CNJ+ May 2026

I Remember Mom: REMEMBERING DISNEY WORLD By Richard Mabey Jr.

In moving to Central Flor ida, my mom thought for sure that we would be vis iting Disney World at least once a month. After all, when we lived in Lincoln Park, we would fly down to Disney World every year. I don’t know what it is. Maybe that it was too close to home. It’s the kind of thing where people from New Jersey very seldom go to see the Statue of Liberty. While people vis iting from Ohio, make it a must-see on their agenda. My mom, my sister Patti and myself, moved to The Villages, Florida in June of 2008. It was the strangest thing in the world, the first two years that we lived in The Villages, we didn’t visit Disney World at all. It wasn’t until the Summer of 2010, when we had friends visit that we ventured out to Dis ney World. It’s hard to ex plain. Mom’s favorite section of Disney World was Main Street. She loved the walk down the street, with all of the colorful, charming stores on both sides. And of course, there was Cinderella’s Castle in the near distance, straight ahead. In 2010, Mom was still able to get around pretty good. She did need a walker, but for the most part she still had the strength and agility to endure walking around Disney World. There was something all

within the fibers and cham bers of Mom’s heart. It was just a very magical moment in time. I think that in the whole time that Mom lived in Cen tral Florida, we only visited Disney World three or four times. Something that, now looking back, I deeply regret because Mom simply enjoyed her magical visits to the en chanted amusement park. I think it all boiled down to the idea that Disney World wasn’t going anywhere. And, after all it was just a stone’s throw away. So, there was a car payment to pay. The electric bill was due. Then, the dread ed car insurance. And on and on it would go. At best, flimsy excuses for not jumping in the car and riding out to Florida’s magical landmark. I am grateful to the hand ful of friends and relatives who came to visit us and would inspire us to visit Dis ney World for the day. Yes, Disney World is a bit pricey. But, bang for buck, the mag ical joy and splendor really is worth the price of the admis sion ticket.

If you’re blessed to have your parents or a parent still with you, on this side of Heaven’s Gate, please do your best to find out that one place where their heart calls to visit. Yes, there are bills to pay, and sometimes it’s hard to find the time. But, it’s worth the time and money to bring those moments of joy to a parent’s heart. Life is painfully short. None of us have a guarantee on seeing tomorrow’s sunrise. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabey jr@hotmail.com.

My sister Patti, myself and Mom at Disney World.

so very special about the moment when we would finally reach Cinderel la’s Castle, after having walked the length and breadth of Disney World’s Main Street. Mom’s face would light up like a lighthouse in the middle of the night. Mom would be all so happy to walk through the walkway through the infamous castle. In many ways, a certain childlike joy would awaken

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