Grown-Up Disney
It’s astounding to see how Disneyland, as well as the entire Walt Disney Company, has evolved throughout the decades. Like millions of others on this planet, the house that Walt built has been a part of my life since a young age. At age 10, it was a family trip to the Magical Kingdom that destroyed my fear of roller coasters. Four trips on the Matterhorn will do that to you. Then came Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad.
In my twenties, my girlfriend and I celebrated our five-year anniversary by visiting the theme park during its fiftieth anniversary celebration. Nine years later, my girlfriend was now my wife and she was a few months pregnant with our first child. In both those visits, Disneyland still found a way to leave us in awe; we hadn’t yet outgrown the magic. This plot of land in Anaheim, California still drizzled fairy dust on our heads and conjured up the happiness that made us float through this land of imagination.
Time went on and our family grew. We evolved to a party of four, now featuring two sons named Jackson and Thomas. The Disney Channel quickly became a fixture in our home, winning the boys over with replays of Disney Classics and early morning showings of Puppy Dog Pals, PJ Masks, and Vampirina. In between their favorite programs, our boys would be witnessed to commercials touting the attractions of Disneyland — which then fueled them to express to us how desperately they wanted to visit the Magical Kingdom. So, after months and months of saving up, my wife and I — along with Nana — were able to plan a three-day visit to the “Mouse House” as well as the neighboring California Adventure. This was in March of 2019.
After an evening drive down Interstate 5 the night before, our boys were overcome with excitement as we revealed where they were: at the front gates of Disneyland. The first day was spent entirely in the legendary theme park, the second in California Adventure, and third back at Disneyland. For nearly thirteen hours each day, Jackson and Thomas took in every aspect we could fit in. The traditional first ride of Pirates of the Caribbean. Then, it was on to Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, Peter Pan, the Incredicoaster, and Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT… okay, I rode that last one by myself.
Jackson showed no hesitation in riding the “big boy” rides like Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, while Tommy joyfully rode the Dumbo ride twice. They stood strong while visiting the Haunted Mansion without ever shedding a tear or shouting out in fear, though their hands were clasped tightly with ours. They had breakfast with Goofy, posed for photos with their favorite characters, and watched in awe as the entire Disney cast paraded down Main Street. Additionally, thanks to the money they saved from their Nana and avós (Portuguese for “grandparents”), they made out like bandits in the toy department.
As chaotic as it can be navigating two eager and hyper young boys through Disneyland, the heartwarming feeling that overcame us — watching them experience the magic for the first time — is incomparable. After years of seeing it only on television, Jackson and Thomas were able to see and feel the real thing; their dreams of being in Disneyland came true. Our hearts were filled with love knowing that we were able to give them an experience they’ll never forget. Well, at least one they’ll remember until their return trip.
As we strolled through Disneyland and California Adventure, I took in the diverse mixture of people visiting the kingdom. So many different races and religions, backgrounds and orientations. I saw friends, family, and lovers of all types, side-by-side in experiencing this famous tourist attraction. My mind couldn’t help but quickly think back to many years before, when I once actively listened to talk radio. I recalled how many of those figureheads warned that taking your children to Disneyland is no longer safe. That traditional families are bombarded with “progressive lifestyles,” corrupting the family institution. Returning to the present, I couldn’t help but smirk and shake my head at that way of thinking.
I did so not because those lifestyles weren’t present, because they were. We witnessed many same-sex couples as well as straight couples holding hands and hugging, expressing their love for each other in a beautiful setting. I reacted the way I did because what those voices from the past exclaimed could not be further from the truth with our family. Our boys did not react negatively at seeing two men holding hands or two women hugging. What they saw was simply love. What they saw were others taking in the magic that surrounded them. What our family witnessed was the pure joy that Disneyland emits to all its diverse visitors, creating smiles that remained on the faces of our sons for quite a while. As we did, our boys witnessed love and magic in its purest form. Here’s hoping more of us — young and old — can bring that into our everyday lives outside of the Magical Kingdom.
And as always — thank you, Disneyland. Like Robin Williams’ Peter Banning returning to Neverland, you reminded my wife and I just how enchanting you continue to be.
