The magical road to Disneyland

Ice Ice Baby_Vanilla Ice

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All the roads that led me to Disneyland for the first time.

Wow...! Once again I find myself in one of my stories that could start from so many different points or moments because it was a whole chain of unplanned and super interesting events that one day, in a second, took me to Disneyland California for the first time. I can tell in you in advance that loves passes but Disneyland remains ;)

Many years ago and barely in my twenties I was already very advanced in my career in social communication and for a whole year many of my classmates had been carrying out activities to raise money and thus finance part of a study trip. Communication students from all the universities in Uruguay were going to participate in a Latin American Congress of Social Communication in Tijuana, Mexico and, of course, visit places around.

In total there were 223 Uruguayans, many, right? But you know what? There were going to be only 222 because I wasn't going to go. I didn't have a job at that time, I couldn't ask money to my parents and my mother would have told me that she wouldn't let me go. (She was afraid to let me go, afraid that something could happen to me, who knows.)

So during that last year, for example, I bought tickets to go to the dancing parties to raise money for the trip and I went dancing too. I also heard a lot of talks from my colleagues and friends who were preparing their trip but I wasn't going, I had assumed it.

I wasn't going until I decided I was going.

A week before the trip, on a Thursday night, after classes, we went to a nearby bar with Oscar and Vir and chatting about everything a little and the fact that my friend Vir was going, Oscar asked me: " "And you Lau, aren't you going? Why aren't you going?" I don't know why but at that moment I was honest with myself and I asked myself the question in my mind, it was a trigger. I realized that I did want to go, that I had a resource to do it and that I just needed to convince my mother. I also reacted and realized that I was going to graduate soon and that I was not going to have another student trip, that was the moment!

... I realized that I did want to go, that I had a resource to do it and that I just needed to convince my mother. I also reacted and realized that I was going to graduate soon and that I was not going to have another student trip, that was the moment!...

I talked about it right there with my friends and Vir gave me the idea to convince my mother: Since my mother didn't let me talk when she didn't want to accept something, Vir suggested that I write her a letter.

The next night was Friday and I was going out with my friends Vir and Larissa to say goodbye to them before the trip that started in about 4 or 5 days. Before leaving the house I left my mother a letter under her pillow. The next day I saw her reaction and I had her response. She was very firm, very strict, and she did not disarm easily but I could see in her body and in her expression that the letter had touched her very deeply and that although she told me Yes, she had a hard time let me go.

How did I convince her? What was my resource to travel ? Let's go back a little. When I was very little and only 5 years old, my mother taught me how to save money and the importance of it. So she offered me to open a savings account at the Banco Hipotecario, she told me that she would help me carry it forward so that one day when I grew up I would have the money to have my own house! Wow, what a fascinating idea! I loved it! I immediately said yes and we embarked together on the fantastic project.

... only 5 years old, my mother taught me how to save money ... she offered me to open a savings account... to have my own house!... what a fascinating idea!...

Every time my grandmother Pina gave me some coins to buy candies, I kept the money for my savings. If my aunt Isolina gave me money for my birthday, I kept it for my savings. I had a very small notebook in which I wrote down the amount and who had given the money to me and so every time I reached the minimum amount to make a deposit I did let my mother know and as soon as possible she took me to the bank to make my next deposit and so I continued doing it until my early twenties. It was so cute, it was something important and I did it with my mom. How to explain? It was something we shared, it may sound boring but no, on the contrary, it was a great plan and it united us.

... it was a great plan and it united us...

Now back to the letter. In the letter I thanked mom for teaching me to save money so that one day I could do something very important. I explained to her that with my savings as a child and teenager I couldn't even buy the door of a house however I had enough to pay for the entire trip on my own. I also told her not to worry about the money and to think that thanks to her I could now do something that would make me very happy. You know what? She kept that letter forever.

Mom was really worried but she restrained herself and on Monday she accompanied me to the bank to withdraw the money and to the travel agency to buy my ticket. On Tuesday or Wednesday I went on a trip. She also accompanied me to the airport. That was my first plane trip and I can't explain the excitement I had when taking off.

Of course, up to this point I told you everything before the trip, which was nothing minor, it was another story in itself. But now comes how I get to Disneyland which wasn't even in my plans.

Believe me, this trip was a new, unexpected, exciting and crazy story every day. From having to change the air ticket in the middle of the road while I trying to find which group to join (there were many subgroups within the total number of travelers), because in fact I did not have a travel group, nothing coordinated before departure, I literally ran alone through the airport in Mexico so as not to miss a flight because the taxi that took me there almost got stuck in a tunnel that had flooded, etc., but it is clear that the Virgin of Guadalupe hanging from the mirror of the taxi saved us and I arrived in time for the flight, etc, etc.

Finally I arrived in Tijuana with everyone else and we had a weekend before starting the conference. Already united with a small group, I joined their plan, which was to cross the border from Tijuana to San Diego and stay there for the weekend. The morning after we went to Santa Monica and at one point my group talked about how they were going to split up there because some wanted to stay more in Santa Monica and others were going to visit Disneyland. This is where those who know me will be very surprised to learn that I did not choose Disneyland.

... This is where those who know me will be very surprised to learn that I did not choose Disneyland....

What??? How could I not go to Disneyland? No. At that moment I clearly remember that I thought it was for children and look, I was quite childish but even so I felt too adult to go. But reasoning, adulthood and anything else passed me by in a second and I suddenly changed my mind when I found out that the boy I liked was going to Disneyland!! Ha ha ha!!! Yes again, me changing my path for love, hahaha! I had done it before and I continued doing it. That's how it works! Hahaha!!! And we left!! That was my first time at Disneyland. The first of several more because really as soon as I arrived at the park the magic began. I swear that the Disney parks are a magical places, everything is perfect and happy there, there are no problems, the bad guys are just characters, the good guys are happy and you do have fun.

... I thought it was for children ... but ...I suddenly changed my mind when I found out that the boy I liked was going to Disneyland!!

(My entrance ticket to Disneyland.)

Nerina, one of my classmates, was in my group and she was very, very excited to see Mickey. I remember that before the trip, when we were walking back home from classes at night, the topic of her dream of seeing Mickey often came up. Therefore that day the big task was for Nerina to get to see Mickey, imagine her anxiety every time we literally got a little closer.

For me it was very funny to see Nerina so eager to see Mickey, almost as if she believed he was real. The truth is that the time came for us to enter the room where Mickey was waiting for us and the excitement spread to all of us! I can assure you that yes, it was a very happy moment!

Now, for some strange reason, all the photos in my camera from the trip to Disneyland blurred out except one: the photo from that precise moment! There is no doubt, it was Mickey's magic!

...all the photos in my camera from the trip to Disneyland blurred out except one: the photo from that precise moment! ...

I loved Disneyland and learned that it was not a park for children, but for everyone, no matter how old you are. Years later I had the opportunity to return and I did it as many times as I could in Los Angeles, Orlando and very soon in Paris!

Conclusion 1: I came to Disneyland by chance and for love (well love..., not love really but I did like the boy... enough to change my path!).

Conclusion 2: The boy I liked never noticed me... he liked me a lot but not in that way. He had another destiny.

Conclusion 3: Love passes but Disneyland remains forever!!

Disneyland Paris here I come! À bientôt!

Disneyland Paris celebrating its 30 years in 2023.

Picture of Disneylandparis.com