Being a Disney fangirl is not as simple as one may think. It may seem silly, frivolous even, but being a true Disney fan takes time, effort, dedication and most importantly, love.

You can be a Disney fanatic at any age as there is no age limit for Disney-love. It all starts with the movies. The Disney movies are the most vital part of this fandom. It is an absolute must to watch the movies to lay the foundation for becoming a true fan. With there being too many movies from Disney to count, there is no certain number or specific ones that are required. It is recommended to select a variety in order to get a feel for the various characters and styles of the films throughout the years.

I personally suggest watching "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" to start, because it’s the first, color, full-length Disney flick. However, don’t stick to just the old classics. They are very important, but it is best to be well rounded and watch more recent films as well, like "Big Hero 6"

After watching a good number of Disney flicks, you most likely will have the songs of the movies stuck in your head. With these musical numbers consistently replaying through your mind, the next step would be to listen to these songs and become well acquainted with the lyrics. This would include watching YouTube lyric videos to learn the words at first, but also to eventually become so good that you’ve memorized them all. While this would be ideal, watching the movies repeatedly would also help you learn the lyrics to the songs, as well as memorize the dialogue, so you could quote the movie whenever.

If you’ve successfully made it through these stages then you’re most likely at Hot Topic. This will become your number-one shop to buy Disney merch from, especially if you don’t have a Disney Store in your area. From clothes to accessories to knickknacks, they will have many of the Disney essentials that you will spend way too much money on. T-shirts, tank tops, skirts, leggings, dresses, hair bows and hats/beanies; you name it and they probably have something Disney related.

However, if you are short on the dough like many of us are, don’t worry, you won’t be left out! There is an alternative — Disneybounding. This phenomenon, created by Leslie Kay, is a minimalistic approach to dressing like a Disney character. She started this trend by compiling clothing pieces into looks on Polyvore, an Internet platform where people can create outfits with various brands of clothing. Kay uses Polyvore to match the color palettes of Disney characters and objects, labeling each individual look as a Disneybound. This is a low-key way to dress like your favorite Disney character and look fashionably modern while doing so.

Now, if you’re lucky enough, going to a Disney park or cruise is definitely a vacation to take. Disneyland would be best as it is where it all began, and it is the happiest place on Earth. However, I’ve heard really great things about Disney World as well, so going there would be just as fulfilling. If you don’t live in the United States, traveling to the closest Disney parks would be preferable for convenience. Going on a Disney trip is, without a doubt, one of the best vacation ideas ever, but it is a process and takes a lot of planning.

You have to take into account how long you’ll be there to make sure you get maximum ride time, meet-and-greet time, and souvenir shopping time. Ride and character lines can be lengthy, so be prepared. It may be longer than you’d expect, but it’s well worth the wait. This is especially true when you’re finally able to give Mickey a big ol’ hug and a photo op with him, then go screaming in the dark and get an adrenaline rush from Space Mountain.

(It's not Mickey Mouse, but I love Goofy just as much.)

There are more ways to display your love for Disney, like getting a Disney-related tattoo, creating an online Mickey ears shop, knowing Disney trivia, and even keeping up with everything Disney on online social media sites and platforms like YouTube and Instagram. These are great ways to show your Disney pride, still they build on the foundation I have described.

While all this is important to becoming a true Disney fan, it is absolutely vital to share in the Disney love. Friendship and love are very important to anything Disney, and it’s the same in our fan community. Just being the Disney fan you are and sharing the love with others is more than enough. That is what sets the true Disney aficionado apart from those who just like Disney.