fairytales are forever
Reliving childhood nostalgia in the most magical place on Earth.
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March 2005: In front of the Finding Nemo attraction in Epcot with Sabrina, my cousin Regino, and Julian
Growing up a three hour drive from Disney World meant one thing… My parents took us there ALL. THE. TIME. Okay fine, it was mostly my mom. Either way, I was enthralled by the magic created in the bleak city of Orlando. Our trips to Disney were mostly for mine and my siblings’ birthdays that luckily happen to be spread throughout the less busy months of the year. Each visit to the parks left my limbs crackling with energy, my thoughts racing at speeds much higher than of any ride in the Disney World theme parks.
There were so many activities to love! Meet and greets with all of my favorite characters, high-energy parades with extravagant floats, enjoying the nighttime firework show over soft serve ice cream, and of course, the rides. And such a variety of them too! My favorites in Magic Kingdom were those based on my favorite movies and of course, any involving speed. Only ever growing to be five feet tall, one can imagine how much longer it took me to meet the height requirements for roller coasters. I could not recall the number of times I have been abandoned outside of the queue of a roller coaster, throwing uncontrollable tantrums over not being allowed to ride. The day I finally sat in the soft blue seat of the Space Mountain attraction vehicle may have been the peak of my first seven years of life.
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The frequency of Disney trips dwindled once I was in middle school only to make a comeback during my sophomore year of high school when I made several drives up to Orlando with my closest friends.
March 2005: Celebrating my fifth birthday in Epcot with my mom, Sabrina, Julian, my cousin Regino, my madrina Edna, and the one and only Mickey Mouse
Amongst these trips were birthday celebrations, reminiscent of my fond childhood memories. Senior year, news came that I would have to put my dream of moving out of state on hold to attend the University of Central Florida.
December 2018: My best friend/sister Ana and I in Animal Kingdom after surviving our first ever finals week
Moving to Orlando for my freshman year of college meant one thing … I could fuel my childhood nostalgia by going to Disney ALL. THE. TIME. Rough day? Disney. Stressful week? Disney. Broken hearted? Disney. Depressed about still living in Florida? Disney. (How ironic that one method of comforting my despair about being shackled to Florida was by participating in such a Floridian activity). Celebrating after an exam? Disney. The glee associated with the so-called most magical place on Earth never wavered.
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When I consider Orlando as a city and as a place I once lived in, the memories correlate to feelings of dread and misery. The colors of the town were dull, nature didn’t dominate the scene, the air smelled weird, and even the water had an acidic taste to it. Not a single detail of the city appealed to any of my five senses.
February 2019: Sabrina, me, and Ana in Magic Kingdom
Except for Disney World. Each park took me through new worlds, allowing me to construct my own special methods of escapism when the weight of dissatisfaction became too heavy. The colors were electric, the air was filled with laughter, and certain attractions were accompanied by wonderful scents corresponding to their subject matter. The smell of fresh dirt released while flying over African elephants on Epcot’s Soarin' will always be my favorite.
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It’s astonishing how such a vibrant, creative place can exist within a perfectly unpunctured bubble, surrounded by the ugliness of a strange city. Not only did Disney comfort me during a challenging period of my life by providing an outlet of joyful escape, but it appealed to my thriving inner child. Memories of spending weekends in Disney with family and friends met me in the queue of every attraction. In a city where I felt unwanted, these happy memories of my loved ones kept me grounded.
As dramatic and childish as the statement may seem, when I lived in Orlando, Disney World truly was the most magical place on Earth.
March 2005: More pictures from my fifth birthday trip including my dad and abuelos.
November 2008: Kassy, me, and Ana on a trio-family trip in Animal Kingdom