Everybody Wants to Rule the World

How the worldwide cyber outage led us to SIVAKO

We splurged on this trip back in January. Got the kids’ passports updated in February. Then slowly shopped for resort wear, beach essentials, and family photo outfits to pass the next five months. The whole family is beyond excited. Vacation Day Eve we are packed and ready for our morning flight to the Dominican Republic! 

No one is sick and nothing is stopping us! It is finally the morning of Friday, July 19, 2024, and the countdown is over! I wake up early and casually scroll through social media while sipping on my coffee.

Then I see the news: lines are long and flights are delayed/canceled because of a cyber outage due to a CrowdStrike update… well… that’s not good. We loaded up the car with our luggage but decided to wait until the ground stop was cleared before heading to Hartsfield-Jackson. By 7:45am our flight was officially canceled. Bummer. Of all the things I imagined could mess up this vacation over the last six months, a cyber outage was not on the list. We unloaded the car and sent the driver on his way. 

Now what?

Matt immediately called Delta to sort out a solution and quickly found out that this was bigger than we thought. The wait time to speak with a representative was ultimately about seven hours. 

We decided pretty quickly to pivot. Florida for sure. Disney World or the Gulf? Disney World won, and we were thankful to have a planner who sorted out lodging and tickets for us very quickly!  We unpacked our resort lounge wear, repacked for full days at the park, then loaded up my minivan! Let’s Go!

The 7.5 hour drive to Lake Buena Vista gave us time to figure out a loose itinerary, get a refund for our DR trip, and settle into the new vacation vibe. We experienced on and off bad weather and were particularly spooked by a large piece of cardboard slamming into our windshield. I’m thankful Matt is a great driver and kept his cool while keeping us all safe. 

We arrived at the Grand Floridian before the sun went down, found the Disney Easter eggs in our room, then headed to the pool. There was a calm breeze, and the pool was outfitted with a waterfall, waterslides, and a romantic view of fireworks. We made it.

We were more than a little disappointed that our all-inclusive relaxing beach vacation was thwarted by a system update (especially W who was looking forward to unlimited pina coladas), but this is not a bad second choice. No complaints from me or the gang. Big thanks to Matt, our own Genie +, for making it happen! We went to bed late with big smiles and without regard for the busy days to come. 

Our kids are now 10 (W), 8 (M), and 6 (E). They enjoy waterparks and amusement parks, but I wouldn’t really consider them “thrill seekers.” They like to fully understand and believe in the reality of their safety. 

Disney does a great job of immersing you in the theme of each ride. In Toy Story Land this worked to our advantage, but Star Wars and other experiences could sometimes be a little too realistic for their growing minds. Their emotions would often shift from excitement to nerves to fear and back again, with fear often peaking right before we get on the ride. The pre-ride emotional roller coaster was exhilarating and exhausting for us all, no matter who was experiencing it! ha!

Our first trip to Disney World was last August. The day we visited Hollywood Studios it ‘felt like’ 112 degrees, and by 1pm we were miserably hot and out of the stamina to wait in any line. That park day was cut short, and we skipped several rides for the sake of some much needed AC. So, this time the first park was Hollywood Studios, and we hit everything we wanted, including Slinky Dog, which was a family favorite. Last year, they were all OK to have missed this quick outdoor roller coaster – and not just because it was hot. 

Saturday night we trekked over to EPCOT for Guardians of the Galaxy (GoG), a few other favorites, and dinner. Last year, I had no idea how intense GoG was going to be when we talked the kids into giving it a shot. They were all (extremely) nervous in line, but ultimately (and thankfully) LOVED it. E even said she would open her eyes next time! ha!

Though at one point E was concerned we were no longer on Earth, they all calmed their nerves and enjoyed the ride again this year…twice! To me, GoG is the most exhilarating ride at any of the parks, and discussing the six song variations dominated our conversations. We consider ourselves lucky to have heard 3 of 6 in three rides! So far we have heard “One Way or Another” by Blondie (last year), “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears (Saturday night), and “Disco Inferno” by the Trammps (Sunday night). We’ve heard “September” by Earth Wind and Fire is the best, but so far “One Way or Another” is my personal fav – maybe because it was the first – and I just don’t think it can be beat. The power of music always amazes me.

Sunday, we went to Animal Kingdom before heading back over to EPCOT for the evening. Animal Kingdom tends to be our favorite daytime park overall. We just love the vibe, the nature, and…the shade. The Flight of Passage was hands down everyone’s favorite ride last year. Even waiting in line is just so cool in Pandora. I also love how encouraging the storyline is – and that it doesn’t scare E at all! At one point, Dr. Ogden tells us, “You’ll experience the breathtaking beauty of Pandora, but you might also face some of its greatest challenges. Some of this flight might be intense. But trust your guide and be brave. As the Na’vi say during this important rite of passage, “Sivako.” Rise to the challenge. Good luck.”

I always try to remember the term “SIVAKO”, but I’m often so overstimulated that I forget it before I’m even out of the park. RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. Man there is power in that statement. SIVAKO!

Monday was Magic Kingdom. So many fun family rides, and then there was TRON. For whatever reason (maybe the lightcycle?) this one really hits them in the feels every single time. Last year we planned on rider swap at TRON. E was too short and had no interest in going that fast, but W and M both wanted to do it, so Matt and I decided to take turns with each using rider swap. Matt and W went first. Then it was time for me and M. Unfortunately, by the time we made our way through the line, he was in tears with no desire to get on the ride. This is supposed to be fun, so he and I went back out and W did it twice (once with me and once with Matt). He loved it that much! 

Hop to this year, when W had little desire to ride it again, but M was all in – complete role reversal! E originally did not want to do it and we weren’t going to make her, but from the way she loved Flight of Passage, GoG, Slinky, and Seven Dwarfs, I knew she would enjoy this too. We talked her into joining us, and we were all excited once again! 

Then the line was so long, it was so hot, and the screams were so loud. It was dark. And the music was loud. And she didn’t want to sit on the lightcycle. The excitement switched to nerves then to fear, but did not shift back. We all did our best to talk her down, but her feelings wouldn’t budge.

Then another little girl her age in line told her this was less scary than GoG, and after a few deep breaths, all was well again. SIVAKO! (Funny how she believed a random girl in line, but wouldn’t listen to us! Never underestimate the power of a few nice words to a stranger!) She and I rode in the roller coaster seat instead of the lightcycle, and sped off without tears. She did it! And M did too! We all walked away with a smile! E actually lost a hair tie from one of her pigtail buns, which gave us a good laugh! It was pretty fast! I was so proud of them. 

The emotional rollercoaster is very real. It’s not just a Disney thing. Everyone experiences it, even when it is seemingly unwarranted. Sometimes we need a little encouragement from a friend, sometimes from a stranger. Sometimes we need a minute to cry a few tears and throw wet socks on the sidewalk, and sometimes we just need to take a deep breath and deal. And sometimes we just need to have a snack – ice cream tends to work particularly well for us. 

Honestly, there were so many little moments throughout this trip that really touched my heart. We had to work together as a team (like encouraging each other when someone was scared/nervous), make sacrifices (like sitting by yourself in a two seater ride when you’re a family of five), be considerate and patient with each other (especially just before meal times),  and be adaptable when things just weren’t working out the way we planned (like lightning closing the rides AND the pool). We all learned something new about ourselves and each other, and the kids were continually overcoming fears in a controlled environment. Gosh, getting older and being a mom really gives me a different perspective on amusement parks and family trips – whether I like it or not!

Though we were looking forward to relaxing by the beach with no waits, few rules, and the freedom for the kids to roam independently, I’m thankful for all of the experiences, lessons, and magic that Disney World gave us to SIVAKO as we carry on in the real world.