I had the opportunity to work on the Walt Disney World College Program the spring of 1998. It was the experience of a lifetime. New friends, new experiences, renewed ideals. I was asked by my college advisor to write a paper about an experience that I had. He was vague on what he required and I had no idea what to write, until this came to mind...

April 6, 1998 2:00a.m.

I never realized, until I came to Disney, how many people don’t believe in Magic, or don’t see the Magic after prolonged exposures of "reality" that you get after growing up. Is it so hard for people, mainly adults, to think back to when things were simple, when there were fairies and evil queens and when wishes could come true?

Working at Sleepy Hollow tonight, I fully realized how simple Magic really was. I had always known that Magic is how and what you perceive it to be, but not to the extent of tonight. This week hadn’t been the greatest so far and this afternoon had totally topped it off for me.

I was looking forward to working at Aloha Isle today in Adventure Land. There are some people who work there who really know how to have fun when they work and they would have been able to cheer me up. I got to wardrobe and, of course, they didn’t have the right size of pants, so I end up getting a size to large and a belt that’s too small. I finally get to my location and I look at the board and my name is not there. I look at the schedule sheet and low and behold they moved me over to Sleepy Hollow! I could have punched a hole in the wall!

I go get my costume changed and get my bank for Sleepy Hollow. The rest of the afternoon was not too great and then I find out that they are extending my hours till close, without even asking! (here comes the point I’m making) I got my last 15 min. break and the Spectromagic parade is going past. Whenever I am at Sleepy Hollow, I wave at Prince Charming and 9 out of 10 times he waves back. Well tonight was one of the times he did. That one wave made my entire miserable day worthwhile.

The magic of Disney is not only in the large things like the castle or attractions or even the character greetings. It can be found in the smallest of things like a child who smiles back at you when you give them a sticker, or how you happen to get the perfect view of a parade or show, or even in having Prince Charming or any of your favorite characters wave at you and mean it for you. The Magic is in our hearts and our minds. People may lose sight of the Magic, but it’s still there. It’s always there if you look inside. Magic is forever as long as there is simplicity and the innocence of youth.

Some of my co-cast members say that I’m totally insane, and maybe they are right, but I would rather be insane and see the Magic in a smile, a wave, or a song then be sane and only see "reality." That would be a truly sad life to lead. After all, what is life without a little ...
MAGIC!!




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