So I'm a Disney fan.
I grew up going to Disney World in Orlando with my family a ton. I took trips there with my high school choir, spent an overnight with Seniors from all over the country at Magic Kingdom saying goodbye to childhood one last time. I even took my first vacation with a boyfriend there where we also visited some fellow culinary school alums who were interning at Disney. I ran my first (and let's be honest, ONLY) half marathon there, I was with my best friends in Animal Kingdom when they found out their baby boy had been born and they were going to be dads. I watched fire works in front of Cinderella's castle two months after a suicide attempt from battling situational depression and coming to a realization that I was going to be more than ok. Not to mention the many trips with close friends just for fun.
I don't know if that's the reason I love it so much. Vacationing at Disney holds so many memories and I want to continue to create more there.
I turned 31 this year and wanted to do a spa weekend at a nice hotel in Atlanta with my boyfriend. No party, no Facebook invite to wrangle 20-30 random friends to meet up for dinner and drinks. Just me, Dalvin and a massage and facial. Once we began looking into it, the cost really started adding up. So just for fun I looked into random trips on Expedia. The price to fly to California, stay in a hotel and visit both parks at Disneyland for two people was cheaper than 2 nights at a hotel in the city I live in. So...we booked it.
As someone who grew up going to Disney World, I always dreamed of visiting the original park on the west coast. Plus Sleeping Beauty is my favorite princess, so seeing her castle was also on my bucket list. I still can't believe we actually went!
Dalvin had never been to any Disney park and was very skeptical about it, but he LOVED it. We had a character breakfast at the Plaza Inn. Never had to wait in line for a single ride, met Black Panther and had dinner at Carthay Circle, which is an old Hollywood themed restaurant modeled after the theater Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered at. We got to experience the new 'Guardians of the Galaxy' ride which was my favorite thing we did.
Disneyland is A LOT smaller than it's younger yet bigger sister, so it's easy to see both parks in one day. It's pastel and super kitsch which is right up my ally. It was the perfect way to spend a birthday and I can't wait to go back!
If you're someone who doesn't understand the appeal of Disney Parks, I feel sorry for you. I'll take all that negativity you have for it and for people like me and laugh about it while I'm chowing down on a Mickey ice cream or screaming through Space Mountain. For everyone else, enjoy these cute pics from my birthday this year!
