Emily's Guest Blog Post!

Hello, everyone! My name is Emily Wagner, and I am a friend of Mike’s, a fan of his blog, a fellow Make-a-Wish volunteer, and a Disney Cast Member. I met Mike last summer while working as an intern at Make-a-Wish. I’ve never shared this with Mike (until now), but I was very intimidated by him at first; I thought he was also an intern who they organization trusted with far more responsibilities than me and I also was very impressed by all of the work he did. But after getting to know Mike, I learned that he is very kind, humble, and hardworking person that Make-a-Wish is very lucky to have. I still keep up to date on all of the news even when I’m not in New York thanks to his many social media platforms! 

Mike asked me a few weeks ago if I would be interested in writing as a guest blogger. I have been writing my own blog while working in Disney World as part of the Disney College Program since January of this year, and he thought that my experiences would hopefully be interesting to all you wonderful readers!

But a quick disclaimer: I could write all about my experience as a cast member, it really is an incredible one, and I’m lucky to currently be working for the company. I was extra fortunate to meet many Make-a-Wish children and their families who came to visit Disney World for a wish.  But I’m not going to talk about my job, the mysterious tunnels, or how many Mickeys there are (just one, by the way). Instead I’d rather focus on the very awesome gift I was given to have access to all of the Disney World parks and resorts for the last five months. 

I had never been to Disney World before. I had always wanted to go, and almost every year for my birthday or Christmas, I asked my parents if we could go, and the answer was always and sadly no. So around the age of ten, an annoyingly independent little me decided I would work for Disney one day so I could go to the parks whenever I wanted. And in the cheesiest Disney way possible, that dream really did come true. 

I was twenty-one years old when I first went to the Magic Kingdom and saw Cinderella’s Castle, and yes, I jumped up and down and cried like many of the six-year olds nearby. It was everything I had always expected it to be and so much more. Every new ride, show, parade, and character I experienced gave me even more excitement and joy – I would leave the parks with sore cheeks because I was smiling so much! And the best part was, I was not alone in this excitement. Nearly everyone there – from young toddlers running into Pluto’s arms for a hug, to surly teenagers finally showing their parents a smile on Splash Mountain, to Newlyweds taking romantic pictures in front of the castle, to elderly couples strolling down Main Street to celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary, to a young girl who wished to meet Belle having that wish granted and hearing that she was a beautiful princess, too – they were all so happy. They weren’t worried about the heat, the wait times, that no more Fast Passes were available for Soarin’, or that they might not be sitting in the front row for Fantasmic. These obstacles happen everyday, but they don’t ruin a day a Disney World because there is so much more to the experience. It’s not about that perfect picture in front of the castle or getting every character’s autograph, it’s about the memories that are created and always remembered. In a way, I was lucky to wait until I was older to visit the parks for the first time, because it is something I will never forget.

I was so often asked by friends and family what I thought of working for Disney and finally getting to be in the place I had always dreamed of visiting. I would almost always and immediately answer, “it’s perfect”, but I’m now rethinking that response and that word. Disney World isn’t perfect, but it is magical. And that magic creates so much happiness for the guests. I feel truly blessed to have seen this magic first hand and to have been a part of creating happiness. I especially see why going to a Disney theme park is the most popular wish granted by Make-a-Wish, and I hope to continue working for both companies to make those magical wishes come true. 

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you have a magical day!   

And, P.S. Me and my boss – the Main Mouse and the Big Cheese!