For many, the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words, "Walt Disney World" is a mouse with red pants and your childhood. But the great thing about Disney is that even if you're 25 or 48, you can still have a great time.
I recently had a conversation with someone who hasn't been to Disney World since they were in diapers and it completely blew my mind. When I was younger, my family used to go to Orlando, Florida at least once a year. It was our go-to family vacation. Hell, we even went twice one year. Although it has now been four years since I've been there, I miss Disney every day.
Let me describe for you what it's like to walk around the Magic Kingdom.
There are people everywhere. You can hear kids laughing and parents talking about how they are going to take them to meet Ariel. You look directly ahead and you see Cinderella's Castle in all its glory and you wonder how it's not a real castle. You can't help the smile that has spread across your face and refuses to budge because just the family, magic and dream fulfilling atmosphere makes you smile like an idiot.
All the problems you were facing back home melt away because when Tigger comes up to you and gives you a hug, you can't help but enjoy every minute of it. From the rides that you want to go on three times each, to the enthusiastic Disney World employees, it's hard to be a sour puss when you are surrounded by so much happiness.
Parents get to watch their kids light up and have the time of their life which is probably the most rewarding thing for a parent to see. Little girls get to meet the princesses they've been idolizing. Young boys get to meet heroes like Buzz Lightyear and Woody.
Disney just has a way of making everything OK. It makes you feel like all your dreams really can come true and isn't that what everyone wants?
It's truly a tragedy that Walt Disney didn't live long enough to see his Florida theme park finished because if he had, he would've felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
To any parents, please take your kids to Disney. Take them as often as you can and even if they want to go see Winnie the Pooh for the fifth time, lead the way.
You are never too old to enjoy Disney. Go until you are 20. Go until you are 75. Go until you physically can't anymore because every time you go there it's full of new experiences that make you want to cling to your childhood.
If you go to Disney and somehow don't end up having at least a little bit of a good time, I probably won't believe you.
I see it only fitting to end with a quote by Walt Disney himself:
"When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable."
