Is there still magic? Yes of course there is. It may not be as much as it once was but it is still there. However visiting WDW in the height of summer with 100% humidity and 1hour+ queues for most rides may sway a lot of people to believe there is none. But lets be honest, when you are riding on Splash Mountain, POTC, Haunted Mansion or Space Mountain do you not feel the magic? How about when you are watching Wishes, Fantasmic or Illuminations? Do you not feel something special? When you ride the monorail to the Mk and see the castle or the monorail to Epcot and see the globe do you not feel the magic? Well I certainly do and no grumpy cast member, peeling paint or dirty toilet can take that away. However saying all of that, I do feel that Disney could have made WDW into a really spectacular destination if it had built some of the attractions it had planned to. Just imagine the BTM ride being part of a bigger mountain with another attraction inside it (Western river expedition). Or imagine a Beastly Kingdom at Animal Kingdom. Or a toon town at the studios. Or a space station at Epcot. Now these would have really made WDW more magical than it is now.
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Does the "magic" still exist at WDW?
- Thread starter MikeWhitis
- Start date
dixiegirl
Well-Known Member
lucyanna girl said:
my thoughts exactly...we have been everyyear since our honeymoon in 96...(well all but one year. in labor..but rather be in disney)..ANYWAY.. HAVING GONE every year to me the magic is definatly still there..now with kids the feeling is even more so...to me its all what you make of it...if people feel the lack of magic to me they did it to themselves...if you have lously weather you really can't do to much about that..you can still have fun and go to the park..if there are lines ,well either try a different time of the year or fastpass...(i mean that what happens when your in disney) we usually go in sept so lines if any are very small..but really there are people who complainabout everything and anything....but to me i waited for my disney trip..spent a good amount of money..i'm gonna have a great time!! besides how can you not have a great time.....to me we've been so many times that even if we just walked around the magic kingdom and took it all in, seeing some some characters not even doing rides just being there....to me i'm finally home....that does it for me...i love watching the look on my little girls faces as well as others.......GOD...I LOVE DISNEYWORLD!!!!!
72 more days till i go "home".
flowerlady
New Member
Yes, of course the magic still exists.....but the key is that it exists within each and everyone of us.
Being in Disney World provides the setting for me to let down my "adult" guard and let myself be free to have fun and play right along with my husband and children. I dont care if I seem silly, Im there to soak it all in. And you know what, I feel great being there everytime and usually leave my trip with some wonderful new memories to keep me satisfied till my next visit.
I think the trouble with some people is that they relate the "magic" to the first time that they visited the park. It's always Magical there...you just have to adjust your mindset and go with the flow.... :king:
Being in Disney World provides the setting for me to let down my "adult" guard and let myself be free to have fun and play right along with my husband and children. I dont care if I seem silly, Im there to soak it all in. And you know what, I feel great being there everytime and usually leave my trip with some wonderful new memories to keep me satisfied till my next visit.
I think the trouble with some people is that they relate the "magic" to the first time that they visited the park. It's always Magical there...you just have to adjust your mindset and go with the flow.... :king:
Nansafan
Active Member
I've always loved WDW. Seeing through my son's eyes for the first time took my admiration of the magic up to the nth degree. He was 6 when we first visited. I'm sure your wife will see the magic entirely as she watches your children walk through the MK. There is nothing like the face of a little one when they see Mickey the first time. My son, BTW he's 18 now, still sees the magic and I still look at WDW through his eyes.
DisneySam
Active Member
Yes the magic will always be there. If you're like me as soon as I drive through the WDW gates, all the outside troubles and drama is gone. That's why it is one of my favorite places to be, and when I lived in Tampa if I was having a bad week, I started planning my Saturday trip to the Magic Kingdom.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
The people who post here (even the critical ones) come to these boards because they love WDW. If they didn't, they wouldn't be concerned enough about perceived faults to bother reading and posting here.
Sometimes I wonder about the "magic" of WDW. I mean, if you think about it at any level, you can definitely see the business side of the parks. WDW, like any other amusement park, runs on money moreso than magic. So why do we all say that WDW is magical as opposed to your average Six Flags? Is it all just marketing?
I do think that WDW is a magical place in as much as anyplace can be. The ingredients are there to take you away from reality, if you are willing to be transported. If you're focused on the money you're spending, the crowds, the one unpleasant CM you ran into or the piece of trash you passed on the sidewalk, your experience won't seem so "magical".
My wife and I went for our honesymoon a couple years ago. When she saw Mickey Mouse, she was a 7-year-old girl again for a moment. That was magical. When I saw Luke Skywalker riding in a landspeeder float in the MGM parade, I was a seven-year old boy for a moment. And in a few years, we'll take our daughter. And I know when she sees Mickey, I'll get to see that magic in her eyes as well.
Sometimes I wonder about the "magic" of WDW. I mean, if you think about it at any level, you can definitely see the business side of the parks. WDW, like any other amusement park, runs on money moreso than magic. So why do we all say that WDW is magical as opposed to your average Six Flags? Is it all just marketing?
I do think that WDW is a magical place in as much as anyplace can be. The ingredients are there to take you away from reality, if you are willing to be transported. If you're focused on the money you're spending, the crowds, the one unpleasant CM you ran into or the piece of trash you passed on the sidewalk, your experience won't seem so "magical".
My wife and I went for our honesymoon a couple years ago. When she saw Mickey Mouse, she was a 7-year-old girl again for a moment. That was magical. When I saw Luke Skywalker riding in a landspeeder float in the MGM parade, I was a seven-year old boy for a moment. And in a few years, we'll take our daughter. And I know when she sees Mickey, I'll get to see that magic in her eyes as well.
DisneyHoneymoon
New Member
Yes, Yes, Yes - the magic is truly still there
My husband and I are "late in life" Disney lovers. I had gone to MK once as a teen with my father (pre Epcot) and my reaction at that time was "eh" due more to a function of my age than the magic being gone at Disney plus my Dad is a blue collar, salt of the earth kind of guy and thought Disney was just for little kids... :brick:
However, hubby and I honeymooned there in 2001 and have gone back at last 1 (sometimes 2) times each year since. Every time the Magic is truly still there!
Any other vacation spot you go to, when you leave it doesn't remain part of you. You don't think about it all year round
I can walk into the parks and totally 100% forget reality. I can immerse myself in a fantasy land where there aren't any negatives.... where everyone is happy... and where CMs answer my every request.
I look around and see families enjoying an honest to goodness GREAT TIME and see the wonders on little kids faces seeing their characters larger than life.... sure, it's expensive but I believe I truly get more than my money's worth in entertainment and warm fuzzies.
My husband and I are "late in life" Disney lovers. I had gone to MK once as a teen with my father (pre Epcot) and my reaction at that time was "eh" due more to a function of my age than the magic being gone at Disney plus my Dad is a blue collar, salt of the earth kind of guy and thought Disney was just for little kids... :brick: However, hubby and I honeymooned there in 2001 and have gone back at last 1 (sometimes 2) times each year since. Every time the Magic is truly still there!
Any other vacation spot you go to, when you leave it doesn't remain part of you. You don't think about it all year round
I can walk into the parks and totally 100% forget reality. I can immerse myself in a fantasy land where there aren't any negatives.... where everyone is happy... and where CMs answer my every request.
I look around and see families enjoying an honest to goodness GREAT TIME and see the wonders on little kids faces seeing their characters larger than life.... sure, it's expensive but I believe I truly get more than my money's worth in entertainment and warm fuzzies.
MichelleBelle
New Member
It seems like the "magic" is harder to feel the older we get, but if you go to WDW and really immerse yourself in it, it's incredible. A lot of times when people go when they're older they don't feel that overwhelming magic they felt when they were a child when it was like WDW was the only place on earth you ever wanted to be. When you're older, you notice more things that can perhaps pull you out of the magic and it's harder to really let go and be that little kid again. But it can happen. For me, WDW gets better the older I get because there's so much stuff you really can't appreciate when you're little that you can when you're older and it's like WDW becomes a whole new experience.
I also agree that there are a lot of negative comments, but that's to be expected from people that care about WDW and want to see it kept up and not become a typical park. Last time I was there, I noticed a bunch of things that need to be re-vamped, but at the same time it didn't take away from my trip. I also think that adults have a pre-conceived idea of WDW and that going there all grown up is almost like "Hey, isn't that a place for kids?" Usually, this is because it seems everyone associates WDW with the MK. And yes, while the MK is the most geared to the "magic", I don't think a lot of people give the other parks a chance.
I also agree that there are a lot of negative comments, but that's to be expected from people that care about WDW and want to see it kept up and not become a typical park. Last time I was there, I noticed a bunch of things that need to be re-vamped, but at the same time it didn't take away from my trip. I also think that adults have a pre-conceived idea of WDW and that going there all grown up is almost like "Hey, isn't that a place for kids?" Usually, this is because it seems everyone associates WDW with the MK. And yes, while the MK is the most geared to the "magic", I don't think a lot of people give the other parks a chance.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
The Magic at Disney is in the heart and mind of the guest - its there all the time and just needs the arrival at the parks to trigger those wonderful thoughts and emotions..................If you arrive with negative thoughts or doubts, be prepared to have your feelings re-awakened
Where the magic lives....
I recently wrote an article that is very similar to this topic. I figure I'd share it with everyone and see what you think. I truly feel it makes some good points. It is also an article that isn't finished. There's more that needs to be said but I want to phrase it right.
Where does the magic live?
I'll tell you where it doesn't live. It doesn't live in a movie. It doesn't live in a hotel. It doesn't live in merchandise. It does't live in a theme park. It doesn't live on any ride. It doesn't live in the greatest firework display. You really want to know where it lives? I'm going to get all Rafiki on everyone now. It lives in you! Didn't think you had that kind of power, did you?
Walt Disney said it himself. People make it great. The weird uncle in your family that'll dress up in a weird costume. The daughter who thinks she is a princess. The Grandfather who forgot to grow up. That is what makes Disney great.
I know what your going to ask next. If the people I know make Disney great, then why do I need Disney? Our world is not always a very fun place to live. There are hardships everyday of a person's life. People begin to live in a dark world of practicality where dreams will never come true.
The job of the Walt Disney company is to act as a catalyst to the imagination. A person needs to be reminded what it was like to be 8 years old, when the world is yours to do whatever you want with. Disney is not supposed to be just about rides and movies. It is about something more. The Board of Directors seemed to have forgotten that. They seem to be more concerned with making a profit, but ironically, you can't make a profit that way. Focus on what Disney should be focused on; the family.
Disney needs to listen to the people. They need to listen to the families. They need get new minds with fresh ideas. They need to make Disney an experience, the way it used to be. Disney can't be a product. Products have life-cycles. They die. They have a period where they are useful and then that time is done. Disney is timeless because one thing will never change and that is the family. They'll move apart and technology will become more advanced but a father is always a father and a son is always a son and so on.
The magic isn't gone. It is just hidden. It is inside the hearts of everyone just waiting for the right person to come along and let it out. Neverland can exist if you believe it exists. Save the magic.
I recently wrote an article that is very similar to this topic. I figure I'd share it with everyone and see what you think. I truly feel it makes some good points. It is also an article that isn't finished. There's more that needs to be said but I want to phrase it right.
Where does the magic live?
I'll tell you where it doesn't live. It doesn't live in a movie. It doesn't live in a hotel. It doesn't live in merchandise. It does't live in a theme park. It doesn't live on any ride. It doesn't live in the greatest firework display. You really want to know where it lives? I'm going to get all Rafiki on everyone now. It lives in you! Didn't think you had that kind of power, did you?
Walt Disney said it himself. People make it great. The weird uncle in your family that'll dress up in a weird costume. The daughter who thinks she is a princess. The Grandfather who forgot to grow up. That is what makes Disney great.
I know what your going to ask next. If the people I know make Disney great, then why do I need Disney? Our world is not always a very fun place to live. There are hardships everyday of a person's life. People begin to live in a dark world of practicality where dreams will never come true.
The job of the Walt Disney company is to act as a catalyst to the imagination. A person needs to be reminded what it was like to be 8 years old, when the world is yours to do whatever you want with. Disney is not supposed to be just about rides and movies. It is about something more. The Board of Directors seemed to have forgotten that. They seem to be more concerned with making a profit, but ironically, you can't make a profit that way. Focus on what Disney should be focused on; the family.
Disney needs to listen to the people. They need to listen to the families. They need get new minds with fresh ideas. They need to make Disney an experience, the way it used to be. Disney can't be a product. Products have life-cycles. They die. They have a period where they are useful and then that time is done. Disney is timeless because one thing will never change and that is the family. They'll move apart and technology will become more advanced but a father is always a father and a son is always a son and so on.
The magic isn't gone. It is just hidden. It is inside the hearts of everyone just waiting for the right person to come along and let it out. Neverland can exist if you believe it exists. Save the magic.
fillerup
Well-Known Member
Is the Magic still there? Oh yes....
At the risk of being exceedingly corny, and way too personal, I'm posting this anyway.
My wife and I recently returned to Florida after several weeks of comforting and accompanying my Mother as best we could on her final long journey.
Two days after her funeral, I needed some diversion, so we headed off for a stroll around the Boardwalk.
We sat on the dock at the Beach Club as Illuminations began. It's never been more magical or beautiful for me than it was that night.
And I didn't much care about the people who might have noticed the man looking up at the sky with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes.
At the risk of being exceedingly corny, and way too personal, I'm posting this anyway.
My wife and I recently returned to Florida after several weeks of comforting and accompanying my Mother as best we could on her final long journey.
Two days after her funeral, I needed some diversion, so we headed off for a stroll around the Boardwalk.
We sat on the dock at the Beach Club as Illuminations began. It's never been more magical or beautiful for me than it was that night.
And I didn't much care about the people who might have noticed the man looking up at the sky with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes.
dave2822
New Member
I don't think anyone of us would be posting multiple times per day on a Walt Disney World Forum if we still didn't believe the magic.
As far as the "negative" responses you hear on these boards, well they usually come from people who have gone to Disney so many times that they are very nit-picky, because they tend to notice things most don't.
But, with that said, I don't believe attention to detail at Disney has slipped a bit. I still go on attractions or walk along paths or view shows or fireworks and notice things for the first time. WDW still is the cleanest place I've ever visited, and during my recent trip I didn't run into one rude cast member. Of course, it helps if your friendly too, I think people forget sometimes these people are human beings, not people to stomp over on our way to finding attractions, seats, or buying food or merchandise.
Negative always will have more time for spotlight than positive. Soarin' is my favorite attraction in all of WDW now, and EE will probably be soon to follow, yet people would rather talk about chipped paint or when the NEXT big attraction is coming.
Magic is what you make of it, and Disney is still the most magical place on Earth. Where else is there something for everyone, and just about anything you want to do in the world?
Finally, I've read my share of literature regarding fictional and fascinating ideas of a utopian society. Well let me tell you, Disney is the closest you will ever come to realizing such an impossible notion. I mean, most of the time your biggest problem each day is what park your going to or whether to go to Boma or Chef Mickey's for breakfast. And that's pretty magical to me.
As far as the "negative" responses you hear on these boards, well they usually come from people who have gone to Disney so many times that they are very nit-picky, because they tend to notice things most don't.
But, with that said, I don't believe attention to detail at Disney has slipped a bit. I still go on attractions or walk along paths or view shows or fireworks and notice things for the first time. WDW still is the cleanest place I've ever visited, and during my recent trip I didn't run into one rude cast member. Of course, it helps if your friendly too, I think people forget sometimes these people are human beings, not people to stomp over on our way to finding attractions, seats, or buying food or merchandise.
Negative always will have more time for spotlight than positive. Soarin' is my favorite attraction in all of WDW now, and EE will probably be soon to follow, yet people would rather talk about chipped paint or when the NEXT big attraction is coming.
Magic is what you make of it, and Disney is still the most magical place on Earth. Where else is there something for everyone, and just about anything you want to do in the world?
Finally, I've read my share of literature regarding fictional and fascinating ideas of a utopian society. Well let me tell you, Disney is the closest you will ever come to realizing such an impossible notion. I mean, most of the time your biggest problem each day is what park your going to or whether to go to Boma or Chef Mickey's for breakfast. And that's pretty magical to me.
Wanted to take the chance to thank everyone for their replies... You've definitely inspired me to believe that my kids will love it. Now, whether or not I can wait until September remains to be seen...
Thanks again,
Mike
You've definitely inspired me to believe that my kids will love it. Now, whether or not I can wait until September remains to be seen... Thanks again,
Mike
tigger_rox00
New Member
People usually tend to over-exagerate the negatives. I work for Nordstrom, we are know for our customer service. When someone feels they didn't receive that quality of service, they always complain and make it out to be bigger than it seems. Disney is that same way. People have expectations, and when they feel that Disney doesn't live up to those expectations, they over-exagerate the bad experience. The Magic is very much alive.
2 more days....
2 more days....
nibblesandbits
Well-Known Member
Is there still magic? Heck yes!
Just ask my fiance who had only been to Disney once when he was 15 and thought it was lame. We went back in May and he fell in love with it! Matter of fact, even though we are planning a wedding in Jamaica for next year, both of us are more excited about going back to Disney in 2007!
To me though, it's what you make of it. If you just relax and have a good time and not let stuff get to you, you will have a wonderful time. When you are able to soak everything in is really how you see the magic of Disney.
I totally agree with you. And I believe that's something that everybody needs to remember.
Just ask my fiance who had only been to Disney once when he was 15 and thought it was lame. We went back in May and he fell in love with it! Matter of fact, even though we are planning a wedding in Jamaica for next year, both of us are more excited about going back to Disney in 2007!
To me though, it's what you make of it. If you just relax and have a good time and not let stuff get to you, you will have a wonderful time. When you are able to soak everything in is really how you see the magic of Disney.
dave2822 said:
I totally agree with you. And I believe that's something that everybody needs to remember.
