I knew a woman who literally signed a petition to stop the Earffel Tower from being removed at Hollywood Studios, and I can’t imagine the gut punch it was, initially, when the Tower of Terror was replaced with Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission Breakout! in Disneyland’s California Adventure. I don’t mean to ramble on about the Castle, as it certainly isn’t the only piece of Disney memorabilia that gets us weepy. But, having said that, plenty of folks are completely capable of walking by the castle, enjoying their Mickey premium bar or PSL, (what have you), taking sniffle-less selfies, all whilst enjoying the extra heat the Disney warm fuzzies bring. But the fact that the beautiful warmth from the sun kisses (oftentimes, scorches, between May and September) your skin, most any time of the year in Central Florida makes the literal warm fuzzies come out to play.īut don’t take my word for it science says so! Recent studies conducted on nostalgia show that not only does warmth elicit more of the happy nostalgic memories, but experiencing the emotion itself could actually cause your internal thermometer to kick up a few notches, So going with that logic, if Orlando is 105, it could easily feel like 115 on Main Street U.S.A.! While this increase from the crowds and sunlight bouncing off the pavement could be useful come the end of the year, I would be remiss noting that it most assuredly works against us over time during the busy, oh so hot, spring/summer season.

It is no mistake that the first two Disney parks, Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, were erected in two of the sunniest states in the country! Of course, you could put Cinderella Castle or The Haunted Mansion in the middle of a landfill and I would still be making my 9 AM Fastpass reservation to tour with 999 happy haunts. If I had to describe the feeling every time I book a Disney vacation, am driving to, or arrive at Walt Disney World, I think it would be best described as…coming home. And while I have reined in the physical reaction a bit, the overall feeling of having my mind taken hostage by a gremlin hasn’t changed much. Whether it was misplaced grief from a childhood I never had, or overwhelming avidity, I wasn’t sure what exactly could elicit such emotion. Having said that, the first time I saw Cinderella Castle, I was, quite literally, jumping up and down with tears streaming down my face like a contestant on The Price is Right. I didn’t grow up going to Disney World, and have very few memories of my one or two trips to Disneyland as a tiny tot.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what has caused the influx of childless millennials in the Walt Disney World theme parks? How about the teary-eyed parents as their little ones exclaim with zeal at a Belle or Baymax meet and greet? As Disney aficionados, we all feel it, but do we really know why we can’t control our emotions when we get that first glimpse of the castle from the monorail? If you have ever felt like a basket case upon seeing your favorite Disney monument for the first time in a long time (bearing in mind that Disney time is equivalent to dog years) you’re not alone!

Childhood nostalgia disney