Hi, it's Maiqui.

When I got really sick in July, one of the things that came to my mind was that I didn’t know when I would be able to go to an amusement park again. I just came from Universal Studios Osaka in April and I had such an amazing time so I felt sad thinking I wouldn’t be able to do that for a while.

I never expected that less than 5 months later, I’d be at the happiest place on earth – Disneyland. Life hasn’t been so kind to me this year but admittedly, it still finds ways to surprise me.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love all things Disney. I grew up as a classic Disney kid and became a Marvel fanatic as I got older. When my sister started to plan her trip to Hong Kong Disneyland with her kids, she asked if I wanted to come. I honestly had no idea how I’d be by the time we would go but I just said yes and thought I’ll make it work no matter what.

With perseverance, hard work, and the grace of God, I was able to go. I made sure I planned it out properly given my condition. We were staying at one of the Disney hotels so that made it more convenient. I even rented a wheelchair for the whole day in case I needed it. I didn’t end up using it to go around but it was very helpful when I wanted to sit and rest and for carrying all our shopping bags.

Our timing was also perfect because the World of Frozen just opened. To avoid having to wait in line too long, we got the early entry pass and went inside the park one hour earlier than the opening time. The moment we got in, we headed straight to the Frozen rides.

Since my heart rate was still higher than normal, I knew I couldn’t ride any of the rollercoaster or fast-paced rides. We did the Frozen Ever After ride thinking that it would just be a relaxing and interactive ride only to be surprised that it had two drops – a baby drop and a not-so-baby drop. My heart rate went up a bit but I was okay! It was fun and was good to see what I was capable of doing.

After that, the rest of the day went smoothly. I accompanied my nephews to the rides they wanted to go to and all the shows that they wanted to watch. The holiday season already started so there were Christmas shows all throughout the day which I really enjoyed. I rode whatever ride I could ride, and found food I could eat but cheated for a bit with some ice cream. It was hard to resist!

To cap off an already amazing day, we ended it by watching the “Momentous” nighttime spectacular show at the castle. It was probably the best light show I’ve ever seen. I ended up crying all throughout because I was just so emotional, grateful, and just so happy to be there.

Disney has been inspiring me since I was a kid and until this day, the messages they convey mean so much. They’ve always taught me to have faith in myself and overcome whatever challenges I face – to become the hero of our story.

The songs they chose were some of my favorites and it reminded me to just keep going. With lyrics like these, it was something I really needed to hear.

Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry
~ You'll Be In My Heart (Tarzan)

And I won't look back, I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope, 'till I go the distance
And my journey is complete
~ Go The Distance (Hercules)

And through the trials we face 
The races that we're running
We always keep the faith 
In who we are becoming
Every day's a different page, a story to unfold
Remember, young and old

Time's always moving, we can't slow the hands
Won't last forever, so take every chance
To learn, and to love, and to dream, and to dance
Just live the moment and love the memory
~ Love The Memory (original song for Momentous)

12 hours, 5 rides, 3 shows, and 13,000 steps later, I survived Disneyland and was the happiest I’ve ever been in a while. There was magic in the air that day. It really is the happiest place on earth.

Whatever stage you are in and whatever challenges you are facing right now, just remember – Don’t lose the magic. Keep believing. –

If you can dream it, you can do it.

Walt Disney