Disney World is an amazing place. It's the only spot on earth where I've had the proprietor stick a vacuum in my wallet, turn up the sucking power to the max, and smile about it afterwards.
Perhaps that's what they mean by "Disney Magic." It's certainly magical and mysterious how this company can turn fun-making into money-making big time. They're so good at it that one almost thinks she's taking Disney for a ride rather than the other way around.
My lovely wife and I have two wonderful pre-adolescent children. Thus, we are required to visit Disney. Call it an American imperative. Actually, with Disney expanding outside U.S. borders, it threatens to become a worldwide tradition, an indigenous enterprise tied inexorably to the human soul. I bet Disney head Michael Eisner is licking his lips and planning how to spend his next multi-million dollar bonus.
What can be said about Disney that hasn't already? Almost everyone loves it. And almost everyone thinks it's ridiculously priced. It must be nice for a company to offer such compelling fare that folks will pay almost any amount to partake in the corporation's creations.
Give the devil its due. Disney is a world class operation. One never sees anything even slightly askew 'on property,' as Disneyites call their facility. I was watching my children overenjoying their melting ice cream all over Mouse pavement. Almost instantly, a cast member descended upon the dirty spot, cleaned, buffed, and waxed it, and then proceeded to re-paint the asphalt to make it appear surgically clean and brand, spanking new. Yes, I'm exaggerating, but by how much?
This is one professional operation. They know what sells and what people like. Of course, a close examination of many events, especially the shows, exposes well-worn formulaic approaches. The actors say and do predictable things. We've heard these lines dozens of time before. But they do it so well, costumes are so beautiful, and delivery is so seamless, that the audience eats it up. We poor suckers don't stand a chance against these guys.
Admittedly, my family is far from accomplished theme park goers and we probably don't manage to get in every ride or attraction that is humanly possible. At our last visit, the average cost per ride turned out to be slightly over $5. A movie costs only slightly more than that and lasts about 2 hours longer than each snippet of Disney Magic.
People are abundantly aware of the high cost of theme parks, yet they keep coming back. I'd love to know how many guests Disney entertains each year. I wonder if it has reached the six billion mark -- same as the Earth's population. It felt like all 6 billion were competing with us for that next ride.
The Disney vacuum may have left me empty-handed and empty-pocketed, but it also left me without a care in the world, if only for a few moments. That's not an insignificant accomplishment in this day and age of multi-tasking, constant cell phone ringing, road rage (and all its other various forms), and general overwork. Owning such a wonderful, peaceful feeling is worth the price of admission. I guess Michael Eisner and Company count on that.
Maybe that's what's so really Magic about Disney.
++++
Fred W. Apelquist, III, M. Ed.
Approximately 545 words.
(c) 2000