I can spot one from a mile away. There’s a twinkle in their eye and a skip in their step. Something about them just screams childlike wonder and an unadulterated zest for life! Chances are, if you’re reading this, you can spot one too. 

I’m talking about Disney fanatics, of course! For us, the glass is always half full, the grilled cheese is ‘blackened’ not burned, and freezing cold temps are known as ‘sweater weather’. A love for Disney is so much more than proclivity for the brand itself-it’s an all consuming vibe that we inadvertently emit into the universe. It is vibrant, zealous and oftentimes LOUD. 

The Disney neurosis is many things; subtle it is not! From the grocery store, doctors office or workplace, it isn’t that difficult to spot a Disney fanatic. And while there are countless indicators, here are just of few dead ringers that yours truly may or may not be guilty of herself!

Decorating Early for Christmas 

Raise your hand if your tree has been up since the first week of November! To be fair, most of us Disney addicts are creative geniuses who jump at the chance to elaborately decorate for any and all holidays from Halloween and Christmas, to National Watermelon Day. Regardless, nothing seems to draw a more clear divide between us as humans than the date we choose to decorate for the holidays. There are  those who bounce out of bed like the energizer bunny on November 1st to procure every snowman, Santa Claus and dreamlight castle decoration, and then there are the ‘not before my turkey’ loveable Scrooges who are just trying to get through the holidays.
While I’m sure somewhere on a remote island, there is a Disney lover who doesn’t have their tree up yet, I have yet to meet the exception to this rule. 

Enjoy the Sweeter Side of Life

We like our sweets, and we like them Mickey shaped! One of the most exciting things about the holidays in the Disney parks is all of the decadent treats, literally on every corner. From Main Street to Tomorrowland, Spaceship Earth to Norway, Dinoland to Pandora, and Rockin’ Roller Coaster to Tower of Terror, there is no shortage of festive cake pops, cupcakes, and my personal favorite, fudge! That’s because Disney knows that we, the devotee, will gladly say ‘take all my money’ in the name of a good dessert. But why limit the magic of holiday treats to the parks? I’ve never met a Disney fan who doesn’t love some good Christmas baking; we often are known to gift edible offerings  to our friends and loved ones in lieu of socks, ties, and sudoku! Disney has played on our love to create and enjoy the sweeter side of life, and I’m sure many of you would agree that dinner is just something to get through before dessert!

Lift the Corners of Their Mouth

Sometimes life gets the better of us and we just can’t bring ourselves to portray on the outside what we aren’t feeling on the inside. That’s perfectly normal and human of us-even for us sun shining out of our ears, WAY too excited about sunrises, Disney fanatics. But for the most part, you can feel the warmth of a fellow Disney lover from miles away. It’s in the way we view life, the way we handle tough situations, and sometimes, it’s in the way our eyes and mouths smile as we talk about everything from the seemingly mundane work day to our baby’s first steps. We find joy in everything, and it’s written across our faces. 

Have a Unique Love for Animals 

Walt Disney himself was a huge animal lover, as is evidenced by so many delightful Disney classics such as Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and 101 Dalmations, just to name a few! Animals, specifically our domestic furry family members, embody what Disney is all about-love, compassion, and leaving everything just a little better than you found it. Both animals and Disney have taught us that love knows no communication barrier (I’m thinking of Cinderella and her sweet mice friends with a tear in my eye!) and our love for this phenomenal brand directly mirrors how we live our lives and treat the creatures in it, both human and otherwise. It has been my observation that as Disney lovers, we treat our animals with a little more TLC than the layman; whether it’s letting your legs remain asleep so as not to disturb your 85 pound pupper, leaving lullabies to soothe your anxious hamster or gerbil, or even feeding your kitties two whole dinners, our love for our furry, scaled and feathered friends is one that is often unique to those of us who love the compassionate trademark that is Disney. 

It can and has been said over and over, but we will say it again- Disney is not just a brand. It is a profoundly impassioned way of living and one that only fellow zealots can truly appreciate. We may receive a plethora of eye rolls, nervous chuckles and even head shakes from those who, we’ll say, haven’t caught on just yet-but even for the naysayers, it’s hard to deny the radiating enthusiasm Dis-nerds possess that so called ‘normal’ folks don’t. On more than one occasion, I have been greeted with a big ole’ ‘of course you are!’ upon disclosing my love for all things Disney. But one of my favorite things about the Disney passion is it’s almost contagious influence.I can’t tell you how many times I have convinced someone who ‘doesn’t like cartoons’ to watch ‘Meet the Robinsons’ or ‘Wall-e’ because the stories rival those of the greatest novelist and playwrights of our time! I am a firm believer that if someone doesn’t like Disney, they just haven’t found their version of Disney yet. 

From our obnoxious early decorating, our love for all things sugary, our ability to turn that frown upside down, and the unwavering love we have for our, and all the animals, we are set apart in a big way. As Disney lover, aficionados, fanatics or however you choose to identify, our influence can be seen in a million little ways. If you pay close enough attention, you won’t even have to ask.