Staying out late at Disneyland can be exhausting. It’s rare, however, that the payoff for postponing a date with your pillow doesn’t make you deaf to the barking of your feet and forgetful of how tired you may be. From being able to run around the Park and practically walk on the E-Tickets to those quiet, deep moments of self reflection, Disneyland after dark is it. It’s my perfect place and I imagine if you are reading this that it’s yours too. If you find yourself fortunate enough to be the last soul to bask in the radiant glow of Sleeping Beauty Castle, cherish that moment and take it in. There is nothing like it. Standing there in front of that icon, that tangible proof that dreams really can come true, it’s as though someone somewhere cues the line from Walt’s opening day speech, “Disneyland is your land”, and it carries oh so softly on the night air. I have never felt so much that Disneyland was mine as when standing at the castle in solitude.
One of the great things about Walt Disney was that he shared the rewards of the risks he took. Few thought Disneyland was a good idea in 1955. It was a tremendous risk. But it was also a dream. Walt shared his dream of Disneyland with the hope that it would be a source of joy and inspiration. It serves as an appeal to everyone who walks through its gates to never quit dreaming or taking risks to pursue them. We each have a purpose in this life and no one can replace us. We each have the power to make the world a better place, whether it be for one person or a multitude. No person is insignificant. Michaela and Kevin and I know that these are just pictures that we post, but we pour ourselves into them with the hope that we might inspire you and bring a little joy into your life every day. These are the kinds of things I think about, standing at the castle in solitude. These are the dreams that take form in Disneyland after dark.
