More than 17 million people visit Disneyland every year, but few see the work behind the experience to see what it takes to run the park. WSJ follows three employees behind the scenes to see how one o
The most impressive logistical feat in this entire video was how they managed to avoid showing a single piece of actual infrastructure or operational data while keeping a straight face about it being an inside look. Pure Disney magic (sponsored by corporate PR).
❤ as someone that has worked in the hotel industry for most of my career… I totally get this… I was like filling in the blanks with some of the script. Anybody can do what I do… But it’s about… Repeat with me… The guest experience! That they want to come back and you made their day special!
What a privilege it was to spend 20 magical years working alongside Mary the most beautiful soul to ever sprinkle pixie dust across that enchanted park! 🌟
She was the truest example of a Disney leader: wonderfully hands-on and full of heart. Even as a high-up manager, Mary chose to eat lunch right there in the break room with the rest of the cast, hopped on the cast shuttle just like everyone else, and skipped the fancy priority parking. She wasn’t just “one of us” she truly was one of us. Whether you had a question, a concern, or simply needed a listening ear backstage, talking to Mary felt like chatting with a fellow cast member who just happened to have a little extra magic in her smile.
Disneyland is full of both thrilling adventures and occasional plot twists, but working with Mary was one of the happiest chapters of all. I still remember the leadership class she taught to us emerging leaders her wisdom was pure pixie dust! To this day, I carry her advice with me and use it every single day in the business I’ve built.
Mary, thank you for showing us what real Disney leadership looks like with kindness, humility, and a whole lot of heart. You made the park (and our lives) bright
I bought a $600 annual pass a couple of years ago. Worth every cent! It's awesome to go every week sometimes just for coffee and to walk. It's more than the rides.
Oh my gosh, I met Nick Cruz on it’s a small world 🥺 me and my friend were in row 5 and he was in row 6. I saw “remembering Sue” on his button and i immediately knew what it meant and started crying behind my sunglasses. Then our eyes met and he introduced himself and started telling us about his wife. By then I was really crying… and I reached out and squeezed his hand. I said thank you for sharing that with us 🥺🥺🥺🥺 What a guy
As a local, I experienced "The Magic" from 2000 to 2020. Premium annual pass every year, and an obsessive 1000+ individual visits, averaging a visit a week.
Since then, it's over-priced and overly-crowded. Do I miss it? Yes. Is it worth it now? No. Not for the average person.
Of course, if you are a tourist and can afford $4,000 for a 2-day stay, I applaud you! Have a magical time and tell Mickey I said hello!
As someone who worked at Disney World, it's pretty fun, and they give lots of perks. This video feels a bit fluffed up with the emotional convo on the bench (which was a very bittersweet moment). But we were told never to sit in front of guests, and we would not have had the time to (nor could we leave our positions) to go sit and have a full conversation with a guest. I think it's nice to share the behind-the-scenes, but if anyone wants real answers on how Disney is operated, this isn't the full story.
The whole video did not explain how Disneyland is like running a small city at all.
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She was the truest example of a Disney leader: wonderfully hands-on and full of heart. Even as a high-up manager, Mary chose to eat lunch right there in the break room with the rest of the cast, hopped on the cast shuttle just like everyone else, and skipped the fancy priority parking. She wasn’t just “one of us” she truly was one of us. Whether you had a question, a concern, or simply needed a listening ear backstage, talking to Mary felt like chatting with a fellow cast member who just happened to have a little extra magic in her smile.
Disneyland is full of both thrilling adventures and occasional plot twists, but working with Mary was one of the happiest chapters of all. I still remember the leadership class she taught to us emerging leaders her wisdom was pure pixie dust! To this day, I carry her advice with me and use it every single day in the business I’ve built.
Mary, thank you for showing us what real Disney leadership looks like with kindness, humility, and a whole lot of heart. You made the park (and our lives) bright
Since then, it's over-priced and overly-crowded. Do I miss it? Yes. Is it worth it now? No. Not for the average person.
Of course, if you are a tourist and can afford $4,000 for a 2-day stay, I applaud you! Have a magical time and tell Mickey I said hello!