I’ll make a fan out of you!
I’ve been a Disney fan my whole life. Not the casual kind, the deep down in my heart kind. So when we moved to Florida, I gained a new favorite hobby: taking people to Disney for the first time and watching them figure out what all the fuss is about. The same idea works for people who haven’t been to the parks in years!
There’s nothing quite like it. You bring someone who thinks it’s “just a theme park” and you watch the skepticism melt somewhere between the castle coming into view and their first Dole Whip. It’s really something to witness. Especially watching someone see the castle for the first time. I keep tissues on hand for said occasion. For them AND me!
My dad was one of my projects years ago. He was never a huge fan of the parks, that just wasn’t his thing. We went when I was a kid, it was during peak tourist time in the summer, and it was ridiculously hot and crowded at Magic Kingdom. He definitely didn’t love it. Fast forward to current times.. I got him there, and I’ll be honest, he started to understand a bit better why I love Disney so much. Not the full conversion, but enough that I caught him smiling and enjoying his afternoon. I’ll take it. He was impressed with so much, took pics of the parade and fireworks, went on rides, it was a successful day indeed! My brother, I thought, would be an even harder sell when I got him and his family to do a Disney day a few years ago. To my absolute shock, he had a great time also! See, I’m pretty good at this!
Then there was my friend Michelle, who brought her husband Frank down for a milestone birthday a few years back. We gave him the full Disney treatment, I mean, the works! And he loved it. *Loved* it. Watching a grown man fall for the magic on his birthday might be one of my favorite Disney memories. I still refer to it as “Frank’s best day ever!” Michelle says he still talks about what a wonderful birthday that was. Hooray for another successful day!
That’s the thing about Disney. People think you have to be a certain kind of person to love it… a kid, a superfan, someone who “gets it.” But really, you just have to go. You just have to give it a real chance and let it do what it does.
Here’s what I’ve learned: the magic doesn’t care how old you are. It can get to your heart at five or eighty five. I’ve watched it happen to grown ups who walked in rolling their eyes and walked out talking about when they want to come back. Age has nothing to do with it, it’s about letting your guard down for a bit and letting yourself feel something. Be a kid again, it’s ok!
Honestly, I think most people who “don’t get Disney” have never really given it a fair shot. Disney adults get a bad rap because of that I guess. Maybe they went once as a kid and barely remember it. Maybe they went with someone who dragged them around with a plan and no pixie dust. Or maybe they’ve never been at all and just decided it’s not for them. That’s not a verdict, that’s an unopened gift, right?
I’ve made it a fun goal over the years, bring the skeptics, show them the magic, and watch them leave as fans. I’m not saying I’m always successful, but I’ve got a pretty good track record.
So if you’ve never been, or you went once and didn’t get it, come with me. I’ll make a fan out of you… I promise.
This story is based off of a chapter in my book, Daydream Believing: Confessions of a Grown Up Princess. A collection of short personal stories about real life, with a little Disney magic woven through. You can get a signed copy on our website or head to Amazon to get a regular copy! It’s a fun read, I appreciate your support!
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