What a fantastic idea for a thread!
Let's see. Why do I love Disney?
To start, almost all of my stand-out, fantastic and best memories somehow involve Disney. I grew up on Disney. As a child, I never watched Sesame Street or Mr. Rogers. I was a Disney child, through and through. I grew up on Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty.
My first family vacation was in our first motor home to Florida where I met my Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Dave for the first time. Some of my earliest memories are at Disney World. I remember walking into the Magic Kingdom for the first time, Mickey's Starland, and SpectroMagic before the huge gaps between the floats. It was the first time to Disney World for my parents. And we returned many, many times.
I spent a Christmas at Disney World, and during that trip I finally came to realize that it was my second home.
I love the history of the parks, the charm, the atmosphere. There's NOTHING like walking down Main Street, USA past the Emporium, or around World Showcase, or hearing the screams of joy (and fear!) from Tower of Terror and, more recently, Everest.
When I did my internship, I secretly dreamed to work at Splash Mountain. During my interview, I gushed about how much I loved that ride. When I found out that I would, in fact, get the wonderful opportunity to work at Splash Mountain, I went back to Chatham Square, and in the privacy of my room, I cried. Walt must have been looking out for me.
Working at Disney World, at Splash Mountain, opened my eyes to a different side of the World. I saw backstage. I saw the things that some Guests never get to see or experience. Some things were great, some not so much.
Going to work at a place where people set out to see was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I was so grateful to walk down through the tunnels, up the elevator, and to Splash Mountain every day. I was even more grateful to impact families who were at Disney World for their first (and, for some, their ONLY) trip. There was nothing more wonderful than seeing children and adults coming off Splash Mountain with looks of sheer joy. Joy you never see while at the grocery store or driving home from work.
Just as Cast Members and Walt's vision made all of my dreams came true from many visits and the chance to work at my favorite attraction, I too made dreams come true for other guests. There was NOTHING more rewarding than walking home at the end of a 14 hour shift, knowing I'd be back in 9 hours for a 12 hour shift, than knowing that I made a child's dream come true.
Disney World is a place for people of all ages. It's a place where those jaded from every day life can once again let the child in them come out. For that reason, I am so thankful for that magical place. A place where families laugh, parents become kids again, and where the best memories are made.
That's why I love Disney World.