My Disney Legacy & Fatherhood

That's ONLY Aladdin & Genie

I was raised on Disney.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was born one neighborhood over from the Magic Kingdom in Anaheim and had been to Disneyland more times in my first two years than my parents can even recount.

In fact my earliest memory, back in the cobwebby recesses of my mind, is of Sleeping Beauty's castle and a "closed for refurbishment" sign - I have no idea why.  Apparently, I was very interested in the "behind the scenes" even as a toddler.

Once my folks moved us back to their home state, Disney still played a pretty heavy influence in my life - we had virtually every animated film on VHS and watched them until the tapes warbled, I wore out my recording of Disneyland's 25th Anniversary (complete with a strutting David Hasslehoff, circa Knight Rider, singing in front of Tomorrowland), I would regularly ride my bike up to the local AAA office just to grab the Disney pamphlets and travel planners - though we only went to Walt Disney World twice.

I suppose it was no surprise to anyone when I decided to go work for Disney right out of college while figuring out whether I actually wanted to go to Law School or not.

Just Aladdin in a float, that's all.

Working for Disney was one of the greatest experiences of my life.  After a brief stint at the Great Movie Ride, I auditioned and was transferred to the Entertainment Department where I worked really, really closely with Aladdin.  I mean super-close.  In fact, Aladdin and I worked so closely together that you might even say that you couldn't tell us apart.  I had similarly close working relationships with Prince Charming and the other Princes; but Aladdin - I liked hanging out with him the best.

Some people have their coming-of-age experiences in college, most of mine were at Walt Disney World; which is one heck of a surreal place to become an adult - and made doubly bizarre when you start law school and work there at the same time; it's probably an understatement to say that I studied for the Bar in some very unconventional locations.  I remember sitting in my Criminal Law class where my professor used a hypothetical featuring the baby-shaking British Nanny.  I had no idea what he was talking about.  When he asked me "Where have you been?" I replied, "The Magic Kingdom." I wasn't lying; when you live and work in a place that's 100% focused on helping guests forget the troubles of the world, you sort of get sucked into that black hole - that goes double when you're a guy in your early 20's.

I haven't worked for Disney in over 10 years and haven't been back to the parks in 8, but that break was much needed; I needed another coming-of-age.  Now I'm in my mid-30s and all-too aware of the world we live in and fret about it daily as we're raising Mu and Q.  My love for Disney hasn't dwindled in those 10 years, and now as a dad it's become even stronger.  I'm beginning to have those "see it again, for the first time" moments as Mu is starting to get old enough to experience Disney little by little.  First, it was the music (the Classic Disney series is highly recommended), then he saw his first Mickey Mouse cartoon.  We moved onto reading the condensed stories of the classic movies, and recently he watched Peter Pan for the first time.  And after he told me stories about how he and Peter Pan flew to Neverland to fight pirates, I was pretty sure that he's hooked.

Seeing Mu enjoy the Magic and anticipating Q doing the same just grows my appreciation and love for the vision that Walt had.  There just IS something magical about the Disney Difference and Lady Rad and I can't wait to get the kids to WDW in the Fall for our first family vacation together.  We expect to never leave Fantasyland during our entire stay, and I'll probably ride "It's A Small World" more times during those three days than I have in my entire life, but look forward to it every day.  Mu had no idea what he's in for (he thrills at going to Home Depot). And try as I might to not build up any anticipation for him, I can't help but love hearing his emphatic "Oh YES!" when I ask him if he'd like to go to a place where he can see Neverland, fight pirates, and meet Mickey Mouse.

The moment the SuperRad Fam walks from the entrance, under the train tracks, and out onto Main Street will be a moment that I'll never forget.  I've done that walk hundreds, if not thousands of times before, but the next time I do it - it'll be second to none.  It can't get here soon enough.

I never thought that anything could be better than being at Disney as a Cast Member; but I'm pretty sure there is one thing better...

Being at Disney as a Dad.