Disney Parks Linked to Psychological Illness

in Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

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Disneyland and Walt Disney World are the happiest places on earth where Guests can board thrilling rides, enjoy time together, and mingle with Mickey, Minnie, and all their friends. However, some visitors report the exact opposite effect when they return home, which might be more serious than a case of the infamous “Disney Blues.”

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Credit: Disney

Visiting the Disney Parks can have a tremendous vacation high, as everything about their magical worlds can swallow us whole. However, returning to reality after being kept in the Disney bubble for days can cause many Guests a devastating decline in mental health. Many fans catch the Disney Blues, wanting to return immediately to the Parks after their trip, but one visitor reports of blues turning to outright depression.

Related: Boy Repeatedly Punches Mother at Disney World

u/abusementpark writes on r/WaltDisneyWorld their experience after a fun-filled family trip to the Florida Park. While most of the original post describes a typical family weekend with Mickey and Minnie, the closing statement might have some readers more than a little concerned.

The user writes,

“All I can think about is how to go back. We’re not rich. We saved for months to make those two days happen. How do you all cope with the withdrawals?”

The term “withdrawals” is a very apt descriptor of what many Disney Guests experience. While many visitors use trips to the Disney Parks to alleviate their depression, some have discovered that departing from the Parks can lead to a heartbreaking pitfall.

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Credit: Disney

Psychology of Travel defines “travel withdrawals” as,

“Any period of sustained inability to travel, such that this inability to travel causes emotional distress.”

The article goes on to further define the condition’s effects that the user and many more might develop after visiting the Parks by saying,

“for those for which travel is a way of life, being restricted from traveling can impact your core identity. It changes where you are, your daily activities, who you meet, how you spend your money, what you think about, and you may be missing the shared social value of common travel experiences.”

Credit: Disney

u/abusementpark’s last phrase in their post fits this description perfectly, and it certainly sounds like Disney Guests could be at risk for developing serious depressive episodes once they leave Park property. This is especially true for fans who might only get to visit the Parks one or two times in their lifetime.

Related: Negligent Parents Endanger Children at a Disney Pool

That all being said, Disney always does their best to give departing Guests a glimmer of hope. After all, one of Walt Disney’s biggest rules for his original Park is “it’s never goodbye around here, it’s always see ya real soon!”

Do you think Disney Guests are developing depression? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!

in Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

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