Happiest Place on Earth

This year I bought a season pass to Disneyland on my birthday. I had only been to the park once before with an ex boyfriend shortly after high school. He didn't like to stand in lines and was opposed to taking pictures with Disney characters so all we did was walk in circles for 2 - 3 hours arguing and I never really got a chance to experience the park. This year when my big sister and her husband took me for my birthday, I had the time of my life! Okay, so I turned 27 and not 7 but I had a great time. I never would have believed that Disneyland was so magical.



I admit that I am often accused by my family of being a big kid, but that comes in handy at Disneyland where it is okay to be like Peter Pan and never grow up. So far this year I have been back three times and every time I am still taken back to the starry eyed amazement of my youth. On my birthday I waited in front of the Disneyland Castle for more than an hour to get a good spot for the fireworks show. I was not disappointed. It has music, a storyline, and the fireworks are themed to go along with the classic Disney stories being told. I have to tell you that I honestly got misty eyed watching it. Wow.

In real life I am very unemotional, I never cry. But who can stay dry eyed listening to a narrative of all the scariest and happiest moments of their favorite childhood movies illustrated by the most amazing light show they have ever seen? I tried, but I couldn’t, at least not the first time. Even the villain sequences were astounding, literal pillars of fire flew up from the castle. It was amazing! The laser show they added to the Buzz light year section was awesome! But nothing beat seeing Tinker Bell flit about around the castle. They had a real person on wires flying around the castle! Maybe for other people this is no big deal, but for me it was a priceless experience (okay, so it wasn’t priceless it cost $69).

The beautiful landscapes and employee costumes add to the ambience that surrounds Disneyland. Of course, I couldn’t imagine smiling through an entire shift, but hey it’s their job. I was joking with my sister this week that I would so quit my job to be a Disney Character (I’m a correctional officer, not nearly as many smiles). Maybe I’ll look into it in 30 year when I retire. How awesome is it that they get to make people smile and provide people with life long memories everyday? I’m sure for their employees its work, just like everyone else feels about their job, but I’m still envious. All jobs have some sort of purpose, but they get to make people happy everyday. They get to help stuffy old correctional officers like me feel like a kid again. How awesome is that? Next week my sister and I are taking my niece to Disneyland for her 5th birthday and I am so excited. I am more excited than she is. I can’t wait to share this life long memory with her and I am glad I can be apart of it. I can’t imagine how awesome it must be to be 5 years old and walk around Disneyland dressed like a princess all day. My nieces nick name is Tinker Bell. I can’t wait to introduce her to what she’ll think is the real thing. These kinds of memories are truly invaluable. I am glad I get to experience them, even now as an adult. If not, I never would have known that Disneyland truly is the happiest place on earth.