I am a born and raised Californian, with my roots in the Bay Area – meaning Disneyland is only a short one-hour flight away in Orange County. My parents started taking me to the original park before I turned 2 and I’ve been hooked ever since.

One of my favorite memories of Disneyland as a child was going for an annual dance competition that was held at the Disneyland Hotel. I loved being able to stay so close, hopping on the Monorail with my friends and staying in the park until it closed. Now, as an adult, I have been able to enjoy going with my husband – who was not a fan when we met, but now enjoys the Disneyland Resort as much as I do. We were blessed with a daughter and were able to take her to DL for her first birthday which was just as magical and fun as I had hoped.

While getting to Walt Disney World is not quite as easy to get to from the West Coast, I am fortunate enough to have been twice. I have been able to experience all four theme parks as well as the two water parks. I hope to go again within the coming year.