The very first time I ever went to Disney World was my senior year of high school.
I was one of those self-proclaimed band geeks... and I loved every second of it.
I played the trumpet from sixth grade all the way through my senior year. Marching band was my sport. And during my senior year, our band was invited to lead the Dreams Come True Parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom.
Talk about a dream come true.
That moment hooked me.
At the time, I truly believed it would be the only time I'd ever visit Disney World. But God has a funny way of writing our stories. Just two years later, I met the man who would become my husband and as it turns out, he's every bit as Disney obsessed as I am.
We got engaged in Mary Poppins' garden at the Grand Floridian.
We got married aboard the Disney Dream on Deck 16, inside one of the iconic smokestacks.
We honeymooned at Disney World.
And now, years later, we get to experience that same magic through our kids.
Yes... I pray for my daughters' future husbands every single day because we've absolutely created little Disney fanatics. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I'll gladly snuggle my girls while Happily Ever After lights up the sky. I'll keep pointing out Tinker Bell as she flies over Cinderella Castle. Those moments never get old.
One trip in particular still makes me emotional.
It was shortly after the parks reopened following COVID. At the time we lived only about 45 minutes away, and by pure luck there happened to be Magic Kingdom reservations available that morning.
So we grabbed our Mickey popcorn bucket, hopped in the car, and headed to the parks.
As always, the moment we stepped onto Main Street, U.S.A., I showed my girls the exact spot where I almost tripped while swing-stepping in the parade years before.
Some memories never die.
Then suddenly Christmas music started playing.
Cast Members began clearing the streets.
You could feel the excitement building.
A parade was coming.
Not just any parade … a Christmas cavalcade.
Then around the corner came Santa Claus himself, perched high on his sleigh, smiling and calling out, "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!"
Before I even realized what was happening, tears were streaming down my face.
You see, our family was walking through one of the hardest seasons we'd ever faced.
But for those few minutes... none of it mattered.
We had stepped into the Disney bubble. Santa had wished me a Merry Christmas. And somehow my anxious heart felt lighter. For just a little while, all the heaviness gave way to childlike joy.
(Imagine Buddy the Elf screaming, "Santa! I know him!" That was basically me.)
Then there was another moment I'll never forget that happened a year or two before this.
Our oldest daughter, N, was born deaf.
She has a severe hearing loss, and for nearly three years we believed her hearing aids were giving her access to sound when, in reality, they weren't enough.
Just before her fourth birthday, she received cochlear implants. About six months later, we took our first Disney trip after her surgery. My mother-in-law bought her an "I'm Celebrating" button and wrote, My First Time Hearing at Disney.
Our very first stop was Hollywood Studios, where Donald Duck just happened to be greeting guests.
Donald has always been N's favorite. When it was finally our turn, Donald noticed the celebration button pinned to the back of her shirt.
He stopped.
Covered his beak with his hands.
Then started jumping up and down with excitement before wrapping her in the biggest duck hug imaginable.
Every Cast Member we encountered that day celebrated with us. They sprinkled pixie dust in ways that had nothing to do with glitter and everything to do with kindness. They treated our little girl like the princess she has always been.
Looking back, I don't think Disney makes me cry because of the fireworks or the music or even the nostalgia.
I cry because Disney has become the backdrop for so many of the moments that matter most.
The moments where hope interrupted heartbreak.
The moments where joy showed up when life felt heavy.
The moments where our family simply got to be together.
Maybe that's why I keep going back.
Not because Disney is perfect but because some of my favorite memories are waiting there.
And every once in a while, those memories remind me of something even bigger: that our Heavenly Father delights in giving His children good gifts. Sometimes those gifts look like miracles. Sometimes they look like healing. And sometimes they look like fireworks, hugs from Donald Duck, and a surprise wave from Santa when you needed it most.
Those are the moments that make me cry.
Every single time.
XOXO Whitney