Hmmm, well, Four score and seven Disney trips ago my father brought me forth into the Disney nation… Not really but that was funny! So what if I am the only one laughing!
Anyway, My name is Alan and I am a Disney addict. Yes, I admit I have a problem. It’s a big problem and I have no plans to ever seek help to recover from it! No midnight interventions to try to take me to one of those non-Disney parks or to travel to the Midwest to see the worlds largest ball of twine! I need my Disney fix! How did this happen? Glad you asked!
My addiction started early in life. When I was 14 years old I was brought to Disneyland. This was my first trip to see the house that Walt built since I was a toddler and taken to WDW. Needless to say I remember nothing of the trip to WDW. Anyway, I fell in love with it. I remember going back home to NY with pins, brochures and souvenirs. I hung them on my wall and still have the pins to this day.
It would be another 6 years before I went to see Mickey again. I had moved to Southeast Florida and had the opportunity to go. It was amazing but I it was not until I got married a couple years later and spent some of my honeymoon in Disney that I fall into a deep addiction. The addiction has grown steadily since. Some would say and do say that I am a bit overboard but I disagree. There is nothing wrong with a grown man collecting anything about Disney even if its napkins (when they actually spent the money to have Disney on them), receipts and brochures from well over 100 trips! That’s normal! Right? I don’t get people’s concerns.
What people don’t understand is that my addiction has nothing to do with attractions, shows, restaurants and beautiful hotel accommodations (though that helps!). It has to do with the experience, the atmosphere, the feeling that being away from it all in a place that looks and feels like nothing of reality. It’s an escape. Life can be crazy, stressful and overwhelming sometimes. We all need an escape to shut the brain down and just relax and enjoy. Honestly, I’ve taken many trips where I don’t think I ever rode a ride. I could just sit on a bench and relax and people watch. When I got hungry, I ate. When I got tired, I slept. When I had to, you know, I went. (Extra points for those who got that movie reference!)
So, having these trips to look forward to gives a crazy life some hope of a respite to look forward to. I guess Disney is like any drug. It creates a response that releases a chemical reaction in the body that causes a pleasurable feeling. I need that feeling. I want that feeling. I enjoy that feeling.
As I close, yes, I am a grown adult male with a beautiful wife and two beautiful children. I enjoy spending time in Disney with them as often as possible. We are seasonal passholders and DVC members. My family loves going to Disney although they are not a hardcore junkie like me. They are more like social junkies. 🙂
I enjoy writing, hence, the blog. I am looking forward to meeting other Disney fans that connect through this site. I am sure some of you are as addicted as me while others only have a Disney habit that is under control. I’ll never judge.
One last thing, is it wrong to use my kids to help feed my Disney Pin trading habit by telling them that they can’t eat unless they go out and find Cast Members to trade with and find the pins on the pre-printed list I gave them? Nah, I didn’t think so either.