A little note from the heart...

As I sit here less than a month away from my 15^th visit to Walt Disney World, I feel all kinds of sentimental nostalgia toward my favorite place on earth. The closer it gets, the more I think about it, the more I talk about it, and the more I reminisce about every happy moment I’ve spent there throughout my life.

Some people just don’t get it. They can’t understand how a 24-year-old could still be so much in love with something that most people lose interest in by the age of 10. Why do I love Disney so much? It’s something that’s kind of hard to explain, but today I’ve decided to try.

First of all I have to say, I think it’s different for me than it is for most people I know. Most of them didn’t grow up with it the same way I did, visiting the parks every Spring for the better part of their childhood. I know I am extremely blessed to have been able to do that. My children probably won’t get to do that, although I will do everything I can to take them as often as possible. I love my mom and dad to pieces for everything they did to give me unforgettable childhood memories.

Now on to a few of the reasons why I am, and will always be, a Disney kid.

#1: Magic is real.

You can’t see the face of a three-year-old as they meet Mickey Mouse or Cinderella for the first time and say that magic doesn’t exist. If there is one thing I’ve learned from my Disney adventures, it’s that magic lives inside all of us. It’s not something that can be seen or touched. It’s something you feel in your heart, and it will be there as long as you believe in it. To a child, Mickey isn’t a cartoon character, he’s a real friend; Cinderella really does live in the highest room of the highest tower of the castle; and “happily ever after” is not a dream, but an everyday reality. Children can feel the magic no matter where they are, but at Disney World, they can really live in it.

#2: Every day is an adventure.

While most kids were sharing stories about their trip to the beach or the mountains over Spring break, I would tell about zooming into outer space or riding on a runaway mine train or traveling all over the world in less than an hour. It sounded crazy, but I wasn’t exaggerating because it really felt that way. The difference between a Disney park and any other theme park is the incredible attention to detail that Disney puts into every attraction. When you step onto a pirate ship on Peter Pan’s Flight you really feel like you’re flying over Neverland. When you hop on the train at Expedition Everest, you really feel like you’re running from a yeti. When you eat lunch under the Eiffel Tower at the French pavilion, you really feel like you’ve been to France. You can do things on a Disney vacation that you can’t do on any other kind of vacation. But then again, it’s not really a vacation… It’s an adventure you never forget.

#3: That feeling.

There’s something that happens to you the first time you walk through the gates at Magic Kingdom. It’s something unexplainable, a feeling that you can only get at that moment. It’s different for everyone. For some, it’s pure excitement; for others, it’s like being a kid again. But for me, it’s like coming home. For someone who’s never really fit in anywhere, those streets and passageways are like a sanctuary. At Disney World, everyone is welcomed with open arms; everyone belongs. Cast members go out of their way to make each guest feel special and appreciated. Everyone is given the opportunity to shine, no matter who you are. Of all the places I’ve ever been, Disney World is the only place where I seem to truly relax and be happy. Once I’m on Disney property the rest of the world melts away. I’m not worried about work or bills or any other part of everyday life. I just get that feeling, and I’m home.

See ya real soon!
Miranda