I believe in the power of stories.
As a kid, stories were one of the only things that connected me and my brother. We had very different interests. While he was playing high school football, I was playing clarinet in 6th grade band. But despite any difference in our age or our hobbies, we could always come together to enjoy a good movie or book.
That’s why our family went to Disney — to truly be a part of the magic that wove a common thread between us.
But let’s have some real talk for a moment.
Even at Disney, not everything is going to be magical and fairy-tale-like. At Jedi Training, we typically fill up our spots within the first two hours of the day. So for the rest of the day, I have the pleasure of telling parents that there are no more spots for their younglings. One day, I got a tap on my shoulder that I’ve gotten many times before.
“Please, my nephew is crazy, he wants to be a Jedi.”
“I’m sorry sir, sign ups are all filled for today.”
“Is there anything you can do, we came all the way from Brazil!”
“No, I’m sorry, even our alternates list is full.”
And that should have been the end of it. But no. The man taps my shoulder again and when I turn around, he’s holding this 4 year old kid. Which is totally NOT FAIR. So my coworker and I told them to stick around until the show break, and maybe we could take a picture of him with a lightsaber or something.
That. Kid. That 4 year old kid. Watched the whole show with the most focused and serious look I’ve ever seen on a 4 year old’s face. Had his own lightsaber. Had his own robe for goodness’ sake. And I’d been told he didn’t speak that much English, but when I asked “Are you a Jedi?” I got the most serious “Yes” I’ve ever heard.
So we went nuts. My friend got him a Jedi Training pin. We got him a bottle of water just like the other younglings got. And I ran to ask one of our Jedi masters to take a picture with him. He was still very serious of course, but his family was all smiles.
That experience just reminded me of why I love coming to Disney parks. At Disney, we’re all just kids in the middle of our own favorite adventures. I’m proud that as a cast member, I get to help people make those lasting memories for others.
So whether you’re a Disney fan or not, please read good stories. Watch great films. Appreciate art. Because when you do, you are linking into a network that is so much bigger than any one person. That child and I didn’t speak the same language, didn’t live in the same country, and we weren’t even born in the same decade — but it was a story that gave us some common ground and helped us understand each other.
That, I think, is truly magical.
Lindsey Does Disney!!! 