Just someone in a costume? Say it isn’t so! Now, before I get in trouble for killing any magic, just go with me here for a minute. You know I try to keep things real, from a Disney Fans perspective, so stick with me on this thought!
From a logical, “grown up” point of view, meeting a character at any certain place, is meeting a person in a costume, pretending to be that character. Makes sense. We see this happen all the time, at many different locations. For example, we see Mascots at sporting events, Chuck-E-Cheese at his location, we can even meet and take pictures with a cow at Chick Fil-A on certain days. Sure, it’s fun, but it’s not a thrill, sometimes not even worth taking a picture of yourself with said characters. No big deal. So, why doesn’t this “no biggie” attitude apply at Disney Parks? What’s different?
If you’re a follower of my writings, then you know I’m always talking about Disney “magic” and all the awesome things it can do. No, I can’t put my finger on how they get the masses to feel the magic, but still, I’m in awe of it. That magic separates the difference in not getting excited for the Chick Fil-A Cow, but going nuts when seeing Mickey Mouse at a Disney Park. I know you know what I mean. You’ve seen it yourself, grown adults, standing on the sidewalk on Main Street USA, waiting for a parade to roll by, smiling, looking at their watches, tending to their kids, etc. Once Mickey Mouse’s float starts rolling by, that “adult” starts yelling, laughing, and WAVING at Mickey like it’s their favorite Rock Star. All that grown up business goes out the window. You don’t see anyone doing that at the chicken place, do you? That’s why Disney is magic, it can turn fantasy into reality, even for a short period of time.
I saw this in my own kids as the were growing up. They knew what was real and what was make believe. However… when Disney Characters were involved, I saw a change. Like when we stood in line to meet Mickey. Once they got to see the big “cheese” himself, they both would run up to him, give him hugs and smile brightly for pictures. To them, that WAS Mickey, and that moment is real. They’re at the age of “too cool” to get excited about characters apparently, or so they say. But when we do character dinners, they happily get up for photos, so it’s still in there somewhere. That makes me happy.
In our heart of hearts, we “know” the real side of things. Yes, someone is actually there, portraying our favorite characters, that’s reality. But, Disney isn’t about reality, is it? A true Disney Fan can feel the difference, the real world doesn’t matter, and to us, seeing Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc…. that’s a celebrity sighting for us. It’s a big deal. I always say, when it comes to Disney, “either you get it, or you don’t.” I also always say that you Main Streeters are “my people” because you DO indeed get it when it comes to Disney Magic, and I thank you for sharing that with me. I don’t know about you, but this “adult” will continue to wait in line to meet my favorite characters, stand by the side of the road and wave at Mickey on a parade float, and just cherish that magic for what it is. No, chicken restaurants, kids pizza places, and sporting events don’t get that same treatment, but then again, they’re missing that one thing. Disney Magic! So no, for us, it’s not just someone in a costume, it’s the real deal, it’s Disney, and it’s wonderful. As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to add your own stories and comments as well! ~M
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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