A few days ago, I experienced something that will forever be one of the greatest milestones I’ve ever achieved, one of the greatest moments of my entire life: I turned 21. I’m only kind of joking, but needless to say I’m pretty stoked about it. When thinking about how I was going to celebrate, a few ideas were tossed around: the classic weekend in Vegas, wine tasting in Napa, camping in the mountains with a beer by a bonfire. What I decided to do after all? Disneyland. The idea of going to the park, getting a new pair of ears, and the possibility of being tipsy at the park quite literally made my heart race. Then it hit me that I may very well be my biggest fear: a Disney adult.
But I will not be shamed! Here’s the thing, and hear me out, growing up on Disney movies is the quintessential Millennial/Gen-Z cusp experience, and man was I entrenched in it. I have vivid memories of my mom singing “Part of Your World” from the Little Mermaid while brushing my hair into pigtails, and you bet your bottom I would do anything to feel like I did in moments like those. That’s just the thing, though! So many of us have these core memories that would be a dream to experience again, and for so many people, Disney does exactly that.
Now, do I have a plethora of ears, a Mickey Mouse waffle maker, and an annual passholder sticker on my car? Absolutely not, but if that is your thing, I love that for you. While that’s not necessarily my style, indulging myself with the things I loved as a child (shoutout to the hoard of stuffed animals on my bed) is something I absolutely adore. Recently, the term “inner child” has become such a buzz-word, and maybe that’s for good reason. In all reality, too many people’s inner child (inner children?) do, in fact, need some healing. Among other things, my adoration of Disney is one way that I give tiny Briana with her pigtails a big ol’ hug and tell her that everything’s going to be just fine.
Like most things, being a Disney adult is a spectrum. Where I lie on it ebbs and flows (particularly spiking when the Tarzan soundtrack plays), and it probably does for you, too. You don’t think so? What’s your comfort movie? Gotcha. Welcome to the Disney Adult Club.