Written by: theprincessndtheblog
- Don’t you think you’re too old?
- Do you ever get tired of it?
- Don’t you think it’s childish to like Disney that much at your age?
These are some of the questions I get asked frequently. I thought I would finally set the record straight and give the reasoning for my love for Disney.
Flashback 15 years ago, July of 2004. My parents loaded up my brother and I in our orange Chevrolet Cavalier and we headed to Disney for eleven days. I was so excited! I had only ever dreamed of going there. My parents thought this would be the first and final time that we visited Disney World. Little did we know, it would become our life (literally) in the following years.
For eleven days I experience the magic and wonder that is Disney World. It was such an immersive experience. Feeling as if I was in a real life fairytale. It was unexplainable. I couldn’t believe I was meeting my favorites: Aurora, Mulan, Stitch, and so much more! The atmosphere was full of joy. The sound of laughter, the overwhelming sense of happiness. Absolutely amazing.
I can still look back on that trip and remember specific details and emotions that seven-year-old Bella experienced.
Fast-forward through the countless Disney trips, cruises, etc. Each time I am in the parks or on a Disney cruise, I am taken back and I feel as if I am that little seven year old girl again. Walking down main street, seeing Cinderella Castle for the first time. Entering Epcot, seeing Spaceship Earth and thinking “Wow, that’s a big golf ball!” Wondering over to the World Showcase and thinking I was a big girl, traveling the world. Visiting Animal Kingdom, experiencing the African and Asian culture I had always been so fascinated with. Waking up early to be at rope-drop at Hollywood Studios to see my favorite Disney junior characters (back then, Hollywood and Vine featured JoJo’s Circus, Little Einstein’s, and Rolly Polly Olly.)
Throughout the years, my priorities in the parks has shifted. As I grow older, I appreciate different things Disney has to offer. I look forward to the “foodie” aspect of it. I enjoy watching shows and parades and wondering how the imagineers pull it off. I love looking for/finding hidden mickeys, and keeping an eye out for the perfect photo-ops in the park. From the most minute details that others don’t acknowledge, to the big things that wow every guest in the parks. From themed walls in different parks, to projections shows and fireworks, year after year, trip after trips I am still in awe.
It is because of the love that was instilled in me, and the memories I made as a child, that I am able to go to Disney time after time, look forward to new experiences and opportunities, and enjoy myself regardless of my age or number of times I have been.
Walt Disney once said “too many people grow up. That’s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up.” So when I am asked if I think I’m too old or if I get tired of it, the answer is simple. Absolutely not.
No matter if you are seven or seventy, Disney will resonate with you. You will make the best memories, you will feel as if you are a child again. You’re never too old, and there’s no such thing as too much Disney.
