Maybe there was magic all along

[Ursula J]

I just want to share a few things I’ve come to understand about myself. As I emotionally and mentally emerge from the last couple years, I realized how much impact stress and trauma have had on my attitude towards everything. In this particular context, let me limit it to Disney! I’ve been among the dismayed and vocal crowd here, voicing my discontent at so many bad decisions. I have worried and, at times, believed that the magic was indeed gone. But here is what I came to realize: my world had gotten scary and beyond my control. I’m not sharing my views, but I think it’s safe to say that whatever your politics, you’ve been deeply worried about the country at some point over the last few years. My husband is a cancer survivor; my dad suffered a major traumatic brain injury; everyone got Covid. My job became almost unbearable because of the situation, and I fell into deep depression and anxiety. I seek no pity here—I’m just explaining how everything created a perfect storm in which the only possible beacon of pure joy in my life was WDW. I looked to it to save my sense of hope, to give me something to look forward to. And Disney just made one horrible decision after another, cutting and scaling down and insulting and mishandling. Their mistakes became magnified in light of my absolute deficit of magic. I’m planning a dream trip for our family for December 2023 (I have to save a long time) and I’m realizing that as I recover my own emotional health, I can see the magic that is still there—and I don’t think it ever left, not fully. As I said, many corporate decisions have been absolutely terrible, no denying. But I’m willing to recognize that maybe I’ve been a little more scared of change and a little more apocalyptic than was merited. All of which is to say, I hope to see you in the parks, and I’ll be the one smiling the whole time.

 

[Gabby01]

I’m glad things are looking up for you! I think what you described is a very natural reaction to being overwhelmed with too many bad things happening at once. I hope you have a wonderful time on your next trip!

 

[Ursula J]

I’m glad things are looking up for you! I think what you described is a very natural reaction to being overwhelmed with too many bad things happening at once. I hope you have a wonderful time on your next trip!

Thank you! I've certainly found a lot of support and company in these boards over the past couple years, and I'm so grateful for everyone here.

 

[Jaymarkm]

I bought DVC a couple months back because I’ve always wanted to and I’m at the age where I’m like “will I even live out the term ,” then joined these boards, hadn’t been to parks in 6 years, and after reading stuff on here was like “oh no what have I done?”

Then trip in June…travel was a mess, had to game plan a lot with ride systems, rides were down, there were a few people in the park wearing certain clothes from certain people I certainly abhor, something I ate made me regret that something, daughters came back with COVID, it poured, things certainly didn’t go perfectly…

…but it was MAGICAL. Cannot put into words how much I enjoyed it. How much my fam enjoyed it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was 100% pure from the source Disney, and it was magical. I hope you have an awesome time! You are in the perfect frame of mind to let all that magic in, way better than I was, and it Magicked me right upside the head anyway!

 

[mwmom]

That is a lot to go through in such a short period of time. How wise of you to realize that those events alone could skew one’s view of things. I hope that December 2023 is here before you know it. In the meantime, enjoy your Disboard readings and planning. To me, that is part of the excitement. I am on here daily now that we have our December 2022 trip planned. We haven’t been in 4 years. May you be blessed with only good days ahead. You certainly deserve it!

 

[goofyernmost]

I have, for almost 40 years of going there (also to DL and DLP) feel that the magic isn't really actually there. It comes from within ourselves. Unfortunately, one of the many things that corporate did was to make it so many people that once could use the place to renew and enjoy became unavailable because of costs. It's good when one can at least afford to "save up" but that is a luxury that is not always available. For those that can find a way to make to the "most magical" place that magic will again and again be present because we bring it with us. Or at one time brought it with us.

In your case that magic still burns within you and will show its face as soon as you head out your door on the way to the welcome to WDW arch. For those that still can, I wish them a great time and if you bring that magic with you all will be well.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm right there with you on the emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes planning our next Disney trip is a bright spot in my life and I turn to these boards to get extra excited with like-minded people. Sometimes I get eaten up by dread, anxiety, resentment, and these boards are place to vent a bit with like-minded people. Glad to have these boards either way!