My first time at Disney

(Image: Me with Minnie and Mickey, private character meet-and-greet)

It’s the day after my first trip (and the day after my birthday!). Robin and I woke up around 7am, were in the park by 9am, and left around 7:30pm. It was surreal to finally see the park after spending the last six months researching, visualizing, and imagining what it would be like. As I write that sentence, the reality is not lost on me that my experience is hardly unique. Many families who goes to Disney World for vacation likely put a similar amount of planning and forethought into their trip, the price of a visit necessitates careful planning or else financial oblivion. The academic ground of this venture feels similarly well-trod. When I say “I’m going to make work about Disney,” I might as well say I’m going to make work about America. As in, yeah buddy what a fresh idea.

So, when I walked in and saw the castle in the (fake forced perspective) distance from the entrance to the magic kingdom and I thought “Wow, there it is!” I can’t help but feel they were ready for my reaction. Or that it was willed from me precisely. Similarly, for all my criticisms that I have of Disney Corp and Disney World (which I will definitely get into), I can’t help but smile and melt in the presence of Mickey and Minnie, dressed in their 90th birthday celebration outfits, hugging me—on my birthday, no less. I couldn’t frown if I wanted to.

I wrote tons of notes at the park, took a few photos, and saw many potential images that I will have to plan to return to capture. Rather than doing entire daylong recaps which would be meandering and scattered, I think I’m going to focus on individual posts for isolated experiences and topics moving forward. I think that will give me freedom to think out loud without having to fit things together neatly.

Right now I’m going to try to get to bed. Tomorrow I’m visiting Epcot with another Furry friend, Aisu, Aisu is another avid Disney/theme park fan, and she’s taking me specifically to see the live show for Coco in Epcot Mexico. Tomorrow will be Aisu’s 90th viewing of the show. It will also be her 91st viewing as we are planning to see the show twice in a row. I’m looking forward to talking with her about her passion for the show, and hearing her perspective on the park in whole.

One more photo for today. Here’s me and Robin on the Space Mountain coaster. Robin knew right where the photo would take, I was too busy being in the moment for the first time. Again, I don’t know if I could have helped it.