I don't care if I'm 18 or 45 years old I will never stop sleeping with my oversized Stitch stuffed animal and wearing my giant Mickey Mouse ears on every possible occasion I find fitting. Who says you can't be an adult and still be obsessed with The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast? I don't think anyone has said that but if they have, they are irrelevant. Disney is one of the only constant things in my life that never lets me down, and never fails to make me happy. Life isn't easy. It's not meant to be easy, but with Disney and all of the wonderful things that come along with it, life can be a little easier for us all. The first time I went to Disney World I was four years old. How many problems can a normal four-year-old be facing? The biggest conflicts that they come across is whether they want apple juice or milk with their lunch, and if the time it takes to walk to the bathroom is even worth missing this episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Like I said, these are problems that “normal” four-year-olds face, so going to Disney World is no escape from reality to them; it is merely just a continuation of their magical lives that they live in their own homes.

Well, for those of you who do not know me, I am not a normal eighteen-year-old, nor was I a normal four-year-old by any means. Disney for me was an escape from reality, and that still stands true today. My days as a young child did not just consist of the big apple-juice-or-milk decision. I had to decide whether or not my mom and dad fighting was my fault, or if the conflicts going on in my house was because of me being there. Day after day I felt confused, and consumed by more feelings than any toddler should ever have to process. But one morning I woke up and was told I would be staying at the “Happiest place on earth” for the next week and a half. They weren’t kidding when they said it was the happiest place on earth, because as soon as I stepped off the tram and onto the path to Cinderella’s castle, all of my problems seemed to vanish, and a permanent smile came across my face.

That week and a half showed me something that I never thought would take over such a big part of my heart. I will never forget the butterflies that filled my stomach when I saw Cinderella with her arms outstretched waiting to give me a big hug. She told me I was a beautiful princess just like her. I felt safe, and this sense of happiness took over me that I can only replicate when I am in the gates of Disney or simply surrounded by the mere idea of the magic Disney has placed in me. Since my first trip to Disney, I have been back two other times, each trip even more astounding than the last. Almost one year ago, I traveled back to Disney with some of the most important people in my life, my family. Being eighteen years old, what problems do I not face daily? I mean let’s be real, the world is filled with terrible things and terrible people. But that does not mean there aren’t places that provide us with the most amazing things, people and opportunities in the world. Disney was my escape this past year even more so than ever, because who wants to grow up? Certainly not me. I am unashamedly still the first person in line to see Cinderella and Stich no matter what whenever I go to Disney. Those are the two most important and influential parts of Disney for me. Cinderella taught me that just because I might not be important to some people, does not mean that I am not the most important thing to someone else. Stitch taught me that it is more than acceptable to be my crazy self, and that family is forever, no matter what circumstances may come our way.

The most important part about my last Disney trip as I had mentioned was because my family was there with me. I remember the day that we went to Animal Kingdom, I was on top of the world because it was both of my younger cousins first times there, and I was thrilled to show them the ropes. Halfway through the day my family started to bicker over stupid things because not only was it hot, but we were all still exhausted from the day before. All of a sudden I started crying uncontrollably and my mom had thought something happened to me. Nope, it was just me being a hormonal teenager. I said to her, “This is the happiest place on earth no one should be fighting”. After all we were all wearing identical shirts that day, so we were already drawing attention to ourselves. Yes we were THAT family. I can say after that little episode my family thought I was even more crazy than they already knew. But that just shows how much Disney has grown on me. People were doing something other than being happy and taking in all of the magic that surrounded them and I got offended. They were taking for granted their time away from the cruel realities of the world, and one should never take advantage of the happiest place on earth.

As I sit here typing to you, I am not in Disney, however I am surrounded by quotes, stuffed animals, and millions of memories that I have made during the span of my lif that make me feel like all of my dreams can come true. No matter where life takes me next, or what the future holds, one thing I know for sure is that Disney will always be one of the biggest parts of who I am as a person. And most importantly, I learned that you can take the girl out of Disney, but you can never by any means take the Disney out of the girl.