You're never too old for Disney

I can just about guarantee that if you stop Tessa and Michael Allegretto on the street and ask, "What are you going to do next?" they will answer, "We're going to Disney World!"
For the past eight years, they've saved year-round for a vacation to Mickey and Minnie's homeland. If you're lucky enough to be invited to their Boardman home, you might be offered Mickey-shaped pretzels and Disney cookies, or be given a Tinkerbell pen to write with. If you're really lucky, you'll get to see their Cruella De Vil statuette (there are only 100 in the world). In fact, a shipment from Disney is due any day now -- things they couldn't resist buying on their most recent trip to the Magic Kingdom.
All this Disneymania is taken with a bit of humor by the Allegrettos, who realize fixating on a mouse may be eccentric (and they don't really fixate ... but they DID just get back from their trip). But their childish excitement is infectious; in fact, that's how Tessa and Michael caught it, from THEIR children: Alyvia, 13, and Giana, 6.
"Each year, when we're there, we think, 'This will be the last year.' The only time we can go is in the summer; it's hot, and the lines are long," Tessa said. She and her husband own Lariccia's Italian Marketplace.
"But," Michael explained, "when you see the look on the kids' faces, you just want to do it all over again."
Disney magic
Nine children went this time -- so there were a lot of happy faces to persuade Mike and Tessa. They were joined by Tessa's sister Lisa Lariccia Thomas and her two children, Alexandra, 13, and Tessa, 6; and by their friends Joseph and Mary Valko (who also went last year), and their three children, Victoria, 7, Lauren, 16, and Adam, 13. Rounding out the gang were the Allegrettos' children's friends, Maggie Vinopal, 14, and Casey Trgovcich, 13. Whew! Is this fun, or traffic control?!
"It's addicting," Tessa insisted. "It makes me feel younger."
But, if the Allegrettos thought Disney was great in years' past, this year exceeded all expectations. "This trip was totally magical," Tessa said. "When we got there, the concierge remembered us." After she checked them in, she leaned in to Tessa and remarked, "I punched a few buttons and got you this." What she got them was an upgrade to the Roy Disney Suite, a condo with a living room, dining room, three bathrooms, French doors, and, especially for them, five dozen roses! In fact, Tessa said, it's the room other tourists try to peek into.
"It's phenomenal," she said. "The bathroom was larger than one of my kid's rooms at home."
That's not all
But that was only the beginning. Armed with six-day hopper passes that gave them plenty of time to visit Disney and Epcot, the Allegrettos, Thomases and Valkos started in. One morning, while watching a family open the Magic Kingdom -- an honor that our Disney fanatics truly appreciated -- Joe said, "We have to find out how you get to open the park."
A woman behind them chirped up, "I pick them."
Surprised, Joe joked, "Why didn't you ever pick us?"
"You never asked me," she said.
Before they knew it, five in their party were slated to open the Magic Kingdom that Friday morning. "They take you on a train to Toon Town, where Mickey and Minnie live," Tessa said. She laughed. "Oh yes, Toon Town."
"It's incredible. You pay all this money to see them, and instead, there they all are waiting to see YOU." Cruella, Pinocchio, Gepetto, Daisy, Dopey, the Wolf (of three pig fame), Robin Hood and, hold onto your ears, Mickey and Minnie, were all waiting.
Dream come true
After a ride back to the Magic Kingdom -- a ride punctuated by Cruella, who at one point asked, "Do you have a dog? Does it have spots?" -- the party stood with the mayor of Disney World, before thousands of expectant tourists, while singers and dancers led up to the opening of the park.
"All day long," Tessa marveled, "people asked us, 'How did you get to do this?'"
If you think such a magical vacation satiated their Disney desires, not a chance for these Disney-holics. "Next year, we hope to bring our moms," Tessa said.
murphy@vindy.com