Disney Princesses

Love them or leave them

I am a big fan of Disney World in Orlando Florida. I know some people are not. This story is about our visit to the Disney Princesses. In July 2022, I took a “Girl's trip” with my Daughter and Grandaughter, to visit Disney. We had a wonderful time, sadly I came home with COVID-19, but a mild case.

The Princesses are a major attraction, in the Magic Kingdom. You will see many little girls scooting around in fancy party dresses. These children will have made appointments to meet the Princesses. The appointments are very personal. Are boys included? The answer is yes, but I did not see any on our line.

What is all the attraction about? Why even bother to see them? When I raised my daughter, I hoped she was NOT dreaming of this as a career choice. Her first roommate in college wanted to be a Playboy Bunny! Heaven, please help me. I always stressed how smart she was, and still is. I wanted her to be open to decisions, and choices that were not available for me. I married very young and had few job choices in those years. I wanted her to be an independent, self-supporting woman, and she is. She played with lots of Barbie dolls, and that was fine.

That being said, what is the real draw with Princesses? They were beautiful. Statuesque, dressed in full costumes. I found it all unsettling. They looked like live manikins, which they were.

My granddaughter was delighted. Cinderella spoke to her personally, called her by name, and encouraged photos. The fantasy and reality were mixed. The children know every Disney movie and all of the songs. I had a similar experience when I attended an interactive Star Trek show. I too was lost in the make-believe. I was a cadet on the Starship Enterprise.

When the trip was nearing its end, my daughter said, “What would you like to see again”. It was a difficult decision. Should we return to the air-conditioned rides, the movies, the live shows, or the wonderful parades? Or swimming in the hotel pool?

She made, what I thought, was an interesting choice. She wanted to see her favorite guy. I did not see this coming. It was Mickey.

Mickey Mouse does not speak, but he is very child-friendly and she loves him! We were on our way back to the hotel to pack. We were in an Uber with a very chatty driver. He wanted to know what my Grandaughter’s favorite part of her visit had been. When she answered. “Micky”, he said, “Here the Mouse rules”. Isn’t that the truth?