Ever heard of the 3 D’s of Disney? Don’t Date Disney. This was a rule taught in Disney orientation back when I was training to work for Mickey Mouse. Don’t. Date. Disney. It was a rule I consistently broke. Now, even the dating scene has changed since I left the resort. People are actually encouraged to Date Disney through a new dating site called ‘Mouse Mingle” (not an official Disney dating company, but cool right?). At mousemingle.com, you can pair up with fellow Disney fans and hopefully find your ‘happily ever after.’ And the best news? You don’t even have to be a cast member! While I have yet to go undercover and create a profile to explore the site (my current prince would probably not approve), let me reminisce a minute on why Dating Disney is simply the best.

Takes One to Know One

If you work at Disneyland, you are working there because you genuinely love the Disney brand, OR you have a contagious ‘Disney’ personality. If neither were true, you would never get through your interview with HR. So with that said, every single person working at Disneyland has traits similar to your own personality. What does that mean? Compatibility. If two people can not only tolerate binge watching Disney movies, but actually love it, it’s a match made in heaven. And working at Disneyland, one can’t help but feel like they are swimming in a pool of matches. If Mouse Mingle is putting all fans in one small spot on the interweb, then the internet might as well be your fairy godmother.

It’s a Small World Afterall

One of the big reasons for ‘Don’t Date Disney’, is management doesn’t want you to wind up in an uncomfortable situation where say the Mad Hatter and Cinderella broke up and now they have to share a breakroom. Makes sense, right? Here’s the great thing about it. Since every department is like a small family that likes to gossip about each other to the capacity of  your great-aunt Trudy at the Thanksgiving table, you have the potential to know the good and bad about your partner before you even go on your first date. Sure, you might hear all about the person’s flaws, but you will at least go into it with all of your facts. Let’s say the relationship ended terribly and you’re stuck seeing each other every single day. You’re a Disney person. So, you’re capable of smiling through it until you look up and realize there are so many new co-workers to replace the old one with! Also, if you’re a Disney person, breakups may be bad, but you see the good in most things (Like that you’re better off not dating this person).

Inside the Disney Cult

Dating someone on the inside helps make your life a little bit easier. Working at Disney is unlike working anyplace else, and you want a person who ‘gets’ you. If they get you, then they’ll also appreciate what you’re going through and you can bond together. For instance, working at Disneyland means working on weekends and having select weekdays off. If you yell out, “It’s my Friday!” on a Tuesday, wouldn’t it be cool if your partner actually knew what the heck you’re talking about? If you want to complain about the fact that you didn’t get your RDO approved (and you’re dating someone who actually knows what that is), don’t you want a partner who can help you figure out a plan B? When I worked at Disneyland, I spent a significant amount of time on resort property. I worked 40 hours a week and I was a college kid, so all of my paychecks went directly to rent on my studio apartment. Whenever I liked a guy at Disney, I knew we could have a cheap, if not free, date night so long as we both worked at the park. How is that possible? We both got into the parks for free and sometimes we would go in just to watch the parade or fireworks. It was super romantic and fun and we didn’t even have to drive in traffic to our date!

So, how can you Date Disney even if you don’t work in the parks? Start with finding a person who appreciates the fact that you like Disney. They honestly don’t have to like Disney to the extent that you do, but if they love that you geek out over it, then you have the right match for you. Trust me. Have any of you tried out Mouse Mingle? If you have, I hope it works out for you. Otherwise, there are so many ways to meet super cool Disney fans like Dapper Day, Disney Meetups, Disney social groups, etc. No matter where you look, enjoy the adventure!

Erika Jenko