Hi… I’m Dumbo.

I don’t talk too much, but I’m really happy you’re here. Thank you for stopping by. Sometimes I get nervous meeting new people, but when someone smiles kindly at me… it helps me feel safe.

When I was little, other elephants made fun of my ears. They said they were too big… too floppy… too strange. I didn’t understand why something I was born with could make others laugh at me. It made me feel small… even though my ears were so big.

But my mama—she never stopped loving me. She held me close, even when we were far apart. She told me that I was special, and that one day, I’d find what made me shine. And… I did.

One day, I flew. Not in a dream—really flew. Just by flapping my ears. Nobody believed I could. Not even me. But I did it. I flew across the sky, above the crowd, with the wind holding me up. I felt free. And I didn’t feel strange anymore—I felt strong.

Now I’m here at Disney World. And I get to meet kind people like you. It means so much to me. I know there are lots of exciting things here—castles and parades and music—but I think one of the most magical parts of Disney World is getting to talk to someone who understands what it feels like to be different.

Sometimes, being different can feel lonely. But then you meet someone who looks at you with kind eyes, and you realize you’re not alone anymore.

I think the things that make us different… are also the things that make us beautiful.

Can I ask you something?

Have you ever felt different… like you didn’t fit in? Maybe because of the way you look, or the way you think, or the things you care about? If you have… I want you to know… you’re not alone. And I think those differences make you amazing.

If you had wings—or ears like mine—and you could fly anywhere in the whole wide world… where would you go? Would you fly over mountains, across oceans, or maybe just up to the clouds to see the stars up close?

Whatever you dream of… I hope you keep believing in it. I didn’t know I could fly… not until someone believed in me.

And I believe in you.