I was a Disney kid. Growing up, you could always find me in a princess gown reenacting scenes from "The Little Mermaid" with my cousins for hours. Disney was life. How could it not be? All of those enchanting tales about princesses, fairies and adventure were hard not to love. Now, I was never the kid allowed to sit in front of the TV for hours on end, however when my mom said the magic words of "Want to watch Beauty and the Beast?", my eyes light up. That was the key with Disney; it was magically special.
As I approach my 20th birthday, I still consider myself a Disney kid. I know all the words to every single song and can name practically any movie Disney ever released. Embarrassingly enough, I even have a Minnie Mouse pillow pet that I refuse to part with. I've been to Disney World five times and was lucky enough to board a Disney Cruise with my family. Simply put, Disney never gets old. People always ask, "Don't you ever get sick of it?" The answer is always no. Every single time I have been lucky enough to visit, it is like the first day I have ever seen Cinderella's castle. Even at 19, when my parents take me and my siblings to the Magic Kingdom, I feel the same excitement I felt at six years old.
People might call me a "Disney Freak," but it does not phase me. I laugh it off and take pride in my Disney obsessed self. Disney represents a world of innocence. It is a place you can go to and feel like you are a child again. In a world full of hurt and harsh reality, sometimes it is nice to be reminded that all it takes is faith, trust and a little bit of pixie dust. Disney helps to keep the magic alive in all of us. It's a place of positivity, a place where you can be anything you want, a place where I feel safe and happy. The cruel negativity of the outside world does not exist there, and Disney only allows the wonderful times and memories to live forever. No matter the circumstances, Disney can bring anyone together.
During one of the most trying times for my family, we were able to come together and enjoy the magical world Walt Disney left for us. As my mom and I watched the fireworks that trip and heard Jiminy Cricket tell us about dreams, we looked at each other and both had tears in our eyes. That moment I knew that no matter what we were going through, we were going to be okay. I might be a little biased, but all I know is that ever since I was a child, Disney makes everything better.
Disney is a place for everyone—young and old. It reminds you that you can be anything you want and that no matter what happens in life, your dream can come true as long as you have the courage to pursue it. Maybe it is the first look at Cinderella's castle, the smell of popcorn penetrating the air, or maybe it is the happy look very character shares with you. Either way, Disney instantly feels like home. And if there is one thing I have learned these past 19 years, it's that there is no place like home.
