Piloting the Millennium Falcon solo is not all it’s cracked up to be.
While they are only loading one party per cockpit during the pandemic, I found myself alone in navigating our beloved hunk o’ junk this morning. It was… fine. But when I ran into spires and miscellaneous space cargo, it was only my voice I heard echoing in laughter throughout the ship. And it made me realize something critical; it’s the presence of others that makes our moments so magical.
Just watch any family or group of friends descending from the exit of an exciting ride… you’ll see them laughing and joking, comparing experiences and reliving it together.
Even as a solo traveler, usually I can join in casually with those around me, nodding heads and smiling at least after having traveled the galaxy together.
But in an era of social distancing, suddenly I’m left with a solo trip that is truly… solo. Sure there is the occasional banter with a Cast Member, but far less frequent are the in-line exchanges with other hot and tired Disney enthusiasts. In an era of plexiglass walls and physical distancing, I’ve truly never felt more alone at Disney.
Which is why Disney reminds us of our need for each other. For the shared human experience, the humanity of surviving seemingly perilous experiences together, the simple joy or laughing at corny Jungle Cruise jokes with one another, the surprising shock of getting soaked on Grizzly River Run (it’s always the holes in the floor that get you on that one!).
We need each other. Disney isn’t Disney without YOU. You make the magic by being with each other in the magic, whether it be with friends, family, or strangers that adopt you into their tribe when you are placed there from the single rider line.
And the magic doesn’t end when you take the Tragic Express to the airport (though sometimes it feels that way). Traveling home, you relate your memories to others who join in the ritual of also sharing their past magical moments with you as well, and it perpetuates on, this building of community from shared experience.
Not only do you relate stories of joy and laughter, but also of the conquered feats of extreme heat, overwhelming crowds, and a report of how many miles you walked, wearing it all like a badge of honor. Because you accomplished something. Even if that something was only standing in the sun for 90 minutes for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (a purely hypothetical example, I assure you).
As much as we lament the crowds and wish for ghost-town park days, I encourage you to look at those around you as part of the magic, as much as you are. Because being with is as important as being at when it comes to Disney.
The value of being with is echoed throughout our beloved Disney films as well. Take, for example, when Tiana finally recognizes that hard work wasn’t what her daddy valued most. Or when our culinary rat Remy and his new-found friend Alfredo Linguini learn to work cooperatively to create something they could never accomplish on their own. Or when Stitch gives up his solitary design to opt in to a small, broken family who loves him despite all his flaws.
Despite social distance and the barriers around us in this season, never has it been more critical for us to thank those around us for being present, and to make the effort to talk a little more loudly than we feel comfortable with through our masks, just so we can make that connection with someone who may be wondering if there is any magic left in this lonely planet.
And that’s where you come in.
You can be the magic for them.
Even from a distance.
Who is your favorite person to share the magic with? Tell me in the comments and share this post with them to let them know you’re getting a virtual dole whip with them today!
Need an extra dose of Disney inspiration every week? Don’t forget to subscribe below!
