After reading a few pages in a book called “Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service ” I started thinking about the Disney experience as a whole and the Disney difference (it’s a great book by the Disney Institute if anyone is interested). As many of you may know, I’m a huge proponent of taking in the “hidden” details at Walt Disney World and really taking the time to enjoy the little things. While that’s always a focus, it’s hard to deny that there’s just something special about not only the Disney parks but also the efforts put in by the cast to set the experience apart. The cast is one of the main reasons that I’ll continue to return to Walt Disney World no matter how high the cost of the experience may grow to be. I know many of you reading this may feel the exact same way.
The cast keep us coming back and create experiences that are hard to describe to other people. They make an effort to understand your situation, and many genuinely care about the guests they are interacting with. I could share stories for days on end about cast member interactions that go above and beyond what I expected. You see, this little detail of going beyond what is perceived as “quality” creates a connection with guests and develops an experience rather that simply a performance being played out on the theme park stage. That personal connection is one that sticks with you for many years and builds memories that are never truly forgotten.
While I could talk about the parks for hours on end and how expertly designed and well thought out they are, I’m going to switch gears for a moment. While the parks are great, there’s something that is far greater and that is the Disney community that has developed across the internet and beyond which has created friendships, brought people together, and really made dreams come true. I know that if you’re a first time guest preparing for your very first vacation this all sounds a bit crazy, but at some point you’ll have a moment where you just “get it.” For many it will hit you when you watch a nighttime spectacular or even when you meet that one cast member that goes above and beyond (as mentioned above), but at some point you’ll begin to realize how unique Disney really is.
I’m honored to be a small part of the Disney online community and to be quite honest with you it’s one of the highlights of what I get to do on a daily basis. While I don’t get to see many of you in person (which is unfortunate), the support of my articles and of this project that I never expected to become a realty has exceeded all of my expectations. This site is far from what I want to be in time, and we are no where near as big as some leaders in the Disney space, but I’m truly blessed to share my experiences. I’ve met people that I never thought I would meet, I’ve gained support in a way that I never thought would be possible, and more that anything you all have given me something to look forward to each and every day. I can’t thatk you enough for that. Those of you who read every day, I cannot explain to you how much that means to me.
Before I go any farther, I want to cut myself off and redirect focus back to this Disney community as a whole. To be honest with you, I’ll never understand how this like-minded group of individuals has come together through the power of the internet. No matter where you live, what language you speak, or what country you’re from, there is a Disney parks fan not too far away. I don’t know how Disney has created a community like this, but its certainly a testament to one of Walt’s original goals to simply make people happy.
There’s nothing quite like it, and there’s really no good way to describe it. The Disney difference is something you have to experience first hand to ever truly grasp, but once you do you’ll be surprised how it may change your life.
As always, thatks for following along with my articles. I haven’t been quite as prompt about delivering a new article every day recently, but that is and always will be the goal. If I can bring a little bit of Disney to your computer (or cell phone) each day, I’ve honestly achieved my goal. Thanks for being here and hopefully this site allows you to interact with other Disney fans in some way or another! -Collin
