Tucked into Hollywood Studios is Walt Disney Presents. This attraction is based on the life of Walt Disney. It walks you through his beginnings, through the creations made in his lifetime and ends with the newest creation from the Walt Disney Company (currently it is the live action Mulan).
Not many Guests take the time to walk through this attraction so it is relatively quiet. But as you walk through it, you will begin to feel Walt Disney’s magic wrap around you. You realize what a visionary he was, and how much we all have to thank him for.
How many memories do you have that are tied to the Walt Disney Company? From movies to theme park visits, toys to food, so many things are tied to what this man did for us.
Did you know Walt Disney was obsessed with trains? That is why both Walt Disney World and Disneyland have trains that run along the perimeter of the Magic Kingdom (the only park that Walt himself was involved in).
When designing Disneyland, Walt used the inspiration from his own childhood to develop the Main Street experience. Here you’ll see a turn-of-the-century inspired model of what Disneyland’s Main Street looked like on opening day.
There are real life artifacts in this exhibit including some of first Mickey, Minnie and Pluto toys and stuffed animals.
And then you see Walt’s Sleeping Beauty Castle model. She is surrounded by pictures and stores of her conception and design.
The model of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is enclosed in glass but you are welcome to look at it for as long as you’d like. This is where I stood for a few minutes, thinking about Walt Disney and what his life has meant to mine. He created this magic that has brought my family joy. He created this magic that brought me to you. I wouldn’t know you or have the opportunity to speak to you right now if it wasn’t for Walt Disney. And I am so very grateful for that.
I stood there thinking about her, the castle. How long she has sat without Guests visiting her. How long she has waited for children to run through her again, creating those camera worthy moments. How long she has waited to provide income for the Cast Members who wait to come back and deliver Walt’s Magic to everyone again. I said a special prayer of gratitude to God for inspiring Walt Disney and whispered a message to Walt to let him know his magic will continue on, through us.
2020 has rocked us all to the core. It has shook us, confused us and overwhelmed us. But you know what? The magic lives on. Walt Disney created so much for us to be able to use to come together as a community of Disney lovers. He devoted his life and even his final moments to making sure we would continue to have magic long after he was gone.
“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” – Walt Disney
And even though this current season of life is hard, we know that the magic is on the other side.
And I leave you, my friends, with more moments from Walt Disney Presents.