Once upon a time…

I have always loved all things Disney. I was light-hearted and silly as a kid, and Pluto was my favorite character (and, by association, Chip & Dale). I would beg the adults in my life to rent the Merry Melodies compilation VHS tapes that featured the Fab 5, and I’d watch them over and over. I loved all the classic characters, but it was that silly howling noise Pluto made that always make me giggle the loudest. Beyond the cartoon shorts, I was also lucky enough to have grown up in the golden age of Disney full-length animation. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were all released during my pre-teen and teen years, and I couldn’t get enough. In fact, at the age of 12 when I had the chicken pox and couldn’t leave my house for 2 weeks, I watched The Little Mermaid 42 times.

While Disney IP was familiar, the parks were elusive. Spending much of my childhood in rural Arkansas, we didn’t have the means to make the trip to Florida or California, so I never stepped foot in a Disney park as a kid. Yet, in spite of that fact, I watched all the television specials, tuned in to the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights and followed along as various sitcom families made their way to Main Street. I became familiar enough with Disney parks that they existed in my imagination, and I’d visit them when things got rough. My childhood was pretty rough, so that came in handy.

Fast-forward to adulthood, and something terrible happened. I picked up this notion that, as an adult, I couldn’t (or even shouldn’t) like Disney stuff anymore. I convinced myself that adulthood was about being buttoned-up and serious. So I repressed my love for Pluto and all things Disney, and made every effort not to be silly or light-hearted. I got the fancy, stuffy job. I tried to maintain a “respectable” persona. It was so bad that, when the opportunity finally came to join my in-laws and visit Disney World, I turned it down. (I know…nuts, right?!) I said, “Disney World is for kids.”

In November of 2017, I was given another chance. The in-laws once again invited us to join the family trip to Disney World. I was still a little hesitant, but as an attorney working in “big-law” at the time, I was a miserable, sad and depressed person that needed a break. So, we joined the pilgrimage to Florida and I can honestly say that trip changed everything. While I experienced the magic for the first time in person, I also saw myself for the first time in a LONG time. Turns out, that silly, light-hearted guy I’d repressed for so many years was still there. He just needed a little pixie dust to break through.

Nowadays, I don’t hold any of that back. I am a proud Disney fan and Leisure Mouse is part of how I share my Disney experience. I visit the parks a few times a year and try to keep on top of all the latest and greatest news, shows and events. As a lifetime Disney fan and an adult newbie Disney parks experiencer, I have a unique point of view that I hope some will find useful. If nothing else, I hope you’ll visit often for some thoughts and inspiration, a few tips and tricks, and a whole lot of magic. Thanks for stopping by!