For as long as I can remember, my parents have taken my older brother and I to Disneyland. They knew that it was a place that all of us could go and have fun together, and it helped them escape from the reality of their stressful work environments. Since we’ve almost always had annual passes of some kind, we could go just for the morning or my mom could strap me on her back and put my brother in his stroller after work on Fridays. They would also take us just for dinner and the fireworks.
As I look back on all of the time I’ve spent with my family there, I’ve begun to understand part of why Disneyland means so much to me. It is a place that holds many memories for me, and the rides I could go on marked my changes in height rather than a wall or doorway at home. Some of the happiest memories I have of my childhood happened there, and I also conquered some fears (the abominable snowman on the Matterhorn, anyone?).
All through middle school and high school I played the trumpet in marching band, orchestra, and jazz band. I performed with the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra once on the Big Thunder Ranch stage (now being replaced by the Star Wars themed land), twice at the Carnation Plaza Gardens (now Fantasy Faire) with the Los Osos High School Jazz Band, marched down Main Street five times with the Los Osos High School Regiment, and I led the afternoon parade on December 26th, 2013 as the lead herald trumpet for the Tournament of Roses Honor Band (my most memorable performance). That’s a grand total of nine performances at the Magic Kingdom and nine visits backstage.
Now that I’m in college out of state, I still spend as much time with my family as I can. When I went back down to SoCal for my winter break last year, I made five different trips to Disneyland some with my family, some with my boyfriend, and some just to meet up with old friends. It’s amazing how one place can be so many things for me, and I don’t doubt that other people hold similar value for it. I think that’s a big part of why Disneyland feels so magical and enchanting. It’s not just the scenery and the rides, it’s the memories we have that are preserved there and knowing the impact it’s had on so many lives.
Disneyland: Reality, Authenticity, and Adoration 
