In just over a week, Apple and I will be embarking upon the next episode of what has become an annual ritual: a vacation to Disney World. Since 1988, this miniature city on the outskirts of Orlando has been woven into my life in some form or another, and over the years I’ve regarded the House of Mouse with many different perspectives.

For the first decade or so, I loved everything about Disney World. As I went through my “teenage angst” years, I became somewhat disenchanted, rejecting the commercialism and Disney/ABC’s role in what I saw was censorship of imported media properties, particularly those from Japan. In the following years I got married, started a career, became a homeowner and found zillions more things to worry about besides such media matters, leading me to, once again, take a very favorable view of Disney’s premier theme park.

Ironically, it was during those “teenage angst” years that my parents became members of the Disney Vacation Club, a long-term program into which they pay a fixed amount of money each year, and in return receive an allowance of “points” that they can spend on Disney vacations, or even at Disney partner hotels around the world. The program is so long-term, in fact, that it’s the sort of thing that may eventually be handed to my wife and I. When my parents were considering becoming members, they asked me if I thought it was something I might use one day. Well, honestly, I was a seventeen year old computer geek with no hope of bringing a girl home anytime soon; the very last thing I could see myself doing was going by myself to Disney World. Thankfully, my apathy at the time didn’t convince my parents not to go forward. Since then, their Vacation Club membership has become a very appreciated asset, in more ways than one.

So it’s once again thanks to said Vacation Club membership that we’ll be spending a few days in Orlando this month. Unlike most of the trips I take, this one will not be a “working vacation” (I won’t be sitting in a room slaving over a laptop for 80% of the time I’m there). I think that’s why I’ve come to look forward to these Disney excursions so much. Not only have I really come to appreciate the fact that Disney World is not just for kids, but it’s one of the few places I can go where I’m always pretty certain I won’t have to worry about work. And there’s tons of great food there — most of our days spent at Disney are planned around meals.

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