By Dawn Sabato
If you’ve ever passed through the gates of any Walt Disney World park, you’ve certainly noticed that look of wonder and awe on the face of a first-time visitor.
This look can apply to young, old, male, female - no one is truly immune to the magic. For many of us, this reaction isn’t limited to first-time visits. The legion of Walt Disney World obsessed feel the same glorious, inspired emotions and glee even after hundreds of visits! In fact, there’s a core, subculture of park fans who simply cannot let it go upon exiting. Are you among the seriously Walt Disney World obsessed? Which of these signs of obsession apply to you, or someone you know?
This look can apply to young, old, male, female - no one is truly immune to the magic. For many of us, this reaction isn’t limited to first-time visits. The legion of Walt Disney World obsessed feel the same glorious, inspired emotions and glee even after hundreds of visits! In fact, there’s a core, subculture of park fans who simply cannot let it go upon exiting. Are you among the seriously Walt Disney World obsessed? Which of these signs of obsession apply to you, or someone you know?
1. You seem to have Mickey ears on everything
Walt Disney World guests have a wide selection of mass-produced souvenirs to choose from when looking for that perfect item to commemorate their visit. T-shirts, mouse ear caps, pins, and Vinylmation creations - these are all common items that appeal to the average park guest, but it’s only the beginning of the overall product line. When you tire of the more traditional souvenirs, you can graduate to home decor!
With package delivery shipping services available, there’s nothing stopping you from adding a little more mouse to your house. Functional kitchen accessories and small appliances, respectable art work, and impressive garden enhancements are among some of the items that may not have traveled well in a suitcase. Now that you can have them carefully shipped home, it opens a whole new world of decorative possibilities - and perhaps, a whole new obsession. I’m still working on a tactful way to put mouse ears on my toilets, but Mickey has certainly made his mark everywhere else in my home. There’s just something about taking that Walt Disney World cheer to-go!
With package delivery shipping services available, there’s nothing stopping you from adding a little more mouse to your house. Functional kitchen accessories and small appliances, respectable art work, and impressive garden enhancements are among some of the items that may not have traveled well in a suitcase. Now that you can have them carefully shipped home, it opens a whole new world of decorative possibilities - and perhaps, a whole new obsession. I’m still working on a tactful way to put mouse ears on my toilets, but Mickey has certainly made his mark everywhere else in my home. There’s just something about taking that Walt Disney World cheer to-go!
2. You have at least one tattoo in tribute to Walt Disney World, or its residents
If you can overcome a case of Trypanophobia to commemorate your love of Disney, you have a powerful passion, indeed! Trypanophobia is a fear of needles, and as a bonafide Trypanophobe, I can safely say that it takes immeasurable dedication to cross that bridge to permanent memorialization. I’ve seen Cinderella Castle tattoos, countless character likenesses - even autographs from park residents that were traced over to become a lifetime treasure.
The potential pitfall is the inevitable urge to continue inking. After all, it’s hard to choose just one character or design as a forever favorite. Some fans have taken their Disney tattoo collections to levels that many would equate to being mad as a hatter, but Walt Disney World is the type of place that stays with you. To some of us, it seems only natural to keep the mouse close to our hearts.
The potential pitfall is the inevitable urge to continue inking. After all, it’s hard to choose just one character or design as a forever favorite. Some fans have taken their Disney tattoo collections to levels that many would equate to being mad as a hatter, but Walt Disney World is the type of place that stays with you. To some of us, it seems only natural to keep the mouse close to our hearts.
3. You see no reason why you can’t wear mouse ears everywhere
If ever there was a souvenir that signifies a Walt Disney World vacation, it has to be mouse ears! On any given day at the parks, you’ll notice at least half of your fellow guests donning mouse ear caps in tribute to the mouse who started it all. In recent years, there’s been an incredible increase in styles and themes of these adorable adornments, combining a little Mickey with other Disney characters, park themes, and generic, fashionable patterns. Put simply, you could easily wear a pair every day, and probably not duplicate chapeaus all year. With so many colors, designs, and types - some people opt to incorporate this trendy accessory into their daily life, even long after their Walt Disney World vacation has ended. For die-hard Disney fans, the mouse ear cap is the modern-day baseball cap, and wardrobes are planned around them.
4. Your dream is to be a Cast Member
Who needs to be a doctor, lawyer, or rocket scientist when you can be a Walt Disney World Cast Member? You know a Walt Disney World visit has changed your life when you’d gladly trade in four years of college effort to sell turkey legs. When you discover the College Program, you may just realize that your dream can come true, as you have your education and experience too! The Walt Disney World Resort is a wonderful place to gain respectable experience, insight, and work ethic from one of the most powerful companies in the world, but to those of us with a core passion for the parks, it’s rewarding enough to simply be a part of making magic. Besides, what better way to sneak a peek at the infamous Utiladors of the Magic Kingdom?
5. You have relocated to Orlando, just to be closer to Walt Disney World
A recent CNN report named Orlando as the fourth most popular city to move to in the United States. While warmer climates, beaches, and sunny skies have always lured many to the Sunshine State, Walt Disney World is the most-often cited reason for relocation to Orlando. At first consideration, it seems a little wacky to plan a drastic life event around the whimsical allure of a theme park, but it’s not as crazy as it sounds. For those who truly enjoy the tourism industry overall, there is limitless potential for a profitable, rewarding career in Orlando - with Walt Disney World, or possibly competitive area amusements. With Disney’s annual pass monthly payment options, and Florida resident discounts, you don’t have to be a Cast Member to call the parks your second home. Some of us just like the option of having a Casey’s hot dog within ten mile access, and there’s something empowering about knowing you can always come back tomorrow if a line is too long or crowds are too thick. Even beyond the magical walls of the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando has undeniable appeal and opportunity!
6. You have as many photos of Walt Disney World sights as you do of your family
Once you’ve chalked up triple-digit ranked visits to the Walt Disney World parks, you’ll undoubtedly discover that you have pictures of every family member with every character, and probably a few dozen photos of Cinderella Castle from every angle. At this point, you may notice that your little ones are burnt out on posing with princesses as well. A true photog won’t even consider packing away their camera - they’ll simply expand their exploration path! When you start venturing off for solo photo expeditions, you truly discover the most magical secrets and details of the Walt Disney World Resort! About 1,500 digital images ago, I sincerely believed that I had captured it all. Wrong! I’m still not done building my Walt Disney World photo collection. My children may run as they see me in paparazzi mode, but I find many subjects to snap that are more captive to my lens. Anyone can be an inspiring photographer with the landscapes, architecture, and even natural aspects of Walt Disney World. I have hundreds of photos of the trees at Fort Wilderness Campground alone, and don’t even get me started on the Disney ducks!
7. You think food is much less appealing if it doesn’t incorporate a Disney character
Personally, I’m not a fan of pretzels or waffles, but at Walt Disney World, I consider them to be mandatory! Why? Because they’re magically mouse-ified! Honestly, they don’t taste any better than anyone else’s pretzels or waffles, but there’s something about that familiar, happy shape that makes them simply irresistible!
I’ve since learned to eat waffles at home, but only when I received the gift of a Cinderella waffle maker. This was soon followed by a toaster that plays the “Mickey Mouse March” as the toast pops up - complete with an imprint of the famed mouse, of course! Since then, I’ve been on a mission to tri-circle as many edibles as I can - pancakes, pizza, cakes. Something about that familiar shape just makes meal-time or snack-time so much more magical. I’ve also discovered that national pizza chains get a bit flustered when this special design request comes their way.
I’ve since learned to eat waffles at home, but only when I received the gift of a Cinderella waffle maker. This was soon followed by a toaster that plays the “Mickey Mouse March” as the toast pops up - complete with an imprint of the famed mouse, of course! Since then, I’ve been on a mission to tri-circle as many edibles as I can - pancakes, pizza, cakes. Something about that familiar shape just makes meal-time or snack-time so much more magical. I’ve also discovered that national pizza chains get a bit flustered when this special design request comes their way.
8. You look for “hidden Mickeys” everywhere you go
Speaking of tri-circles - once you become part of the hidden Mickey hunter culture, be prepared to invite a whole new perspective into your daily life. Though hidden Mickeys are planted intentionally throughout the parks and resorts, the scavenger hunt doesn’t have to end there. You might be surprised by naturally occurring instances of Mickey’s likeness just waiting to be discovered by eagle-eyed Disney fans, and each discovery will surely provide a moment of giddy satisfaction to a seasoned hunter. When all else fails, it’s quite rewarding to play “Imagineer”, and create a few hidden Mickeys of your own.
9. Your life’s soundtrack is planned around the musical themes of Walt Disney World
As you wander from land to land at The Magic Kingdom, you’ve noticed the smooth transition in ambient sound - the jungle beats of Adventureland, the whimsical charm of Fantasyland. Isn’t it rather impossible to avoid feeling vibrant and happy in these surroundings? It makes perfect sense that those who feel rejuvenated and energized by the sounds of Disney would want to embrace that audible energy even when they’ve left the parks. You know you’ve fully embraced your love of Walt Disney World when you have centralized audio set to transition park themes throughout the rooms of your home. I’ve been known to shower to the entire Enchanted Tiki Room attraction soundtrack. You’ve truly crossed into the realm of obsession when you time the sounds of the evening fireworks display to begin as you watch the show from your own strategically-selected backyard on a nightly basis as part of your bedtime ritual.
10. You won’t let the recent price hike hinder your magic
Local newscasters in Orlando have been posing the same question in reaction to the recent Walt Disney World price increase - when is it too much? Truth be told, ticket prices passed “too much” a while ago, but much like any other addiction - when there’s a will, there’s a way. It appears that no price point will keep the scores of park-lovers away, even when we do acknowledge the ridiculous costs of a Walt Disney World vacation. Have you lowered your grocery standards to include nothing but Ramen noodles for months on end just to accommodate an upcoming visit to the parks? Believe me - some have! When you find yourself planning that trip while figuring out which of your bills can be postponed or which of your necessary utilities aren’t really as necessary as you once believed, you know you’ve hit the obsession-zone!
Walt Disney World obsession does not have to be a crippling thing. You only have to know how to manage and harness it! On the negative end, it can grow to be a significantly expensive passion, and one that not everyone may understand. On the positive end, it enables you to spread that Disney magic on a grand-scale, leaving happiness and contagious enthusiasm in your wake. If you see yourself in this list, embrace your unique appreciation of wonder and innovation as you welcome the mission to share your Disney side!
Walt Disney World obsession does not have to be a crippling thing. You only have to know how to manage and harness it! On the negative end, it can grow to be a significantly expensive passion, and one that not everyone may understand. On the positive end, it enables you to spread that Disney magic on a grand-scale, leaving happiness and contagious enthusiasm in your wake. If you see yourself in this list, embrace your unique appreciation of wonder and innovation as you welcome the mission to share your Disney side!
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