People all the time refer to Walt Disney World and Disneyland as their “happy place”. There is nothing wrong with that! There’s something special about a Disney vacation, which is why so many people return year after year.
There’s another side of the Disney theme parks that isn’t talked about as often. Disney is a healing place. If you’re active on Facebook, you’ve undoubtedly seen posts where someone “needs” Disney to move on. Often it’s after the loss of a loved one, but not always. Change is hard and stressful. Disney provides us with a safe place in which to escape.
A few months back, my family and I had lunch at Hollywood & Vine. We were there to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and all the characters celebrated with us. While we were there, I noticed a woman who seemed down. Pluto saw her and approached her. They shared one of the longest character hugs I’ve ever witnessed. The woman cried the whole time. When Pluto left and she sat down again, her demeanor had changed. Pluto had helped to lessen a hurt, if only for a little while.
My grandmother was a doll collector. Her favorite ride at Walt Disney World was “it’s a small world”. When in Florida, she rode it over and over. After she passed, it took me a year to be able to ride it without crying. (I’m sure that some people thought that the reason why I was emotional was because the song gets stuck in your head!) Now, whenever I ride, I still think of her. Instead of crying, though, I smile. Disney helped me to heal.
I know someone who almost died out of the country a couple of years ago because of a freak occurrence. A medical team halfway across the world saved her life. When she returned home, one of the most important things to her was attending an Eat to the Beat concert at Epcot. She was still weak, so her party rented a wheelchair for her. It was a major step towards getting her life back. And I’m happy to say that she has fully recovered.
There are countless stories of people who took a step towards healing during a Disney vacation. It could be by carrying a photo of someone who is no longer with them. Sometimes it’s getting over a fear. It might be moving forward after an injury or ailment. The Disney parks are a good place to visit after a breakup. It might even be trying to get used to an empty nest. Whatever the case, Walt Disney World and Disneyland can be healing places. You just need to open your heart.