"Welcome Home!" ...kinda.

That's all I heard on my first trip to Disney. Constantly being greeted with "Welcome Home!" was funny to hear every single time I crossed paths with a Disney employee. Unfortunately, my first time ever at Disney had to be during the pandemic. I was excited for my experience but had high expectations. I mean, it's Disney. Happiest Place on Earth, right?

The bright side was that I was able to get on all the rides without having to wait on crazy long lines. Disney also had a capacity limit restriction, which meant less crowds and people to deal with. Score.

The downside was literally everything else. What I imagine makes Disney infamously known for being magical, was nonexistent during my first experience. This meant:

• No fireworks

• No characters walking around

• No meet & greets/autographs

• Pictures ruined with masks

• Masks in general in the blazing heat

• Parks closing early

Other than seeing the castle and Mickey Mouse everywhere you look, I wouldn't know I was at Disney. It seemed like every other theme/amusement park so I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, because I still had a fun time, but I definitely was underwhelmed. At the time, little did I know that I would be going to Disney two more times within a year. That's a whole different experience. More on that soon!