I had countless people tell me this before I moved down in May 2014 for the Disney College Program. Many mistook my bright-eyed excitement for naivete and took to ‘educating’ me on what would happen.
It was as if they thought I was moving down for a vacation and would be rudely awakened when I realized that working long hours in Florida heat would be difficult. They told me I would lose the magic I found in the parks or that I would never see them the same way.
They were right about half of that, I will never see the parks the same way.
When I go to the parks now, I see the doors leading off stage and I know that behind them: a strong stench of food waste from neighboring restaurants, I see guests who are hot or dehydrated taking it out on someone who’s ‘earning their ears,’ I see the cast member working to create magic and I know first-hand how much work goes into putting a smile on others when it’s hard to smile yourself, and I see a thousand backstage secrets and struggles only a former cast member can relate to. But none of that has ruined the magic to me. If anything, it’s strengthened it.
After working for Disney, I have more appreciation for the design, the guests and the cast members of Walt Disney World. Yes, Walt Disney World became real to me, but in the most magical way.
When I go to the parks now, I also see the spot where my roommates and I watched the fireworks on our first night as Disney cast members, I see the spot where I re-enacted Fantasmic when it was ‘rained-out’ for a family that had never seen the show, and I see the spot where I sat and read books for hours while waiting for the Festival of Fantasy parade.
Walt Disney World was already magical to me. It was a place where dreams came true and magic was real. Now, Walt Disney World is so much more. It’s home.
Annie Proctor 