My wife and I recently got the opportunity to go to Disney World. For us, it was probably a once in a lifetime trip. We timed our visit to be at one of the quietest times of the year, and everyone said it was not as busy, but if that is the quiet time, I don't want to ever be there during a peak time. Everywhere we went, there were thousands of others with the same plan. At one point, the new Millennium Falcon ride had a wait of two hundred and ten minutes. I can not understand why anyone would wait over three hours to get on a ride, any ride!

While at times, it was overwhelming to see all the people in these multiple parks, there was one thing I noticed that made me smile. 

Mixed in with all the children, parents, grandparents, and strollers were wheelchairs, special needs strollers,  mobility scooters, and others with special needs. 

The best part is not that they stuck out, but they were a normal part of the crowd. In ride lines, in the shows, those who had special needs were not separated or left out. There was no difference in how they were enjoying the attractions. I also really loved how the staff are well trained and act like they have helped people who need assistance millions of times. I never saw anybody look as if it was an imposition, and it always seemed like a normal part of the day. Dad's lifting kids out of wheelchairs and on to rides, mom's helping kids and adults getting on to some of the classic attractions, all of it happening with no fanfare. 

Twenty plus years ago, when we took our children to Disneyland, I remember feeling like we stood out. I can't remember seeing many others like us. While we got to skip some of the lines, it was always an awkward situation.

This time around, I got to see many others like our family enjoying the day like everyone else, and it made me smile.