I am a devoted Walt Disney World fan, but I live hundreds of miles from Orlando. To stay in the know, I constantly read articles, follow blogs, and watch YouTube channels like The DIS Unplugged. Despite all this, I’ll look at my husband and tell him, “I’m homesick.” Accustomed to my pining, he pats my hand and tells me, “No, sweetheart. You’re away sick.”
No offense to my spouse, but he’s mistaken. Disney World truly does feel like home to so many fans. It’s a place that encompasses childhood memories. It’s an escape from the pressures of the outside world. Visits here are invigorating to the spirit. Disney is comforting and cozy in a way that really does feel like coming home after years away.
Disney World is home to me. As I sit typing this in Pennsylvania, I find myself missing specific things about my favorite place on Earth. Here are just some of the things I’m particularly ‘homesick’ for today.
Resort TV
Without Disney’s Magical Express, it doesn’t hit me that I’ve arrived until I check into my Disney hotel. After dropping my bags, I grab the remote to turn on the WDW Resort Channel. The changing menu of park times, weather reports, and showtimes is suddenly glorious with the constant background loop of Disney music. I turn this on when I’m getting ready in the morning. Then on again when I’m getting ready for bed. And this is what I’m listening to now (via YouTube).
In recent years, Disney has gotten better at providing hotel cable programming. It’s been easier to find actual Disney movies to watch. I also love binging the new (and hysterical) Mickey Mouse cartoons. But when I want to relax in the hotel and anticipate my magical day ahead, the WDW Resort Channel is a must-watch.
Cast Member Guest Service
You’ll notice I’m referencing Guest Service and not Customer Service. And that is because Disney World truly treats customers like guests. It’s so much more than saying ‘Welcome Home” when you get off the bus. It’s more than smiles and pleasant attitudes. It’s walking around a park or store, aware that cast members will usually offer their help if you look even slightly confused.
Now we’ve all had the occasional not-ideal interaction, but this is not the norm. Disney World is one of the only places where the employees search for every avenue and option before they tell you “No.” Most of them want to make your day and are proactive about making magic happen. (That being said, please don’t take advantage of this.)
I simply love the exceptional service on every trip. And man, the first human interaction with Orlando International Airport employees always stings a little.
Using my MagicBand
I know everyone doesn’t swear by them (I haven’t upgraded to the plussed-up version), but I’ve been a fan since 2013. The mere idea of wearing a bracelet that houses tickets, room keys, and Lightning Lane reservations is the ultimate first-world convenience. I love the break from fumbling in my pockets or bag. I love how the Mickey-shaped light dings when I enter a turnstile or a Lightning Lane queue. It’s yet another reminder that I’m not in the real world, but somewhere far better.
Using my MagicBand never fails to get the endorphins going. And I believe that everyday tasks would be much more pleasant if they were MagicBand compatible.
Sounds and Smells
The atmosphere created by Disney, simply can’t be found anywhere else. And if you love Disney as I do, you can’t get enough of the beautiful environments they create. Specifically, I am a sucker for background music loops and infamous Disney scents. I burn Magic Candle Company candles (the Polynesian Resort scent is my favorite), and I listen to Disney music at home, but it’s not the same.
No matter what I do, I just can’t replicate the fresh-baked cookie smell by the bakery and ice cream shop or the smell of ‘Pirate’ water in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. I can find music loops on the internet, but I can’t recreate my enchantment hearing “Human Again” play while I walk into Gaston’s Tavern.
When it comes to the sights and scents of Disney World, you really have to be there.
All this being said, I’m grateful for fan-based websites, social media channels, and products that bring even a dash of magic to my home. But I’m always itching to get back and experience the real thing.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be looking up flights to Orlando.
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