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Walt Disney once said ‘There is no magic in magic, it’s all in the details’. While it may be a simple sentiment, it rings truer  than any inspirational quote could hope to. While Walt may have been referring to those sweet Disney details we have all come to know and love in the parks, resorts and beyond, I also believe that he created an environment in which we alone could reach out and grab the things that bring us joy, and leave the rest for fellow Disney lovers. This of course includes but is not limited to the physical icons, beloved attractions, and cast member interactions that last a lifetime. In an earlier blog last month, we touched the tip of the iceberg with just a few ways to discover your own magic during a trip to Walt Disney World, but there are so many more ways to uncover some extra pixie dust than the aforementioned. Without any further ado, the long awaited, much anticipated part two!

Take all the selfies

I don’t know about you, but when I explore the parks, I get a little self conscious about documenting the castle, my mansion and the beloved mountains in all of their glory. There is nothing more frustrating than  ‘that person’ who is seemingly so enthralled in their devices and the recording/snapshotting of attractions and experiences that they aren’t even enjoying what is taking place in front of their very eyes. While this might be true in some instances, don’t be so quick to judge, or miss out on memories in the form of footage that will last a lifetime for yourself. As often as I go to Disney, there are experiences I have repeated literally hundreds of times, and dang it if I don’t have just a handful of pictures total for permanent documentation of some of the best days, experiences and memories ever all due to my fear of being in the way. Be in the way, take up space and be as annoyingly touristy as you possibly can with your fanny pack, mickey ears and portrait mode. 

Put your phone down

If you don’t get to the parks that often, this one might be a little more challenging. So feel free to modify this suggestion and utilize it at your convenience. For example, when I go to the Magic Kingdom, I ride the Haunted Mansion first thing when entering the park, before I leave the park in the evening, and at least once in between my visit to indisputably, the most magical park in all of the land. During my first tour with the happy haunts, I snap my pics (without flash photography with respect to the spirits, of course) and record snippets of the graveyard, little Leota and the mind blowing ballroom scene. I haven’t yet headed over to Revive in Tomorrowland for my magical bean juice, so I’m just about as lively as my mansion dwellers, and far too groggy to take in all that the mansion entails. But for the following tours, I ensure my phone is on silent and tucked all the way in the bottom of my bag so I can simply take in the beauty of this structure i’ve seen a hundred, nay, a thousand times, yet somehow unearth something new about every single time. 

Take someone (metaphorically) with you

Maybe every trip to the most magical place on earth is with your family and best Disney pals, and that’s fantastic! But if that isn’t the case, don’t leave your parteners in magic out of the loop! Send a pic of spaceship earth in all her purply nighttime glory to the Epcot lover in your life. Take a recording of the Dapper Dan’s and other old world Americana that takes place on Main Street U.S.A for the old soul who watches Meet Me in St. Louis far more than they’d like to admit. Even live stream a ride through of Small World to grace the Instagram with! It’s such a small yet thoughtful way of letting your friends and loved ones know (who are likely stuck within four walls) that you carry them in your heart from Cinderella Castle to Galaxy’s Edge!

Magic is all around us and behind every corner, at Disney and beyond! With crowds, cranky guests, and long lines, it is easy to lose sight of what brought us to this happy home in the first place. From the little things like holding open doors and smiling at a stranger, to the seemingly more  meaningful things like taking in the beauty of Main Street and the castle and sharing it with a friend, the magic of Disney is all encompassing. If you can’t seem to find it, just look for that one little spark of inspiration at the heart of all creation.