Is this the happiest place on earth?

For generations, Disney has defined the sound and imagery of the American dream. Its films, music, and storytelling shaped how children across the world imagine wonder, hope, and happiness. Yet beneath the shimmer lies a more complicated truth, one built on corporate mythology, idealized innocence, and the commodification of imagination itself. So many of the images of a perfect world for me as a young girl were created by the movies and pictures made by Disney. Like countless children from my generation, I wanted the pretty dress, the castle, the prince, the beautiful life that a princess deserves. But as I grew older, I realized none of that was truly me. These ideas had been placed into my system long before I understood who I was, suggesting what I should want before I ever questioned it. And the larger idea of Disney and Disneyland being the happiest place on earth shaped how I imagined the United States, a place where endless opportunities, kind people, and constant happiness seemed to be all around. But this dream comes at a high price. The United States and Disney are deeply capitalistic, and those endless opportunities often reveal themselves to be highly competitive, pressurizing, and exhausting. People are constantly trying to stay afloat, and especially today, many feel more isolated and misunderstood than ever. At some point, no matter what you believe, you begin to wonder if this really is the happiest place on earth. ​This work explores the tension between fantasy and reality. It charts the blurred line between the magic we were taught to believe in and the truth beneath it, a portrait of Disney’s empire and of America’s own obsession with happiness, spectacle, and perfection.