I can clearly remember the warm weather on a crisp fall morning. It was mostly sunny with just a few clouds in the sky. I was excited to go to work. Now, I know what you are thinking.
“Who is excited to go to work??”
I was a young ingénue full of energy and excited to be working the attractions in my favorite location. If you know anything about me, then you’ve probably guessed that I was in Florida working as a Cast Member for Walt Disney World. Not many people get the experience to help guests live the magic on their vacation. I was lucky to be chosen to work there when I was in college. It’s been nearly 20 years since I worked there but I’ll never forget this day! I had traded shifts with a coworker so I was going to open the Magic …show more content…
There is something serene and peaceful about the park before all the guests arrive. Everything looks as though it had just rained, but in reality everything is hosed down each night so the park looks fresh and clean. I was listening to the music that is piped through the audio system and watching the first guests arrive underneath Cinderella Castle. There they stopped because of a rope. My job this day (before working the rides) was to choose a little boy and a little girl to “open” the Magic Kingdom! I surveyed the crowd as I approached the eager guests. I spotted a little boy and his sister who were practically dancing with happiness. I approached their parents and explained what I was going to do and they were so thrilled that I was choosing their children for this special moment! I squatted down so I was on eye level with the kids. I asked them, “Would you like to be a special helper for Mickey Mouse …show more content…
Afterwards, I posed for pictures with the children and each of them gave me a huge hug. My heart just melted. I had so much fun choosing two kids to help open the park. I then wrote out a ticket for the family so that they could have some more magic later in the day. As Cast Members, we were allowed to write up passes for a family to experience an attraction of their choice with a minimal wait or a snack of their choice (popcorn, ice cream, drink) at no cost to the family. The parents chose to take the option to skip the lines for any ride in the park later in the day. The mom asked, “Can I hug you now?” “Of course!” I said. She had tears in her eyes and whispered thank you as she hugged me. Her children had never been chosen for something so special in their lives and this would be a moment that they would relive over and over – not only on this vacation but for years to come. I said goodbye to the family and high-fived each of the kids. I had to report to my assigned station in the attractions rotation. But I will never forget how special that moment was for that family and how everyone felt on that day. I know it has been 18 years since that moment happened and I can’t help but wonder sometimes if they still relive that special day
“Who is excited to go to work??”
I was a young ingénue full of energy and excited to be working the attractions in my favorite location. If you know anything about me, then you’ve probably guessed that I was in Florida working as a Cast Member for Walt Disney World. Not many people get the experience to help guests live the magic on their vacation. I was lucky to be chosen to work there when I was in college. It’s been nearly 20 years since I worked there but I’ll never forget this day! I had traded shifts with a coworker so I was going to open the Magic …show more content…
There is something serene and peaceful about the park before all the guests arrive. Everything looks as though it had just rained, but in reality everything is hosed down each night so the park looks fresh and clean. I was listening to the music that is piped through the audio system and watching the first guests arrive underneath Cinderella Castle. There they stopped because of a rope. My job this day (before working the rides) was to choose a little boy and a little girl to “open” the Magic Kingdom! I surveyed the crowd as I approached the eager guests. I spotted a little boy and his sister who were practically dancing with happiness. I approached their parents and explained what I was going to do and they were so thrilled that I was choosing their children for this special moment! I squatted down so I was on eye level with the kids. I asked them, “Would you like to be a special helper for Mickey Mouse …show more content…
Afterwards, I posed for pictures with the children and each of them gave me a huge hug. My heart just melted. I had so much fun choosing two kids to help open the park. I then wrote out a ticket for the family so that they could have some more magic later in the day. As Cast Members, we were allowed to write up passes for a family to experience an attraction of their choice with a minimal wait or a snack of their choice (popcorn, ice cream, drink) at no cost to the family. The parents chose to take the option to skip the lines for any ride in the park later in the day. The mom asked, “Can I hug you now?” “Of course!” I said. She had tears in her eyes and whispered thank you as she hugged me. Her children had never been chosen for something so special in their lives and this would be a moment that they would relive over and over – not only on this vacation but for years to come. I said goodbye to the family and high-fived each of the kids. I had to report to my assigned station in the attractions rotation. But I will never forget how special that moment was for that family and how everyone felt on that day. I know it has been 18 years since that moment happened and I can’t help but wonder sometimes if they still relive that special day