Why Disney World is my Happy Place.

My husband and I have a somewhat unique story. I won’t really get into that now, but I will say that we have been through the bog of eternal stench, trudged through the fire swamp, and almost got caught in the swamp of sadness. Our love for each other continues to be stronger than all those outward influences, and I honestly can’t imagine my life without the stoic optimist by my side. Enough of the sappy crap and onto the meat.

When Will and I got married, we were pretty young. Will was just old enough to sign the marriage certificate without his Mom’s permission. I was a couple years older, but again that is a story for another time. Fun is where it is at for us. We wanted to go to Disney World.

We didn’t know it at the time, but we timed our trip with WDW’s 25 Anniversary. It was fun, but I honestly hated the cake covered castle and William hated that the “Macarena” could be heard from every corner of that park the entire stay. He still has nightmares of that song. Needless to say, the trip was amazing, and we had an exhausting vacation, and we couldn’t wait to go back.

It wasn’t until 2016 that we had the opportunity to return to the land of magic and fun. My parents decided to take the entire family including my sister and her kids, Will, myself, and our kids, and my weary father to WDW for an 8-day packed adventure. Again, we had the best time and had no sleep. When William insists on rope-drop to fireworks, there is no stopping.

Now, it’s 2021. In the time of Corona, we were worried that we wouldn’t be able to go back. But Corona isn’t stopping my husband. He is a man on a mission, and I am determined to have some fun and live my life. We are planning our next trip this fall. I honestly can’t wait. There are many reasons why WDW is not just any amusement park, and it has nothing to do with the franchise or the movies. I decided I should try to list the top 5 reasons the Disneyworld is best appreciated as an adult, and the best place to vacation

1. The park is fully immersive.

When you stay at a WDW resort and plan to stay on property your entire trip, you literally lose yourself in the world that has been strategically designed to cater to you and your happiness.

I am not saying that everything is perfect, but what I am saying is that if you go with realistic expectations and a good attitude, the entire trip is a delight. The people that are there, are there to have fun. The politics and divisiveness is left at the door and mostly everyone there is there to have a good time.

2. The details are meticulous and perfect.

You can’t see anything from inside the park that isn’t designed for you. The world and its stupid problems in many ways disappear.

I love details. I appreciate the small things. Attention to details is something that Disney is a master at. I have been to many other amusement parks, but Disney beats them all in this department.

Every cast member, every sidewalk brick, every food item is carefully crafted and presented in a happy, meaningful manner. When you love detail, you will love and appreciate every element that Disney puts into their park.

3. People are amazing.

I can’t tell you how many times I hear people complain about crowds and lines. Can I just change your perspective a second?

People are fantastic. We each have an energy that when directed in a positive way is contagious and addictive. Instead of being bummed about lines and crowds, look at the opportunity to meet other people from other parts of the world that are there to have fun just like you. And for a moment in time, you will have fun common ground to relate to.

I have a fond memory of returning to the park after a fun filled day with my kids. We dropped the kids with Great Grandma, and Will and I decided to get three more hours in at Disneyland. It was close to close, so we prioritized which rides we would hit and in what order. When we got to the first ride, we kept bumping into another couple in line through the turnstiles. We started joking around with them in a friendly banter and talked about where we were from and our families. After getting off the Matterhorn, we sprinted to Thunder Mountain. When in line, we again noticed the same couple buzzing through the diminished crowds to join us on the ride. It wasn’t something we planned, but it was great to get to know them and pass time with a fun couple. Next, we were off to Indiana Jones. And somehow the couple managed to beat us there but welcomed us to stand in line with them as we headed through the caves into our next adventure. We finished up the ride-packed run on Space Mountain with the same couple. I never got their information, but their faces are indelibly etched into my memory. It made that night even more fun. Since that time, I have always made a point to be friendly and extroverted with the people sharing the line with me. It makes the wait go so much faster, and I seriously meet some amazing people.

4. Fun doesn’t go away with age.

Many people have different ideas of fun, so this can really be considered subjective. I love live shows and musical theatre, and my husband’s tolerance for that kind of entertainment ends with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, we have learned to give into each other’s ideas of fun and enjoy the time we have together.
Walt Disney World has managed to create an amusement park that caters to a wide array of fun. Fun for you might be some wild rides, or entertaining shows, or just people watching while downing a delicious Dole Whip. Regardless of your idea of fun, it is there in spades. The foody, the adrenaline junkie, and the leisure lover all have loads of activities to meet their fun expectancies. Disney doesn’t disappoint.

5. The expense makes the whole trip exponentially special.

Again, I have experienced a myriad of amusement parks, but none seem to be as worth the cost as Disney. I hear a lot of Disney virgins tell me that it is expensive, and they really don’t see the point of spending so much money. But again, this is so subjective.

Personally, I can’t understand spending thousands of dollars to sleep on a beach, but that is an unfair comparison, right?

I find that when I have to save and plan to drop that kind of time and dough into a vacation, I make sure to appreciate every moment. My kids aren’t given cars. They are expected to pay for their insurance, gas, and repairs. It makes them appreciate their vehicle so much more than if I had just given it to them and they have no stake in the property. The same goes for your vacation. I live in Idaho, so a trip to Florida is expensive and time consuming. I make sure to savor every bit of that trip. Even the plane ride there.

I guess what I am trying to say is, don’t ever pass up the chance to meet new people and experience new things because it isn’t your idea of perfect. It is often in the imperfections that you have the most amazing experience, and Disney makes imperfect practically perfect in every way.