The warm and exciting fuzzies you feel stepping through the gates, the smell of all the snacks, the sound of all the familiar tunes… If you’ve ever set foot in any of the Disney parks, you know the power of all those happy thoughts, and the euphoric, almost trance-like effect just being there can have on you. Thousands of people all joined in harmony to celebrate everything Disney can be one of the happiest experiences of our lives.
And now science proves if you make it a habit of attending the parks, you’ll be a happier person for it.
Melissa Weinberg and Dawn Joseph conducted a survey of 1,000 people over the phone. The study findings showed the link between “habitual music enjoyment (like songs from Disney movies) and subjective well-being (SWB).” The results proved those “engaging with music by dancing or attending events (like shows or attractions at the parks) was associated with higher SWB.” Meaning, the more you attend the parks and sing along with thousands of your friends, the happier you will be.
There is an interpersonal quality to park goers communing with one another that keeps the euphoria going long after the visit ends. Even if we don’t all get to go together, there is still that common happy link that connects all of who have ever been, or are planning to go. When we hear a song or get to share a story about our visits, it re-triggers those happy feelings.
If you have never been, or aren’t planning to go, don’t feel left out! There have also been an array of studies that prove just by listening to Disney music at home or elsewhere also holds a positive effects on the brain. So jam out to Descendants 3 on the Disney Channel, or blast “Let It Go” for the billionth time, because as long as it makes YOU feel happy, you’re actually also experiencing a higher subjective well-being too!
