Many of us Disney fanatics have scoured the internet for the behind-the-scene secrets and to hear employees dish about working for Disney. Those of us lucky enough to say we are previous Disney World employees don’t have to look for the secret of the magic: We know.
One of my fellow bloggers brought this lovely Yahoo article to my attention. The articles about all the secrets you are not supposed to know about working in theme parks. I can only wish some of my experiences were as scathing as the Belle and Gaston incident. My time was spent making burgers or doing the 3 p.m. shuffle at Pop Century during both of my internships.
There was a quote in the article from one employee that many of us former Disney employees would agree with: “Being around children and their parents all day every day has taught me how not to raise my children.”
This quote got me thinking, since some of how I parent is based on what I saw with parents interacting with their children at Disney.
No shame in admitting that some of my parenting style comes from seeing what I consider what to do and what NOT to do from complete strangers when I didn’t even have kids. We all do it.
I spoke with a former co-worker who still makes magic at Magic Kingdom. He has been with the company for seven years and has been in attractions for almost six years. I asked him two questions from a Disney employee perspective: 1) What does he want parents to know? and 2) What has working at Disney taught him about parenting?
He stressed the importance of the rule that any child under 7 must be accompanied by someone who is at least 14 or older. He said he tends catch a lot of flack about wanting the kids to, you know, be adequately supervised. Also, parents need to paying attention to and heed the height requirement sticks that are at the entrances of all the rides. This means not having a major fit if you child comes up short. I know your doctor told you Little Jane was 39 inches, but if she is measures 37 inches at Disney, she will not be riding. Again…safety.
Following the rules makes the visit magical for everyone involved.
My co-worker doesn’t have children of his own, but says he has learned a valuable parenting lesson from his time at Disney: He has learned that kids need patience and understanding and, most importantly, parents need to respect their likes and dislikes. If your child doesn’t like an attraction, do not try to force them to do it.
This is exactly why I haven’t taken my children to Disney yet, by the way. My daughter is not a fan of giant animals so amusement parks may not be the best idea yet.
Working at Disney is a life-changing experience. Who knew making magic for families would teach you about how you want to raise yours?
Feature image from iStock
