Kelly Wiseman

Ms. Spaulding

English 111

Relationship Essay

Thesis: Walt Disney World is a place where I can forget the everyday life and turn into

a princess or a pirate. I can forget about all the planning I had to do to get there and just

enjoy being at The Happiest Place on Earth.

My family and I have been to Disney World five times in the past eleven years.

One of my fondest memories was this past Thanksgiving. We were in Magic Kingdom

waiting for the Fireworks to start when my dad surprises us by telling us that we will be

spending the next night in the Animal Kingdom Resort. We had never stayed in a Disney

Resort before so it was really exciting. The next day we went back to our hotel and got

our overnight stuff.

We checked into our room in the morning before we went to the park. Our room

felt like we had stepped into The Lion King. The lace curtains had Timon and Pumba

sewed into them. There was a mural of the sunset in the bathtub. The carpet was cheetah

print with hidden Mickey’s everywhere. The pool looked like a watering hole. There

were live, wild animals just outside our window. It was like we were on a safari. We have

experienced something new every time we’ve gone to Disney.

Walt Disney World is a place for families, newlyweds, anybody that needs a little

uplifting. It’s a place to create memories. It’s not just a park; it’s a whole other world. It’s

a production and everyone who works there is a part of the show.

 The Magic Kingdom is always the first stop when we go. Strolling down Main

Street I smell the fresh baked cookies coming from the bakeries and hear the music

pouring out of the emporium. It’s a family place. I feel connected with this area not just

because of the attractions but the environment.

The employees (or Cast Members as they’re called) share a special relationship

with me because I wish to work there as well someday. Ninety-five percent of the

employees have gone through or are apart of the Disney College Program, which is a paid

internship that lasts about a semester in length. The attractions hosts are very theatrical,

friendly, and helpful. That’s what I would like to do.

The places that I have the most connection to in Magic Kingdom are Splash

Mountain and Tom Sawyer Island. Splash Mountain is my favorite attraction. I have a

very big love for story telling and that’s the main point of this attraction. Whenever

there’s a dip or turn in the ride the story takes an interesting turn as well. The story is the

ride. And the final drop is a great way to end the story.

Tom Sawyer Island is not an attraction but it is a place to explore. There are caves

and bridges. I feel like I’m on an adventure with Huck and Finn, running through the

forest, chasing robbers. I feel like I’m five years old again.

My relationship with Magic Kingdom is based off of the memories that I have

there. I know where my family and I get our picture taken every time we go there. I know

where we sit every time we watch the fire works or watch the parade. We go there first

because it’s a classic park. It was the first one.

Epcot is one of my family’s personal favorites. It stands for Experimental

Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Epcot was the place that sparked out desire to travel.
World Showcase is a place were countries from all around the world to come together.

Each time we go there we pick a new country to eat at. We’ve eaten in Norway,

Morocco, Japan, France, and Canada (of course).

My relationship with World Showcase is an interesting one because I feel like

I’ve traveled all over the world but I haven’t left Central Florida. On the other side of

Epcot there is Future World and The Land. Both have great things to offer.

Soarin’ is my favorite attraction in Epcot. If someone asked me what superpower

I would have, I would say the ability to fly. Soarin’ makes me feel like I’m flying over

California on a hand glider. I can smell the pine trees and the oranges from the orange

orchard. I love the sensation it brings.

Innovations is my favorite place to go in Future World. It is like a children’s

museum for everybody. You can make your own roller coaster and then ride it. I can

make my own thunderstorms and natural disasters or go on an adventure with Kim

Possible. I have a very inventive mind so this spikes my imagination. I feel like a genius

that can come up with anything!

Epcot makes me think about the future and that I could be the one to shape it. My

future is what ever I want it to be. I have a desire to travel the world now that I did not

have before I went to World Showcase.

Hollywood Studios is a place where anybody can see what it would be like to be a

part of the movie business. I love seeing behind the scenes on how movies are made. I

feel like I’m on a back lot of movie set and any second someone is going to yell action.
 The Studio Backlot Tour is one of my favorite attractions at Hollywood Studios

because it’s like getting a personal backstage tour through all of my favorite Disney

movies. There is memorabilia all throughout the ride from all three of the Pirates of the

Caribbean movies. As well as High School Musical and The Chronicles of Narnia. It

makes me feel like I’m apart of the making the movies. I’m very interested in film

making so being able to see what it takes to put every thing together is fascinating.

The Great Movie Ride is my family and I favorite attraction at Hollywood

Studios. This attraction actually puts us in the movies, where as the Backlot Tour is just

about the making of the movies. We tour around sets from famous movies such as

Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, Wizard of Oz, The Godfather, and much more.

In the Disney College Program I have the opportunity to select Attractions Host

as my desired occupation. If I had the choice of which attraction to work at I would

choose The Great Movie Ride. The tour guides have the opportunity to interact with

different scenes. They’re more actors then they are guides. I think that I have a great

personality for that!

Hollywood Studios is all about the movies. I love movies. I feel connected with

that place because of my love for show business and the production of it all. I’m a

performer, and I feel I won’t be judged for what I love to do at Hollywood Studios.

Animal Kingdom is a place where I can come within a few feet of a giraffe or an

elephant. Like Epcot, it spikes my desire to travel. I would love to travel to Africa or Asia

and see all the animals that live there.

 A few years ago my sister and my dad went to Cape town, South Africa for a

mission trip. My sister loves talking about it and has always wanted to go back since.

There is a land in Animal Kingdom that is dedicated to Africa. I love watching my

sister’s face as we walk through there. The thatched roofs and dusty, dirty roads make it

more realistic. I can tell that my sister feels closer to Africa when she’s there.

The Kilimanjaro Safari is apart of Africa in Animal Kingdom. My sister and my

Dad say that it’s nothing like a real African Safari, but I think that having wildebeests

walk right up against the vehicle is pretty cool. I think that if I ever went to Africa that’s

what a real safari would be like.

There are two different countries represented in Animal Kingdom, Asia and

Africa. In Asia there is an attraction called Expedition Everest. It’s a wild train ride

through the Himalayan Mountains only to be interrupted by the mythical Yeti himself.

When I’m waiting in line I like looking at the pictures of the Imagineers (people that

think up the ideas for new park attractions) and researchers with little Tibetan children in

the Himalayas. I appreciate all the work that they put into each attraction or event. They

put so much though and research in to everything to make it more authentic. I wonder if

they know how much I appreciate it.

Animal Kingdom is a place where I can see why my family loves going to this

park as well. I feel like I know why the Imagineers put so much effort in to the parks.

That’s exactly what I would do if I were in their shoes.

Disney World is a place start great family memories. My relationship with Disney

World is built on imagination and joy. I imagine that one day, I’ll be the one to travel the

world in search of an idea that will make some great memories for a family like mine. I
have a sense of joy as soon as I step into any park and I want to give another family, or

couple, or someone the same joy that I feel. Disney World is, and always will be, My

Happiest Place on Earth.