How does Disney help you during sad/scary times?

[Disney Princess 1985]

Hello All,

I have been a fan and avid watcher of the DIS podcast for one year, but today is my first time posting on the discussion boards. Disney has been a part of my life since my first visit to the Magic Kingdom when I was two years old. I have visited Walt Disney World over 50 times and I watch at least one Disney movie a week! After going through a scary medical procedure today I was inspired to join the DIS boards and share my experience on how Disney helped keep me calm and happy during this procedure...

I had to get an MRI today and the nurse said that she will provide me with headphones so I can listen to music during the exam and she asked what type of music I would like to listen to. Of course I asked her to play Disney music please! For anyone that has ever had this type of procedure you know how scary, uncomfortable and loud it is in the exam room. As soon as the music started to play I had an instant smile on my face and I was stress free! The only hard part about the procedure was trying to hold still and not sing and dance along to my favorite Disney songs, lol.

Whether it is being at the theme parks, watching a Disney movie or listening to Disney music, Disney allows me to forget about the stressful things that are taking place in my life. I would love to hear from others and how Disney has helped them get through the sad/scary times in their lives.

 

[Elevationist]

For me, I battle Depression, and I've found that having a Disney trip in the works to focus on and plan (and yes, even talk about here on the Dis) is actually is EXTREMELY beneficial for me. I've even been able to get off of meds for the most part ever since I threw myself back into my love of planning and visiting Walt Disney World last year. It keeps me up and gives me something to look forward to on my good days, and sometime to completely immerse myself in and comfort myself with on my bad days. For that reason, I'll always have a trip being planned, regardless of what's going on in life or finances. Even if it's a year or two out, it's so good for me that I know I need to keep doing it!

 

[HeyKoolaid]

I am a frequent flyer at the hospital, so I have a lot of these less than magical moments. I agree with Elevationist that having a Disney trip on the horizon is really good for my mental health. I get a lot of mileage out of listening to Disney theme park soundtracks. The music invokes happy times and I can remember what it felt like to be in the parks.

 

[goofyernmost]

In 2001, my entire life went inside out. The last of my Daughters had married and left home, I had to close my business due to something completely out of my control, filed for bankruptcy, my wife left because she no longer wanted to be married (something apparently planned for a long time, due to the fact it was just a couple of months after our last DD got married) and I had to take a job that I hated to a degree that I cannot describe. I actually believe that it was the lowest I had ever been in my life. Everything I had worked for was gone and at age 52 I was starting over.

I took a part time job in the mall strictly to get some money to take a winter road trip. I, naturally, headed south to Florida and points therein. I went to Disney to try and revive all those happy memories that I had there. It really didn't help all that much, just made me more melancholy. I made one of my regular stops at the Carousel of Progress that gave me so many memories of when my kids were little and we would sing "Now is the Time" over and over. However, this year there was a change. CoP went back to the original song of "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow". And the best part was that it started at the end of everyday. My ever raging mind immediately thought.. We went from The Best Time of our lives, which it most certainly wasn't, to Beautiful Tomorrow which still had hope. I digested that thought all the way back to Vermont and during that time I made some decisions. I slowly started to make some plans and started to act upon them and I really believe that is what got me started to where I am today. Retired, living comfortably in North Carolina, surrounded by my Children and Grandchildren and just plain happy.

I know that all sound pretty corny, but, I really think that was the spark that got me out of self pity and on the path to success again.

 

[Minniekins]

Well, anything Disney always makes me happy, makes me smile! Sometimes I think, omg, I'm tired of talking about disney or sharing info or why do I love this so much, w.e., then suddenly I see something, hear a word, someone asks me a questions and there I go all over again, excited as ever, lol, and feeling the I love Disney feelings as much as always ! Well, we had our Disney trip for Dec all set, and very excited about that. So I planned my surgery for a knee replacement that I'm dreading for about 6 months prior to that trip. And I was working on planning that trip, but it was still a long ways away. Then, suddenly my daughter decides we need to go to the 24 hr day, and suddenly that turns into a a short little trip from early morning Thu to evening on the Sunday. We've never done a spontaneous short trip like this and it's the perfect time for me. I've realized just how thankful I am that we have this little trip just 3 weeks before my surgery. It's really given me something that I love to think about and concentrate on with all the planning I get to do. It definitely helps take my mind off of things and not spend as much time worrying and scared! Disney really is something in all parts of my life, something we talk about daily, great in good times and sad or scary times! I'm thankful that i have it to find joy in, and to take comfort in, as my home and happy place. Sorta sounds silly to some, some don't understand it at all, but that's just the way it is! Lucky me!​

 

[Minniekins]

oops, sorry double post

 

[squeegee]

It's definitely the planning a theme park trip that helps me get through everything.

Our first (and so far, only) trip was over new year's 2008/2009. I remember it as being the first time I ever really relaxed - it took me three or four days into the trip to get there, but I finally let go of all the "real life" stuff back home. The infamous "Disney bubble" was wonderful.

As soon as we left, I started planning to go back. It was just loose, pie-in-the-sky sort of planning, albeit on a spreadsheet. I figured that, financially, we wouldn't get back for a long time, if ever, but goofing around on the spreadsheet made me happy. DH rolled his eyes often, but played along.

Fast forward to 2011, our daughter was born, and as soon as I knew if was pregnant, we talked about taking her, but still weren't really seriously saving or anything.

Then in 2012, I received my first thyroid cancer diagnosis.

Had the surgery, radiation, and all that mess, and when I came out of isolation on Christmas Day, husband presented me with a $275 gift card and said "we're going." He didn't say exactly when, but it was the start of our saving to *really* go. We started putting every little bit of "found" money towards it, and family started giving us disney gift cards for holiday gifts.

We booked last August when rates were released, and had accumulated just over half what we "needed," so we were getting really excited. work had instituted a mandatory "on-call" policy, which I coped with by deeming ALL call pay "disney money." When I got a truly stupid order at 3am, STAT, I could get through it somewhat gracefully by saying "it's disney money!"

Then, in November, they found more cancer. This meant more time out of work, which has put the savings on hold more or less. January brought more surgery, a bigger one this time, with possibly permanent shoulder damage, and May is bringing more radiation. To cope, and because I've been home a lot now, I've been obsessing over my spreadsheet, mentally walking myself through every day I've planned at the parks. Repeatedly. LOL.

I can't think of anything else so pleasant to contemplate as time in the World. I know reality, especially with a headstrong preschooler, will not live up to the fantasy in my head. A daily tantrum from her is inevitable, whether at home or at Home, so I'll take it at Disney.

 

[disnat]

My dad's uncle suddenly passed away on the morning we were flying out to Disney World back in 2012. He was very close to this uncle but we made the decision to continue on with the trip as usual as we were already at the airport. It was a difficult time for my dad but I think the trip helped him. He would have been miserable at home. He reacts very physically to things - blood pressure will go up, he'll get sick, etc. So as strange as it sounds I think it was the right thing to do to go on this trip.

My family's spontaneous trip to Disneyland coincidentally landed on what would have been my grandmother's birthday. She had passed away two years before and my mom had taken her death hard. Her birthday was always a big deal as she was the matriarch of our family. Being away from home on that day definitely helped my mom with being able to once again find joy on that day instead of sadness.