Welcome to Reflecting on the Magic

Let’s pretend for just a minute that the coronavirus and this whole quarantine thing that we’re currently experiencing wasn’t happening. Let’s imagine that you and I (and ALL OF US) were meeting up at the Magic Kingdom for the afternoon to ride our favorite attractions, eat our favorite snacks, and savor laughter-filled moments.

Of course, at the end of our park day, we’d stop by the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor for a sundae covered in gobs of hot fudge, and we’d sit at a table under a yellow and white umbrella and recall the highlights of our day. We’d laugh and eat and soak in the adventure just a little bit longer, just because we could.

This is a new daily column that I’ll be writing, and I hope that you’ll join me as I reflect on the magic of the Disney parks, resorts, movies, television shows, and everything in between. I picture it to be a virtual table where we can meet, share, laugh and reminisce. 

My last day in the parks for work was Wednesday, March 4th. It was a brilliant and sunny early spring day. It was the first day of the 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival and opening day for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Hollywood Studios. When Disney decides to do ALL THE THINGS on the same day, it ends up being a marathon of sorts for the DIS team, and I love it.

I’ll tell more about that day, including my experiences at the festival and riding Runaway Railway in the days ahead. On opening day of a festival, each DIS team member has several missions to accomplish. One of my missions that day was to help cover the food offerings available at the Outdoor Kitchens located throughout Epcot’s World Showcase for the Disney Dining Show. As I sit here and break down what I did that day, one of the shiniest memories was not just a singular moment, but a string of moments woven throughout the day.

One of my greatest joys is getting to meet readers, viewers and listeners, and, throughout that day, we had the chance to meet and get to know many of you. I’m hoping that you and I will be back in the parks and able to meet face to face soon, but until then, perhaps this column could be a space in which we can meet. 

So, hi! My name is Deni. I love my family, all things Disney parks and DCL, lime green, Remy, Orange Bird, the MCU and hot fudge. What about you? What’s your name and who or what do you love? If you have a chance, please introduce yourself in the comments section below. 

And maybe, if we close our eyes for just a moment, we can almost see the stripes of the yellow and white umbrella hanging over us as we gather around the table reflecting on the magic.