A year ago to date I went to Disneyland for the first time. It was a birthday gift from my BFF, a promise we both made and finally fulfilled after a while.
It was magical. Reality aside (me counting tally: "How do all these people afford this thing???"), I don't think I've ever grinned as wide as I was that day. The rides, the characters, the joy. I remember BFF looking at me and smiled widely "Are you enjoying yourself?". I smiled happily and answered, "Yes. Yes I am."
Three months later I returned to Disneyland with my BF. We had 4 Disney visits for the rest of the year, and I dressed up for all of them. Each time we are done with the visit I told BF "This is too much. The expense, the aching feet, I don't know if I want to do this again." Yet when the next Disney date came I can feel myself being all excited and happy again.
If you told me, say 5 years ago, that I would be this much into Disneyland I would have laughed at you. I like theme parks and fun things in general, but not '$250 a pop' like. Once would be enough, thank you. And here I am, missing the place already. Dreading it still because of the cost and the tiredness that will follow, but missing it nevertheless.
It's the memory of sharing chicken dinner with my BFF and hearing him laugh as I did a funny pose with Captain Hook. It's the memory of sitting and dancing at Oga's Cantina and sipping cocktail with BF at Carthay Circle. It's the way my BFF smiled after hearing my particularly happy scream at Matterhorn. It's the way BF and I laughed maniacally on the Tea Cup and dancing together while waiting in line for the Haunted Mansion.
Disneyland (and Adventure Park) for me means love. I experienced it with the right people, and it made me feel loved and wanted. The good feeling became a core memory for me, and I know even if I go back there alone I will still feel happy and elated. It will require a very hard push to change that feeling.
I think a lot of people feel this way. I also think a lot of people don't understand this feeling. They are both right. Both feelings are valid. I don't think my BF or BFF experienced Disneyland the same way I do, or have this emotional connection. It doesn't make my feeling less valid, nor does it make me a more lunatic than they are (which I am, but it's a totally different subject).
We are not robots. Even close siblings or twins can perceive and process feelings and thoughts differently, let alone your friends or, heaven forbid, strangers on the internet. The issue should never be about how a feeling is right or wrong. The issue should be how can we addressed this feeling.
Disney Parks can't close forever. It will be open again soon enough and considering Disney Parks are one of the main international attraction in the US, one should be aware on the potential risk that might involve. Is it worth risking transmission or is it something that we can hold off for a little bit more? Just a little bit more?
We won't get people to consider their action when we refuse to understand their reasoning. If you called me a childish adult for enjoying on going to Disney Parks, boy have I got some choice of words for you. If you express your concern on the safety of my action, even citing responsible data and facts related to huge gathering, I might just consider it.
To simplify this: You will get more result by not attacking my personal core belief and instead sticking to the fact. You are not attacking err asking me to not go back to Disneyland, but you are asking me to consider being in a large group of people with a big risk of transmission. As a sane person, that makes more sense.
This approach can be use in virtually anything else. Don't attack someone with their race or political belief or even their level of smartness for not wearing mask. Stick to the fact that it is a safe precaution. Don't attack someone for being selfish when they say they want to go to hair salon or restaurant. Stick to the fact that it is difficult to clean everything indoor or even engage in a discussion on what they think can be done to keep everyone safe.
It is not a foolproof way. As a matter of fact it has all the high probability of failing when you meet a fool. Yet an offense, especially when you do not know how they feel like, will almost ensure the other person refuse to listen to you. Vice versa, if someone approached us with something we don't like to hear but in a respectful clear concise way, it doesn't hurt to hear what they have to say because we too don't know how they feel.
Soon enough Disney Parks will be open again, and insults will fly towards (and within) loyal Disney-goers. The scaredy rabbits vs the grandma killers. Other part of the country will be opened as well, and more flares will come up. It is time to learn to listen and to communicate. We need this. Badly.
I miss you already, Disneyland and Disney Adventure Park. See you in about a year or two, kay.
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