The Five Word Secret Disney Uses to Create Magic and How You Can Too
I will share Disney’s biggest secret with you when it comes to making magic for all its guests. Not only does it apply to us Cast Members, but to you as well. Yesterday, I worked a night shift at Disney’s Animal Kingdom until 12:30 AM. I was assigned to work the restrooms in Africa around the Lion King theatre because my managers thought it would be busy. There wasn’t as much as a tumbleweed that rolled through there. A few hours went by, and I saw a young girl and what I guessed to be her dad walking towards me. I was soon approached by that same girl in her early teens, Lilia, who said, “Excuse me,” in a way that would make anyone happy. She wore a jean jacket, a black shirt, and a pink skirt. You don’t know what questions guests will ask, so I prepared myself. Typically, it’s, “Where’s the bathroom?” or “What time does the park close?” I would’ve never guessed what she’d say next. She asked me for my autograph. I was taken aback at her request and yet felt happy to oblige. She handed me a little mermaid notebook and pen with multiple color options and told me to choose my favorite. Turns out we have similar tastes in colors — blue. I signed my name in cursive and wanted to leave this girl a message that would be meaningful to her, so I racked my brain as much as I could to find the answer. My nerves were like a stone wall blocking the words I searched for. I haven’t been asked for an autograph in a long time, and no matter who asks, you don’t want to disappoint them.
Have a magical day. That was all I could think of to say. I returned the notebook to her, and she said she hoped to work for Disney and see me again someday. Something that could transform the sourest of emotions. I told her she should look for a writer named Daniel there because that is what I plan on doing. She had the brightest smile as she went back to her dad, and he waved to thank me. I could tell that the fact that I signed her book meant a lot to her. As soon as they disappeared, a giant wrecking ball knocked down the wall, blocking the words, and revealed this secret to me that I would’ve shared with her if I was able to hit rewind. In a way, I’m grateful the experience turned out the way it did. Lilia, if you ever read this, thank you. I hope you realize how much that moment meant to me.
A similar situation happened when I was again working at Animal Kingdom, this time by the ride Expedition Everest. I came across a group of four kids that played in the dirt/grassy area we have in the park. I asked them if they were looking for buried treasure, and their faces lit up like Times Square. I told them to keep looking because the Yeti likes hiding treasure. The ride Expedition Everest is based on an adventure to find the elusive Yeti. I asked the kids if they had ridden the rollercoaster before, and they all replied they were scared. This time, there was no metaphorical wall, and I knew exactly what to say.
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” I reassured them. “In fact the yeti is friendly especially if you know his name.”
They all chimed with curious eyes, “What is it? What’s his name?” Apparently, the Yeti has an actual name, but I didn’t know that then, so I pulled out Linus for whatever reason. The Yeti’s name is really Betty.
“So, if you all wave once you get to the top of the mountain and say Hi, Linus, while waving to him you will be okay.” They jumped up and down and expressed excitement about getting on the ride and meeting Linus. I didn’t know this then, but I turned to see two adults chuckling and had no idea why. One of them was a younger woman, and she came up to me.
“Thank you so much. You made their day! I gotta know something. Is that real? The whole story about Linus the Yeti?” I thought the kids might hear me, so I smiled and shook my head. The mom laughed and told me how great I was at my job and how I must’ve been there for a long time — it had been two months.
I’ll share one more. This is one of those seemingly non-magical moments because they do happen. I was working on Expedition Everest again, and a little boy’s stomach got upset with him. He emptied it twice, once in front of the line outside and another directly in the queue. I finished cleaning the one outside and headed in with my chemicals and pearl white towels. In the middle, guests had to walk by to move forward in the line. I had to clean up the mess, direct the traffic of people to go around, and constantly remind them to please stay towards the wall. Sweat dripped down my face in the Florida heat, and the number of people didn’t help. When I had cleaned up, I looked at the faces of everyone around me watching. I had a cheeky idea and smiled. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but it was like, “My favorite part of the job is done. I hope you guys enjoy the ride!” People’s faces turned from disgust to delight as they appreciated my little joke and how I didn’t take anything too seriously.
I share these not to toot my own horn but to share with you the secret that can be found in each of these stories; back to the story with Lilia for a second. After she left, I stood alone in the African part of Animal Kingdom, which is when it hit me. The secret to the magic. I’ll phrase it as a quote because that is how I think it can be best understood. Five words:
“The Magic Is Within You.”
It sounds a bit cliche, but allow me to explain. Alone that night, I was surrounded by buildings, rides, and nature. Everything external. They can only provide so much magic. Those are not what creates the magic that has inspired generations to come back and bring their kids. Sure, on the surface level, those things are fun and provide a fantastic experience. Still, the people there create magic for millions of other guests, and I have had the pleasure of enjoying it. Those stories I shared could’ve turned out very differently if not for the fact that I saw where I could add some extra pixie dust and make the guests’ visit more magical. It was within me to share that with others.
Now, here’s the fun part. Disney is a thrilling place to have the opportunity to do that, but it’s not the only place and doesn’t only apply to me, but to you. The magic is within us. No matter our external circumstances or the situation, we are the ones who can make it magical, either for ourselves or for others. We have the power to control how we interpret things. If we let those remain positive and seek opportunities, they will be there. Who knows… it might make an inspiring story for someone else, too. The magic doesn’t have to be grandiose, either. It can be as simple as smiling and saying hello to someone, asking them how their day is, sharing your appreciation for someone or what they do, lend a helping hand to someone who looks like they’d appreciate it but may be too shy to ask. We are all human, and it would be silly to think that only some of us have this ability. We all do. I have more examples of magic moments I’ve created, but these had the most profound impact on the guest, I believe, and on me.
You and I have much more power than we realize, and it is within our control.
Those five words were the ones I wish I had written down on the autograph. Still, given her upbeat energy, there’s not a doubt in my mind that Lilia will someday discover that for herself.
Make your magic!
This is usually the part where I’m supposed to promote myself. I’m just glad this found you because I believe for whatever reason, it was destined to. If you’d like to check out my other work, follow, comment, or share, that’s entirely up to you. I promise we can still be friends either way :) Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed my words!
Daniel Snyder
“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
-Benjamin Franklin
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