We’ve all been disappointed by a lack-luster dining experience, borne mistreatment by a sales associate or checkout clerk or been summarily ignored when in need of service at any one of many business establishments. We endure mind numbing activities at work, school and home, hear proclamations from our kids like “I’m bored” or “I don’t want to go to school!” A Trip to Disney is a refreshing treat, an escape from the real world where life can be a little uninspired. Here are 8 ways Disney is refreshingly different from the real world.
1. Disney Never Makes us Feel Unimportant
“Hello Princess” – “Welcome to Disney Resort, how can I help you today?” – “Have a magical day!” These and other greetings are the first thing we encounter on our Disney trip whether you’re staying on-site or just visiting the parks. This treatment is in stark contrast from the disdainful look we’re accustomed to receiving at our local grocery store from the check out clerk who is counting the hours before he or she clocks out. Disney Cast Members are meticulously trained to treat guests with warmth and respect. To reiterate my above comment – my daughter blushes each and every time a Cast Member refers to her as “Princess.” As a result, guests begin to relax pleasantness of such exchanges and the magic of our Disney Vacations truly begins.
2. Disney Is Never Boring
How often do you see teenagers, toddlers, adults of all ages fully engaged in what’s going on around them? Usually, the most viewed part of anyone’s anatomy walking down the street in my hometown is the top of their head as they lean over their mobile device playing Candy Crush or checking email. Disney is fully engaging with its’ beautiful landscaping, rides and attractions not to mention the music and parades that seem to burst forth every couple of hours. Somehow, I never seem to lose interest in my surroundings in the parks or resorts which means my Facebook news feed gets decidedly lonely. There’s always some feast for the eyes or another sense around the next corner. In short, Disney never fails to delight!
3. Disney Is Never Sloppy
Have you ever noticed how well Disney Characters in the parks stay, well… in character? If you ask Princess Aurora a question like “do you enjoy your job here?” – she answers with; “oh of course! I stay in the castle at night and then get to greet all you wonderful princes and princesses during the day!” I’ve never noticed a Disney Character let their facade slip an inch even when engaged in conversations with adults. I even asked one of the cast members in charge of crowd control how young the woman was that was playing Alice from Alice in Wonderland. He answered me saying “well, she’s 12 of course.” At first I started thinking about child labor laws in Florida then realized that he was also required to closely guard the integrity of those channeling our beloved Disney characters. Talk about towing the line!
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4. Disney Rarely Serves Bad Food
When you take into account the dizzying number of guests that are fed three meals, multiple snacks and fancy beverages each day in the parks; the consistent quality of the food served is wildly impressive! From the 5 Diamond rated Victoria and Albert’s Restaurant to the cart on the way to Adventureland which sells popcorn and ice cream; guests are served delectable meals and snacks that literally put the ‘cherry on top’ of our Disney vacation experience. Of course, Disney isn’t perfect so I’m sure a few of our readers have been served an overly greasy basket of fries or a steak that was not cooked to perfection, but in general, these experiences are few and far between. In these cases, one word to your server or quick service restaurant cast member will remedy the situation by removing substandard food from your bill or replace an unsatisfactory food item with something that’s more to your liking.
5. Disney Is Never Dirty
Sidewalks, bathrooms, trams from the parking lot… Disney is immaculately clean all of the time! The amount of staff it takes to keep the park in tip-top shape is staggering. I can’t ever remember entering a bathroom facility that I haven’t noticed a Cast Member tidying up. Thanks to epic planning and execution, Disney planners and managers keep the parks and resorts in beautiful shape. It’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket of cleanliness and beauty from the minute you drive onto Disney property – a wonderland of tidiness which is a far cry from the sink full of dishes and kitchen trash can in my home that always seems to be in need of dumping. In this world, there are few places that are as lovely and well kept as Disney!
6. Disney is Never Underwhelming
The Festival of Fantasy Parade, Illuminations at EPCOT, Wishes, Disney’s Electric Parade – Disney is anything but underwhelming. Quite the opposite in fact! Disney Imagineers, designers, choreographers and parade participants deliver an astounding level of entertainment. Rides and attractions are an immersive sensory experience and even the areas where you stand in line are entertaining and engaging. Disney Resorts are also eager to please with exquisite theming, decor and customer service attendants ready and eager to assist guests. From the moment you step foot on Disney property, be prepared to be overwhelmed – in a good way.
7. Disney Never Overlooks the Details
I can’t remember a single visit to one of my local ‘big box’ stores where there hasn’t been a stack of boxes in an aisle impeding my shopping cart. Or a display that looks as if it has been ransacked and not put-to-rights by sales associates. At Disney, I have yet to see a piece of trash on the ground, a disheveled product display or a blighted blossom in a border of flowers. In addition to being meticulously well kept, Disney also includes little details like Hidden Mickeys that are a treat to discover as you walk around the parks. Add to this the painstakingly designed and implemented ‘lands’ in Magic Kingdom, countries in EPCOT’s World Showcase and Animal Kingdom, or the glitz and glamour of Hollywood Studios. Disney Parks are true works of art; where every nook and cranny is intentional and magical!
8. Disney Never Has Bad Service
Whoever coined the phrase ‘service with a smile’ must have been through Disney Cast Member training. Eye contact, a friendly greeting, a warm and open attitude; these are behaviors we’ve come to expect from Disney staff. Even when I’ve not had the ‘best’ experience with a Cast Member, the worst treatment I’ve received at Disney is far better than what I’ve sometimes experienced in the real world. But when you consider these individuals who serve guests day-after-day, week-after-week, it is impressive that they seem to consistently maintain their composure even when faced with irate or exacting guests. Nobody’s perfect, but Disney Cast Members seem to come extremely close to this measurement. Even workers in Disney Resort Spas undergo extensive training over-and-above their cosmetology education to learn how to interact with guests. Impressive!
You can obviously tell that I’ve developed a positive opinion of the many aspects of a Disney vacation. But isn’t that part of the magic? To visit Disney is to be a part of the magic and fantasy whether we’re enjoying a delicious meal, talking to a Parisienne Cast Member in EPCOT’s France, or greeting an Orlando resident playing the part of a Disney Princess. At Disney, we escape the inconsistencies of our everyday lives and enjoy the consistent charm, familiar faces, and incomparable spectacle that is Disney. Do you have anything to add to this list of things Disney never does?