What makes Disney World "Disney" to you?

quirkle

quirkle

Well-Known Member
My first trip was when I was 3 in 1976 - they were celebrating the Bicentennial and it was DIsney Americana. At that point we stayed off propert because my parents could not afford POLY or CONT with 4 kids on a teachers salary - but there was something about getting on the monorail or ferry to get to the MK (only thing at that time).

I was basically just in love with bring immersed in a world where everyone was happy - I really just remember the feeling of being happy and loved when I was there.

now here is the moment - I remember seeing CInderella waving from a balcony and my brother yelling, "Cinderella - my sister loves you and wants to meet you." Next thing I know I was being whisked away to a private M&G with Cinderella. I am sure a CM heard my brother and orchestrated it. Well to a 3 year old - Cindy heard my brother and rushed down to meet me - does anything beat that????
 
Cody5294

Cody5294

Well-Known Member
I've been to Disney 50+ times and the part that gets me the most excited is seeing the Disney world signs on I4. Even if I'm not going to Disney I just get excited seeing the signs and knowing I'm close to the magic :)
 
KappleB2

KappleB2

Well-Known Member
Disney just makes me feel "special" : ) Even though there are thousands of other people there I feel special to be there.

I first experienced Disney World when I was 12. I got to sing at Magic Music Days with my choir and go backstage and everything!! I was away from the world and in my own little world.
Now, I am 25 and live at home basically managing my household. My Mom had brain surgery almost 3 years ago so I do a lot to help my Dad run the house. My upcoming trip (in just 14 days!!!!) means leaving the stress I feel of having to keep up the house, buy groceries for the family, make a meal plan, etc. The things I am happy to do for my family but was thrown into by circumstance. I can't wait to have someone make our beds at the hotel and NOT HAVE TO COOK and see smiling faces! To laugh and be exhausted from all the fun...

I am SO blessed that my Mom is still around and am SO HAPPY that I was able to come home and take over this role, but I am only 25, and am missing on my young adult life. DISNEY means youth and fun and no responsibility. : )
I CANT GET TO THAT HAPPY PLACE SOON ENOUGH!!!
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
KappleB2 said:
Disney just makes me feel "special" : ) Even though there are thousands of other people there I feel special to be there.

I first experienced Disney World when I was 12. I got to sing at Magic Music Days with my choir and go backstage and everything!! I was away from the world and in my own little world.
Now, I am 25 and live at home basically managing my household. My Mom had brain surgery almost 3 years ago so I do a lot to help my Dad run the house. My upcoming trip (in just 14 days!!!!) means leaving the stress I feel of having to keep up the house, buy groceries for the family, make a meal plan, etc. The things I am happy to do for my family but was thrown into by circumstance. I can't wait to have someone make our beds at the hotel and NOT HAVE TO COOK and see smiling faces! To laugh and be exhausted from all the fun...

I am SO blessed that my Mom is still around and am SO HAPPY that I was able to come home and take over this role, but I am only 25, and am missing on my young adult life. DISNEY means youth and fun and no responsibility. : )
I CANT GET TO THAT HAPPY PLACE SOON ENOUGH!!!
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What a great story and what a responsible person you are. My daughters recently had to start taking care of their Mother. We divorced 12 years ago and since she has had a number of problems that has left her quite dependent on others. I see them trying to balance, their jobs, their families, their methods of enjoyment and many other things to fit in the needs of their Mom and I am in awe of it.

It is hard now, but it will, if it hasn't already, reap many rewards for you. It is the right thing to do and something that many people your age would think is unfair or pass the problem off to others. Good for you, you should be proud.
 
PartOfYourWorld

PartOfYourWorld

Well-Known Member
The answer for me is pretty much what everyone else has said...the ambience and just being there. The minute I get on that Magical Express and Enter into the World, it's like every stress and care that you had just left your body its a place where I can feel free of any responsibilities of the real world and just immerse myself in the magic that is Disney.

Wow did I just make myself tear up at work? Yes I did. Walt Disney World, 33 days cannot get here fast enough please hurry!
 
powlessfamily4

powlessfamily4

Well-Known Member
For me it's Walt Disney. To think that this man wanted to make so people happy and wanted a place where families could spend time together is awesome. In a world where people are so focused on how much they can get and not what can they give, he was the last of a dying breed. I know the haters will say the company is greedy and money driven... but the reality is it all came about because this man had a dream for everyone to smile. Each time I see or hear anything Disney it brings a smaile to my face and skip to my heart.
 
AMartin767

AMartin767

Active Member
OK, I hope there is at least one other person out there that is going to get it when I say: For me it's the smallest, most seemingly inconsequential things. The built in benches near the station at the TTC, the bridge crossing from the hub to Liberty square, the railings that compose the switch back lines for Spaceship Earth and that awesome mural, the road signs across the resort, the extruded Mickey art/sign on the left side of the road right before you enter the tunnel to cut from the MK parking lot to the entrance area of the TTC, the smell of the Haunted Mansion when those doors burst open, the barrels stacked in the POTC que, the walkway that runs along the river edge from Frontier to Liberty Square, the speed ramps going up and down from the People mover, the rail tracks running down Main Street, the breezeways by Innoventions, the elephants on the AK entrance sign, the steps going down to the back lot area from just passed the big Mickey hat, the MK monorail station...just awesome. Someone please tell me I'm not crazy. :)
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
AMartin767 said:
OK, I hope there is at least one other person out there that is going to get it when I say: For me it's the smallest, most seemingly inconsequential things. The built in benches near the station at the TTC, the bridge crossing from the hub to Liberty square, the railings that compose the switch back lines for Spaceship Earth and that awesome mural, the road signs across the resort, the extruded Mickey art/sign on the left side of the road right before you enter the tunnel to cut from the MK parking lot to the entrance area of the TTC, the smell of the Haunted Mansion when those doors burst open, the barrels stacked in the POTC que, the walkway that runs along the river edge from Frontier to Liberty Square, the speed ramps going up and down from the People mover, the rail tracks running down Main Street, the breezeways by Innoventions, the elephants on the AK entrance sign, the steps going down to the back lot area from just passed the big Mickey hat, the MK monorail station...just awesome. Someone please tell me I'm not crazy. :)
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No, it's pretty much all of those things and more. But there is a good chance that I am crazy. :p
 
T

Thomas Howard

New Member
For me it's seeing the excitement of my kids. It takes me back to when I was a kid and went with my parents. Their smiles and laughter is what keeps us going back.
 
E

EnglishRose

Member
Lisalyn said:
How much time and room do we have?? LOL What makes Disney magical to me? The whole package! The DME, the first CM I see at MCO playing games with children in the lines waiting to get on DME, the little movie the DME shows....and then you land at your resort. I've said this many times before - it is the one and only place I've EVER been where I don't think about anything except where I am, what I'm doing, the sites, the scenery, the laughs, etc etc. I don't think about problems, work, money, nothing. Is that a bit selfish of me internally? Yes probably BUT every now and then you need to stop and smell the flowers along this journey called life. No matter how many times I've entered into MK and see the Castle for the first time on that particular trip - it brings tears to my eyes. I can't help. It is the one place on Earth where I am comfortable being their with my family or by myself. It is the one place on Earth I stop and actually take in all my surroundings instead of running by them.....It is all the little details that make Disney my ultimate vacation spot. Disney makes me feel at home.

Walt was an absolute genius and a man I admire beyond words. His thoughts and visions are ones I take to heart today and carry with me.
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Wow, I could have written this myself. Perfectly put.
 
DisneyGirl3820

DisneyGirl3820

Well-Known Member
I think the enthusiasm the cast members and the imagineers have about Disney (which is illustrated by all the details and care put into the attractions we love), creates an aura. The whole place has that "feel," and it's so hard to put into words. I haven't encountered any other place that holds this magic and I get the same feeling every time I go. It's the only place where I don't mind waiting in lines or dealing with a lot of noise. Magic.
 
raven

raven

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
I feel the same way about Walt, but when it comes to WDW, my hat's off to Roy Disney. After Walt passed away, roughly 5 or 6 years before WDW ever opened, it could have been sold off in parcels because the catalyst was gone. The drive and the imagination was dead and buried. Roy, in loyalty to his brother and after much convincing went ahead with an altered version of what Walt had envisioned as Disney World. Walt's focus was on EPCOT which turned out to not even be a shadow of what Walt had in mind. EPCOT Ctr. turned out to be another (actually two) theme parks but not the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow that Walt had dreamed about and planned out for years.

We owe a lot of love to Roy and the remaining imagineers that understood Walt for creating this place that we all love so much. Many hands were involved in what we see today including Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. I think they did a great job overall
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Yes they did do a great job!

When Walt died the Imagineers were really at odds as to what to do. Epcot, as good as the original plans were, was supposed to be the first area built on the WDW property. Problems arose with government and laws that changed several things. Knowing how to build a theme park already, the Imagineers pushed forward with MK. The land usage changed and Epcot had to be placed further away. Since a "city" was harder to achieve than planned, they pulled two different areas of the planned WDW property offerings together to make the Epcot we know now. As different as it is from the original plan, it DOES contain things that Walt wanted.

Roy and everyone after him did a great job of "keeping going" rather than just killing the Florida project all together (which was an option). So I think people need to look at it in that light and be thankful for what is there.
 
YoungNY

YoungNY

Active Member
Disney to me is seeing the castle, walking down Main Street USA and hearing Wish upon a star. It makes me feel like anything can happen and my dreams really can came true with just a simple wish on a star. As opposed to the real world where you actually have to work really hard to achieve your dreams, Disney is that much needed break from reality. Disney is where magic is real, imagination lives and dreams come true.
 

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