Part Of That World

So if you've been following this blog, you may have wondered why lately its been dominated by hockey entries with far fewer Disney posts. The answer to that is two-fold. One is well, the NHL season is coming to a close and the playoff race is heating up. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of attention to hockey then. The second part comes from a bit of change in my life. In the last month, my perspective of Disney has gone from that of guest to cast. So my guest experiences have been much more limited as of late and my new cast experiences, well, those aren't meant for the public eye. But I can definitely say that my experiences so far have been an absolute dream come true. If I could only sum up these experiences with one word, it would be "wonderful."

First, my fellow cast members have been a blast to work with. Everyone has been so nice, friendly, and helpful. Now I know that there are going to be people who aren't as nice and you'll wonder why they even bother to be here if they're like that. But a lot of the people here are special. I've never been to a place before where the people are so passionate about what they do and how much they believe in what they do. I've actually had a few people hold back tears in describing the magic of Disney to me. It's amazing to see passion like that. So many have come out of their way to make me feel welcomed. There always seems to be a smile somewhere greeting you. And it always helps to return one yourself. A smile goes a long way. There are so many people here like me. My hope is that I'll get to know a lot of these people and get to form some great friendships.

The second thing that has made my experiences wonderful so far has been the actual job itself. I now work for Disney. I don't think my mind has yet to fully grasp that concept. I am now part of making that very magic that has touched so many hearts, including my own. I've never had a job before that wasn't concerned with profit, whose main focus was to bring more money in. Yes, Disney is a corporate entity and a business first, so they do want money. But my role isn't concerned with that. My role is to purely make people happy. I'm there to take them into another world and help instill fantasy and magic in their hearts. My measure of success isn't how much money I got from them but whether or not they left with a smile. How amazing is that? I get to interact with so many people throughout the day. I know now more than ever that I am extraverted because I love the interaction. In fact, when my day is done and I head back to my empty apartment, I can't help but to feel a bit lonely. Sure, some guests can be rude and mean. But the majority of them just want a piece of that magic and it's so satisfying to be able to supply it.

This isn't a full-time thing. It's merely something I do on the side in addition to my real life. It's just a few days of week and I know not every one of those days will be so wonderful. But if I can keep that magic within my heart and remember why I'm here, I can pull through with a smile. It also doesn't hurt that you can sometimes look up and see Cinderella Castle. Not too many jobs can boast that. What makes this special is the fact that I'm not here because I need to be. I'm a cast member at Disney because I want to be. This is a dream for me. I truly feel that I belong here. I remember my first day when I was given my Disney name tag. Some people think name tags are demeaning, but not this one. It was a badge of honor for me. Seeing my name engraved in that little hunk of plastic, it was a dream come true that was almost 7 years in the making. I don't know how long it will last, but I will make the most out of it. I don't want any regrets from this. This place is magical. Me and all the cast, we're here to continue Walt Disney's legacy and keep his dream alive.