YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE FROZEN by NANCY HELLMRICH
Right. So. Disney’s Frozen 2 ™ happened
and all the little princes and princesses are happy. Really happy. So happy that parents the world over are learning to live with sudden outbursts of “Into the Unknoooooown!” in not so outbursty places like the grocery store, the library, and the back seat of the car. And then there’s the accompanying blitz of merchandise, a dazzling array of mementos that ignite deep yearning in both the young and old. This begs the question, well, two questions actually. Do you stick to your sober parental commitment to spend money on experiences rather than things? Or do you cave in and buy up all the merch you can find? I’m going to recommend the former. Primarily because, deep in my heart, I know that travel allows you to find your true north in life. At least it did for me. Secondarily because, as Olaf the snowman put it so perfectly, “you’re older and thus all knowing.” Now that that’s settled, let’s talk about how you can make Disney’s newest cultural phenomenon into a learning experience that fuels your youngster’s craving for adventure until the end of time. As I see it, there are three options: go with the obvious, go with the original, or take your loved ones into the unknown. Rest assured, no matter which you choose, the kingdom will be saved. As of this writing, worldwide box office figures for the film had surpassed a billion dollars. And, yes, you’ll probably acquire a bit of merchandise at some point too. But that’s normal.
30 ENSEMBLE VACATIONS WINTER 2020
THE OBVIOUS: A Journey to the Source Long ago, a visionary named Walt Disney made that same commitment to experiences that you did. So it’s a given that you might want to take your little reindeer to the source of all that is Frozen. Or sources, I should say, as you’ve got a lot of options here. Walt Disney World Resort® in balmy Florida comes to mind. This, of course, can be paired with a Disney Cruise departing from Port Canaveral or Miami. If your true north is further west, Disneyland Resort®in California, never fails to please. Alternately, you could aim for Disneyland in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. Yes, parents, Olaf speaks French, Japanese, and Chinese now too. The little guy is growing up so fast. For the truly committed, Disney Cruise Line will ferry your bundles of joy as far north as you can go to Norwegian fjords, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland, too. Adventures by Disney®, their land tour operation, has a similarly Northuldran itinerary. That’s a lot of options, but let’s face it, Disney understands kids, even grown up ones. If they didn’t, would they have cute little Olaf cake pops at their resorts? No, they would not.
