The day the magic died.

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

Ok so we've all been there. Standing in the tunnel on day one and Mickey comes around the corner holding her head in her arms. But was that your breaking point? The day that really hit my magic was when I got into the elevator with Aladdin and Jasmine in full character garb, and "Jasmine" looked at my name tag and responded oh cool my name is Jamie too. for some reason seeing them in costume and then having them act like"normal people" just the Breaking point for me. I am interested in hearing everyone elses stories. I know I'm not the only one who still had some glimmer of magic when they started.

I had a similar experience. I interacted with one of the "Huck" in New Orleans Sqare during the times of getting ready for Fantasmic! He is always on the island interacting with the children. One time, when he had a day off, I met him and found out his real name is Chris and every now and then when i see him backstage, we say "Hi" to each other using our real names, when it's onstage, I call him, "huck".

[screnwriter]

O I know I'm not the only one who still had some glimmer of magic when they started.

I've got an amusing story that's quite the opposite of this.

One fine evening, I was out in Town Square, at around 9 PM or so, fall of '87 (I was 26 at the time, and had worked for the park for a few months). I looked over at Egg House area, and saw Mickey Mouse come out from the cast member exit. Instantly, I thought, "Hey - there's Mickey Mouse!" and I felt just like a kid does in actually seeing Mickey Mouse in Disneyland!

Then the denouement ...

I realized that I was standing there IN MY GOOFY COSTUME! I almost burst out laughing as it hit me that, "Yeah, that's Mickey - it's Lollie M., and I just had lunch with her a half hour ago."

The park still holds magic for me. I've been inside the park every hour of every day of the week. Between Character shifts, store openings and closings, Fantasmic! and parade rehearsals, there's not a time I've not been there. And at all times, I've always seen magic. One of the best times that I've felt it, was a few years ago in the toy section of Emporium. I was back by the book counter, and I saw a stout woman of about 45 or so. Dumpy, no make up, no real style to her hair, and very inexpensive clothing, she was the image of a mom who gave all to her family and had little left for herself and got little in return. I'd seen the family dash off to have fun, money in their hands, leaving mom behind pushing the stroller with all of their burdens.

Then this woman did something magical: She picked up a princess fairy wand, and held out her arms, as Cinderella's godmother did, and she lightly waved the wand, and her other hand, as tho casting a spell of enchantment. In that moment, the years and the burden left by her family fell away, and she looked younger, happier, and care-free.

This kind of magic happens every day in the park, you just have to look to see it.

Edited by Polar33: Last name of CM edited to protect identity.

[Lasolimu]

Being a stage hand I am able to say that I see EVERYTHING that most people don't. Last month I say Fantasmic! and you could see me drooling over the lighting. The magic was ruined three years ago when I became a stage hand which isn't much of a story.

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

Ok so we've all been there. Standing in the tunnel on day one and Mickey comes around the corner holding her head in her arms. But was that your breaking point? The day that really hit my magic was when I got into the elevator with Aladdin and Jasmine in full character garb, and "Jasmine" looked at my name tag and responded oh cool my name is Jamie too. for some reason seeing them in costume and then having them act like"normal people" just the Breaking point for me. I am interested in hearing everyone elses stories. I know I'm not the only one who still had some glimmer of magic when they started.

Same goes for me. The say the magic died was when I first hired in: characters without no heads on, princesses talking on cell phones, having lunch, acting like all of us. I still try to keep the magic into interacting with characters, for example, "Push" the Trash Can.

[MEng85]

ahh...i remember clearly...the day the magic died was when i found the little box full of my teeth in my parents drawer that was suppose to have gone to the tooth fairy :( ...and to think that she was real....yesturday was a dark day indeed :grim:

[SilverStyle]

Seeing the Mickey heads on pikes in back of toon town where TDA is at

[Stduck]

Funny thing is despite all I see back stage? I don't think the Magic has ever died for me. I still get excited to see characters on stage even though off stage and I have see them pull their heads off. Making Magic is an awesome responsibility and I am glad to be apart of it.

[Zazu]

Funny thing is despite all I see back stage? I don't think the Magic has ever died for me. I still get excited to see characters on stage even though off stage and I have see them pull their heads off. Making Magic is an awesome responsibility and I am glad to be apart of it.

I couldn't agree more. The fact that the magic works even *after* you learn how it all works is probably the most magical part of all. :cheshire:

The day the magic does manage to die for me is the day I turn in my notice ... or just walk away quietly into the night. :darkwing:

Fortunately, I think I'm immune to such an event. :billcat:

[screnwriter]

I've seen a lot of magic, and been a part of many parades and shows, captained the submarines (knowing Walt himself had been at the same controls in the past), walked the park in the wee hours hearing the beckoning call of Madame Leota coming from the tomb exit of Haunted Mansion, ridden soft openings of new rides, watched the eyes of many a small child (and not a few adults too) when they met Goofy for the first time. There's still a lot of magic left.

BUT - seeing so many haggard elderly people who should be happily retired, so many snotty young teens with no respect for anybody or anything, so many uncaring - "in it for the money" - folk of all ages comprising the bulk of Disneylands front line ambassadors - I.E. the CM's who work every day to bring the magic to the guests, is what really depresses me. Yes, there are still many wonderful CM's, just the type I always remember from when I was a kid, but for every one of them, I see half a dozen who would have been rejected by Knott's 5 years ago, and some CM's I've ridden shuttles with in the past, looked like people who wouldn't have been allowed into Disneyland in the past as paying guests.

In order to maintain his offerings to the great god gold, Eisner has lowered the bar constantly in the quality of service offered to guests. When Walt was around, if you spent $10 getting into Disneyland, Walt wanted you to get $20 worth of entertainment for your money. With Eisner, if you spend $10, you'll get $2.35 worth of entertainment, and a park full of CM's who are expected to apologize for everything that isn't up to old standards, under construction, being refurbished, or broken.

BUT - the potential is still there...

[PrincessY]

Funny thing is despite all I see back stage? I don't think the Magic has ever died for me. I still get excited to see characters on stage even though off stage and I have see them pull their heads off. Making Magic is an awesome responsibility and I am glad to be apart of it.

All I saw backstage never ruined the magic for me. Just made me feel more a part of the magic (if that makes sense). But, as others have said, it was the Un-magical managers/leads that did it for me.