The Fandom That the Internet Loves to Hate On the Most
I’m ready to use my AP to book my next WDW vacay at OKW resort, then we can book our ADRs and pick which LLs we want to get (I’m thinking FOP first on our DAK day???) and end each night with HEA at MK!
To many, this might sound like a foreign language, but there’s one group of people who will totally understand.
It’s the group of people that everyone loves to hate. And yes, I’m one of them. Beware…THE DISNEY ADULTS!!!
The internet has particularly taken this group by fire. Everyone hates on the Disney adults and their plethora of Minnie ears, annual passes, spirit jerseys, Loungeflys, and more. But the honest question…why? Why does everyone react so horribly when people say they’re taking a Disney vacation or going to see the latest Disney movie?
Sure, Disney is advertised as a place for families. And when people hear the word “family,” they often think “kids.” But the thing is, family means so much more than mom, dad, and kids. And if you think otherwise, stop being selfish!
Family can be a multitude of things. Biological family, chosen family, sports family, work family, etc. And sometimes, you just want to feel the feeling of family, which is exactly what Disney creates. When in a Disney Park or watching a Disney movie, you experience a sort of nostalgia that makes you feel like a kid again. So the point of experiencing Disney isn’t just for kids to have fun; it’s also for adults to escape the harshness of reality for a bit.
Before I go any further, I’ll give the disclaimer that I think that everyone deserves to vacation in more places than just Disney Parks. I have seen a lot of the country and long to see more of the world. But that doesn’t mean that a trip to Disney doesn’t give me joy. So since I’m approaching this with an open mind, I ask that you read with one too 🙂
I also will preface that from this point forward, I’m mainly going to be talking about going to Disney World/Disneyland. However, I feel these things when consuming other forms of Disney entertainment as well!
Firstly, Disney Parks are far superior to any other theme park, and that’s because Imagineers (Disney creatives/engineers) are so attentive to detail. You can go to Six Flags and ride roller coasters (while also risking your life), but it’s simply not going to feel the same as a Disney vacation feels. Disney theme parks immerse you into the details of the stories around you.
Take Disneyland Park alone – you walk into the park and immediately to your left is Walt’s old apartment. You take the trek down Main Street on your way to the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, which you’ve been waiting to take a picture in front of since you bought your ticket. Then, there are several different lands that will all put you into a different story, and while in those lands, you don’t see any distractions from anywhere else in the park.
And while experiencing the attractions? You’ll see hidden secrets that allude to other Disney stories that, if you catch them, just add to the experience. Peanut imprints on the ground in Magic Kingdom’s Storybook Circus, Imagineers’ names on the headstones at the Haunted Mansion, the Paradise Falls fund from Up at Trader Sam’s, and that barely even scrapes the surface!
My favorite hidden gem, you might ask? Have you ever seen the Matterhorn Yeti in Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout over in Disney’s California Adventure? Check him out in the queue next time ;)
There are also little things that are so incredibly memorable about Disney Parks that you’ll simply be unable to leave behind after your vacation…and you can ONLY find them when at Disney! To me, there’s nothing like eating a Mickey Pretzel, savoring a melty Dole Whip, getting jerked around on Space Mountain, seeing the hair ties on Expedition Everest, and smelling the BROMINE in the Pirates of the Caribbean water (IYKYK). And all of these things among many other things!
Now all of this would be utterly impossible if it weren’t for the Cast Members who make it all happen. The Disney employees work tremendously hard each day to ensure that we have the most magical time while on our vacation. Sometimes, they even incorporate “magical moments” into your trip, which can be room upgrades, celebration buttons, an extra ride at the end of the night, or even a Mickey-shaped ketchup pour at dinner. The Cast Members add in these little perks to keep the magic alive, and they are what makes the parks function like a well-oiled machine!
And now for my biggest personal reason for going to the Disney Parks…back to the beginning – family. My parents would take my sister and me to Disney World each year during fall break, and I have such incredible memories there with the four of us. Now that my family lives in Florida, it’s likely that I’ll never get another Disney World vacation again. Now, we go to a park for a day or have dinner at Disney Springs and then head home. But the memories that live in my head from growing up and spending time with them in the parks we love the most, I’ll cherish forever. These are things that no one can take away from me.
But after talking through all of these, the reason I love going to the Disney Parks the most is that there is no judgment while I allow myself to heal my inner child. Reality sucks, and going to the Disney Parks can bring you back to the nostalgic feelings of being a happy kid again. Remember how you felt when you first watched your favorite Disney movie? Or when you saw the Castle for the first time? That’s the feeling that comes back. We can leave behind the stresses of today and embrace the fantasy that Disney can engulf us in. What’s so bad about doing that every once in a while?
At the end of the day, if I or any Disney adult enjoys going to Disney World, who are you to take that joy away from us? If you don’t like Disney, don’t go. I won’t judge you. The vibes in Disney World make me happy, and I will continue to pour into things that boost my serotonin, as I’d encourage you to do too!
Oh, and by the way, I’m ready to use my Annual Pass to book my next Walt Disney World vacation at Old Key West Resort, then we can book our Advance Dining Reservations and pick which Lightning Lanes we want to get (I’m thinking Flight of Passage first on our Disney’s Animal Kingdom day???) and end each night with Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom!
What about Disney is the most magical to you?