We all have an origin story for why we are drawn to certain things in our lives. My husband is a firefighter, and his origin story for his career involves growing up in a family that was heavily involved in a volunteer fire department. He learned from a young age the value of helping others, the camaraderie that develops in first responder circles, and, frankly, that fire trucks are pretty cool.
My Disney story also started at a very young age – in fact, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of Mickey Mouse. I guess most people can say that, but for me, Mickey came into my life and I just never grew out of him.
One of my earliest memories is sitting in the back of my dad’s car, asking him to “talk like Mickey!” Dad would pitch his voice high and say”Hi, I’m Mickey Mouse!” I would giggle and marvel at how much like Mickey my dad sounded… Although, years later I realized that he really didn’t sound much like Mickey, but to a young child, he sounded perfect to me!
A kid of the Kingdom
My dad tells me that he really got me started with my love for Disney because he was sent to live in St Cloud for a stretch when I was very small. He was a young thirty-something single dad with a precocious brunette toddler princess in tow, moving from PA to FL to work on a project. He likes to tell me how a stewardess let me help her pass out snacks to everyone on the plane on the way there, and how I charmed all the passengers while giving them peanuts.
When we lived in Florida, I spent my time outside of daycare chasing little brown lizards in the backyard, always wary of being eaten by an alligator. My dad would take me to the Magic Kingdom every weekend. This was in the very early 80s – before Epcot was complete – and so the Magic Kingdom still sold ticket books for rides and a dad and his little daughter could do a lot for not a lot of money!
I was too young to remember these trips to the Magic Kingdom, but I feel very sure that is wear my love for Mickey and for Cinderella’s castle was born. As I look around my office today, those two icons of the Disney company are the most represented in my collection of Disney memorabilia and the two things that get the most emotional reaction from me every time I see them.
Movies and Vacations
Like most kids, I grew up consuming Disney media. In the 80’s and 90’s, that meant the introduction of Disney VHS tapes, the Disney Channel (and the New Mickey Mouse Club!), and my favorite record album in the mid-80s: Mousercise! Give it a listen and tell me that “Ducks Dance Too” isn’t an absolute banger.
My family grew and I ended up being one of six kids, so we weren’t a big vacation taking family. Because of that, we only visited Walt Disney World when I was ten years old, and then again when I was 20 years old. That did not quell my obsession for Disney by any means! My senior prom dress was a Cinderella blue princess gown, which I accessorized with silver dangly earrings with blue crystals and bejeweled Mickey heads. I obsessed over a post-high school trip to Walt Disney World and was fascinated by the idea of the Disney Institute.
Our family vacation in 1999 when I was 20 years old gave me a taste for what Disney as an adult could be. I’ve always been a bit of a late bloomer and more of a fan of fantasy and fun than fads or fashion, and it was wonderful being in a place where there were no expectations of acting your age. I could sit and enjoy Spectromagic with my 4 and 2 year old brothers without anyone wondering why I was waving at someone dressed in an electrified costume.
Never Grow Up
Since that trip in 1999, I’ve been fortunate to be able to get back to Walt Disney World many more times than your average bear. I’m on trip 30 and counting at this point, and still loving every minute I spend in “the World.” My husband proposed to me on the beach of the Polynesian resort where we were watching Cinderella castle sparkle in the distance. We’ve introduced our son to Disney, travelled with our friends, our families, and snuck in some adult only trips. I am just not settled unless I have another trip “home” on the calendar to look forward to.
So there’s my origin story – where my love for Disney grew over the years. I’m happy now to start helping others plan their vacations to Disney as an Independent Travel Advisor with Magical Moments Vacations! Check me out on Facebook to find out how I can help you make your next trip magical! And keep checking back in here where I’ll share what I’ve learned over the years as a Disney fan and frequent vacationer to the place where the stories come alive!
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