Whether you're 12 or 21, Disney will always be a huge part of any fan's life. Young or old, big or small, boy or girl, the Disney experience will get anyone excited; but some more than others. Here's how to tell if you're a fan, or a full-on Disney-aholic:
1. As the weather gets warmer, you dream of Disney.
As soon as the temperature hit 80, I was yearning to be on a plane that heads straight to Orlando. I think of the times wearing my favorite shorts and dresses, feeling the Disney sun against my face. Sweaty-ness is only acceptable in the parks. Most people use air conditioners and fans to cool off, but there you use Splash Mountain.
2. Your heart hurts to watch the commercials.
No matter where you are, Disney vacations are advertised almost every where you turn. This is especially true if you live on the East Coast. Seeing the happy families partying with Mickey and Goofy is a direct recipe for yearning and hypothetical heartache. You want to watch them to remember how amazing your time there always is, but you also want to turn them off because it hurts that you're not there.
3. Your playlists and radio stations consist of the hottest Disney jams.
Yes, Disney jams can be hot. My playlists quickly jump from Billy Joel to Drake to the Tangled soundtrack. All of my showers consist of over-the-top singing and dancing to “Part of Your World” and “Reflection”. When someone hands me the aux cord, 75% of the time I'll play “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride”. To those who are only casually into Disney, it can get annoying. To someone who considers themselves a “Disney-aholic”, it's just a day-to-day routine.
4. You calculate the exact cost of your next trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
...and probably cry inside when you see the number. From planes to resorts to tickets, the price of a vacation at Disney can surely break the bank, especially if you live considerably far away. I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a note in my phone with the prices it would take to stay in my favorite place for a week with my best friends. Although the dollar amount seems unobtainable, Disney-aholics would gladly spend their savings and extra money to see Mickey.
5. You get giddy when you see a Disney movie on TV.
Especially if it's one that isn't played often. My favorite princess movie is Tangled, and since it's rarely ran on TV, I squeal a little bit inside (and outside) when I see it on Disney Channel or ABC Family. Those with the more “obscure” favorites, such as The Fox and The Hound or Atlantis (my other favorite), really know what this feeling is like. You'll gladly miss a new episode of your favorite TV show to watch a Disney movie.
6. You catch yourself day-dreaming.
Lackadaisical AP classes usually spent listening to lectures and writing document-based essays turn into staring blankly at the floor as you dream about when you rode Space Mountain for the first time. You get the feeling in your stomach that comes when you think about senior trip, or your family vacation last summer. Memories of days spent with your class in every park as you all soak in some of your last moments spent together leave you teary-eyed and wishful.
7. You become a wacky mix of happy and sad when looking back to your old pictures at the park.
On one hand, you're filled with happiness to think about that time you waited in line for an hour and a half with your best friend just to get a picture with your favorite princess (Rapunzel). On the other hand, you're saddened to think about how you're not there at that very moment. This still doesn't stop you from looking at the hundred-something pictures taken/saved on your phone from your last trip almost every day, though.
8. You annoy your friends with the stories.
You constantly enter into conversations with “yeah that's like last summer in Disney...” and your friends just smile or roll their eyes because they know you'll never stop bringing it up. You tell the same story over and over again because you just love reliving it and the bored looks on your friend's faces don't really bother you, they just don't get it.
9. Your favorite memories are from Disney.
When you think back to what you would consider to be the best day/time of your life so far, you immediately think of Disney (doesn't apply to just Disney-aholics, I'm pretty sure everyone who has ever been to Disney has fallen in love with it). When you're grown up, living your life without your high school friends or adolescent pals, you'll still carry the memories you had of such a simpler times. You'll think about standing in line for 90 minutes to ride your first Disney ride ever with your best friend. You'll remember crying over meeting your favorite character or over just how beautiful the parades were. You'll smell the sweet-cookie smell that hits you as you walk into Magic Kingdom. You'll see your Mickey/Minnie ears packed away in storage and smile. Whether you've been there a thousand times, or even just once, there is no doubt that magical memories are made every second at Disney Parks.
