suddenly overcome me. I am afraid to go to Walt Disney World. Surely it is a sign of the apocalypse. Now that all my weeks of hyper-focused energy have landed us a stay…
GRAMMY’S A “GO” Grammy is my mother who lives in South Florida where I was raised. She and I have a long, difficult history. While I am a Neurotic Disney Mom (NDM), Grammy is just a Neurotic Mom (NM). It is the “Disney” element that makes one’s neurosis an endearing quality rather than an unbearable…
DH is speaking with Mr. Walters. Surprisingly, DH is talking up a good case and displaying promising persuasive powers. Mr. Walters seems enthusiastic about the idea because their family has not had a vacation in some time either. The situation seems ideal. DH and I enjoy spending time with the Walters, and the Walters have…
The last few days have been spent gathering my thoughts. I have acquired three WDW vacation packages that meet our needs, but it is yet to be decided whether they meet our budget. Joel will be the one to deliver the verdict on that. Since his lack-lustre mentality in regard to Disney does not incline…
I have spent the last few weeks doing two things. The first thing I’ve done is consistently run into dead ends. No matter how I turn it, DH informs me that the small amount of money we’ve put aside will not cover the accommodations we need. The second thing I have done is compulsively view…
THE BRINK Back in 2004, I organized a Grand Gathering at Walt Disney World for a family reunion on my father’s side. Those memories are some of the last great times of my relatively care-free life before “it” happened. By the end of that year, our family discovered we had acquired a medical condition and…
