I ditched New York City after 20 years so I could live in Florida, just 10 minutes away from Disney World

• After spending my whole life in New York City, I followed my dreams of moving to Orlando, Florida.
• I'd always wanted to live near Disney World because I love the vibes and community.

Recently, I began the process of moving from New York City to Orlando, Florida, so I could live 10 minutes from Walt Disney World.

Some people called me foolish for leaving "the greatest city in the world" to live closer to a mouse.

But from a young age, I knew I wanted to live close to the magical theme park. Everyone in my life thought that desire would fade when I became an adult, but my love for Disney only grew stronger over the years.

I've always viewed Walt Disney World as more than just a vacation destination. It was the one place where I felt happy, appreciated, and as though I could truly be myself.

After I got a taste of living in Orlando during the college program, I was even more hooked

My life changed when I participated in the Disney College Program, where students can work at and live near the parks for a few months. Even though I only lived in Florida for a semester, it helped me solidify my goal of permanently living in Orlando.

Throughout the rest of my college experience, I longed to live near the magic again.

My desire grew stronger each frigid New York winter when I'd trek through heaps of snow to go to a store that didn't sell a Mickey Premium Bar all while my Floridian friends were soaking up the sun and going on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

With my frequent Disney trips, it also made more financial sense for me to move

As an out-of-state annual passholder, planning frequent Disney trips to get my Disney "fix" was always time-consuming and very expensive when I accounted for airfare, hotel stays, food, and other costs.

Since I would visit the parks every three months or so and spend thousands of dollars to stay only for a couple of days or weeks, I decided that it would be more worthwhile for my mental health and pocket to move closer to the theme parks. That way, I could visit whenever I wanted with fewer extra expenses.

Plus I'd be able to see a lot of my best friends more often, since many live near Disney World and are passholders, too. I'm looking forward to having more opportunities to make memories with them at the parks and resorts.

I also can't wait to hug Mickey Mouse every day if I want to or watch fireworks from the park each night.

Although it was scary to think about moving away from my family, friends, and the home I grew up in, I knew deep down that I would regret at least not trying to live on my own near a place that brings me the most happiness.

Of course, I'll miss New York City, but I'm looking forward to showing my family and friends around my new backyard — also known as Disney World.