It all started back in June when I wrote this blog post about how burned up I was over Snow White and Aurora getting kicked out of Princess Fairytale Hall – evicted to make room for Frozen’s Anna and Elsa.  Then I got busted by one of the hosts of the WDW NE Podcast (a podcast I happen to love and listen to regularly) tweeting about the Frozen takeover a few weeks back – I’d mentioned in a tweet that I had 10 ideas for how Walt Disney World could have incorporated Frozen into the World without pushing classic princesses out into the street.  So Paulie (@YoPaulieNJ) asked me to provide him with said 10 ideas for his perusal.

Next thing I know, in Episode 11 of the WDW NE Podcast, all four hosts (Mike, Sal, Dean, and Paulie) were debating the merits of each one of those 10 ideas.  (Be sure to listen to this show!!!)  Much strong language and hilarious discussion ensued.  As a result of all this – pretty much created by my own actions then carried on a wave of social media – I may have developed a teeny bit of a reputation for not liking Frozen as much as most other folks.

I’d like to dispel that rumor once and for all.  I do like Frozen (the movie) very much!  I can belt out every word of Let it Go to the car stereo as enthusiastically as the next person (even if my ability to actually hit those high notes is questionable).  I think Olaf and Sven are adorable side-kicks and Anna and Kristoff do indeed make the most darling couple!  I loathe Hans to the appropriate extent for being so mean and villainous.  Shoot!  I’m even taking a Disney cruise through the fjords of Norway next June knowing it will be full to the brim with Frozen tie-ins, merchandise, and superfans.  Yes, I do own the DVD and have enjoyed watching it on several occassions.  See?  I’m good, right?

I’m glad we could clear up that little misunderstanding.  While you’re here, I’d like to also share with you five very important life lessons I believe can be learned from Frozen and its beloved characters.  Here goes:

1.  If you accidentally injure your sibling while playing, you should be separated from that sibling for the foreseeable future…for everyone’s protection.  Does this only count in cases of magical power gone awry?  Because that one time when Megan dropped her baby brother headfirst onto the stacking donut toy did not result in any type of forced separation.  Does that make us bad parents?

2. If you’re orphaned at a young age and raised by the domestic help, you do not develop the ability to recognize unscrupulous men who want a relationship with you purely to steal your kingdom.  Good to know.

3. If you, as a young adult, go off to find yourself, it’s perfectly fine to have created a really great sidekick and then forget about/ignore them completely.  Seriously, I was a tad traumatized by Olaf being left out there on his own (nose-less, I might add) for an undisclosed amount of time.  I think there should be laws against that.  Is no one else bothered by this at all?!!?!?!?  I suppose the fact that he’s the most loving, selfless character in the movie means there was no harm caused by Elsa’s seemingly callous behavior.  But do we really know for sure?

4. Parents who discourage unique talents in their children by forcing them to hide their gifts cause a LOT of problems!  Especially if those parents go off and die instead of finding a magical tutor (a member of the Troll community perhaps?) to help the gifted child grow and develop their individuality in a healthy and productive way that does not involve shaming.  Just sayin’.

5. Trolls, maligned in both folklore and mainstream media, are actually very loving, nurturing, and caring creatures who are capable of raising a human child (my, there seem to be a lot of orphans in Scandinavia, no?) into a pretty decent adult…attachments to reindeer notwithstanding.

Don’t forget to listen to the WDW NE Podcast (available in all your favorite podcast-downloading locations).  Especially episode 11…which is pretty darned special, if I do say so myself.

How about YOU?  What were your important takeaways from Frozen?  What lessons did you learn from this delightful tale?