6. You have as many photos of Walt Disney World sights as you do of your family

Once you’ve chalked up triple-digit ranked visits to the Walt Disney World parks, you’ll undoubtedly discover that you have pictures of every family member with every character, and probably a few dozen photos of Cinderella Castle from every angle. At this point, you may notice that your little ones are burnt out on posing with princesses as well. A true photog won’t even consider packing away their camera - they’ll simply expand their exploration path! When you start venturing off for solo photo expeditions, you truly discover the most magical secrets and details of the Walt Disney World Resort! About 1,500 digital images ago, I sincerely believed that I had captured it all. Wrong! I’m still not done building my Walt Disney World photo collection. My children may run as they see me in paparazzi mode, but I find many subjects to snap that are more captive to my lens. Anyone can be an inspiring photographer with the landscapes, architecture, and even natural aspects of Walt Disney World. I have hundreds of photos of the trees at Fort Wilderness Campground alone, and don’t even get me started on the Disney ducks!

7. You think food is much less appealing if it doesn’t incorporate a Disney character

Personally, I’m not a fan of pretzels or waffles, but at Walt Disney World, I consider them to be mandatory! Why? Because they’re magically mouse-ified! Honestly, they don’t taste any better than anyone else’s pretzels or waffles, but there’s something about that familiar, happy shape that makes them simply irresistible!

I’ve since learned to eat waffles at home, but only when I received the gift of a Cinderella waffle maker. This was soon followed by a toaster that plays the “Mickey Mouse March” as the toast pops up - complete with an imprint of the famed mouse, of course! Since then, I’ve been on a mission to tri-circle as many edibles as I can - pancakes, pizza, cakes. Something about that familiar shape just makes meal-time or snack-time so much more magical. I’ve also discovered that national pizza chains get a bit flustered when this special design request comes their way.

8. You look for “hidden Mickeys” everywhere you go

Speaking of tri-circles - once you become part of the hidden Mickey hunter culture, be prepared to invite a whole new perspective into your daily life. Though hidden Mickeys are planted intentionally throughout the parks and resorts, the scavenger hunt doesn’t have to end there. You might be surprised by naturally occurring instances of Mickey’s likeness just waiting to be discovered by eagle-eyed Disney fans, and each discovery will surely provide a moment of giddy satisfaction to a seasoned hunter. When all else fails, it’s quite rewarding to play “Imagineer”, and create a few hidden Mickeys of your own.

9. Your life’s soundtrack is planned around the musical themes of Walt Disney World

As you wander from land to land at The Magic Kingdom, you’ve noticed the smooth transition in ambient sound - the jungle beats of Adventureland, the whimsical charm of Fantasyland. Isn’t it rather impossible to avoid feeling vibrant and happy in these surroundings? It makes perfect sense that those who feel rejuvenated and energized by the sounds of Disney would want to embrace that audible energy even when they’ve left the parks. You know you’ve fully embraced your love of Walt Disney World when you have centralized audio set to transition park themes throughout the rooms of your home. I’ve been known to shower to the entire Enchanted Tiki Room attraction soundtrack. You’ve truly crossed into the realm of obsession when you time the sounds of the evening fireworks display to begin as you watch the show from your own strategically-selected backyard on a nightly basis as part of your bedtime ritual.

10. You won’t let the recent price hike hinder your magic

Local newscasters in Orlando have been posing the same question in reaction to the recent Walt Disney World price increase - when is it too much? Truth be told, ticket prices passed “too much” a while ago, but much like any other addiction - when there’s a will, there’s a way. It appears that no price point will keep the scores of park-lovers away, even when we do acknowledge the ridiculous costs of a Walt Disney World vacation. Have you lowered your grocery standards to include nothing but Ramen noodles for months on end just to accommodate an upcoming visit to the parks? Believe me - some have! When you find yourself planning that trip while figuring out which of your bills can be postponed or which of your necessary utilities aren’t really as necessary as you once believed, you know you’ve hit the obsession-zone!

Walt Disney World obsession does not have to be a crippling thing. You only have to know how to manage and harness it! On the negative end, it can grow to be a significantly expensive passion, and one that not everyone may understand. On the positive end, it enables you to spread that Disney magic on a grand-scale, leaving happiness and contagious enthusiasm in your wake. If you see yourself in this list, embrace your unique appreciation of wonder and innovation as you welcome the mission to share your Disney side!