Leeds mum spends £22k to create ultimate Disney home with rare Disneyland collection

Catherine Hamilton, 32, and her son Archie, 10, are Disney fanatics with their whole house decked out with Disney gear.

The superfan runs a Disney fan page on Facebook, sharing tips to its 22,000 followers.

Before the global Covid-19 restrictions, Catherine and Archie visited Disneyland Paris once a month to film content for her Facebook page and to pick up exclusive items to send to followers around the world.

Obsessed with Disney, Catherine has a living room adorned with Disney merchandise and trinkets, a kitchen with Disney wallpaper and a bedroom with a wall of Mickey Mouse ears and well sought-after spirit jerseys.

Catherine launched her Disneyland Paris Tips and Fan Page four years ago after her obsession with Disney escalated.

Within 24 hours of being created, the page reached 200 likes. It now has 22,000 likes with supporters from all around the world.

Catherine said: “I have loved Disney my entire life, but my obsession exploded about four years ago when I launched my page.

“Before the pandemic we would fly to Disneyland Paris once a month because we enjoy the atmosphere so much. We just love everything about it.

“Filming content for my Facebook page and sending things out as part of our shipping service also makes the journey to France worth it.”

Catherine worked as a sales advisor for a security company for five years before being made redundant.

Since then, she has spent around £20,000 on her Disney collection and visits to Disney in Paris and Florida.

Catherine said: “Between November and now I have spent about £5,000 on Disney merchandise, some of it as Christmas presents.

“Some of the items have been imported from America which is why some of the things are expensive.

“As I have spent so much money over the years on the official Disney website over the years, I was invited to preview the Black Friday Sales before the public where I bought two replica castles, a Frozen castle for my son and a Sleeping Beauty one for myself.

“I even had to buy a new Ikea unit for my bedroom to store them.”

Catherine also owns fourteen special spirit jerseys and over thirty Disneyland Micky Mouse ears that are proudly on display in her bedroom.

She has ordered custom-made matching Phantom Manor outfits for herself and her son, an attraction at Disneyland Paris.

Through her Facebook page, Catherine sends out what she calls “boxes of magic”, where in return for postage and packaging, she sends out Disney items that people wouldn’t be able to get otherwise.

Catherine hosts free weekly quizzes that gain around 1,000 views a pop for adults, and her son Archie hosts similar quizzes for children.

Another event she throws are virtual Disney Cabaret nights.

The love of Disney runs in the family, with her sister Jennifer, 27, also sharing her passion. Jennifer, Catherine’s partner Damien and her friend Andrea are also admins of the Facebook page, having to share the huge workload that comes with running the popular page.