Day 484: I'm There!

Day 4 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of the way you know you're at a Disney Park. 

Blast from the Past: 

I don't really have a picture for this, because it's more of an atmosphere, but here's a picture of said atmosphere. As I'll explain in a later picture, my family has a tradition of heading to Epcot for our first and last park each trip, but I won't go into anything more now because I do explain it fully later, but anyways...it's there. 

The moment I see Spaceship Earth (the big golf ball), there's a nagging at the back of my mind..."You're there...you're finally home..." but I don't fully realize that I'm there until I walk through the front gates. There's just something about the sight, and the sound and the smell of Epcot...yes, I said the smell...that makes me realize that I'm home. If you are around me a lot, you may have heard me mention how something smells like Disney...and I'm not kidding. Disney has a distinct "smell." It's another of those things that you just have to be there, and I'm sure this sounds, once again, really cheesy, but it's there...and it's amazing. If you want to know another of my favorite smells...ask me about BBQ sauce sometime. 

But in all reality, it's the moment I walk through the front gates of Epcot that I realize I have returned...I'm in a Disney Park...I'm home. There are other times too, like when my brother and I scheme against our parents (it's too long to elaborate here), or when I get the high score on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, or when I watch Illuminations at Epcot, but I never fully realize that I'm there until that moment just past the front gates. 

Back to the Future: 

I can't help but agree with my past self, Spaceship Earth is most certainly one of the most important pieces of my realization that I am at Disney, that I'm home. But lately we haven't always been able to stick to the tradition of going to Epcot first, so I've sort of had to find other ways to have that realization too.

I mean, there are really small things, like the sound my suitcase makes on the tile floor in the airport, or the recording on the monorail on the way to Magic Kingdom or Epcot. And in the most recent trips, I think a huge factor is putting on the Magic Band itself. Then there's the music, which, especially at Epcot, brings a lot to the experience.

But in the end, the number one thing is still Spaceship Earth. I try my best to make it one of the first things I see and keep it in my line of sight until the trees cover it completely.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).