My Favorite Things at Disney World #3

We are down to the final 3 and as I have been thinking about these last three there are somethings I can definitely connect to them all, and that is MAJIC (Yes, I know I spelled it wrong.)

MAJIC is the acronym I thought of that is Memories Awe & Joy I.C.  (Cheesy, I know) There are memories, awe and joy I see in all of these attractions. Whether it is in me, in the people around me or in the attraction itself.

Wishes

 

I have never really liked fireworks, and I have never really liked crowds (that’s why I go to Disney World during the slow months), but I do recognize that fireworks signify memories and celebration. On Fourth of July they represent remembering America’s founding, and celebration of it. Here in Cincinnati, the Labor Day fireworks represent memories of the summer and of course Wishes represents Disney memories.

So in this case, not only do I kind of like the crowds, I think they are essential to the experience.

If you’ve been to Disney World, and haven’t seen Wishes, try to remember the first time you walked into the Magic Kingdom. If you’ve never been, think of the look on a child’s face at Christmas. It’s that brightness, it’s that hopefulness, and it’s that pure joy. The best way I can put it is to have Disney put it:

When you see Wishes, and you look around at the crowd, you can’t help but think about the fact that for some of these people, it may very well be their first time visiting. You remember when it was your first time there, whether it is that day, or it was 30-40 years ago, and you start to feel it with them. You are practically one with those people. The crowd of thousands starts to become very intimate.

I’m going to be honest. Every time I see Wishes in person, heck, every time I watch a video of the show I start weeping. Maybe I am an emotional person (I am) maybe I’m overly sentimental (I am) but the pure joy and childlike emotion of this show just gets to me.

Plus, with the addition last year of the “Magic Memories and You” pre-show, where pictures taken within the park of the people around you, embracing their childhood, enjoying their childhood, or remembering their childhood, are projected onto Cinderella Castle, I know I am going to be a blubbering mess next time I watch it, and I love that!!

To aid you on your emotional trip, Disney of course gives you that tear-jerking encouragement (ploy).

The child singing, the memories of the great Disney movie moments, and of course, Jiminy Cricket, the most gentile, and probably, next to Winnie the Pooh, sweetest, and most sincere of all the Disney characters narrating, all of this brings in that memory for you. It brings that awe to you. It brings that joy to you.

If you didn’t watch the above video there is something in there that sums Wishes up so well.

“Disney Memories keep our children young in our hearts, for the rest of our lives, and color our tomorrows with the best of yesterdays. They sing to us, whenever we need them to, and dance for us in our dreams.”

That about sums it up right there. Whether you’re there by yourself, with your young children, your teenage children, or adult children, it brings back that young optimism.

Tomorrow is #2, which still has me amazed.