Even though the anniversary of 9/11 was yesterday, I felt this blog was a good reminder of how things were, and why they are they way they are today! ~M
Photo Courtesy of marciodisneypictures
The Day the World Changed By Janel Adani
September 11, 2001, the day the world changed. It’s a very sad day in history. We all know what happened and we will NEVER forget. For me, I was a young mom sitting on the couch, in Orlando, watching the Today Show, when the news unraveled. I sat on the couch with my baby girl, Gabrielle, holding her tight in shock and horror. I called my husband at work to fill him in on what was happening and him and I immediately went into panic mode. Both of us have most of our family in Connecticut and New York, so we immediately tried calling everyone. Trying to get ahold of everyone was very difficult because the phone lines were clogged with others trying to get ahold of their loved ones too. It was a horrible day.
While the tragedy unfolded and I saw how large crowded landmarks were being attacked, I thought, “Oh my gosh, what if Disney is next?” I live here. “What if they target Disney with all of these people here?” It was a scary but very real thought. So what happened to Disney?
Well that day the parks were immediately closed worldwide. No one knew who, where, or what the next target would be. The world fell silent that day. Looking on to see what was happening, who did this, why? This went on for weeks, years.
So how did this affect tourism and Disney? We all know how the airlines were affected. Stronger checkpoints, more regulations. For me in the coming weeks, I was scared to go to Disney. I didn’t know what was going to happen. Would some terrorist get into the park? At the time, and still today those are very valid thoughts. But Disney made sure to make their guests feel safe. Immediately following September 11th, Disney implemented security checkpoints before entering the park. You could not get into the park without all of your bags being checked. This definitely put me at ease and still does to this day.
I hear people complain all the time about having to stand in bag check because sometimes the lines are long or they are just in a rush to get into the park, but you know what? Wouldn’t you rather take 5 or 10 minutes out of your day to ensure that you and your family will be safe in the park? I would! Every day that I walk into the park, I see those security guards, and I remember why they are there and what they are doing for me. In true Disney style, these security guards greet you with a smile, engage you in conversation, and ensure that you are safe. So next time you go through that security checkpoint, say thank you to them. And as I sit here on the couch with my 3 year old son writing this article, I remember the world we live in now and will NEVER forget!
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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