What does Disney mean to you? Is it the food, the rides, the movies, the rides, the characters, the ambiance? To me, it has always been that feeling of magic, nostalgia, and happiness associated with being in the parks and watching Disney movies/shows that started when I was a little girl. I just wanted to share with you how my perspective of Disney has changed during the Covid pandemic.
Disneyland first opened its majestic gates on July 17, 1955. Since then, old and young alike were free to visit the amazing park as long as you could make that trip to Anaheim, California. Fast forward to March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world and we faced uncertainty with lockdowns, mask mandates, school closures, and eventually the closure of theme parks including Disneyland. We were all faced with so much anxiety and fear of a pandemic I never thought I’d see in my lifetime.
With the closure of the parks, my perspective of Disney changed a lot – in a good way. It made me appreciate the magic of Disney EVEN MORE.
THE MAGIC OF DISNEYLAND
Before the pandemic, my family & I always knew that we could make the 8 hour trip by car from the San Francisco Bay Area, California to Anaheim or by taking the Amtrak train. All of sudden, Disney parks were closing worldwide including our beloved Disneyland. Our family loves theme parks and every Summer since I was little, we always went on our little adventures at the local theme and water parks, but Disneyland was always our favorite.
We couldn’t afford to go every year or even buy an annual pass, but every visit was magical and engrained so many happy memories in my mind. My very first memory of Disneyland was a hilarious one. Back in the early 1980s, the 3 Little Pigs were some of the characters at Disneyland, so my mom walked me up to one of them which so happened to be the grumpy-looking one. I was absolutely terrified, cried and ran away! Needless to say, my very first character meet & greet didn’t go so well.
The rest of the visit to the park was just amazing: from riding the (now removed) Skyway Gondolas that ran through Matterhorn Mountain, gliding in a boat on the Storybook Land Canal, singing along to “It’s a Small World”, and being so scared on “Pirates of the Caribbean” thinking the cannonballs being fired from the ship would land on our boat. Pirates was my grandmother’s favorite ride. She passed away 7 years ago, and the memories of sitting with her and my mom on the boat while watching her happiness and excitement make me teary-eyed.
In 2013, my husband and I experienced our first Disneyland Halloween (my favorite holiday) and I was blown away by all the spooky decor and the Halloween versions of the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain. My husband also got his very first personalized Mickey Hat and I got my first set of Minnie Ears which we wore all day of course.
In 2016, I brought my 3-year-old son to Disneyland for the first time to celebrate his birthday also for the Halloween season. Although he doesn’t remember much, we made a lot of memories. His favorite ride was Dumbo and he loved the splash pads at “Bug’s Life” land at California Adventures (before it was Avenger’s Campus). While my husband watched him, I was able to ride “Tower of Terror” for the first time and I was blown away at the theming, the ambiance, and the technology of the ride itself.
I always felt the “Disney Depression” once I leave the park on the last day of vacation. For many of us, we would literally LIVE in the park if we could which is why I get why so many people buy annual passes or move to Orlando. Thankfully “Magic Key” annual passes are now back with the exception of having to make reservations instead of being able to just walk in the park whenever you want.
NEEDING A DOSE OF DISNEY
We all looked for comfort and care during those days of uncertainty, especially since most of us couldn’t see our friends & family except through Zoom video calls. In the midst of quarantining or lockdowns in our homes, many of us turned to baking, cooking, gardening, hobbies, video games, and watching a LOT of streaming movies and tv.
My family and I watched a LOT of Disney + along with Disney vloggers on YouTube doing walkthroughs of Disney parks and riding all the attractions. We even used our Playstation VR to pretend we were riding Radiators Springs Racers, Big Thunder Mountain, and the rest of our favorite attractions. In those dark times, watching new & familiar movies gave us a sense of comfort.
As the world changed and many people started working from home, many people also started losing their jobs or getting furloughed including over 10,000 Cast Members at Disneyland and over 43,000 at Disneyworld. Disneyland shut down on March 14, 2020, and Disneyworld closed on March 16, 2020. As the world faced a global pandemic, most of us were at home hoping there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. With new Covid cases, hospitalizations, and deaths everywhere, we learned to protect ourselves and loved ones with masks, hand sanitizers, 6 feet of social distancing, and good hand-washing. Vacations became stay-cations or road trips where we weren’t around large crowds. We all wanted to GO SOMEWHERE other than being stuck at home.
THE RE-OPENING OF DISNEYWORLD AND DOWNTOWN DISNEY
In July 2020, Disneyworld, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios re-opened in Florida. Downtown Disney in California also had a phased re-opening. Disney Parks opened with all the safety protocols like 6 feet social distancing markers in lines, hand sanitizer stations, temperature checks, mobile ordering, and required masks to be worn at all times. We were happy that many furloughed Disney Cast Members were finally able to come back to work.
My family and I missed Disney so much that we decided to hop on an Amtrak train from Emeryville, California to Anaheim so we could visit Downtown Disney even if the parks weren’t open. It was so exciting to finally travel and get out of the house. We booked a room at the Cambria Hotel, which is about 10 minutes away from Disneyland. It was one of the few hotels that were open in that Summer of 2020 and it had a wonderful pool, splash pad, and waterslides (which were unfortunately closed during our stay.)
It was a bit depressing to walk around the perimeter of Disneyland seeing all the hotels, shops, and restaurants closed. On a regular day, those spots would be bustling with happy people, excited to go to the parks. There was hardly anyone walking around either, it was super quiet, and it was a bit eerie.
OUR EXPERIENCE AT DOWNTOWN DISNEY
We took an Uber to Downtown Disney, and once you entered, security had you literally walk shoulder to shoulder with your party and go through the metal detectors. The Cast Members were also super strict with masks and kindly reminded you to make sure it was over your nose. Once we entered the Downtown District, it felt so amazing to just be on Disney property, seeing all the familiar shops, the scents of food, and seeing people happy to be out & about again.
We walked toward the esplanade and took pictures as close as we can get to the gates with the Mickey garden in the background. It was torture to be at the gates but unable to actually go inside the parks. I missed the esplanade music, the sound of happy, excited people getting in line, and just the magical aura of being in a Disney Park. I was still grateful to even be there and all the Cast Members were awesome.
After that mini-trip and just being stuck at home for the duration of the pandemic, I realized how Disney has been a wonderful part of my childhood that carried on to my adult years. As a child, I wasn’t able to go on many vacations, but my mom was able to get us to Disneyland every couple of years and we had so many amazing memories that last a lifetime.
THE MAGIC OF THE MOUSE
We couldn’t afford yearly trips, annual passes, or stays at the Disneyland Hotel, but I was always obsessed with Disney, watching Disney movies, listening to the movies, and park soundtracks. I remember I had the Disneyland/Disneyworld soundtrack on cassette tape that featured the music on the attractions. I would just play it over & over closing my eyes pretending I was on those rides or pretending I was sitting on the curb on Main Street watching the “Main Street Electrical Parade.”
I always hear people say that Disney is expensive, or that it’s a money-grabbing company, or that being a “Disney Adult” is weird. Yes, it is expensive and unfortunately, not everyone can go to the parks all the time or stay at their resorts. I truly wish every kid could experience going to a Disney park. However, even in the farthest reaches of the world, old & young alike are still able to experience the Disney magic watching Disney movies or Disney Plus.
I believe what keeps many of us enamored is the EMOTIONAL connection we have with the characters, the parks, the music, and the stories. That is what Walt Disney wanted everyone to feel when he was inspiring his employees. When Disneyland re-opened on April 30, 2021, this year, I watched videos of guests crying as they finally were able to walk down Main Street as welcoming Cast Members stood by and clapped. It was a flood of emotions of happiness, excitement, and elation after a year of uncertainty.
In June of this year, I felt the same way once I walked onto Main Street and saw the Sleeping Beauty Castle in the distance. I was in awe of the detail and ambiance of Galaxy’s Edge while I sipped on Blue Milk. The view never gets old, but this time it was different. I appreciated the magic EVEN MORE.
Once you step into the gates, it feels like your worries & problems on the outside world melt away, even just for a day. My family and I spent 1 day in California Adventure and 2 days at Disneyland. It was absolutely amazing and a truly unforgettable trip, especially since my then 6-year-old son was able to ride all the attractions with me. He braved Rise of the Resistance, Web Slingers, and his favorite ride was Big Thunder Mountain which we rode so many times.
My appreciation of all things Disney is what inspired me to create this blog, so I can share a little of the magic with you.