WHY WE LIKE THINGS TO REMAIN THE SAME

Have you visited Disney World lately? I just returned from a family vacation to the Magic Kingdom and I had such a strong sense of pleasure wandering from one favorite attraction to the next. Flying with Peter Pan, floating on the boats of “It’s a Small World” as the song becomes stuck in my mind and walking down Main Street peeking in the windows. I was not alone; there were plenty of other adults, unaccompanied by any kids, meandering from ride to ride.
Why? Why do we love Disney World? For me, it is the sameness. I visited Disney as a kid, returned with my kids and over these 40+ years it has remained almost the same. (Although I am quite unhappy “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” was replaced by “Winnie the Pooh.”) The expectations of guests are met; Cinderella’s castle was lit; the ghosts joined my car in the Haunted Mansion and Main Street was clean and freshly painted. I relaxed, knowing what was expected of me, and felt safe with the status quo. Don’t we usually feel comfortable w…
Why? Why do we love Disney World? For me, it is the sameness. I visited Disney as a kid, returned with my kids and over these 40+ years it has remained almost the same. (Although I am quite unhappy “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” was replaced by “Winnie the Pooh.”) The expectations of guests are met; Cinderella’s castle was lit; the ghosts joined my car in the Haunted Mansion and Main Street was clean and freshly painted. I relaxed, knowing what was expected of me, and felt safe with the status quo. Don’t we usually feel comfortable w…