Disney World: Behind the Scenes of the Most Magical Place on Earth

[@geographicstravel]

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[@ashleelarsen5002]

Hard pass

[@michaelmayhem350]

Saying the middle of Florida is misleading, Disney owns more than half (62.5% as of writing) the available land in Florida

[@austinwilliamson8721]

You should look into doing a geographical video on Nazaré Portugal, 100 ft waves!

[@MorganaWitchy15]

When we were at Disney, we went to The Haunted Mansion. One Cast Member scared my daughter. She broke character to comfort her, then stayed with us through the whole thing. It was an awesome vacation to say the least.

[@mibevan]

I’m a Disney World Cast member and I always like listening to Simons videos when I drive home from work. This is really exciting to see a video about the park I work at.

[@sampilcher7196]

I am super curious as to what a day in the life is like. I wanted to do that when I was growing up but I can imagine that it kills a lot of the magic of the place knowing how everything works for one and then also having to deal with it as a job, coworkers, work issues, just all the normal shit at any job

[@dopaminedrought395]

@@sampilcher7196 I doubt that they can talk about any of the bad stuff while still employed there. I've followed a bunch of ex-cast members on youtube and tiktok and most of them said they were underpaid and even that Disney is a bad employer. You can look them up to make an informed decision.

[@Shinzon23]

How's the living situation? I hear the rent is God-awful

[@derekwilliams1169]

My mom, older brother and myself went down into the staff only tunnel areas when we went there when I was younger. They would have staff walking ahead of us and if there was any costume characters/staff in front of us they yelled “children below and all the staff and characters would go into rooms, or turn and face the walls as to not let us see them out of costume or anything like that. They also told us to keep our eyes closed but you can’t tell two children to keep their eyes closed.

[@pmgn8444]

Lived in central Florida and have been there many times. It's an impressive operation. Not just behind the scenes, but on how the crowds of people are managed and kept moving.

[@MosoKaiser]

As if being a despot and a mouse are mutually exclusive? _"He-he! Now go out there and make me some more goddamn money!"_

[@naturalstupidity]

The Mosquito abatement program at Disneyworld ought to have its own episode. It's friggin amazing.

[@kl0wnkiller912]

As a child I lived for a few years in Kissimee... I remember it had dirt streets. Later, we lived in Vero but when I turned 11 years old (1971) my grandparents took my little brother and I on a motorhome trip from their home in California back to Florida over the summer. It ended with a stop in Disney World. The park had just opened then and I remember everything was brand new. It was really awe inspiring. Today though, I avoid it like the plague....

[@jinx1120]

A lot of the Disney kitchens are staffed by interns from culinary school. They recruited super hard and made it seem like a super sweet deal until you looked into it more.

[@dopaminedrought395]

So far I haven't heard ONE good thing about Disney as an employer, istg

[@Beryllahawk]

Definitely a visit you'll remember your entire life. And it is little details that really sell the place - things that no one would even think about, much less bother with, at the county fair. Not to mention, more than half of my personal favorite attractions are definitely NOT going to be found in many other places, if anywhere. (I'm that kind of nerd that loves Epcot, 'nuff said) I've been there three times total in over 40 years, and every trip has had its own special memories, its specific moments of magic, and those have been enough to make me come back, despite the cost, the weather (it's damn hot even in January and not going to get better what with climate change), the crowds. That magic - and it's a different magic for every person in the park, I expect - is worth it all.

[@zaco-km3su]

Well, that's a good reason to open up a new park in a cooler place that would still allow the park to be open all year around.

[@hollowvoices1268]

Dude, you should do a video on the Hawaiian island chain stretching from The Big Island all the way to Siberia. Check out the massive land slides on topography maps showing the ocean floor around Hawaii. One of theses slides sent a massive - larger than Mount Everest - sized chunk like 150 kilometers away, with debris going as far as 200 kilometers away. Largest landslides and tsunamis on earth here.

[@ashleelarsen5002]

That sh*t is creepy

[@keryeeastin4022]

Sounds badass! Simon, Sir! Over here please

[@darkhymn]

I went to Disney World when I was 9. It was miserable, all I remember is blistering heat and humidity, noise, and long lines for everything. Splash mountain was nice.

[@pazzariatv]

Wow. You did your homework. Thank you for being 100% accurate on everything. Disney is so much more than anywhere else on the planet. It's just short of a miracle on how it's all pulled off so smoothly. For me, they are my number one inspiration. There's a tremendous amount of emotional depth at Disney, in so many different directions and respects. This, alone, is worth the price. In terms of the food being "overpriced".... I beg to differ, a little bit. They don't do fast food. They do fast casual. Their products are priced comparable to Chipotle, Blaze Pizza, etc... They also do casual and fine dining, that are about the same as what you would find at similar restaurants. In general, the merchandise isn't too much more than other places, either, for similar quality. A Disney t-shirt at Macy's is in and around $25. That is what you would pay in the parks (give or take, as Disney carries many different qualities). Really, the only way to get around the exorbitant ticket prices is to buy an annual pass. And, for your stay, well.... Like anywhere else on planet Earth, the closer you are to the action, the more it will cost you. **TIP** Swan and Dolphin aren't too outrageous.

[@Shinzon23]

You forgot to mention the fact that they exploit their workers and don't pay them a livable wage

[@SolaScientia]

I've been there twice in my life. Once when I was 8 in like '96 or something with a friend and her family. We had no idea we were going to Disney World until we got there. I don't want to know what it would have cost, but I was a blissful 8 year old without such worries, lol. My memory is fairly poor, but I do remember having fun. I went again as part of a band trip in high school. Both times I was just in the Magic Kingdom part of the park. As a teen it was admittedly less fun than when I was 8. I more remember how godawful the humidity was even with living in the Southeast US all my life. I wasn't aware there were separate tickets for each part of Disney World. When I went there when I was 8 we saw that one line was way shorter than the other, so we got on that monorail. We didn't realize until we were on it that we were headed to Epcot. My friend's parents already didn't really get along, but the ensuing argument made things a tad awkward. We got to the right park eventually though. I'm sure I'd actually like Epcot better than the Magic Kingdom if I went there now. Same for the Animal Kingdom section. I think my only regret is that having been there twice I still never have seen the big fireworks display put on after dark every single day. Both times we left before dark. On that high school trip we also went to Universal and that was a lot more fun. Rides more meant for teens and adults rather than younger children. I also had the benefit of having slept before we went there. When we got to Disney we'd been on the buses traveling overnight and we went straight to the park instead of the hotel. So they dumped a bunch of delirious teens hopped up on sugar and/or caffeine into an amusement park. Nothing bad happened, but looking back on it now I have to wonder what they were thinking doing that.

[@scrawnyclownsnatch9656]

Oh, you missed the best part of Epcot with the fireworks. I found Epcot boring myself (I also went there on a Band trip ironically) but the fireworks display was the best I have seen in my life by far.

[@robertharker]

An Ultimate Disneyland Story When my older daughter, Erin, was in the second grade we had a trip to Disneyland. Erin was the last kid in her second grade class to loose her first tooth. At Disneyland near Aerial's grotto the tooth came out. Constance, my ex, took it to the drinking fountain to wash it off. Oops, plop, the tooth is gone. Major disaster. Constance finds Byron, Aerial's handler. Byron is the Disney "cast member" in charge of making sure visits with Aerial go smoothly. Constance explains about the lost tooth and Byron understands it right away. He gets down on his haunches so he is eye level with Erin and explains that he is good friends with Tinker Bell and Tinker Bell is best buds with the tooth fairy and will make sure she knows about the tooth. He then tells Constance to come back around 6. Constance and the kids come back at 6. All three drinking fountains are now covered in black plastic. Byron really comes through. In a small box with a ribbon, tucked in a bed of cotton is Erin's tooth. Erin is so happy. But next, a woman in a corporate suit asks for the mother of the girl who lost her tooth. She talks to Constance in a hushed voice. "The plummer came and could not find the tooth." "In fact he checked all three drinking fountains." "We thought it was not right for a girl to loose her first tooth at Disneyland so we had our Imagining shop make a new one." "Don't take the tooth out of the box, it is not a real tooth." That makes it an ultimate Disneyland story.

[@bluegold1026]

As someone who’s been to WDW multiple times, the biggest draw for me is getting away from the stresses of real world. At least for a little while.

[@jfbeam]

... and replacing them of the stresses and headaches of a major theme park. As Cartman would scream... "lines, Lines, LINES! And then there's lines for the fast-pass!"

[@cappyjones]

@@jfbeam You're not *required* to go, you know.

[@truthsRsung]

jfbeam is correct. Why trade rush hour, sitting in a comfy seat in your car, for standing in line all day? Disney makes war propaganda and know what it takes to brainwash guests into making them THINK they are enjoying life there. Who can have a Magical Day if they can't start it with crispy bacon (or any other freshly cooked item.) There are no food prep facilities on site, not even in a resort hotel.

[@bluegold1026]

@@truthsRsung Opinions do not equal facts. To each their own.

[@truthsRsung]

@Benjamin Owen ...So what if you base your opinion on fantasy? Disney got paid to make war palatable for the masses. Fact. I asked you why you trade your real world for fantasy. You had nothing to say but some jibber jabber. Enjoy your pixie dust, child.

[@pamelamays4186]

One fact that I'm sure the public for the most part isn't aware of. In spite of all the money Disney World and Disneyland makes on a daily basis, most of their cast members don't even earn enough to afford housing in the cities where those parks are located. Raises in salary are far and few between.

[@philrabe910]

GRRRR. They made a big deal of giving raises after Trump's 2017 tax cut. Then they raised gate prices to cover the 'loss' in income.

[@maxprokopenko9444]

Worked there, agree 100%

[@jeremyforbes5244]

As a Floridian, I think thats more a circumstance to how expensive Orlando is to live now than anything else

[@Paul_Plays_Games]

The homeless should be able to live there

[@CalifLove]

That is true of most tourist based economies across the world. Workers in Aspen don't live in Aspen...hotel workers in NYC, SF, etc don't live in those cities.... as much as.i dislike Disney this isn't a Disney problem but a capitalism problem.

[@neilandrews2995]

Nice video man, I worked there for 14 years, actually in magic kingdom. The reason people go to Disneyworld is it's well earned reputation, problem is now that it's living off it by destroying it. All the tech and price hikes...it's not the same place it was when I started... Glad I got out....

[@zaco-km3su]

Considering the bill that passed, they are probably considering building another theme park somewhere else and not investing in this one anymore, eventually shutting it down and scrapping everything.

[@IzzyTheEditor]

@@zaco-km3su good

[@zaco-km3su]

Also, they have $1 billion money to start the investment because that's the amount of debt Disney doesn't have to pay anymore.

[@zaco-km3su]

@@IzzyTheEditor Considering they will have $1 billion of debt erased that means they have money to start moving.

[@zaco-km3su]

@J S Thank DeSantis. Disney would have wanted things to not change and pay off the debt. By erasing that special district (kind of like a county or sub county of their own), they transferred the debt to the surrounding counties.

[@robertharker]

Another Disneyland story One year when we were watching the parade in a sea of bodies. A thousand or more people and families standing shoulder to shoulder. About 6 feet (2 meters) away an older woman throws up and collapses. In less than a minute there is a cast member there assisting her. A minute later a Cushman cart with an EMT noses its way through the crowd. It stops and picks her and a family member up and drops off a cast member with a bucket who mops up the mess and walks back out of the crowd. In less than 5 minutes everything is back to rights without disrupting the parade. This is one of the reasons people pay so much to go to Disneyland. BTW, any cast member with an earbud is connected to Disneyland security. If you are ever in trouble at Disneyland, just yell out "Help, I need help" and a cast member will be right there with any help needed on its way.

[@diane8885]

We went in Oct. I was surprised at how many times( in our 4 day visit) rides were closed for several hours for repairs or broke. We actually got stuck in the Haunted Mansion. Despite those inconveniences, we had a good time.

[@guyvanarsdall7686]

Always wanted to get stuck in The Manse, never been that lucky.

[@zaco-km3su]

Well, another reason why Disney will start building another park outside Florida. It will also shut this one down. It will be gradual but it will happen.

[@pakde8002]

I was there fifty years ago after they finished space mountain with my church youth group. We were there late and the place was empty so we were able to ride it back to back without waiting in line. It was really magical.

[@michaelmcchesney6645]

About 20 years ago, I was visiting my sister in California. We spent a day at Disneyland and had the good fortune to be riding Space Mountain when the ride broke. I say good fortune because while it only took about 5 minutes to fix, it required them to turn the lights on so we got to see what the ride actually looked like. While Walt Disney might have been upset at the disruption of the illusion, but I found it fascinating. Plus after they got it working, they let everyone that had their rides interrupted ride again without having to disembark first.

[@hrmanager97]

Went in 2006 and get stuck in there also lol

[@joshbarron7406]

I just got back from WDW last week. I went with my girlfriend and we had the time of our lives. However, I can say that the most magical thing about the park is making your money disappear. I’m normally very conservative with money. But when I was there it didn’t even feel like I was spending real money. Something about the atmosphere makes you think $6 for a bottle of coke is a good deal. My aunt who used to go a lot 30 years ago expressed her frustration as she saw the parks go from affordable (ish) for all families to a treat only for the wealthy. Now that I’ve been, I really understand that frustration with the corporate greed. Here’s hope that the CEO shakeup will make it more affordable for all families.

[@PGar58]

No different than going to the movies or football games or anything like that. And with fountain soda they can basically have it run all day and not lose any money. The cup costs more than the beverage. That’s where they make their money.

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

I just wish face character princesses didn't have to deal with gross creeps perving on them. I know the handlers will put a stop to that kind of behavior when it happens, but it shouldn't happen at all. When I was there, I waved at Moana as she passed by, and she gave me a high-five. I wasn't expecting it, but it was nice of her. That's the extent of physical contact adults should have with them. I didn't know about security officers being disguised as guests, but that's clever.

[@twiggyjali]

my best friend and i went to tokyo disney while we were in japan in 2012. absolutely marvellous day~ blazing hot, but the water rides helped, the food was good, lines weren't bad, and the children were soooo well behaved! we even met ariel, whose actress was from the us and broke character when no one was around to chat with us in english about anything and everything ❤ i can't wait to go back. hoping to climb fuji next year, among many things on my trip.

[@TerenceClark]

Not dumping on those who decide to go, because I know it's a pretty big deal for a lot of folks. But just listening to those prices makes me glad I never bothered. Granted it's not really how my family does vacations, anyway, but still, those are eyewatering prices.

[@princessmarlena1359]

Tell me about it.

[@sampilcher7196]

My mom took me and my brother when I was 10 and it put her in so much debt. I will always be grateful for that experience it was an absolute blast. I’m 23 and I would go back today if I could afford flight and everything

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:25 - Chapter 1 - The florida project 4:50 - Chapter 2 - The power of the mouse 8:15 - Mid roll ads 9:30 - Chapter 3 - The inner workings 12:45 - Chapter 4 - Controversies 16:00 - Chapter 5 - Future challenges

[@Betsyboatt]

I was on Disney property when the little boy was taken by the gator. I was on my honeymoon and with that and the pulse shooting at a similar time it was so so sad. I did notice they put a LOT of extra cast members around at bus stops etc making jokes, handing out badges and stickers to try and keep guests calm and distracted. The helicopter looking for him was very visible and loud. It was so sad. They removed ALL seating from the ‘beach’ type areas and put up fencing very quickly (within I’d say 24-48 hours) at all the hotel parks. I was staying at a beach themed hotel so it was very noticeable. It was a very sad time and I felt a lot of cast members were saddened by the situation too.

[@lightbeingform]

My family is from LA but I was raised in the PNW, we went to Dizzyland when I was 6 or 7. It was cute and fun for a kid that age, but as memories go it didn’t stand out particularly from the joys of California: palm trees, beaches, and the locals are starring in their own little movie. I learned then what kind of traveler i am: i like to respectfully encounter culture on its own turf, see the nature of a place, get curious about whrre i am. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter where you go, there you are. I always liked Disney, it’s so immersive and safe, so candy-sweet and i can see why people get sucked into making multiple trips they can’t afford. The draw of that nostalgia is strong.

[@bluebelle8823]

"Instead of a despot, it is ruled by a mouse" Ah I'm reasonably sure that mouse has some pretty despotic tendencies.

[@princessmarlena1359]

🐭 “Ich bin ein Disneylander! Haw-haw!”

[@badbiker666]

My wife took our daughter to Disney World when she was five. They both had a great time. Such a good time, that my wife went back two years later, this time with our second daughter, who was one. The next year, they talked me into going. I loved it, but I especially loved the smiles and giggles from my girls. We went again the very next year, and at that time we vowed to make it an annual tradition. We went in January for the cooler weather and lower crowds. When both girls were in school, we took them out for the trip. The school said, "You can't do that." I said, "Watch me," and I did. We bought into the company time share system, called the Disney Vacation Club, so every year we got to stay in an ultra luxury room with a separate bedroom for mom & dad, a full kitchen, washer and dryer, TV and DVD player (with free movie rentals). Of course, we spent very little time in the room, and most of it exploring the parks. My older daughter is now in her 30s. She is a mother of two daughters of her own. My younger daughter is a mother of three, a daughter and twin boys. This past January (2023) we all went back together. That's my wife and I, the two girls, their five kids, and one son-in-law (the other just doesn't get Disney). That's ten people, and we all stayed in a two-bedroom suite. We met my mother and step-dad there, so we toured the Magic Kingdom as a family group of twelve. It was awesome!! But, if you ask WHY we love Disney World so much, it would be hard to pin down a definitive answer. It's not the characters, the rides, the food (which, although expensive, is great), or the sounds and smells of the place. It is a combination of all that, and for each of us I am sure the part they like the best is different and might even change from time to time. Yes, it's crowded. Yes, it's expensive. Yes, it's loud. Yes, it's all the things people say they hate about it. Florida weather can be unpredictable. This year it was colder there than at home, for example. But we didn't care. We spent a shit load of money, and every one of us will say that it was totally worth it. We can't afford to do this every year. My wife and I don't have nearly the income to be able to do that any more. I am nearing retirement and I only work part-time for medical reasons. But we will continue to try and make it happen for as long as we are able. My mom got to spend time with her great grand children this year. Maybe I will have the same opportunity. I'm not convinced that I will live that long, but it would be nice. But our kids WILL continue to take their kids as long as THEY are able. That's for sure.

[@ifamilymoments1965]

Your story is why Disney is successful and will continue for a long long time. I wish I can say I can afford it more to go often, but I do go when I can. Living in Miami, I am able to drive a short three or so hours, stay at a value resort, perhaps, or shack up with family that lives in Orlando. I am Disney nerd too 😊

[@badbiker666]

@@ifamilymoments1965 "Disney nerd." Yes, I think that everyone in my family would proudly wear that name, too. My son-in-law and I competed to see who could trade for an entire set of pins (I won). My older daughter saw a popcorn bucket online and decided she HAD to have one (she got it). My younger daughter bought her oldest a light up bubble wand. My oldest grandkids all wanted Mickey/Minnie ears. In all the years we've been going, I never bought any before. Well, I did this year, even for me, and we proudly wore them the whole day. Yup! I'd say we are Disney nerds, all right.

[@truthsRsung]

So insanity runs in your family. Trust in that one who, " doesn't get Disney." They have a brain of their own, with an imagination that works just fine.

[@badbiker666]

@@truthsRsung I guess so, huh! Thanks for the unnecessary commentary.

[@truthsRsung]

@badbiker666 ...You lie like Disney. badbiker666? Ha. More like pinboy123. Keep lying to yourself and the rest of the world.

[@dennismacdonald2003]

Ty Simon n crew

[@daveo1002]

Great breakdown, Simon. Amazing place, and the details at Diseny are crazy! My wife and I brought our 5 kids to Disney World in November 2022. We stayed offsite to save money, and still got a really nice hotel with a great view of all the fireworks shows at the different parks- that was $1,100 for a week. We didn't go to the parks every day because we're not rich, so for 3 days of regular park tickets (no park hopper, one park per day) with the Genie+ (ride-reserving/scheduling service), it cost us over $3,000. Since the kids love it, and I'm a huge Star Wars fan, we go every two or three years, and say it's for the kids, when in reality it takes two or three years to pay off the debt from each trip.

[@covercalls88]

Having been an annual pass holder from 1989 to 2004 Disneyland did have a lot of magic there and the workers cared more. Now things are much tougher and a lot of shine has rubbed off.

[@laner.845]

In high school my band went and marched in the parade of lights. We had to go behind the scenes to line up for the parade, and we were forbidden from bringing any cameras with us. This was well before high schoolers had cell phones, so mainly they meant the little disposable cameras. The main memory I have is of Snow White and Cinderella smoking a joint together in a side corridor we walked past. It was WILD for a sheltered 15yr old. We talked about that all freaking year in band.

[@dakotahrussell3375]

I did cell phone tower work outside of Disney world, one of the park managers came to speak to us and told us to watch out for “the bees”. Apparently they keep attractants like pheromones and such outside of the park to keep the bees away from tourists

[@DerptyDerptyDUM]

LOL I'm so used to Simon reading scripts about the utter horrors of Disney and its shady past that I assumed this was a Casual Criminalist. 😅

[@kendebusk2540]

In 1973/74, I was stationed at MacDill AFB in Tampa, and played trombone in the 589th AF Band. We went to WDW many times and I saw the tunnels and the behind the wall stuff. Believe me, without a guide in the tunnels, you could get hopelessly lost. Most of the time we played in the parade, coming in from the background and tunnels up under the castle. We would generally stay the entire day (free!) and work, if you can call playing in a marching band real work, only about an hour. After discharge, I lived in Tampa and the wife and I went many times. I believe the last time we went, entry was $25 and all rides were included. Yeah, those were the good ol' days, eh? :)

[@princessmarlena1359]

Cool! I myself missed out on the chance to go to WDW with my class as a middle school graduation trip (got Norovirus earlier that year, recovered but mom and dad didn’t want me going to Florida from California after being that sick). As an adult, my dance troupe almost went to perform as tap dance ensemble at the park, wearing the same outfits you see in my profile picture, but it didn’t go through.

[@scrawnyclownsnatch9656]

I've been to Disney world twice. Once as a kid around 19 years ago with my family. I'd say it was fun, but I don't remember it at all and my sister (who is 3 years older) hardly remembers anything but the bad things. the second time was in highschool on a group field trip from Wisconsin all the way down to Florida for a band trip and competition. That was a fun time, but not because of Disney World. We also went to Universal Studios, United Kingdom and Epcot and every last one of those was much more fun then Disney world IMO. Disney World is in a weird spot for entertainment as I see it as they have mostly entertainment for Kids it seems, but given how much it costs and the age of the kids, they will not remember it as they grow up (much like me). So for the price of admission, its not worth it to me unless you really know you want to go and are already in the are for the other parks. P.S Universal Studios was the best park that we went to in my opinion. Universal studios was very clean, and organized and had a HUGE variety of themes from Jurassic Park, and Harry Potter (I'm not even a fan of the movies but that place was amazing and butter beer is GOOD). Most importantly, prices were cheaper for food if I remember correctly by ALOT vs Disney parks. Next was Animal Kingdom simply because I found all the set pieces and art to be mesmerizing and I like animals and nature more than the "futuristic" look of Epcot. Epcot was interesting but seemed underkept compared to the others but the fireworks they did at night were the best I've ever seen to this day by a wide margin. Last, was Disney World. I found myself just walking around looking for anything interesting. But given most of the stuff was designed for kids, I rarely found anything really worth more than a moment's time to look at. The rides were obviously also for kids, so the few found interesting were also slow and boring. It was also the most crowded park of the 4, so in the end you were just stuck in a sea of people looking for something to do, and everything you found you wanted to do, had a line 30min long or more (oh, and a lot of screaming kids if it is hot out, and its Florida, so that is most days if it isn't raining). That's just my experience though and I really had no game plan on what to see or do ahead of time.

[@OrdinaryDude]

I was there last July, and we'll never go back. We had been there ten years prior and the experience was vastly different. The first time it was really fun; the experience wasn't cheap, but by the time you get there almost all of the cost of the trip is already paid for. This recent time I felt like Disney was using me as an ATM, and was nickel and diming me at every opportunity. It was insanely expensive as well. We could have spent three weeks in Europe for what it cost. Edited to add: Simon mentioned the cast members and their dedication and that reminded me I should add that I've never experienced a happier and better trained group of employees in any industry. The people that work at Disney World either LOVE what they do while the work there, or are really good at faking it. Good people.

[@presidentfrog4683]

13:35 You think that was bad, have you heard about Debra?

[@RomanJockMCO]

I haven't been in or seen the tunnels in 30 years! What wonderful memories I have working there at Pinocchio Village Haus and the Round Table in my high school and early college years. Oh to return to that time!

[@hertzeid]

Disney World, also known as Mauswitch or Duckau amongst its employees. 🙂

[@princessmarlena1359]

I’ve never been to Walt Disney World. I grew up in Southern California and one county away from Disneyland, USA. I had a chance to visit the Magic Kingdom as part of the middle school graduation trip, but I caught the Norovirus in early spring of that year, and although I had recovered in time, mom and dad didn’t want me on the other side of the country after recovering from a major illness. My fraternal twin brother got busted for playing hooky all year, and was grounded from going. We actually dodged a bullet, according to our teachers and classmates, as the trip for our class was a disaster.

[@PGar58]

Simon nails it when he says adults can be like kids at WDW. The first time I went to WDW I was 23 years old, almost 24. We never went when I was a kid because we had no money. So finally when I started working I decided to go. It was great.

[@go4brookle761]

I’ve only ever been to Disneyland but I like the fact that you can complete everything in the park at least once in a day.

[@travellingbarrett]

Fantastic final message.

[@mocat1]

I went to Disney World when I was 6. I remember being excited as my name was embroidered onto my Mickey ears hat. One of my siblings taking my picture with Eeyore - (the only way I could’ve been closer would’ve been to meld into the costume. 😂), absolutely losing it, I was so terrified of The Small World ride, and the animatronic singing/instrument playing bears. That 💩ain’t normal! If I only knew what was in store, for me the next year when I went to Chuck E. Cheese for a friend’s birthday. 🤣

[@philrabe910]

6:00 couple of things, initially at least, one must call the park Walt Disney World, it's just done that way. And second, the utilidors (I've toured) are at ground level, the park is one floor up- not 100'. That may be 100' above sea level, I think the 7 seas lagoon is at an elevation of 70'. Remember we're 50 miles inland and vaguely upslope.

[@dustinsensenig9798]

If you haven't already, I wanna see a video from you about Universal Studios, since you mentioned it! I was there 11 months ago and it was, to use Disney terms, truly magical!! I'll have those memories for life

[@SomeGuyFromOttawa]

Quite intersting considering my family just got home from Disney Wolrd today. We live in Canada, saved for a few years, flew down, stayed on resort and ate ridiculously expensive food for 7 days, spent approximately $10,000, but didn't feel bad about it. Yes, it was extremely expensive and I think they could do better on their pricing, but people are willing to pay. The experience as a whole is fantastic. They go out of their way to make you feel special, and seeing the excitement of my kids makes it all worth it. They have a money printing machine in that theme park, and it's working. They are also updating and reworking rides and areas to keep people coming back for more.

[@nymerianan4short314]

I would ♥️ to see a video just on the construction of Disney world!! It seems like a fairy tale of its own . If anyone knows if there is one please let me know 👍

[@tealbagger]

Didn't once touch on their previous money/tax technique by utilizing Disney University students as a means for something like 30-45% of their work force.

[@jeremyyates1026]

My dad helped build the animal kingdom park back when we lived in Florida. We could've got free tickets to it but his boss gave them to some of his hire ups😑.

[@NileBrittanyFoShow]

Simon! You’re Epic! I was born in Canada, but down here in the US workforce we call it “Osha” as a 1 word name rather than reading out each letter. I would absolutely buy a shirt that says: DON’T BE A BELLEND

[@heraldkiarastormlight]

When I was a young adult I went to WDW at least once a year, driving down from Ohio and staying in inexpensive hotels in Kissimmee. That was in the late 1990s. It was so very affordable. The price has gone up so much that u haven't been back in over 20 years.

[@alanschwamberger7398]

I went to Disney World as a child in 1972 or 1973. It was like nothing I had ever seen. But as an adult I heard about the horrible side, like the poor pay, which I wish he would have covered.

[@virtualracinguk9189]

I'm here for the first time this week with my wife and kids. Had an amazing time so far.

[@djwalker7823]

Exceptionally good video today simon . As someone who was lucky enough to get taken to disney world 30 years ago by my then quite affluent grandparents . Its a true hope of mine to be able to take my children there in the next few years . Truely a magical experience going to disney world resort .

[@KarenRose70]

I've been to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. I was miserable and hated every minute I was there. Never again.

[@truemoayyed8482]

Hello and Good Afternoon Simon 😊

[@multiyapples]

Rest in peace to those that passed away.

[@metalthrashingai2238]

Very smart move to build it in a place, where the weather is warm almost all year, so it stays open all the time.

[@Fabala827]

Where was the “nobody cries at Disney World” crew when someone stole my wallet & half my family left our big group photo in tears 😂😂

[@princessmarlena1359]

Or when my older brother barfed after getting off one of the more high intensity rides when he was there in 1980, at age 8?

[@mmcbey1401]

Thanks for using one of my pictures (at 6:32).

[@Death-Sickle]

I pooped on the floor in Epcot 😢

[@JamVar]

5:43 "FAIL RP!" -Walt Disney

[@billsimonis]

he nailed it at the end. a family of 6 will spend a ton of money just to get in the door. even more money to stay and get there. flying cost way too much and driving can be horribly long. that's the reason I haven't taken my kids to disney yet. living in texas, I'd have to take a small loan for a vacation.

[@princessmarlena1359]

You’d have to sell your blood or a kidney.

[@randomtourist6656]

The lines, 😲 😱 oohhhh the terribly super loooooonnnnngggggg lines. Even the fast passes hv long lines. Makes you give up and choose to go relax in the lazy river at Sea World or pools at Aquatica

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

February, early May, and pre-Thanksgiving November tend to be the cheapest times to go to the parks.

[@keryeeastin4022]

My parents never went to Disney, I have never been to Disney, I know for a fact I will never be able to afford Disney for my kids ... I'm not mad about it

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

"If you can dream it, you can do it." -- Walt Disney

[@princessmarlena1359]

“Beyond the greatest star of all lies our future!” ~also Walt Disney (my favorite saying of his).

[@shweeky]

Disney feels unreal Went last month on Christmas

[@katashworth41]

As a coaster enthusiast the Disney parks aren’t at the top of my bucket list (that would be Cedar Point) and I’m not even that big on theming , but I still want to get the few credits that are there. Especially as EPCOT now has Cosmic Rewind and Magic Kingdom had Lightcycle Run coming.

[@shugadaddy4841]

1) of course it's expensive. Anything that has to do with kids, fairs, circuses, theme parks, even zoos are going to be super expensive 2) of course the workers aren't going to like it. How many people don't like their job and most companies (including the one 1 work for) care more about profit and less on their people and 3) going to Disney, in my opinion, was worth it because it's an escape from the real world and world problem and even us adults like to become kids again. The 1st time we visited Disney was for my 8 year old daughters birthday. I didn't think I'd enjoy it but when I saw Cinderellas castle, I turned into a girl again and felt the "magic" that I only believed in as a kid.

[@Alex_Outside]

Would love to see a Mega Projects or Geographics about that nuclear weapons factory

[@ltkwok]

The Disney advantage is Guests feel safe. No one will bully you there.

[@joelo3509]

Went there in late Jan 2020 for the first time, and last time... As a first-timer understanding and using Fast-Pass efficiently as difficult, food prices were ridiculous, and the prices were different at different areas of the park (how scammy is it that they will charge $7.10 for a churro at one booth, but $7.50 for a churro at a booth a few hundred feet away because it's near a more popular area), just way too much nickel-and-diming...

[@garyb9167]

Now if Disnet would take some of that massive amount of money and pay their employees enough so that they can afford to live in the areas of the theme parks where they work

[@starwars22221]

I've only recently become part of a disney buff family with my girlfriend. It truly is a religious like experience, planning for it is a year over and it almost likens to a pilgrimage

[@fullcircle8231]

It takes quite the tithing to be let into the holy lands then apparently😕 it'd be cheaper to just travel to Jerusalem or Mecca and have an actual pilgrimage😂

[@IvoKintobor]

i went to disney when i was in 2nd grade... we went right after spring break so the place wasn't crowded... the only thing i remember from it was that a bird pooped on my head

[@floramew]

I can understand tut comparison to a county fair, but it's orders of magnitude different. Other theme parks that aren't as expensive are a better approximation, but the vibe is still quite different. Is it *worth* the price difference? That's even more subjective, but other than hype, probably not. But they really do keep everything as spic and span as they can, and even the 90 minute waits, while not *fun,* usually have something to look at in line. Granted, I haven't been since my sibling graduated college in...2012, probably? So I was used to using Fastpass in its (free) heyday. My opinion of the vibes and the waits might be different after next time I visit (if I ever do again).

[@kikib8434]

Fuck, Simon, how many awesome channels have you guys got? When do you sleep? 😂

[@johntotten4872]

Yes

[@sandybarnes887]

14

[@kikib8434]

@@sandybarnes887 sounds about right 😁.

[@kikib8434]

@@johntotten4872 😂😂

[@sandybarnes887]

@@kikib8434 most of them are listed in the video descriptions on the various channels. I'm not sure when the new one starts

[@pipasmr2011]

I've never heard of the red shirt thing until this video. Most likely being blown out of proportion

[@theawesomeman9821]

Disney World is a fun place. I went there 14 years ago for a family reunion everything was actually worth your money.

[@mikeyoung9810]

I was there once, during the opening week when I was 16 after we drove 1500 miles to get there. My best memories are a lake in front where performers water skied and put on a show and one ride where you sat in a half shell and entered a circular room with 360 dg video going. The car would tilt back as you entered giving you a feeling you were going fast and alongside these wheeled sailcraft on the salt flats. It seemed very underdeveloped at the time and I can't remember seeing the castle.

[@NickCC23]

People (not all) in Florida who support DeSantis in his war against Disney think it will not affect THEM (it will eventually).

[@markwarren7157]

Florida Native here! The Mouse is the worst thing that has ever happened to this state, followed by window screens and air conditioning.

[@goober5713]

I went there with my family in 2013 and I had so much fun. I talked to a bunch of employees and they were miserable.

[@xxDruwP13xx]

FIRST! I'll get the chairs

[@kikib8434]

😂😁

[@paulherman5822]

Finally! A "First" comment that I can appreciate!

[@mikehoffman3690]

The Happiest Place on Earth has become the most expensive tourist attraction. Not sure the magic of a Disney can overcome that.

[@virtualracinguk9189]

It can.....saved for 2 years and I'm here with family now from the UK.... don't regret it at all.

[@chaosmarklar]

Any vacation to a place as beautiful as Disney is going to be expensive, no matter where

[@jessalynn9324]

I work at Magic Kingdom! It’s great to see a video about home

[@SafetySpooon]

Thank you for all your hard work!

[@falloutpictures]

Lol, one thing you forgot to mention, the wdw property is actually considered agriculture and as a preserve. Yes there are alligators, snakes, but there are cows on property along with deer, turkeys, coyotes, and the occasional bears. There is more, but that is what I've seen.

[@Erorrandz]

My aunt requested part of her ashes be spread at Disneyland which got me talking to a friend on the issue. He said his brother works security there and daily they remove multiple people over exactly that issue. Now if you really think about it, with 50 years of such a place open to the masses and known figures of consistency in dead family members being scattered there...... well honestly that makes Disneyland one of the largest cemeteries known to the world lol

[@michaelsummerell8618]

I remember going to Tokyo Disney a few years ago and was quite taken by how conspicuous the "park police" were. Clad in dark grey/black trench coats they looked like the Gestapo had come to Disney.

[@michaelrae9599]

I think you hit on what makes Disney great. It is the emphasis on keeping the real world out.

[@ianbrown7235]

Ayyyyeeee I was just there in December!

[@theirishmilkmansdairyfarm]

The Bonds were always going to stay with Disney after RCID was dissolved. The bonds only covered the area that is Reedy Creek.

[@thomasnelson6161]

Roy O. Disney is how I would introduce myself if I were trying to impersonate Walt Disney, but didn't know his name was Walter.

[@travismayes4547]

Fact boy make sure your kids are 1 old enough to remember the experience and 2 tall enough to ride most of the rides.

[@Fsudryden]

You are 100% wrong about the rides, you are right about the lines, the food depends on where you eat. However to me it is the overall atmosphere that is what draws me in. However I do prefer Universal Studios at my age over Disney World. However I do want to see the new Star Wars park.

[@nymerianan4short314]

👍 ive never been to Disney world but I thought they'd have some of the best rides in the world people don't qué up for hours on end to ride the tea cups or a merry go round IMO 😂