Dear Magic Happens

Tonight, weeks and months of preparation will lead to the opening of a brand-new parade at the Mouse House and as I do, I had a few words that I wanted to leave with my Disney fam:

First: holy crap, you made it! To each person involved in making Magic Happen, congratulations, you did it. What you created is special and unique and completely new to anything the resort has ever seen and I do not take lightly the hard work that each person involved put into creating this parade. I hope that you are proud, excited and happy with what you have done because you absolutely should be. From the creative team, to the managers and leads, choreographers, parade support, costuming, cosmo and everything in between, none of this magic could not have happened without each of you, so trust that are stars have aligned for this moment, and each of you did something amazing here.

Now for those reading this, who will not be making magic this week, know that I see you and understand how you feel. I understand the joy that comes with being picked and seen as someone talented and strong enough to open something new. I understand the disappointment in yourself, and the questioning of your talents. I know its hard to smile at each new post, article and update when you want to be in their shoes. I know you were ready and wanted to be a part of the big new thing. I know how hard it is to keep a smile on your face when folks complain, tell you how tired they are, or what they don’t like and want you to listen to the struggle of the very thing you would simply die to be a part of. I know you are over there, checking yourself and your talent in the mirror and wondering “why not me?”.

I know, because I feel it to.

But know this: the magic you’ve created here is not dimmed based on where you are currently or aren’t currently making it. The thing is, we hold the magic within ourselves. As much talent as it takes to open a new parade, it takes just as much to cheer from the sides. You are special because each person in a relay is important, not just the first leg. And that’s exactly what a parade is, a relay. The opening cast has set the bar. The second and third legs keep it going, for years, and the last guy closes the show and brings it home. Trust that at some point they will need our magic and all we can do is be ready. Be ready, be willing, be open, be prepared and never be bitter. I am proud of all of us because I know the disappointment that being on the sides has brought us for the last few months, but I cannot wait until it is our time to get our chance to one day make some magic down that route again… and until then, know that I see you, appreciate you and are rooting for you.

To conclude, to the opening cast, first and foremost, congratulations. I do not take lightly the task that you were given and cannot wait to see it all come together. Know that at any point someone else could have been given this opportunity but today, at this moment, you were and are the best for the job. Know that, believe that and do not take that for granted. You were the ones, who built this from the ground up, from the workshops to the street and every single moment in between. You did that. No one else. You deserve to be proud of yourself because I surely am. You have been pushed beyond your wildest dreams, and your bodies have been tested to their breaking points, and yet, there you are, ready to show the world what you’ve done. Its here, so do the damn thing. I know you can do it. Why? Because once upon a time, every single parade was the newest hardest thing that Main Street had ever seen, and they made it work. So believe in yourself and give it all you have. Not because I asked you to, but because you should want to. The greatest way to show you are thankful is to give all you have. The pictures will come, the critics will have their opinions, changes may still be around the corner but what matters is YOU were chosen, to make this magic, so do it, fully.

Lastly, and most importantly, I implore you to take a second and remember this moment and remember this feeling. Remember how it felt to get your casting email, how it felt to see the mockups and hear the music. I want you to remember everything from your first rehearsal to your last, and each moment in between. Take a moment to look down at your shoes, yes even your shoes, and think of how many people who would die to be in them. I want you to breathe deep, real deep and just take it all in. This feeling, aches and pains, sore bodies and all. Long nights, overnights, looping’s, all of it. Take a moment a remember that you were chosen for this, and that should never be taken lightly.

In a few months, the thrill of the opening will have passed, and the reality of the monotony will set in. The cameras will go, injuries will begin, scheduling won’t be on your side, people will come and go, days will get longer and hotter and you will still be there, doing that thing, repeatedly. Every single day. And that, my friends, is where the true magic begins. Remember that even though you’ve done the show 1000 times, for someone out there, its their first time and they deserve that opening day performance. Be that person, every single time. What you have created is special, and you owe it to yourself to treat it that way, six months from now, 1 year from now and forever. Make magic happen, not for the photos, or the chance to have opening cast on your jacket, but because you are magic… and if you weren’t you wouldn’t be here. Whatever happens tonight, know that you gave it you're all. Trust the magic inside yourself and keep that feeling close every single time you hit the route...

Proud of you guys. And no matter what I see today will change that!

“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.” - Johann Wolfgang