Growing up I was deathly afraid of dressed up characters. It was something that I still don't understand, but I'm glad I was.
Being afraid of the characters made a trip to Disney a definite no. So, needless to say, that was not a family trip growing up and I'm glad I didn't go. Going to Disney as an adult was so much more of an experience than I could ever imagine.
I'm going to remember every little detail. I'm going to remember the very first taste of my Dole Whip and the drop in my stomach on the Tower of Terror. I'm going to remember the layout of Magic Kingdom and the amazing Festival of The Lion King. I see people bring children under five and the amount of strollers appalls me. Why would someone bring a child that isn't going to remember it? I'm not saying not to bring children because my siblings went, but if you're going to pay ALL THAT MONEY to go to Disney you might as well make sure your kids remember it.
I got to be a kid again and no one thought it was weird. I walked around in Mickey Ears and nearly fell over in front of Chewbacca. I could not stop smiling the entire time I was in Hollywood Studios. I even felt giddy meeting the Princesses and other characters even knowing that those people are more than likely my age and just doing a job. The bottom line is I felt completely open to love any and every part of Disney whole heartily. I got to feel like I was seven again and no one thought it was weird because everyone else felt the same way.
Disney is expensive, extremely expensive, so I know that my parents spent a lot of money for our family to go. My brother and sister have no idea the amount of money it costs to go, but I do. Knowing how much we spent, I appreciate the experience and my parents so much more than my siblings do. I'm extremely thankful for the trip and I appreciate my parents so much for taking us.
Talking to friends about Disney most of them said, "Oh yeah, I went there when I was in like first grade and I don't remember much," or they would say "Oh, you've never been? That's sad." I'm glad I didn't go in first grade because I'm going to remember everything about it, which parks, which characters are in which parks, and all the different countries in Epcot.
I'm so glad I got to experience the happiest place on Earth for the first time at 20 years old, I wouldn't change it for the world.