Why is Disneyland so magical?

[magicallyDisney001]

Theories? Why do you think Disneyland really is the Happiest Place on Earth? What makes it so fun and enjoyable? [Not saying I disagree, of course! Just wondering why we all love it so much!! ]

Personally, I think because Disney planned every little detail out for the comfort and entertainment of the guests, and because they spend so much time making it just right and giving it that "Disney" touch. What do you think?

 

[mechurchlady]

I know where all the Disney magic is located.

All of the Disney magic is stored in the hearts of the CMs and employees of Disney. They are the ones that make the magic happen. Buying a balloon is a special event that takes seconds but you are so special to that person. The ride operator who greets you just like a friend. It is the nurse who helps you with your ouchies. The security personnel who answer your question even though they have answered it 100 times that month.

It is the painter who makes that scene special and the carpenter who does something special. It is the designer who adds a bit of whimsy to Pooh. It is the seamstress who armed with her tools and a flashlight scampers about rides cleaning, mending and rearranging animintronics' costumes. The lady who made that costume and recognizes the button then scampers up to reattach the button. It is the janitors who keep the parks clean.

The magic of Disney is the CMs and other employees of Disney.

 

[Disney_Villain]

"Walt" makes Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth!

Walt made this park, opened it (using the above words), and he walked the paths that you and I walk there now. When we leave the Paris or Florida parks to come to DL, we feel that we are definitely in the original park where it all began.

There are gaslamps (running on gas) on Main Street USA, that are >150 years old ... that Walt imported from Baltimore. You will not find touches of antiquity like this in any other Disney park around the globe.

We may spend more time in Florida's park, but our license plate is "DISNEYL" and we have all the Disneyland Olszewski's on display (including the Main Street Platform) and we went crazy booking mid-week flights last week to fly down to buy into DVC's new Villas at the Grand Californian. I think that summarizes how important Disneyland is to us.

 

[MichaelColey]

It's the total immersion, the attention to detail, and the cast members.

Like the sign says when you enter, you're leaving today's world behind and entering the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.

Every last detail is designed to contribute to the experience. It's not just rides and attractions. It's everything, from the signs to the trash cans. Every single thing fits in. Every step of the way, everything you see, hear, smell, and touch has been carefully planned and nothing has been missed. Try going to any non-Disney park and you'll see the difference. Universal probably comes to the closest to matching the detail, but they just don't have the same magic.

The cast members aren't just employees. They're playing a vital part in the experience, and it's obvious that most of them truly enjoy their jobs, making dreams come true.

 

[dlawallace]

DITTO!!!! Walt was a genuis!

"Walt" makes Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth!

Walt made this park, opened it (using the above words), and he walked the paths that you and I walk there now. When we leave the Paris or Florida parks to come to DL, we feel that we are definitely in the original park where it all began.

There are gaslamps (running on gas) on Main Street USA, that are >150 years old ... that Walt imported from Baltimore. You will not find touches of antiquity like this in any other Disney park around the globe.

We may spend more time in Florida's park, but our license plate is "DISNEYL" and we have all the Disneyland Olszewski's on display (including the Main Street Platform) and we went crazy booking mid-week flights last week to fly down to buy into DVC's new Villas at the Grand Californian. I think that summarizes how important Disneyland is to us.

 

[Heymy]

For me it's the only place where I see the exact same excitement and wonder in my 4yr old DD's and 70 yr old father's face.

 

[Sherry E]

Ooooh, Lord, where to begin... I think I recognized the 'magic' of DLR when I was a small child, but in a childlike way. It was a sensory overload....an assault on the senses, but a feast for the eyes, really. I was mesmerized with everything - the sights, the aromas, the tastes, the sounds, the toys, the colors, all of it....breathing in the scent of popcorn, peppermint, chocolate and churros...watching flying elephants and space-age vehicles and playful characters in furry costumes. Those things still keep me enthralled, 37 years later. As I got older, I started to appreciate the little nuances and details I hadn't noticed as much as a child. I almost just think there is something in the air - a chemical - at DLR that captures us all and ropes us in. It is like we have walked into a living fantasy. I just love all the attention to detail all around the Resort, in every corner - some of it is obvious and some of it is hidden and you have to look for it. I love that Bugs, Toons, Critters, Toys, Monsters, Fish, Pirates, Mermaids, Fairies, Princesses, Dinosaurs, Dogs, Cats, Superheroes, Rodents, Bunnies, Villains, Cars, Ducks, Witches, Ghosts, Bears, Chipmunks, Mad Hatters and Wicked Queens, etc., etc. can all peacefully coexist in one magical land comprised of jungles and forests and Castles and pirate ships and on and on - all under the watchful eye of one very wonderful Mouse. It’s your birthday and Christmas and every other holiday all rolled into one! I also love walking around in DL and feeling like I have been transported to another time and place in each land. It's a remote jungle, an Old West Town, a land of the future, a picturesque village out of a storybook, and enchanted castle, a lively Southern City and a wacky, colorful place where you can play with manholes and mailboxes - and even go to jail! - all in the same place.

I love seeing people from all walks of life mingling harmoniously, from everywhere in the world, enjoying the park without a care of race, religion, lifestyle preference, sexual orientation, gender, age, size, etc. Everyone is happy at Disneyland, for the most part! That has to be infectious and addictive for the masses! I don't know how to sum it up. I could go on and on and on and on. Disneyland just captured me with its 'magic air' and whatever they pipe into it early on, and I have been a lifelong addict!!!

Basically, it is like visiting a whole different utopian world - but it has everything you could ever imagine in your wildest dreams! And that is why it's so magical!

 

[charmama4]

I don't have anything to add, because it was pretty much covered. But, I do want to say thank you to magicallyDisney001 for posting this question and for everyone that has shared. It's everything you all mentioned that makes Disneyland magically and so much more!!!

 

[ratherbe@disneyland]

Basically, it is like visiting a whole different utopian world - but it has everything you could ever imagine in your wildest dreams! And that is why it's so magical!

I think this is close to why its so "magic" to me. There are so few places that you can completely escape the world, and its problems, and everything. But when I go to the park, I literally forget all my worries. Its all about fun, about imagination, about being immersed in the experience. That's why I think most people are depressed when they come home, just because really life is hard. Bills, jobs, family problems, money problems, Disneyland give you a place to escape all those things even just for awhile.
Also like was mentioned I think its their attention to the littlest detail. There really isn't another theme park like it. Its really all of it put together.

 

[Ken2Blitzkrieg]

Some great points from u all and alot i have experienced and agree with

the thing i like alot about DL park is the fact nothing is EVER too much trouble for the cm`s .. and everyone they serve in anyway youre made to feel special and not just a number ... well in my experiences i mean
and thou the job must have its days like any when u go in and its your turn for an `off day` i have never seen this in evidence ..

class act!
wonderful place
thats why we love travelling over 5,000 miles to return whenever we can

 

[avalon451]

It's Happy Gas. That's what DH says. He says they pump in some kind of super-secret happy gas that makes you stand there on Main Street and just grin like an idiot.

It's a government conspiracy, really.

 

[fairycat]

I think it's something they pump into the smell of Disneyland. Nothing smells like Main Street!!!! I mean even weird smells like POTC bring back memories. I bet most of us could tell blindfolded were they are in the parks just by the smell. It is also the smell of my childhood, Disneyland equals happy memories!!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I think it goes back to Walt and his ability to capture the imagination with Mickey and the beloved stories that Walt would later adapt. Walt's sense of storytelling and his incredible attention to detail led him to work on bringing these stories and characters to life right in front of us.

Anyone can put on a costume and look like a character, but at Disneyland (and the other Disney parks) there's a higher standard. Not only do you have to look like the character, you have become the character. Anyone can put on the Chip and Dale costumes, but only someone who has studied the characters and how they behave can actually become Chip and Dale.

 

[iloveyou_belle]

i don't really remember much from disneyland as i've only been there once during my 7th birthday. but on that trip...my dream came true...belle taught me how to waltz. she taught me, step by step, basic stationary box waltz, rotating box waltz AND the twinkle move. i've never forgotten that moment in time...nor how to dance the waltz. lol.

i think that's why disneyland is so magical, because dreams come true everyday in that place.

 

[Escape2Disney]

It's everything said above and more!

It is the only place where my very serious teenager giggles like a little girl! It is the ONLY recreational destination I have ever been to which fully embraces handicap visitors. It's also the only theme park I know of where women don't have 20 minute lines for the restrooms! This attention to detail makes everything magical!

 

[Sherry E]

I think it goes back to Walt and his ability to capture the imagination with Mickey and the beloved stories that Walt would later adapt. Walt's sense of storytelling and his incredible attention to detail led him to work on bringing these stories and characters to life right in front of us.

Anyone can put on a costume and look like a character, but at Disneyland (and the other Disney parks) there's a higher standard. Not only do you have to look like the character, you have become the character. Anyone can put on the Chip and Dale costumes, but only someone who has studied the characters and how they behave can actually become Chip and Dale.

And allow me to throw in a plug here....for anyone who hasn't already seen it, Sleepless Knight has a GREAT picture (or are there two?) of Chip and Dale over in the Favorite Character Photo thread, illustrating exactly that point - it is not just two CM's in C&D costumes. You see that they are becoming Chip and Dale. You can totally tell what kinds of personalities Chip and Dale have in the photo just by looking at it, and no captions or descriptions are necessary!

 

[mmlover74]

It was 8 yrs ago before I stepped foot inside DL or WDW and seeing all the signs welcoming me to the Happiest Place on Earth made me realize how special the place is...how full of magic is here...trying to take every thing in by the 5 senses and pictures. I get all misty eyed and seeing it through the eyes of DS and seeing him smile when he first met Mickey...is just a joy.

I am looking forward to our next trip when more magic will come our away.

 

[ChickenCarlos]

it makes me feel like a kid again, and just always brings back good memories of old cartoons on a Saturday morning, looking endlessly at the souvinor guide books, watching walt on Wonderful World of Disney, and seeing my mom get excited about the same things i would get excited about.

 

[thisismyhappyplace]

I agree, it's a place where age shows no limits. I feel like such a little kid again, and I think my parents do too. I hold so many fond memories at Disneyland, so I think that is definitely a reason it is so magical. All those memories come back when I'm there. I love Disney's attention to detail. It's just all so perfect!

 

[Judy from Boise]

Honestly I believe the magic is stored in all of us, and when we are in DL we allow it out without fear. Any number of people could have a perfectly terrible time at DL because they have no positive energy or emotion just ready to come out and interact, or because cynicism is their way of life. Without us there is no magic, just like without an audience their is no performance.