When I write about Walt Disney World, I am operating under one basic assumption: That Walt Disney World matters. I don’t just mean as a vacation destination – yes, it’s fun to ride the rides and see the shows, but I think the reason sites like this one exist and Disney fans obsess over every minor detail is something more than that. It matters beyond being a fun place to go to: Walt Disney World is, really, a cultural institution – one that’s really no different in its importance than the Metropolitan Museum of Art of the Smithsonian.
It might not have the same sense of gravitas as those particular locations, but nevertheless, Walt Disney World has an even more profound effect on an even larger group of people.
And, ultimately, when I say that Walt Disney World matters, what I mean is that it matters to me. It matters to you, too. It matters to all of us. Why? Because it is a special place can absolutely change your life in ways you might not entirely expect.
A trip to Walt Disney World is an education – one that can stick with you for a very long time. And that, more than anything, is why it matters: You will learn things at Walt Disney World that you’ll take with you for the rest of your life, no matter your age or occupation.
So, if you or your loved ones are heading to the Vacation Kingdom, here’s a small taste of those lessons you’ll bring back.
1. Always pay attention to the details
What is the difference between Walt Disney World and every other theme park? Why is it that Disney just feels different, somehow? How do you define the feeling of walking down Main Street USA? How would you even try to begin recreating something like that?
The difference, really, is the details.
A walk through Walt Disney World is a master class in attention to detail. Often, this is misconstrued as being the same thing as Disney’s affinity for easter eggs – things like the famous Pirates of the Caribbean chess-playing skeletons or the key under the matt at MuppetVision 3D. However, Disney’s attention to detail is actually something far more ordinary than that – and yet, without it, Disney wouldn’t feel the same.
You may know that the Magic Kingdom is technically elevated one story above ground, and a complex system of underground tunnels called the Utilidors connect each land and area together seamlessly. The reason this is done is so that cast members, in their themed costumes, can freely move throughout the park without having to walk through a land in which their costume is poorly suited. Disney cares so much about giving guests a seamless experience, they built a massive tunnel system so that they don’t have to see any cowboys walking through Fantasyland.
They take this even further, giving each garbage can in the entire resort a paint job that allows it to fit in perfectly with its surroundings. Yes, even the trash at Disney is there to keep you immersed in the story.
There is no better education in the importance of a keen attention to detail than a walk through Walt Disney World.
2. Kindness and selflessness are two of the best traits to have
Everyone who visits Walt Disney World comes home with a cast member story. Maybe it was a server who made them feel particularly welcome. Maybe it was a guest relations employee, who made sure their problem was solved in the best way possible. Or maybe it was a custodian who, instead of pointing the way to that attraction they asked directions to, decided to take some time to walk them there herself.
Not every cast member is amazing, and sure, some are downright unhelpful. However, you’ll always remember that one incredible experience you had with a cast member, and there is absolutely a lesson there:
No matter what, it never hurts to be nice.
This isn’t just true for Disney cast members, but rather, it’s true in all walks of life. Being cynical, unhelpful, or aloof is easy. But, while being kind and friendly is harder, it’s really not that much harder – and the effect it can have on other people is wildly outsized compared to the tiny bit of extra effort it takes.
It’s rarely a bad thing to put other people’s feelings ahead of your own. And, in some cases, you can help create a memory for someone that will last a lifetime. This is true in every job, from the service industry all the way to Wall Street (and, frankly, especially on Wall Street) – and it’s a lesson Disney teaches better than anyone.
3. Always try to make good things greater
Walt Disney World is never finished. Even attractions that have become mainstays – things like Pirates of the Caribbean or even Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – change and grow over time. For Disney, it’s not enough to have something that’s good when it could be made to be great. It’s not enough to have something that’s great when it could be made to be spectacular.
Walt, himself, instilled this idea in his Imagineers – something he called, “plussing.” These designers were tasked with always looking for fresh ideas that might make a current attraction better. Inertia is a powerful force, and Walt knew that effectively fighting it could help make his parks different from all the rest.
In the real world, you’ll constantly encounter things that, for one reason or another, are deemed too important to alter. Good ideas become stale ideas, and the power of inertia prevents them from ever being supplanted by great ideas. It’s easy to keep on going with something that’s good – it’s much harder to be willing to swap out something that’s good for something that could either be great or be terrible.
But this is what Disney does regularly, with everything from adding Captain Jack Sparrow to Pirates of the Caribbean all the way up to the new Frozen-themed attraction that’s replacing Maelstrom at Epcot. Of course, it’s very risky to do, and it often backfires for Disney, but what matters is that they are willing to try again – in which case, we can get something amazing like Test Track or the rumored night version of Kilimanjaro Safaris.
And while we’re on the topic of risks…
4. Never be afraid to take risks
When Walt opened Disneyland in 1955, it was far from the slam-dunk idea it is perceived as now. In fact, as the idea ballooned in scale and cost, Walt had a difficult time securing funding to build the park. Put in such a dire circumstance, Walt agreed to several corporate sponsorships and co-ownership of the resort – a risky proposition considering he’d no long be beholden solely to the principals of The Walt Disney Company, but rather, a large assemblage of entities. If Disneyland failed, it wouldn’t just be bad for Walt’s pocketbook, it would be bad for his reputation too.
And, if that wasn’t scary enough, Opening Day at Disneyland was a complete and utter disaster. There were gas leaks, wet asphalt, and water shortages – all of which led to some pretty heinous reviews of the experience.
With all of that promotion, planning, and funding, Opening Day was as big a failure as you could imagine. And yet, Walt kept at it and kept tinkering behind the scenes until Disneyland became the gold standard of themed entertainment.
The lesson there, then, is that risks are essential to progress – and this is evident throughout Walt Disney World. Every time an attraction is swapped out for something new, or something small changes the way you see the parks, Disney is taking a risk. However, they’re doing so with the knowledge that if they fail, they’ll dust themselves off, and try again another time.
That attitude is one that anyone should value and strive toward – you’ll never accomplish your dreams by being afraid to fail. That’s as true outside Walt Disney World as it is within it.
5. It’s OK to want to tell stories – in fact, it’s encouraged
Above all else, Disney’s Imagineers are storytellers first. That is what they think about when they wake up in the morning, and that is what they think about when they lie down to sleep at night. All they care about is making sure that guests walking through the gates at Disney’s parks are treated to some of the most affecting and immersive stories on Earth.
And, walking through Walt Disney World (or any Disney park), it’s hard not to feel inspired by those stories. Whether it’s the tale of a clever rabbit outwitting a dopey fox and bear, or the story of our country as told by some of our greatest icons, the stories of Walt Disney World are what keep guests coming back again and again. They’re what we connect with on a most primal level, even more than the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. We react to the stories, and how they make us feel.
The lesson in that, then, is that stories are how we connect as people, and sharing them with one another is a gracious a gift as you can give someone. And, on top of that, being able to tell a story well is very, very important.
Lawyers tell stories. Filmmakers tell stories. Chefs tell stories. PR people tell stories. Scientists, economists, historians – all of these people tell stories in one way or another. The tools might be different, the mediums might change, but the biggest commodity we share with one another are those stories.
And this, more than anything else, is what you learn from a trip to Walt Disney World – it is what sets it apart from all the rest. Telling stories is what brings us together as people, and Walt Disney World is a master class in how to do that. And, as a parting gift, it gives you countless stories to share with your friends and loved ones – not only does the resort show you how important storytelling is, but it dares you to try it for yourself.
