What do Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and I have in common? I may have failed to secure an agent and suffer a mental breakdown at the tender age of 16 but yes, we are all Mouseketeers. At heart, anyway.

And apparently, I also failed to mature into a proper jaded adult, because every time I hear the word ‘Disney,’ I turn into a gushing, babbling 9 year old girl. And when I saw an ad for the new Disney Dream cruise , I immediately started jumping up and down and begging Dust, “Can we go? Can we go? Can we, purdy purdy puhleeeaseeeeee?!?!?!?”

To which Dustin replied “hell no.” And sent me to bed without dinner.

Under the guise of parenthood, I get to play legos, wander the aisles of Toys’R’Us, watch endless hours of the Muppets, eat grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast and ice cream for dinner, and other countless pleasures reserved for children. Because, you know, I’m doing it ‘for my kid.’ 

I also get to watch Disney commercials and get legitimately excited. Because I love Disney. All kids love Disney, true. But I really, really love Disney. Still. when I was a little girl living in Poland, we only had 2 TV channels (gasp!) and every once in a while they would broadcast Disney cartoons ‘from America’. It was my first little taste of the west. And well, “ding ding ding! SOLD! to the gapped-tooth brunette in the front row!”

When I came to Canada, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Mickey Mouse mugs. Sheets. Stuffed toys! I immediately decorated my room in Mickey regalia and worshiped at the altar of Disney for the better part of my childhood, and (embarrassingly) my teenage years. When my parents drove us down to Disney World when I was 9, well, I almost became a Florida resident. That vacation will go down in memory as one of the best vacations of my life. E.V.E.R. 

So you have to understand that when I saw a commercial for that new Disney Dream cruise a few weeks ago, all those memories from my childhood came flooding back. I immediately got lost in the fantasy: 765-foot aquaduck&nbsp water coaster, Mickey Mouse-shaped pools, afinding NEMO splash pad for toddlers it’s a small world after all nursery, 4 nights of cruising the calm waters of the bahamas, all for $2000 (not including flights), it really did seem too good to be true!!! Needless to say, I’ve been desperately trying to sell Dust, and everyone else, ever since… 

But the funniest thing, has been everyone’s reaction to my enthusiasm. I guess to most people, the idea of being stuck on a boat with a bunch of characters is the exact opposite of ‘vacation’. And I guess no one pegged me for the 30-something Disney evangelist that I am. But yes, it’s true. I’m nutty for Mickey. and I’m not ashamed to admit it. And nothing excites me more than the idea of sunbathing Mickey Mouse poolside and being served pina coladas by a handsome, Bermuda-short-wearing Donald Duck. I am also considering a second career in Disney sales. I’ve been pitching the cruise right, left, and centre, to anyone that will listen and may have already sold a a co-worker. Or five. Did I mention, Goofy heads up the miniature golf course on the top deck???

These things may be all about the kids, but really, it’s the parents they cater to. But it’s not like i was a hard sell. Sigh. The Disney cruise may be out of our budget for the immediate future, but I will do whatever it takes to get ourselves on that boat in the next decade. A girl can dream, right? So until then..

M-I-C-

see you real soon! 

K-E-Y

why? because i love you.

M-O-U-S-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse!