It Started with a Rainy Day at Disney World

Our family spent Christmas in Florida a few years ago. In case you didn’t know, December in Florida can be surprisingly rainy. Despite the weather, we had a fantastic time and soaked up the few sunny days we had. But the best day of the trip? Ironically, it was a rainy one. All because we experienced Disney with a cell phone left behind.

Disney Without a Cell Phone

Though we were staying in Miami, we planned a trip north for a couple of days to experience Disney World. A few years ago, we had visited Disneyland and loved it. Now, with our boys at ages five and almost three, we knew they were in prime Disney-magic years.

As we parked the car, I grabbed my wallet and phone and then paused. “I think I’ll leave my phone in the car,” I said to my wife.

There were plenty of reasons to bring it. My wife had left hers in Canada to avoid data charges, meaning we only had one phone between us. And let’s be honest, Disney World is a goldmine for Instagram moments. But for some reason, I felt a nudge to disconnect completely.

I felt like God was saying, “You are not going to want to miss this.”

Living in the Moment Without a Phone

Of course, it rained or was overcast the entire day. It was also the Saturday after Christmas. According to park staff, is one of the busiest days of the year. Lines were long, adults were bored and glued to their phones, and their children were being ignored. But not us…and it was wonderful!

I spent the whole day without a single status update or photo upload. Instead, I was fully present. My wife and I had deep conversations and shared so many laughs watching our boys experience Walt’s world of wonder. They showed us everything that caught their eyes and shared every thought that crossed their minds. Zero distractions.

Kicking It Old School

While in Adventureland, Pirates of the Caribbean had an 80-minute wait. My oldest and I really wanted to go. We agreed that Nicole and our youngest would explore Swiss Family Robinson’s Treehouse and the train. Then we’d meet at the Jungle Cruise.

That’s right; no texts, no calls. Just a rally point.

Instead of wandering around staring at screens, trying to locate each other with endless “Where are you?” messages, we relied on a simple meeting plan. Pirates of the Caribbean had some technical difficulties, so most people left, and our wait time dropped to 20 minutes. My oldest and I had a blast! Then we ended up with an hour to kill before our meet-up time, with no way to let Nicole know.

So we went to Swiss Family Robinson, monkeyed around a bit, but didn’t see them. Rather than risk missing them, we grabbed ice cream and headed to our rally point.

A Memory You Can’t Capture

We sat, talked, and people-watched. Though he was only five, we connected in that 80 minutes better than we ever had before. It was amazing!

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Rain or shine, it didn’t matter. You simply can’t Instagram what I experienced that day. Hands down, one of the best days of my life. All because I left my phone in the car. Disney without a cell phone was incredible!

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

• Have you ever intentionally unplugged from media for a day? What was the experience like?
• What’s a moment in your life that was too good to be captured on a screen?
• How can we be more intentional about living in the moment?