Brynn’s love for Disney started when she was just four years old, speechless and full of wonder. She remembers standing in the middle of Magic Kingdom, staring at Cinderella’s Castle as the night sky lit up with fireworks. That was the moment she first saw Tinker Bell “fly” from the castle. Back then, “I believed in all the magic,” she would later say. “I thought she was really soaring across the sky.”
Her childhood trips to Disney were steeped in magic. Every character meet-and-greet felt like stepping straight into a storybook, but none compared to Ariel. Brynn always felt a special connection to Ariel because of their shared adventurous spirit. Just like Ariel longed to explore the human world, Brynn had a curiosity for discovering new places and experiences. At the time, Brynn fully believed in mermaids, which made meeting Ariel even more magical. She would ask Ariel endless questions about life under the sea, “What’s it like swimming with dolphins?” “Do mermaids have schools?” and Ariel always had the perfect answer, making Brynn feel like she had a glimpse into an underwater kingdom.
Animal Kingdom quickly became Brynn’s favorite park, not just because of the scary fun of Expedition Everest “I really believed the Yeti was attacking me!” Brynn laughs now, but also because of Pandora. When she was little, Brynn thought she was an Avatar. Walking through Pandora’s glowing plants and floating mountains felt like stepping into a dream. Out of the two rides there, Flight of Passage became her favorite. Flying on the back of a banshee, feeling the wind on her face as she zoomed through the sky and searched for a new home. It was the closest Brynn had ever felt to being part of the Avatar world.
Over the years, Brynn’s Disney experiences developed. Since her first visit, she visited the parks six more times, and each visit brought new memories with friends and family.
Fun fact, “I have performed on The Beauty and the Beast stage and The Call of the Wild Theater twice,” Brynn said. Performing at Disney felt surreal, like she was part of the magic that had once amazed her as a little girl. Her first Dance the Magic event was when she was just five years old. At that time, she was too young to dance in the parade down Main Street, U.S.A., but she got to perform in the production showcase. Watching the older girls dance down Main Street sparked a dream, she couldn’t wait for her turn. Two years later, when she was seven, that dream finally came true. “Dancing down Main Street, USA, with the castle in the background and the sides of the parade route lined with cheering people was truly magical,” Brynn adds. Fast forward to now, and Brynn has attended two more Dance the Magic events. The most recent one was in December of 2024. From a little girl to a teenager, these moments have become core memories, the thrill of performing, the excitement of being part of the Disney magic, and the time spent with friends.
As Brynn grew older, she began to understand the reality behind the magic — how the illusions worked and how Tinker Bell was actually zip-lining rather than flying. But that never took away the wonder. “I still enjoy watching the little girls at the dance studio who believe in magic, and I still find Disney magical myself,” she says. No matter how much she knows about what goes on behind the scenes, the feeling of magic never fades.
Her most recent trip was a full circle moment. This time, she wasn’t just a visitor, she was a performer, dancing in a parade like a cast member, bringing joy to others just as so many had done for her. At that moment, she realized that Disney wasn’t just about the fantasy of her childhood, it was about the joy, the memories, and the feeling of being part of something bigger than herself.
Disney had grown up with her, from the four-year-old who believed in Tinker Bell’s flying to the girl who now danced down Main Street, spreading the same magic she had once loved. And though she may see the stage tricks now, one thing remains true- “Disney will always be a place where magic lives in my heart”.
