What you don't know about Disney

What most people don’t know about Disney is that when they walk into the park it’s like walking into a giant movie theater. First you see all the people lined up at the gates ready to get in. Then you see the curtain which is hiding the focus of the park. The curtain is the train depot and the main attraction is the castle, Cinderella’s or Sleeping Beauty’s. You proceed to walk under a tunnel which is full of posters that have different attractions on them. This is considered the previews. It shows you what the park has to offer. Ask you walk down Main Street you see names on windows. Those are the credits. They are names of all the people that helped Disney come alive. What you may not notice when walking up Main Street is the slight increase in the pavement. Walt knew that at the beginning of the day you would be full of energy and ready to start your day. Then at the end of the day, when you were tired from all the fun, you would walk down the hill. This is only one of many fun facts that I learned while at Disney. Here are a few more of my favorites.

1.      Trash cans are no more than 26 feet apart-  Walt did research and found out that if a trash can wasn’t found within  26 steps than the person would drop their trash on the ground.

2.      Cast members are not allowed in different lands of the park because it would ruin the story. If a cast member from Tommorwland was found in Fantasyland, it just doesn’t make sense and would cause the story to be changed.

3.      Matterhorn Bobsled attraction has a half-court basketball court built inside the top of the attraction because something that tall had to have a sports arena in it for building permission.

4.      Imagineers and artist are not allowed to sign their names on work that they do for Disney. So instead they place a “hidden mickey” inside the attraction or add a creative touch to make it their own. A mural done by a father and daughter in EPCOT has one emerald gem that is out of place as their signature.

5.      Another little thing Disney does is change the ground color to fit in with the different lands. They also change trash cans and light fixtures to go with the story being told in that land.

Matterhorn Bobsled Attraction 

The stories being told are endless at Disney, but not always noticeable without being pointed out. Without this trip and all the tours I would have been just another guest rushing to get in line for a rollercoaster, but now I observe every detail on my way to the roller coasters! 

A Whole New World

My Dream is to someday work for Disney. Being at Disney is kind of like the Aladdin song A whole new world. “A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view, no one to tell us no, or where to go or say we're only dreaming". Just let that soak in a little...  Before the trip I thought I could be a cast member, fur character or even a graphic designer. After meeting with a few cast members I now realize that there are so many more opportunities!

In one of our programs, the Youth Education Series program, we learned about leadership. Matt, our leader, had us start the tour by drawing an open window and putting our dreams in the middle of it. He proceeded to tell us to write impossible at the top. It was at that moment when I realized what Walt had gone through, and how depressing it is to see your dream, with impossible written above it. We later crossed out the “im” and made our dreams possible.

Group and Matt after Y.E.S. Program

Besides the Y.E.S. program we had many opportunities to meet with other cast members. We often found ourselves asking them if they loved their jobs and within seconds we would get a joyful yes in reply. I have realized that being “in the happiest place on earth” is on the top of my list for career choices. Every time we went backstage or behind the scenes I got goose bumps and saw pixie dust! It was like I was meant to be there. I could see myself giving tours or being a leader for the Y.E.S. program, I even make the height requirements for some Disney fur characters. I even think that dancing right down the middle of main street USA would be a privilege.

The downside, which I never really thought about, is the Disney salary. Just because Disney is a big company and makes a lot of money doesn’t mean that you’ll be making the big bucks. Like Aladdin, I would have to start humbly (most likely working concessions) before I could become Prince Ali, or in my case, being the creative mind behind the parades.  But being in the happiest place on earth, living in the Florida weather  (79 degrees), and working for a guy who had the biggest imagination and heart in the world just sounds a like the perfect life to me.