Walt Disney World
(And Why it’s for Adults Too)
Letter From the Editor
Like most people, Disney was prevalent throughout my childhood. I watched Disney animated films nearly every day, had countless Disney-themed birthday parties, and even had a few Disney Princess backpacks and lunchboxes. Unlike most people, Disney did not just stay boxed away like my enormous VHS collection does today. It did, however, not truly become a major part of my life until I was much older. I had visited Walt Disney World twice during my childhood and did not go back until I was eighteen. The feeling that I got when I saw Cinderella’s Castle again was unlike anything I had
ever felt before. I felt my worries melt away, and for a few days, I wasn’t concerned about the real world. I was five years old again, and discovered that in this wonderous place, magic is real. That’s what I hope you can take away from this book: that you don’t have to be a child to love Disney. There’s a child in all of us; to find it, you just need a little faith, trust, and pixie dust. Suzanne Brady Disney Enthusiast and Former Cast Member
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Table of Contents
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4
Escapism
2
Nostalgia
12
Heritage & Tradition
20
16
The Disney Reputation
Magic is Real and Dreams are Forever
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What Disney Means to Me
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Escapism
Reality can be a stressful and worrisome place. You have your worries from work, worries from your family and home life, worries from your love life, for some of you worries from school, and the list goes on. When I made my return to Walt Disney World, I was in my first semester of my senior year in high school. Talk about stress. I was worried about where I was going to college and making sure I was still getting good grades. A huge chapter of my life was coming to a close, and I was trying to do everything in my power to make the most of it.
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Now, I suppose a bit of background information on why exactly I went to Walt Disney World during an incredibly stressful time in my life is in order. In my last two years of high school, I participated in color guard. Together with my school’s marching band, we would perform about a ten to fifteen minute show during halftime at Friday night football games and at various competitions on select Saturdays. Every two years, the marching band and color guard would take a long weekend trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL to attend a clinic and march in front of the three-
o’clock parade in Magic Kingdom (one of the four parks within the resort). I remember feeling excited that I got to ditch class for a few days, but in the back of my mind, the schoolwork that I should have been doing gnawed at my nerves. However, the moment when I scanned my ticket, went through the turnstiles, walked under the Magic Kingdom train station, and laid eyes on Cinderella Castle, the world stopped. The quaint, joyful tunes of Main Street filled my ears. I could smell sweet treats from The Confectionary and freshly popped popcorn. The Florida sunset kissed each of the shops on Main Street and Cinderella Castle goodnight, and I had never felt so serene. At Walt Disney World you feel as though you’ve been transported to a different world. A world where worry doesn’t exist. A world that brings out the inner child that’s inside of everyone, whether you’re eighteen or eighty. Among the many aspects that makes Walt Disney World so special, the thing that I
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appreciate the most is that there is something for everyone. What I mean is that if you want to people-watch, there are plenty of benches to do so. If you want to ride attraction after attraction, go for it. If you want to have a pool day, do it! The point is, you can do what you enjoy and go at the pace you want to go at. Some people may see a Disney vacation as a race (and yes I used to be one of those people), but it’s not. If you want to rush from points A to B to C, be my guest. But you don’t have to. However, regardless of your pace, I would suggest loosely planning your day. For example, take into consideration the number of days you’re going to be visiting, the parks you want to visit, the attractions you want to ride, the characters you want to meet, and the food you want to enjoy. I’m not telling you to have a severely structured itinerary, unless of course, you want to. Do what works best for you and the group
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you’re traveling with. Trust me, it ensures that you will be able to enjoy yourself more and truly live in the moment. Regardless of what you do or how you do it, a Disney vacation is an excellent escape from reality. It’s all about soaking in your surroundings and finding your inner child. At Walt Disney World, you’re able to let loose and have fun. When you’re surrounded by joyful Cast Members (Disney employees) and other happy guests, it’s incredible what that kind of atmosphere can do for you. I hope that you will find it difficult to wipe a smile off of your face while you’re at Walt Disney World. I hope that you, like me, realize that your happy place is a physical place. Most importantly, I hope you truly feel that Walt Disney World is for everyone–both the young and the young at heart.
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Nostalgia
I’m sure just about everyone has a memory involving Disney. This doesn’t necessarily mean memories at a Disney Park like Walt Disney World or Disneyland. These memories could be watching a Disney movie, or watching Disney Channel on Saturday mornings. Maybe you had a favorite Mickey Mouse plush or maybe you loved to dress up as your favorite Disney princess or character. Whatever that memory may be for you, it probably holds a certain level of nostalgia. When you think of that memory, that happy thought, it takes you back to a simpler time. A time when you did not have a care in the world and when your imagination soared. At Walt Disney World, it is not only an escape from reality for me, but also a place where all of those happy childhood memories come flooding back. I think this is also why it’s a great place to vacation as an adult– you get to see this wonderful place both with the eyes
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of an adult and with the eyes of a child. The fact that you’re an adult means that you will remember the memories that you will make more clearly than a child would. You will takein all of the details and thoughtful touches that Disney puts into their parks. However, those memories that you have associated with Disney also awaken your inner child. You look at things with that same wideeyed wonder that you used to. At Walt Disney World, you are transported back to a time when both the simplest and the most spectacular things amazed you. Perhaps you have some bittersweet memories, or maybe they weren’t bittersweet then, but they are now. Or, you might have childhood memories that aren’t necessarily related to Disney but still hold a special place in your heart. For example, I visited Walt Disney World to celebrate New Years of 2014. My two friends, my sister, and I woke up early to catch the first bus from our resort to Magic Kingdom the morning of New Years Eve. Because we arrived so early, the park was not
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open yet, so we were able to see the morning welcome show that is performed at the Main Street Train Station. I had never seen it before and was not quite sure what it was all about. To sum it up, it’s a short show performed by dancers, characters, and the Mayor of Main Street to welcome you to the Magic Kingdom. It was adorable and a great way to start our day, but what got me was the song that they sang: “Good Morning” from the movie Singin’ In The Rain. You might be thinking that this song isn’t a Disney song, and that this seems a little random for me to have a connection to; but just bear with me.
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Jokingly, my parents used to sing that song to my sister and me to wake us up for school when we were growing up. Suddenly, I felt a wave of emotions come over me. I thought about my parents and how simple my life used to feel. I felt happy and sad as I longed for my childhood. At this point, I couldn’t help but start to cry, and as I looked over to my sister, she had the same expression on her face.
You never know what and how each person connects to Disney, but that’s another great thing about Walt Disney World: it truly does bring out the child in all of us. It allows for your childhood memories to come flooding back. It is the physical place where childhood and nostalgia thrive. As an adult living in reality, I’ve become so used to being emotionally distant and going through life with a thick skin. Sometimes you need to have these attributes in the real world, but over time, it takes a toll. By visiting Walt Disney World, it has allowed me to reconnect to my emotions. It has become both a great escape and place to remember old memories and make new ones. So, my advice to you is this: embrace the memories and the emotions that come to you. Welcome the bursts of laughter and the sudden tears. Because when you do, you are still physically an adult, but you have awakened your inner child– embrace it.
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Heritage & Tradition
When you look at the Disney Company today, you see a corporate giant. Disney owns many major companies such as Pixar, Lucasfilm, ABC, ESPN, Marvel, and the list goes on. They have opened six theme park locations around the globe. They continue to make live-action films, animated feature films, and animated short films. The company is thriving and growing bigger each day. But what all started this? Who started this? His name was Walt Disney. Walt Disney was born in 1901 and called Marceline, MO home. From an early age, he showed an interest and talent in drawing. He trained to be a cartoonist and animator. Through several attempts at creating and owning his own business, Walt enlisted the help of his older brother and business aficianado, Roy, to create the Disney Brothers Studio in 1924. Four years later, Walt created the character known and loved by so many around the world today– Mickey Mouse.
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Years later, after the success of animated feature films (lead by Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in 1937) and the 1955 opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, Walt had said, “I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing– that it was all started by a mouse.” He could not have been more right. When you look at the Disney Company today with all of its success, it is because Walt created Mickey Mouse. Audiences found Mickey relatable, endearing, and they felt a strong emotional connection to him. Walt might have been the creative mind behind his company and characters, but he could not have done it alone. He had a team of trusted animators to help create classic Disney movies we known and love today. Because of them, we have these incredible movies that are still watched over and over. Because of these movies, we have Disney Parks around the world that bring these characters and stories to life. Because of the Disney Parks, happiness is spread to guests of all ages and from all walks of life everyday.
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This happiness is possible because of Walt’s philosophy that Disney Cast Members are storytellers. They each have a role in the story and are responsible for preserving the magic that Walt worked so hard to create. Cast Members even attend an orientation called Traditions. There, they learn a brief history of the Disney Company and a bit about Walt’s vision and dream. When I attended Traditions, we also learned how the company (specifically its theme parks) pays homage to its heritage. For example, during Traditions new Cast Members get to briefly tour Magic Kingdom. During the tour (at least during my experience), the guide pointed out something that I knew had always been there but I had never really noticed– the names on the windows of Main Street. On the majority of the windows looking over the shops on Main Street, names of people who contributed to the Disney Company (usually to the Disney theme parks) are painted as a fictional business. These businesses
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usually refer to hobbies of that person or a development that person made. For example, Ub Iwerks, an animator who worked alongside Walt before the Disney Brothers Studio was created, has a window above the Main Street Bakery. It reads “Iwerks-Iwerks Steroscopic Cameras. Don Iwerks. Ub Iwerks.” Don was Ub’s son who also worked for Disney. These windows seem like a simple way to honor the legends and innovators of the Disney Company. However, Main Street is at the entrance of Magic Kingdom. Every guest has to walk through it to get to the other lands and areas of that park. Every guest may not truly notice the windows, but they know that they are there to enhance the atmosphere. The windows subtly honor these influential men and women, and in a way, they allow them to look down on Main Street and the magic that they helped bring to life.
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The Disney Reputation
When I think of Disney, I think about how they always demand the best. Their parks and resorts especially demand the highest level of excellence. I think this goes back to how Walt Disney always seemed to demand the impossible from his animators and other employees. When they were actually able to make what seemed impossible happen, the company soon became synonymous with the idea that nothing is impossible. Today, Disney has an impeccable reputation. They are known for their innovation and superiority. A great physical example of their reputation is Walt Disney World. There, they have four parks and two water parks all of which are themed specifically to tell a different story. For example, Main Street in Magic Kingdom is themed to look like a a small town center in the early 1900s. The architecture of the buildings, the trolly tracks in the street, and the music playing reflect that era. To immerse guests even further, the Cast Members are
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dressed similarly to people from that time period. Guests can even smell coffee from the Main Street Bakery, ice cream from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, and sweet treats from the Confectionary. Disney is known for this immersive storytelling, especially at the parks. This concept is also exemplified in the parades, stage shows, and nighttime spectaculars at Walt Disney World. Like the themed areas, Walt Disney World’s entertainment tells a story and takes you along with it. To make these stories convincing, Disney uses elaborate floats, talented dancers, impressive special effects, and quite a bit of pyrotechnics. They truly create entertainment for all ages that will leave adults and children alike with wide eyes and gaping mouths. For example, one of my favorite nighttime shows to watch is called Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The story behind Fantasmic, is that the whole show is about Mickey’s imagination and his dreams, both good dreams and nightmares. The show takes place at an outdoor amphitheatre sur-
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rounding a rock structure and a lake of sorts. The rock structure doubles as a stage where Mickey, among other characters, perform. This show also uses water effects to tell the story. Giant fans of water spray to create a surface where images and animations are projected and synchronized with music. Fantasmic also uses fire and other pyrotechnics towards the end of the show. What never ceases to amaze me is both how incredible this show is and how children and adults are equally enthralled. By constantly demanding and striving for excellence, Disney has become a prestigious company. They are selective with who they hire to bring their movies and stories to life. Disney Cast Members know this and are trained to uphold Disney’s standards. They represent the company and interact with thousands of guests at the parks everyday. They truly want to help make the Disney parks a magical and happy place for all who visit.
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On one of my days off when I worked for Walt Disney World, my friend and I decided to watch the three o’clock parade in Magic King-
dom. While we were waiting behind the ropes, we were both on our phones but noticed that a Disney Photopass Photographer was taking pictures of a family in the roped off street before the parade began. He was so engaged in what he was doing, was really making sure that this family got great pictures, and that they had a great time. After he finished with them, he came up to my friend and me, and proceeded to take my phone out of my hands. He said and acted like he was taking selfies with a man standing next to us. In actuality, he was taking pictures of my friend and me laughing at his silly antics. We were so impressed and touched that he took the time to interact with us and other guests. He could have easily stood there, waiting for guests to ask him to take pictures. Instead, he took the initiative to involve others in a unique and fun way. To me, that’s what the Disney reputation represents– going above and beyond to create a spectacular experience through the atmosphere, the entertainment, and the Cast Member-guest interactions.
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Magic is Real and Dreams Are Forever
Of the many things that come to mind when I think of Walt Disney World, is that it’s the place where dreams come true. To some, this might sound corny and cliché but not to me. I have experienced first-hand what a little Disney magic can do to and for someone. It seems juvenile and naive to claim that magic is real, but at Walt Disney World, it really is. Disney magic can have a variety of forms when you witness it or when it happens to you. It can happen when you meet a character, during a dining experience, an attraction, a show, a parade, or even when you’re walking to your next destination. Regardless of where or how it happens, every magical Disney moment has something in common– how it makes you feel. During one of my Walt Disney World vacations, my friends and I were in line for The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (essentially the Dumbo attraction). The group of guests before
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us were being loaded on the attraction when we noticed something happen. Aladdin and Jasmine’s meet and greet location is just across from the Magic Carpets, and we saw them walking towards the ride instead of their location. My friends and I exchanged looks and watched intently as they asked this small boy and his mom if they could ride with him. We quietly gasped, smiled, and exclaimed how precious this moment was. Part of the wonder of seeing someone else experience Disney magic, especially children, is you remember what it was like to be that age. Everything was amplified. Everything was real. Watching that little boy reminded me of when I was about his age. My family and I were, oddly enough, trying to find Aladdin and Jasmine. Back then, characters didn’t necessarily have a set meet and greet location and could be difficult to find. We were walking along a pathway, and when we turned a corner, all of a sudden, there they were. Aladdin and Jasmine stopped walking, came up to me, and got down to my level. They looked in my eyes and
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were so animated; all I could think was “Wow. They’re real. They stepped out of their movie and are here in front of me.” They signed my autograph book, we took a picture, and then they were on their way again. Disney magic doesn’t just happen to children. It happens to adults too. When I worked at Walt Disney World, I had one of the most incredible and magical character meet and greets with Tigger and Pooh. At the time, I was Christmas shopping for my family, and I decided to get The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh for my sister since we both loved Winnie the Pooh growing up. I thought it would be a great idea to have both Pooh and Tigger to sign it for her. So on my day off, I waited to meet them. Honestly, I didn’t expect much from them. I thought I was going to go in, have them sign the book, get a picture, and that be it. Thankfully, I was wrong.
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I entered the small room resembling that of Christopher Robin and asked if they could sign my book; I had my marker ready and the book
open. Pooh looked at the cover, pointed to it, and then pointed back at himself in astonishment. While Pooh couldn’t believe that it was his book, Tigger motioned where he was as he wasn’t pictured on the cover. He took the book, laid on the ground, and flipped through the pages until he found the chapter where he is introduced. They both proceeded to sign it with care and even kissed it for me. When I didn’t think it could get any better, they each kissed me and positioned me for our photo. I couldn’t believe that they took the same amount of time that they would have if I was a child. It truly touched my heart, and I couldn’t wait to tell my sister the story on Christmas. When you experience Disney magic, you feel like you’re the only guest in all of Walt Disney World. You feel special, and you feel loved. Time begins to move much slower as you soak in every detail. You feel giddy and want to share your story with anyone who will listen. You will keep that memory with you forever, and every time you think of it, a smile spreads across your face. That’s Disney magic.
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What Disney Means to Me
It’s no surprise that I love Disney. Let’s be honest, this is an entire book dedicated to why adults should enjoy Walt Disney World despite the preconceived notion that it’s just for kids; but I digress. I’ve established that Walt Disney World is an incredible, magical place where dreams really can come true. It has a rich history and traditions unique to the company. But what makes it so special to me? After visiting Walt Disney World for the first time in thirteen years, I was hooked. My happy place physically exists, and I take any opportunity to visit that I can. When I was ending my freshman year in college, I felt like I needed more from Disney. Not like I needed another vacation (although I gladly took one that summer), but I felt like I needed to become a Cast Member at Walt Disney World. It sounds crazy, but it was something that I felt like I had to do. Earlier in the school year, I remembered seeing a flyer for the Disney College Program.
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So, I started researching what it was, how it worked, and steps I needed to take to apply. To be as concise as possible, it is a paid internship to work at either Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL or Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA for one semester or a whole year. When you apply, you put in preferences for positions (roles) that interest you, and if you’re accepted (pending an application and two interviews), Disney Casting will place you where they think you are most qualified and where there is a need. Although the roles that they offer are entry-level, participating in the Disney College Program allows you to network within the company and makes it easier for you to land a higher position role after you’ve finished school and graduated (if you so desire). Simultaneously, I was researching what I could possibly do for Disney with a degree in Fashion Marketing and Management. I had always thought that the Disney Parks only needed people with a degree in Hospitality
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or Engineering. Thankfully, I was wrong. I had found several job postings for positions in their Creative Costuming department, and in that moment, I knew that that was what I was meant to do.
much as I love riding Walt Disney World’s wildest attractions. Using my complementary admission helped me to soak in Disney like I had never been able to do before, and I am beyond grateful.
In the winter of my sophomore year in college, I decided to apply for the Disney College Program, and five weeks later, I was accepted. The following fall, I packed up my life to take a semester off of school to work for the big cheese himself– Mickey Mouse. Call me crazy, but it was the best thing I have ever done. I met some of the most incredible people, a lot of whom I am still in touch with today.
Whether I was on the clock, visiting on my days off, or visiting after my College Program had ended, I still get that warm and fuzzy feeling when I enter Walt Disney World. I still feel that little girl that’s inside of me. I still soak in every moment when I am there.
While I was a Cast Member, my parents and friends back home would ask me if I still loved Disney despite dealing with some rude guests or having to work long shifts. My answer? Absolutely. I think what amazes me the most is that I am still not sick of Disney. In fact, I think I love it even more than before I worked at Walt Disney World. Now, I think I appreciate the small details in each of the parks more. I love watching stage shows and parades as
Walt Disney World has become my home. I have never loved living in a place more than I loved living in Orlando. It is my happy place where I have made so many wonderful memories. The best part is that I know it will always be there, waiting for me to visit again and again to make even more great memories.
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