When I moved to Florida for college, I never thought that I would visit Walt Disney World. It was something that I had always dreamed of experiencing as a kid but it was way too expensive for my family to ever actually plan. This changed a few years ago when I officially became a Florida resident and didn’t have to worry about flight tickets, hotels or out-of-state costs. Since my first visit to “The Most Magical Place On Earth,” also known as Magic Kingdom, I have been obsessed with all things park-related — so obsessed that I decided to create a Disney-themed Instagram account for all my pictures. Something that started as a way to document all the memories I didn’t get to have as a kid turned into so much more. Here are five ways my life has changed from creating my Disney-themed Instagram account.
- I Have a Creative Outlet I Can Turn to When Life Gets Tough
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Adulting can be hard sometimes. Between the countless hours I spend doing homework or working every week, at times I feel like I can never catch a break. It’s nice to have an excuse to go to Disney World whenever I need a stress-free day and want more content for my Instagram page. Being able to come home, lay on my bed and edit my pictures just the way I want keeps my feed aesthetically pleasing. It makes me feel like I have my life in control, even if its just one aspect of it. There’s something sort of therapeutic in messing with the color and lighting of your photos when you need to think about something other than classes.
- I’ve Made Friends with People from All over the World
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Posting Disney-related pictures on my main Instagram account can sometimes feel weird. The majority of my followers are family members who don’t care or friends from my out-of-state high school who don’t understand how being a passholder works and think I spend hundreds of dollars every time I visit. When I had the idea of creating my themed account, I was surprised by how many other people had already done the same thing. I slowly began to make connections with people who shared the passion like me, and this was pretty cool. I might not have made some of the friends I have if it was not for our shared love of Disney.
- It’s Opened Doors for Business Opportunities
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I thought no one would follow my account at first, but eventually, people did. It took some time and consistency but I was able to get my account to reach 1000+ followers. While this is nothing compared to many influencers, it’s been enough to get me noticed by a lot of small shops that create Disney-themed items on Etsy. I’ve been able to partner up with several shops and Instagram accounts that I love, and I always have something being sent to me in the mail to review, unbox or take pictures with. While I’m no James Charles, it does feel cool to be able to tell my followers they can use my discount code at tons of places.
- I’ve Become More Confident Through Taking More Pictures of Myself
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I’m usually the person hiding in the background when group pictures are taken because I hate being the center of attention. Letting people take pictures of me is always something I’ve felt uncomfortable with, but I’ve slowly gotten better at building my confidence. There is nothing more awkward than standing in front of hundreds of people trying to get the perfect picture of yourself when you’re self-conscious. There’s literally not a single spot at Disney where you can take a picture without having an audience, so sometimes the only thing to do is strike a pose and let the tons of people looking at you build up your confidence, not tear it down.
- I Now Have Something to Be Proud Of
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I may not have the most followers out there, but I put effort into every Instagram story I record, picture I post and caption I write — even if barely anyone sees it. When you put hard work and dedication into something, it shouldn’t matter how many people view or like it. What matters most is how you feel after you hit the post button.
If you’d like to keep up with my Disney adventures, you can follow me on my Instagram: @Expedition_Disney_. If there’s something you’re even slightly passionate about and are unsure of whether you should create a platform to talk or post about it all you want, this is me telling you to go for it! Your passions are important, and showing them to the world is important too.
Images: All images taken by author