I’m 21 years old, and yesterday was my first time at Disneyland. Shocking, I know, but growing up, my family tended to travel more in state than out. That said, I didn’t grow up with an aching yearning in my heart to meet Mickey Mouse because I knew it was out of the realm of possibility. Instead, I begged my parents to take me to Wild Water West or the movies.

In my lifetime, I’ve been to three other theme parks--none of which topped my experience at Disneyland. Since I was in the area, my friend and I decided to visit the iconic theme park for a day. So, I donned my Minnie Mouse ears and pinned my “first visit” badge to my belt loop and stepped into the magical kingdom that Walt Disney, himself, had envisioned.

My very first thought as I rode the tram was, “There sure are a lot of trees here.” My second thought was focused more on the tasty treats people toted around. My first ride was the Indiana Jones Adventure. My friends and I waited in line for about 45 minutes, which seemed ridiculous to me, but it allowed me to fully grasp my current situation. “I, Rachel Anderson, am at Disneyland.” It was surreal to realize that I was standing in such an iconic location, able to participate in grand-scale memory making, along with the rest of the “cool folk” I saw around me.

Each ride I took I felt as though I could reach out and touch the robotic figures all around me. The level of detail in each of the separate rides astonished me. I can’t even imagine how long it took to put it all together, and the park is still growing. They are currently under construction for a Star Wars land.

Of all the rides I took, my favorite was Space Mountain. It was the fastest one in Tomorrowland and the coolest by far. You are immersed in darkness, with only the light of the stars and laser beams shooting across the sky. I also really enjoyed the spinning teacups. As simple as they were, it was very enjoyable.

Despite the long lines and the lack of tables to eat at, my experience was a chart-topper. Waiting in line is totally worth the experience. I felt like I was immersed within each land. I rode the Peter Pan ride and reached my hand out to touch the stars because they looked so real.

The level of detail that goes into running this global phenomenon is astounding. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that I couldn’t buy soft serve ice-cream anywhere but inside California Adventure, and the uniforms the cast members were wearing were atrocious. I really feel bad for the employees… especially the women.

At the end of the night, I was privy to the “Paint the Night Parade." It mesmerized me. Each of the costumes were full of high quality LED lights, and the dancer’s movements were exactly on point. It was easy to see that they enjoyed their jobs. Soon after the fireworks show started, I stood in the middle of Main street looking up at the sky, reveling in the magical show. As an adult, I know all the cool special effects are for show and that Tinker Bell doesn’t exist, but despite those obvious facts, I felt like magic was real--if only for a few moments.

I don’t regret not going to Disneyland as a child, or even as a teenager. I’m not sure I could have picked up on all the tiny details if I was merely a 14-year-old, boy-crazy girl. As an adult, I was able to appreciate the experience on a higher level. I left the park with an aching back and sore feet, but my heart was full of magical bliss. Thank you, Walt, for showing me a good time. It was enchanting to say the least.