In my writing class last semester, we had to come up with a paper that focused on a significant event in our lives. Originally, I was thinking of writing about one of the mission trips I went on or the time my brother had to stay in a psych ward for abusing drugs and alcohol. As my professor continued to suggest topics for inspiration, he said, "You shouldn't choose the time you went to Disney World, because there's nothing interesting about how you got to ride Space Mountain ten minutes faster thanks to FASTPASS."

Hold on.

Did he just say Disney World? As in no one can write about Disney World?

If anyone is capable of putting meaning to a trip to Disney, it's me. So here's what I, being a Disney freak and complete child, came up with:

The characters, events, and outcomes of Disney movies are as real to me as the people in this class are real to you.  It’s not that I believe in evil queens that transform into monstrous fire-breathing dragons or magic glowing hair that has the power to heal.  I do, however, have faith in a character’s journey to find her place in the world and ultimately live her dreams.  The self-discovery and happily-ever-after that Disney is famous for are elements I can’t help but believe to be true in real life.  After all, the classic stories we grew up with are a reflection of life, just hyped up and colored with magic.

Because these stories are so alive in my mind, it’s no wonder that I’d cherish the characters just as much.  The Disney heroes that I am most fond of are Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from the 2010 animated film Tangled.  What I love most about Rapunzel is her inquisitive character.  Being locked in a tower for eighteen years doesn’t make her scared of what lies beyond the walls that trap her, but it makes her view the world outside her window as a miraculous place worth discovering.  Once she’s set free, she doesn’t crawl back in fear; instead she chases her dreams and doesn’t quit until they are actualized.  To me, these qualities are what life is all about.  Of course I’m going to idolize her for living out most every human’s goal of finding his or her place in the world.   As for Flynn, I love his risky and adventurous spirit.  He’s not afraid of getting into trouble, as long as he reaches his goals in the end.  He also exudes confidence, making it clear that he’s not easily maneuvered.  These are important qualities that establish identity and inspire people to believe in themselves.  From them, I have learned how positively life-changing it is to have faith in yourself and to follow your heart.  They are my idols and to meet them would be a dream.  That’s right, I desire to meet fictional characters, but I have reasons why it’s not as weird as it sounds.

Animated characters are their own kind of celebrity.  For example, even though Rapunzel is voiced by Mandy Moore, the viewer doesn’t see her as that actress.   At least not in the way one sees Mandy as the same hazel-eyed girl with a mole on her cheek in A Walk to Remember and The Princess Diaries.  The big-eyed teenager with miles of golden hair in Tangled is the one taking the audience on a journey, not the physical version of Mandy Moore.  So even though Rapunzel is completely made up, without her, the movie would essentially not exist.  In my eyes, the way I get excited over Rapunzel is the same way other people get excited over their favorite actor or actress who brings a movie to life.   That’s why when I went to Walt Disney World in June of 2011, I was ecstatic over the idea of meeting Flynn and Rapunzel.

It was a quarter after five and my family stopped to grab a quick dinner at the Magic Kingdom’s least appealing eatery – Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland.  In my opinion, the quick service restaurant was one of Disney World’s few sore spots.  The décor was so forcibly futuristic with its silver detailing and metallic paint, that I momentarily stopped breathing in fear of our future.  Nevertheless, we were the type of Disney-goers who liked to fit everything into our schedule, so Cosmic Ray’s was a convenient eatery that wouldn’t take up too much of our time.  I forced myself to grow numb to the rotten atmosphere and reluctantly ventured to the line for “Blast off Burgers.”  

After being handed a burger and fries on a plastic cafeteria tray, I followed my parents to an open table by the windows.  My mom and dad were already dropping ideas on where we should head to next for minimal wait times.  As they debated on whether it would be better to aim for Fantasyland or Space Mountain, I let my mind wander and peered out the window.  I scanned over a couple wearing bride and groom Mickey ears sharing cotton candy, and watched a mob of people donning matching “Hamilton Family Reunion” T-shirts run toward Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and then my eyes caught on something that made me gasp.  Not even fifty yards away stood the two characters who meant the most to me.  Flynn and Rapunzel were right there greeting guests.

 “It’s Rapunzel and Flynn Rider!” I gushed to my family.  “Can we go see them?!”  I caught the eye of a cast member who was sweeping the floor nearby and she smiled slyly, trying to hide her amusement.  Suddenly embarrassed by my burst of excitement, I slouched in my chair.  Chill out Erika, you’re seventeen years old and those characters are here to bring pleasure to six-year-olds, not you. I quickly ignored my thoughts, however, and began to attack my burger.  The sooner I was finished, the sooner I would meet my idols and I didn’t know how much longer they were going to be there.

After sitting impatiently for my family to finish eating, I ran out of the restaurant to where the Tangled characters were greeting guests.  They were standing on an elevated platform that made up the base of the fairytale garden.  A cobblestone wall stretched out around them and was decorated with paper lanterns and banners touting the yellow sun burst from the movie.  I made my way to the front of the crowd, not noticing that the other people were gathered in clumps around them instead of in a practical line.  I was in my own fantasy.  Flynn was leaning toward his fans and flashing his sexy smolder while Rapunzel radiated sweetness with a smile as big as her face.  Then I stopped mid-stride as I grasped what was really happening.  They weren’t waving to say hi to the people around them; they were waving goodbye.  The meet and greet wasn’t beginning; it was ending.

In a panic, I shouted at my dad who lagged a few paces behind, “Get the camera out!  Hurry they’re leaving!”  I watched him clumsily get the camera out of its case and turn it on.  Just as he held the camera up to snap a picture, my favorite Disney couple bid their final farewell and turned to walk away from us.

No conversational exchanges.  No pictures.  No hugs.  Just their backsides as they held hands and sauntered away.

I stood frozen, watching them until they vanished behind the stone wall.  I let a tear slip down my face.

All at once I was reminded of the part in the movie when Rapunzel and Flynn finish singing the song that signifies they’ve found where they’re meant to be.  They’re caught up in the life-changing realization, but are quickly jostled into reality when Flynn is forced to put himself in danger to complete some unfinished business.  The scene is a perfect depiction of events turning from wonderful to dreadful in an instant.  Moreover, it mirrored my current situation perfectly.  For the rest of the day, I felt as though I had lost my greatest treasures.

Still, the worst was yet to come. When I got home from the trip three days later, I immersed myself in Disney blogs as a way to cope with my Post-Disney Depression.  On one site, it said that Flynn Rider was no longer going to be in the Disney parks.  I shook my head at how obviously false the statement was.  Why would Disney get rid of Flynn as a meet and greet character?  He is clearly loved by everyone.  However, upon reading more blogs, the same news came up again: Flynn was being exiled from the Disney parks.  I finally took it as true when someone posted the official email that Disney sent out regarding the change.  They had announced the date for his departure on the exact day that I watched him walk away from me in the Magic Kingdom.  Though they didn’t offer a clear reason why they weren’t keeping him, the disappointment was there.  I had blown my only chance at meeting someone I deeply admire. 

Now all of this excitement, expectation, and misfortune that occurred as a result of spotting my favorite characters has got me thinking.  What if my family never chose to eat dinner at Cosmic Ray’s around the same time they were out?  What if we were in a different land or even a different park on that day?  I wouldn’t have known about the meet and greet, so would I still have these feelings of loss?  The answer is a stark maybe.  I would have read Disney blogs regardless and found out about Flynn.  I’d still feel like I made a mistake for not planning in advance to meet them. 

After a year, I have made my amends concerning my failure to meet Flynn.  I believe that nothing is coincidence.  My family and I ate at Cosmic Ray’s that night so I could have a glimpse at my favorite characters.  We finished our dinner without enough time to meet them in order for me to take something away from the experience.  Now more than ever, I see that it’s important to chase your dreams the moment you think them up.  It does no good to waste your time feeling sheepish or waiting for others to catch up with you.  Life moves fast, and if you don’t act on your dreams right away, it’s only going to be harder to achieve them.  In actuality, that’s what Disney taught me my entire life.  It just took a major letdown for me to see it clearly.  And at last I see the light.

On Repeat: "Heart Skips a Beat" - Olly Murs