Disney’s all about the magic. Everywhere you go at Disney Parks, Disney cast members are telling you to “have a magical day.” But what makes a day magical, anyway?

Perhaps it’s an experience, a feeling, a memory seared forever in your mind. Perhaps it’s meeting your favorite Disney characters, or perhaps it’s about enjoying the company of the characters with whom you’re traveling. Perhaps it’s crossing paths with someone special. Perhaps it’s love and attention, a moment to breathe, someone who noticed and complimented you on the beautiful Snow White shirt you’re wearing today. Perhaps it’s someone who saw you needed help and gave it to you. Perhaps it’s a kind gesture, top notch service, extra fills on your Coca-Cola at dinner, or a kiss by The Tree of Life. Perhaps it’s that extra special song that touches your heart and moves your soul when Cinderella’s castle is lit up late at night. Perhaps it’s beautiful landscapes, a late night swim at the pool, or an early morning walk on the waterfront of your Disney resort.

I don’t know what the magic is for you. I don’t know what the magic would be for you. I don’t know what the magic’s been for you. I don’t know the magic you wish for, the magic you long for, the magic you need.

From the tiny girl in a Rapunzel costume to the Grandpa in a wheelchair to the mom sporting four kids, the magic’s different for everyone. You can’t say, name or claim anyone else’s magic. It can’t be forced. It is what it is, and it will happen whenever it wants.

Some Disney magic is grand and obvious. You can’t miss it unless you’re sleepwalking through life.

Other Disney magic is mini and subtle. You might miss it if you’re distracted. You might miss it if you pass right by. You might miss it if you don’t slow, stop, look and listen.

Today’s visit to Hollywood Studios was all about mini magical moments.

A photo of everyone in our family smiling at the same time!

A great big hug from her favorite princess, Sofia the First. 

A girl who ate well and said “That was a awesome meal” after a fun lunch with Disney Junior characters. (Yes, she ate more than the chocolate covered marshmallow.)

An awesome live singing of “Let It Go” that reminded me why I loved the song in the first place. If you’ve heard your fair share of “Let It Go,” just GO to a Disney Park, and GUARANTEED, they’ll make you love it all over again.

A mini model of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland, and a walk through a building honoring the master dreamer, Walt Disney himself. I’m a sucker for all things Walt Disney. This building is awesome in my book. The whole display MUST stay.

Of the hundreds of thousands of people at four Disney Parks in Orlando today, I had another chance (or not-so-chance) encounter with these two lovebirds we saw get engaged at Epcot yesterday! An opportunity for me to tell them how lovely and sweet it was to witness their special moment. An opportunity to give them my contact information so I could share a few favorite photos of the proposal.

A heads up from a Disney cast member from Haiti that a dragonfly was making a permanent home on my back….when I’d mentally noted earlier that I’d seen a LOT of Disney employees from Haiti. Disney and Haiti. So NOT alike. But both, my loves.

A Disney cast member who appeared with a bubble wand shortly after a major blowout with a three year old who didn’t want to wear shoes into the bathroom. I needed to recover somehow; I’d decided I was on a mission to photograph beautiful things. Whatever I saw that was beautiful? It was going to be photographed. Period. Less than a block later, we crossed paths with this lovely cast member and her bubble wand. (Notice, she STILL wasn’t wearing her shoes.)

A stadium full of people who sang Happy Birthday to a man in the front row who was in a wheelchair. That was followed by the man passing out lollipops to as many kids as he could in the front few rows. That was followed by Belle and “there must be more than this provincial life.” 

A silent waiting room for The Great Movie Ride while a special reel about “The Wizard of Oz” played. Everyone quietly and thoughtfully singing along with Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow” as we shuffled towards the ride’s entrance.

And…the one and only photograph of me and my husband from this vacation…by ourselves…so we could remember where the magic began!

Mini magical moments added up to one GRAND day. Perhaps that’s what life’s all about. Mini moments. All added up into one beautiful day, one beautiful week, one beautiful year, one beautiful life. 

 

 

 

This post is part of a month-long series titled 31 Days of Disney! If you’d like to read more posts from the series, click here and you’ll be directed back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page. ALL posts from the series are linked within the body of that post. Find a title or topic that intrigues you, click on it, and the post will pop up for your Disney reading adventure!

I also placed the series graphic on the right sidebar of my blog’s home page, so click it anytime and it’ll bring you back to the 31 Days of Disney landing page where all 31 posts are listed and linked.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AmyBPederson where I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using hashtag #write31days, and I’d LOVE to connect on Facebook at facebook.com/AmyBPederson. You can also find me on Instagram at instagram.com/AmyBPederson, and I might even do a few scopes live from Disney World, so follow me on Periscope at @AmyBPederson to see if I get brave!

So glad you stopped by! Make yourself comfortable. Take a peek around the place, and know you’re welcome back anytime.