A week ago, my dad was in Walt Disney World and sent me a text with the following picture:
He followed with, “Where’s Whity?” My backstory with this particular curb is a short one, and probably not of much interest to the average person. When I was seven (7?!) years old, and nighttime parades still existed, my mother would make us wait an hour for the parade to start. As a seven year old, she could not ask me to do a less fun thing. I did not want to sit there for an hour when there were rides to be ridden and princesses to meet. I wanted to play. But, I sat, because I was a kid and didn’t have any power. Of course, I did what any other child would do when asked to do something they didn’t want to do, I pouted. For a long time. I curled up in a defiant ball and refused to look at anyone as I buried my face down into my arms. My bangs covered my face, so you couldn’t even see the true look of contempt describing how I felt. Behind me, my mother giggled.
People walking by would have no idea the significant moment this would become in my life. Over two decades later, every time we walk past this spot, my dad will say, “there’s Whity’s curb.” If you think about it on the surface, this is a spot that gets walked over, sat on, trash gets thrown, kids throw fits, someone steps on this exact spot when leaving the Magic Kingdom, or a million scenarios later, and it’s still just a curb and it obviously still remains in the same exact spot.
But in my family, this is not just a curb and it won’t be ever again. I’m 28 years old now, and when I close my eyes and picture this exact place, I can feel myself going back. I can see daylight leaving the park as they light Main Street up. I can hear noises around me of shuffling feet and other kids joyously giggling as they skip, their parents trying to wrestle them into doing the exact same thing I am. The smells of Main Street fill my senses, because even after all this time and all the changes that have occurred, it’s still familiar.
There’s been an awakening of quick evolution throughout the parks in the last few years. Change has always come, but it never seemed drastic, and it was never for the wrong reasons. It was always to enhance the experience, not take away and try and replace. Things like a simple curb on Main Street hold significant value, especially now, when the experiences that diehard Disney Parks fans were raised with are being stripped away one by one.
As fans of the parks for decades, we’re asked to accept the new changes as they come along, letting go of historical value that certain rides or memories may hold and adjust without argument. Meanwhile, the visitors with no emotional attachment to the things leaving can’t understand why this is such a big deal and why there are some of us have good reason to be unhappy.
For the ones who grew up in the parks, like I did, it’s the place we fell in love with. It remained the same for a long time, so any time we’d revisit and come back, the memories of all the magic still existed and gave you the feeling that you were coming home. You felt a deep connection to being in the park, because you knew it so well. You learned the ins and outs of it quickly. When the time came to leave your “real life” behind, you stepped foot onto Main Street and it felt like you had never left. And that’s why we hold on.
There’s an entire list of things I could talk about that’s been unfairly kicked out or replaced, but I won’t. Here’s my point, many paragraphs later: for those of us who were raised in the parks, changes such as scenes being altered in a ride and experiences like The Magic of Disney Animation leaving, matter. Little things like places you always sit for parades on Main Street and exciting adventures when you could once walk through Mickey and Minnie’s houses are pieces of our history. For a lot of us, they shaped us and blossomed our appreciation for the historical aspects and original visions of this place we like to call ours. Change isn’t always bad, but when you start eliminating everything that made the parks what they are today, it’s difficult to not feel left behind in the dust as they evolve without you.
Something small and insignificant to the vast majority like a curb ushers me into Magic Kingdom every time I’m back and despite everything that has left or is on its way to being replaced, this one spot takes me back to a time when creating magic was the top priority and I wasn’t another number on a visitor count. I see the place that I once sat so defiantly and I picture a little girl with awe and wonder in her eyes as Ariel waves from her float during SpectroMagic. For just a moment, time stands still, and I’m welcomed home.
Do you have any special places in the parks?
For us, it’s one of the low walls outside of Pecos Bill’s on the Splash Mountain side. I would leave my family sitting there while I went and got us food to eat while waiting on the nighttime parade.
Outside of the parks, the pure joy we feel when we walk through the doors of Pop Century is what we think about the most. It’s the first sign that we’re finally “home”.
Omg. We are the same way. Love it on the bus and you’re pulling in to pop and the greeting on the bus says Welcome Home. I even recorded it on my phone and had that as a notification
I totally understand the resort one, too! When I was younger, I used to love when the air-conditioning hit me at an All-Star Resort when we first got there. And at Contemporary, any time we heard the characters talk to us in the elevator over the speaker. So many little things!
It’s so funny that you posted this article because I to have a curb that is so special to my wife and I. Even though it has changed to a slight degree over the years it is truly a wonderful spot inside the Magic Kingdom for us. Thanks for posting this. It’s great to read articles that truly speak to the true Disney fan in all of us.
Who knew curbs would be so impactful in our lives!
Such a fantastic article. Thank you for writing it. Now my story…. There is a a path between Liberty Square and the hub where Princess Tianna meets. My 4 year old son was on his 1st trip to Disney and did not understand what Disney was all about. Moments after arriving in the park we happened to encountered Snow White on this path, sans handler, as she was rushing off to the 3 O’Clock parade. Upon seeing my son, Snow White couldn’t resist and she stopped to gush over my little boy as he was wearing his Nemo Shirt and clutching his Pal Mickey. The smile on his face was huge as she sweet talked him as only Snow White can do. As we were walking away my son turned to us and said “I think I am going to like this place!” Now that is one heck of a park memory and it still brings tears to my eyes today. That little boy grew up but we made a lot of Disney memories over the years. Still that first one has to be Mom’s favorite!
I know exactly where you mean! Such a precious story.
On one hand, I agree and understand how you feel. I grew up (and have recently returned to) Central Florida and my first job in high school was at Casey’s Corner in MK. I sorely miss SpectroMagic and the Remember the Magic parades, and those are obviously the best ones (to me) because they’re my nostalgia. However, I think it’s important to remember that we are, in fact, talking about nostalgia. Younger kids today are making memories in the parks now and will lament future changes.
Do you miss Mission to Mars? I’m sure you don’t because you are too young to remember ever going on it. That change probably doesn’t bother you very much.
All I’m saying is that we all know the cliche of the old person lamenting how everything is terrible now and how everything was better back in the ’20s, and that’s what many of us do now… without even realizing that’s what we’re doing.
The parks must evolve and they must grow. And they will continue to do so for decades to come.
Dear Whitney,
I read your article here with great interest.
I relate to it in every aspect.
Every word of it is heart felt and the TRUTH.
I will not try to out line the many parts of the Parks which hold such meanings to me, as there would simply not be enough space hereto list them…
And it hurts me to the deepest part of my core, to see things be so change and taken away as if they have no meaning at all….
It gives us who love, a feeling of betrayal, as something which we hold so revered could mean so little to those making the choices to eliminate them…
Almost as if it is a targeted campaign to destroy our connections and portals in time, where we can experience such memories and connections, stripping us of everything which we once loved so dearly.
No one loved the Magic Kingdom more them me….
From my first visit in the Spring of 72, I made the biggest prayer I could to live my life there.
My entire year would be spent dreaming of my return on that next yearly visit…
I became a Cast Member and I lived the most Magical of Dreams in so doing….
I saw many things which started to change in the mid 1980’s, and because I was there, I was able to purchase and preserve many bits and pieces of the Magic which was a part of me from the early days, as things were starting to change even then.
Events in life pulled me away from being a full time Cast Member, however, my visits to the Magic Kingdom were plentiful, and for me each time I set foot on Town Square it was as if I never left and that i was HOME again.
There is NO WHERE in the ENTIRE WORLD that I would RATHER BE…. it is complete Magic for me and no where do I feel more happy simply by being there!!!
In the past few years however, I found myself feeling angry in my happiest place of all places….
I witnessed many things as you described and I saw it as desecration of something almost holy.
Still, I was able to see enough Magic still remaining that I still LOVED to simply be there….
Bit by bit, more and more is being chipped away at….
and even if something new is built, I cannot see anything other then what was once there before they knocked it down.
not just things of physical substance, but even the feeling I get from guests and Cast Members….
It is not as it was….
The Core Values have been changing…
We can feel it.
We see what is coming….
Ready to knock down parts of Tomorrowland…
Frontierland is going to see the wrecking ball, and Adventureland the Bulldozer…
Tearing down MEMORIES for countless people…
I never thought it possible, but I can see the day where I simply would NOT want to go to my most favorite place, because it would be TOO PAINFUL to see what it has become.
Your “Curb” is not an odd story at all…
It is a story that we who have heart all can share.
Your Curb has ALREADY been taken away from your Parade experience…
Now that entire area of the Town Square inner Hub, is RESERVED for SPECIAL VIEWING ….
ONLY Guests who are part of eating lunch at Town Square Cafe are PERMITTED to watch the Parade in that area!
I watched in horror, as the outer circle would be crowded with Guests watching the Parade, and the INNER CIRCLE would have empty sidewalk space…. and Guests were TURNED AWAY by Cast Members monitoring the area because they did not have a “special pass” to view the Parade in that RESERVED AREA!.
You now can see your Curb Whitney, but unless you plan on eating at the Town Square Cafe that day, you can FORGET about feeling the MAGIC as you sit on that special Curb.
It breaks my heart to say it, but I think this is a battle already lost Whitney…
It is as the man who drank poison and is walking around many hours before his body actually stops working and he falls to the ground…
He is ALREADY DEAD, and it is only a matter of getting to the place where he will fall to the ground for that final time.
Just got home from Disney and I was very sad with the chanfes. We were in the park for 7 hours and didnt see one character greeting or walking around. There was the dance party and it was fun however i miss the days and excitement of turning a corner hopfully to see a friend. My grandchildren will never feel that wonderment of disney. So sad
Go to Disneyland. Characters walk around constantly.
It’s such a better overall experience in CA than FL. Better rides, better shows/parades and most importantly better guests.
This was a great articles though!
Walt Disney’s core value on the parks was to continuously change, expand, and evolve the parks and attractions. So as I see it, the core value is the same. The lands will not ve going anywhere soon, if they ever even tear down those lands in the parks.
They have to keep them up to date so people continuously come back.
Most importantly, look forward to new memories on the new rides and attractions and cherish the old memories.
Dear Whitney,
I read your article here with great interest.
I relate to it in every aspect.
Every word of it is heart felt and the TRUTH.
I will not try to out line the many parts of the Parks which hold such meanings to me, as there would simply not be enough space hereto list them…
And it hurts me to the deepest part of my core, to see things be so change and taken away as if they have no meaning at all….
It gives us who love, a feeling of betrayal, as something which we hold so revered could mean so little to those making the choices to eliminate them…
Almost as if it is a targeted campaign to destroy our connections and portals in time, where we can experience such memories and connections, stripping us of everything which we once loved so dearly.
No one loved the Magic Kingdom more them me….
From my first visit in the Spring of 72, I made the biggest prayer I could to live my life there.
My entire year would be spent dreaming of my return on that next yearly visit…
I became a Cast Member and I lived the most Magical of Dreams in so doing….
I saw many things which started to change in the mid 1980’s, and because I was there, I was able to purchase and preserve many bits and pieces of the Magic which was a part of me from the early days.
Events in life pulled me away from being a full time Cast Member, however, my visits to the Magic Kingdom were plentiful, and for me each time I set foot on Town Square it was as if I never left and that i was HOME again.
There is NO WHERE in the ENTIRE WORLD that I would RATHER BE…. it is complete Magic for me and no where do I feel more happy simply be being there!!!
In the past few years however, I found myself feeling angry in my happiest place of all places….
I witnessed many things as you described and I saw it as desecration of something almost holy.
Still, I was able to see enough Magic still remaining that I still LOVED to simply be there….
Bit by bit, more and more is being chipped away at….
and even if something new is built, I cannot see anything other then what was once there before they knocked it down.
not just things of physical substance, but even the feeling I get from guests and Cast Members….
It is not as it was….
The Core Values have been changing…
We can feel it.
We see what is coming….
Ready to knock down parts of Tomorrowland…
Frontierland is going to see the wrecking ball, and Adventureland the Bulldozer…
Tearing down MEMORIES for countless people…
I never thought it possible, but I can see the day where I simply would NOT want to go to my most favorite place, because it would be TOO PAINFUL to see what it has become.
Your “Curb” is not an odd story at all…
It is a story we who have heart all can share.
Your Curb has ALREADY been taken away from your Parade experience…
Now that entire area of the Town Square inner Hub, is RESERVED for SPECIAL VIEWING ….
ONLY Guests who are part of eating lunch at Town Square Cafe are PERMITTED to watch the Parade in that area!
I watched in horror, as the outer circle would be crowded with Guests watching the Parade, and the INNER CIRCLE would have empty sidewalk space…. and Guests were TURNED AWAY by Cast Members monitoring the area because they did not have a “special pass” to view the Parade in that RESERVED AREA!.
You now can see your Curb Whitney, but unless you plan on eating at the Town Square Cafe that day, you can FORGET about feeling the MAGIC as you sit on that special Curb.
It breaks my heart to say it, but I think this is a battle already lost Whitney…
It is as the man who drank poison and is walking around many hours before his body actually stops working and he falls to the ground…
He is ALREADY DEAD, and it is only a matter of getting to the place where he will fall to the ground for that final time.
I understand your points and agree with most of what you say. Growing up we went to WDW every 3 years, it was a (expensive) treat of a vacation for my brothers and me. We knew it would be something special. When you lined up for the nighttime parades, you were excited to see something you couldn’t see at home. Of course it was Main Street Electrical in the early 90s but fast forward a decade and I was thrilled, no honored, to be a Cast Member in the Spectromagic parade! One of the highlights of my time there and I had many. I truly lament my children not experiencing that now. I’ll never forget my (now 4yo) daughter’s little hands waving furiously at the characters as the MSEP passed when she was only 20mo. I know change is needed, it’s inevitable, but why not preserve the history of the parks along with it…That’s important too. And what changes should be for the better, to “keep moving forward,” to innovate (like talking fur characters) not just change for the sake of change or the bottom line.
Can you be any more yikes? If you hate Disney World so much get off a news site dedicated to it.
Heather, can you be anymore without feeling or understanding? What you label as hate, is called LOVE. When someone feels something they LOVE is being destroyed, it hurts them because they CARE. Clearly, the heart that has no feeling sees nothing wrong with destroying that which holds such special meaning… the care that loves however, feels the most pain.
My wife and I have been regulars since our 1991 honeymoon. So many favorites are gone. Even things like the selection of merchandise being simplified makes us sad at times. Food, however, has gotten much better!
While heartfelt, change is the only constant…
While this article is heartfelt, you cannot live in the past. Change is the only constant.
That is a great story. I didn’t start going to the parks until the ripe old age of 27 so I don’t have those type of memories. But here I am now at the age of 44 about to my 4 year old down for the first time in August to start her memories for the first time there.
You mean, the young age of 27. I’m 28 ;) and it doesn’t matter when you go! Disney is magical for all stages of life. Have fun with your daughter! I have a 5 year old, and seeing her face when we’re there is the most magical thing.
I miss the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, too. But you know what? WDW circa 2018 has vastly more to offer than those halcyon days of yore. My first visit was over 40 years ago as a kid, and the place only amazes me more every time I go. I love that they’re always trying something new.
20,000 Leagues is still at Disneyland in CA. It’s still a submarine ride, but it’s changed to a Finding Nemo theme.
Right on!
Great article, growing up we’d go down to Florida every year, on our way to my grandmother’s in Fort Lauderdale. We loved the parades and Spectromagic was the highlight of the trip. We didn’t go for a few years, after my Dad passed, also had two kids. We started going last year and went this year, to share the joy with the kids and will still go for years to come, it was great and the kids love it,I feel like I might love it even more than them lol! When we learned that Spectromagic was cancelled it put a damper on our visit at the Magic Kingdom, my mom especially because we too had a special place we’d sit with my Dad, on top of the train station, to the far right when looking up from your spot, it was our favorite spot looking down as the parade went by and the Spectromagic song playing, on this magic night a million stars will play beside us… Watching all the lights go down main Street and see Cinderellas Castle lit. Don’t get me wrong tho the new effects and fireworks withHappy Ever After are awesome, but to be Spectromagic was Disney magical at it’s finest.
SpectroMagic lives on in my family. We listen to the soundtrack almost daily! You know a parade had to be special to continue to have a presence in people’s lives long after it’s gone.
For me, it’s a character… Figment. I grew up in Orlando (don’t hate me). When Epcot opened in 1982 we fell in love. The educational theme, along with being less crowded was great for us. That was our park. Once it was open, Epcot was our first choice. We’d ride Imagination. My dad would sing along with Figment and Dreamfinder. It was beautiful. Six years later, when I was 12, my dad was taking from us during a robbery at work. Now, Figment and the cheesy song offer a connection to him that takes me back to childhood. I can hear him singing loudly and off key still, thirty years later. I’m back in Orlando again. Anytime we get to go to Epcot I make sure to visit Figment, even though his ride is NOT the same, so I can feel my dad with me.
I don’t hate you for growing up in Orlando! I envy you. We love Figment, too! His ride is one we have to visit every time we’re there, and I love perusing his shop afterwards and picking up knick knacks that feature him :)
The original Imagination pavilion with Dreamfinder and Figment was leagues better than the current one, the original Imagination ride and play area (ImageWorks) were filled with creativity, originality, and magic. Current pavilion is a disappointment (especially the Pixar film theatre what???, please bring back Captain EO or Magic Journeys).
Vickie. Been to Disney World only twice. First time with some family members. My son at the time was 11 and my niece was 5. Had a great time and really 8 enjoyed and remembered Its a small world boat ride fantastic. The night parade was unforgettable. The second time my daughter was 14 in 2008. Same reaction had more time and enjoyed. More characters. We are planning another trip in 2 more yrs. When my niece daughter turns 5. The most enjoyable is the parade because you get this feeling that you just can’t explain.. The memory is unforgettable. I’ll always love disney world.
There are too many special places in the parks for me to even count, but if I get the same feeling you describe here when I visit certain attractions. Mostly the slow, underappreciated rides are the ones that get me. The Peoplemover, the Carousel of Progress, and Spaceship Earth are my must visits for every trip. My mother and I made them our tradition, and they, more than any other part of the parks, developed my obsessive loving relationship with WDW.
Man this one got me in the feels. My siblings are all 10 to 20 years younger than me and my Dad relocated after my parents divorced so I’m the only one who grew up in the parks with my dad. Our spot to watch the night parades was on the platform in Frontier Land in front of the gift shop near the shooting gallery. There is a raised tree planting bed that for some reason was always empty. Maybe bc most kids wanted to be near the rope to see everything whereas I was only interested in seeing things from as high up as possible – ie tree planting bed in frontier land. Once I started going as an adult I introduced my husband to the secret spot. He is now a fan as well. Sadly the night parades have ended but my love of Disney never will. Recently my dad was diagnosed with cancer and given 6 min to live. As the big sister I took the whole family for a special trip to disney. My dad and I were able to watch one last night parade together like we did when i was a kid… since he was sick he was on a scooter so.we got special seating near the train station on main street. But to be able to do that one last time with him was amazing…no matter where we were sitting.
I have a picture of my kids sitting on a cute white bench that was around Main Street. Now those benches are upstairs on balcony. I really would like to have them back where we could get a photo. Every time we go I look around to check if they are back down.
Although many attractions are important and hold emotional value to people, it is important that they continue to evolve the parks. Walt said it himself. I embrace the changes. For example, when the tower of terror at DCA changed, I didn’t complain. I saw the plans and the sketches for the guardians of the galaxy ride, and I was excited. Turns out, in my opinion, the guardians ride was better. I did truly enjoy the original tower of terror, but I also truly enjoy the guardians of the galaxy ride.
Take a look at Universal studios Hollywood, it was a tiny park, but when it made the slightest changes and added the harry potter land, their park attendance skyrocketed.
New rides, new lands, and new things in the disney parks will keep people coming back and allow for growth in attendance.
If disney kept everything in the park the same, even the things that are the most sentimental of value to some people, they would fall behind. An absence of change within businesses will, over time, kill the company. You can see many examples of this throughout history.
Since disney continuously brings new things to their parks, they allow themselves to grow and stay on top of the industry.
I understand that some things in their parks hold sentimental value and that when they change them it can be a little upsetting. Just remember, there is a reason for the change, and usually a very important one too.
Walt disney himself said the parks should always change, evolve, and that they are never finished.
Just look forward to something new. Those important memories won’t be going anywhere if they are truly important memories.
Great article! While I agree with a lot of posts that change is inevitable, it’s the WAY that many of the changes are occurring that doesn’t feel very – Disney. Many of the locations for new rides seem haphazard, whereas great thought used to be put into a rides fit and theming within the park it was placed. The focus on Walt is so downplayed now, you might forget who started it all. As others have noted, characters used to roam the parks, and theming and detail used to be so important, even down to the napkins! Some ride replacements I understand – others I’m baffled by – like The Great Movie Ride, which seemed to be the heart and centerpiece of Hollywood Studios. Granted, some changes are economics. I’m old enough to remember when you could watch the Florida animators work in the Disney Animation building before that whole team was fired. And I agree, the food has improved tremendously. My thoughts are only about Walt Disney World, as I’ve never been to Disneyland. I hear much more positive feedback about Disneyland these days. It seems to be far better run than WDW. The Paint The Night Parade looks amazing!
My spot in MK is Its a Small World… when I was there as a 9 or 10 year old, I got stuck on the ride with my family for over an hour until the ride started moving again…. hearing that song… over and over…. I have nightmares about it but its still the one memory that I’ve retained as I grow older. That and viewing Space Mountain’s building for the first time from a distance because I was finally tall enough to ride it.
My favorite traditions are hearing the tollbooth person say “that will be $37 please” just to park somewhere I’m about to pay $120 just to enter. Or the one cast member who always yells at me for standing in a reserved spot to watch the fireworks.
There is a fundamental difference between building new attractions in effort to create reasons to keep coming back to the Parks, and TEARING DOWN Attractions, to be replaced by these new Attractions. There is plenty of land to expand and build the new WITHOUT DESTROYING the old memories and traditions. The added growth in Hotels and Time Share, created crowd increases, therefore it only makes sense to expand the offerings at the Parks to handle the added attendance. There would be only positive reactions to the creation of new Attractions if they did not come with the cost of taking away the rest. How could anyone who cares NOT be hurt when memories are destroyed?? The fact that memories are NOT worth preserving is the MOST disturbing part about it.
Hello Whitney and thank you for writing this article
Small memories like the ones you shared sparked my devotion and passion of the Disney company
The core goal of family values and being different from anywhere else truly makes Disney special
Walt wanted every part of the park to be perfect. Submerging guests within the theming. He wanted to create a clean safe and magical park for everyone to enjoy. Looking at 1955 Disney land I truly see Walt’s vision. Walking into tomorrow land and learning about space travel or the housing of the future was a special experience. Epcot or the experimental prototype community of tomorrow would of been great to see and showed how innovative Walt was.
Unfortunately I feel the Disney company is heading in the wrong direction. Since the Eisner era the company has seem to become money hungry and has been fading away from Walt’s vision. Personally I believe anything related to marvel Pixar Lucas film or 20th century should not enter the parks because they do not have the Disney touch. While the Disney touch is difficult to explain I fell I truly understand it through the experiences within Disney. I hope the Disney company can revive itself to times of Walt. Thanks for the article Whitney and sorry about the rant!
I hadn’t seen something as pure as this article felt in a very long time, it moved me a lot because I am that person that lives in the past. I mourn the attractions lost that held a lot of sentimental value to me, because they meant that much.
But no matter how much I miss the things that brought me magic, I still manage to find the small things from what I loved as a kid, the things that no matter how much the parks have changed, that remind me of childhood and everything I loved. Though most of those small details are gone now, there are a few that remain.
By far, the most important to me though is the spot near the quick service restaurant in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot. Back when I was little, my parents used to get tickets to go to Disney every year. That spot was where my parents stopped for the night to watch IllumiNations, which is the first time I really remember seeing fireworks in person. I still remember that trip so vividly, and it’s that moment that ignited my love of fireworks that I still carry with me to this day. We used to watch the fireworks from over there up until I was a high schooler, so especially during Christmas time, the area just holds a lot of memories.
Your spot at the Mexico Pavilion reminded me of our spot in front of the Germany Pavilion where we used to watch IllumiNations. Thanks for sharing.
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There’s a lamppost on Main Street where my husband and I called our families to tell them we were engaged! We always take pictures by “our lamppost” now.