Disney. How Has It Changed Your Life?

Earlier this week, I posted that I was looking for some stories of how Disney has affected your life in several Facebook groups.  Many people commented, and I am going to share several of these fun, heartwarming stories with you.  Here they are, and I would love to hear your stories too.

Mary Benhart:  

Disney gave my husband somewhere we could vacation and he could actually DO things. He is in a wheelchair and no one looked at him funny. No one told him he couldn’t do something. He could have hundreds of experiences at Disney without any problems. Disney lets him feel “normal”.

Jodi West:

It gave my son and I an escape. I took care of my parents that both had cancer. I always would say its hard to be sad and depressed in the happiest place on earth. It was an escape from the sadness at home from watching the ones you love die slowly. It was nice bc everything that Disney does for guests allowed for us to not have to worry about taking care of something or someone. It allowed us to just have fun without any concerns.

Jackie Lahiff:

Disney takes you back to being a child with a child’s imagination. You stand at the gates and the feeling of no worries n cares and pure excitement takes over. Step inside and you are transported to a feeling that as adults we push into the dormant part of our brain. To be there with your own children and seeing the look on their faces when they meet the characters especially Mickey Mouse words cant explain it you have to feel it. I cant wait to be experiencing this feeling this year with my 5 year old grandson

Ashley Minkler:

Disney has changed my life. My mom had cancer during her last days we would watch Disney movies. She always let me believe in fairy tales. After her death I still collected Disney it’s wasn’t until my late 20’s I realized that Disney was apart of me more than it was ” a collection” I was in domestic violent relationship and Disney was my “escape” I always wanted to have that fairytale. I knew I wasn’t in my fairytale. When I left my ex he destroyed most of my Disney collection. It destroyed me.

2 years fast forward. I have found my fairytale. My boyfriend and I are growing my collection again. He and I go to Disneyland every two months. He doesn’t make fun of me with my fairytale beliefs or the fact I listen to Disney music everyday. He lets me be the person my mom let me be back when I was a child. Disney is apart of my identity.

Marissa Sparks:

Disney keeps me motivated. I’ve got a genetic disorder called Cystic Fibrosis and it’s tried more than once to take my life from me, just this past June my doctors gave me one good year left and maybe two years in total. Disney is the one thing that I have to look forward too. There is always another movie coming out, or a new ride! It never ends! I’ve even gotten into participating in the Run Disney events, though my health really isn’t favorable for that it is just more motivation to do my best to stay healthy. There have been times where I’ve been bed ridden and dependent on oxygen for weeks, the hospital can be such a miserable place, but from Disney movies to watching the fireworks on YouTube it’s always been really important to me. Disney has helped keep me alive for year, I hope someday to be able to take my passion for the company and return it and make the company even better.

Kelly DeAmico:

Disney gives our family something to look forward to every year. We absolutely love the feeling that Disney gives us and even when we’re not there we have great memories to talk about and think about. My kids want to work at Disney and be Imagineers. My hubby and I want to retire and work there to always keep that feeling and be around others who share that love. It really connects each one of us ages 3-37.

Michael Bernhart:

Disney World has always been a fun place for our family. Dad says Donald Duck taught him to read when he was 3 years old through his comic books. While my brother Ben was here for his honeymoon they met a cast member that became PaPa for his family. But Disney World really became family when my brother got very sick & the doctors did not expect him to live. The doctors & nurses posted Disney pictures in his hospital room & told him to fight to get well & parents would take him to Disney World. Now we make the 1050 miles trip in our RV & stay at Fort Wilderness often. Disney World is the only place we can do things. All the cast members are so nice to us & many remember us from trip to trip.

Felicia Marie:

Disney makes me feel like I am in a whole other world. I am a single mother to a beautiful 4 year old girl. Sometimes I feel like I’m messing up on a daily basis, and really have no idea what I’m doing at this whole parenting thing. When we go to Disney, her instant smile and pure joy reminds me that I’m doing something right. We have annual passes and live close to WDW. Sometimes we drive up for “date night” and ride a few things and go home. To feel so incredibly disconnected from the real world, and feel like a kid again is indescribable. There truly is nothing like walking up main street, the sights and smells. Disney feels like home.

Adrienne Michaelis:

Disney is what keeps me going, other than my Furbabies. We all have to have something to work for right? I’m single, in my thirties, no children(though I do have animals..a few cough cough 7 cats 2 dogs cough cough) I’ve been to Disney world once and on two Disney cruises. I enjoy dressing up in characters..pooh and Olaf are two of my favorites. Planning and saving for that next Disney trip is what gives me purpose and I can’t wait to take my nieces on a trip to show them the magic!

Debbie Shaw-Burke:

Disney, lets you indulge your inner child. No matter how old you are, or what your going through, mentally or physically Disney allows you without judgement to turn back the hands of time and truly enjoy life.

Laura Gaitan:

Born and raised in California and didn’t go to Disneyland until I was out of high school. When I finally went I could not get enough. I would often make trips to every Disney store I could get to. In the fall of 1992 I was hired at my local Disney store as Christmas help. I worked hard and was later hired as a permanent employee. Here is where I met the love of my life, best friend and now my husband of 20 years. We now have two girls who love Disney as much as we do. None of us can get enough. We are just a Disney family.

Chase Davidson:

Disney provides a safe, fun place for me, my family, and really everyone who visits.  They make you believe that anything is possible, and that magic is real.  Disney inspires many, and brings joy to millions of people every year.  I hope that Disney never looses there magic, and keeps on bringing smiles to peoples faces every day.

I hope you enjoyed reading these stories from Disney fans like me and you.  A special thank you for Ron and Allison Zelinsky for allowing me to post in their Facebook group, and the people that shared these memories, stories, and photos with me.  Hope everyone has a very magical day!