12 Years on and the Magic lives on through his vision.

Its hard to believe that its been a full 12 years on since I at the tender age of 22 flew to Florida to begin the magical chapter of my life working as a Walt Disney World Cultural Representative working at EPCOT in Orlando, Florida.

The history of EPCOT is that it was always Walt Disney’s Dream to have a Community of 20,000 people living in an almost Utopia like existence. With a central core that housed all of the commercial buildings it was his vision that all schools and housing would be on the outside of the commercial centre. By only allowing people to rent and not to buy there could be not voting controls. All traffic was to be kept to the underground tunnels much like those that exist at the Magic Kingdom today serving as the maintenance service entrance and Cast Member access points to the park. After all it wouldn’t quite be right to see Mickey in a Space Suit in Frontierland in the same way as Cowboy Mickey would look out of place in Tomorrowland.

Like EPCOT, Disneyland’s start came as a Vision from Walt. A place where adults and children could play together in fantasy lands.

But after the success in California, Walt failed to find the funding to build his EPCOT Vision in Florida without him first repeating the success by building a Disneyland style theme in Central Florida.

Walt Disney sadly passed away before realising him dream and the Walt Disney Company decided after his passing that they did not wish to be in the business of building a city. However, happy with the success of both Disneyland and the newly opened Disney World they decided that the concepts of EPCOT the city could be encompassed in a theme park.

EPCOT Center (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) opened in Orlando Florida on October 1^st 1982. Walt may have never got his dream city but the vision was of a community where people work, live and play together. Epcot (It was renamed dropping the word centre in the mid 90’s) had two unique areas set in a figure of 8. Furture World and World Showcase. Futureworld was originally to Pioneer future innoventions of the worlds scientists while Epcot, a Lagoon of 9 Countries from around the world. They added 2 further to include Norway and Morocco later in the 1980’s.

Set around the lagoon it was designed to showcase not only the architecture of the countries mention with replica models of places such as the Mexican Temples, St Marco’s Square, Venice. A Beerfest in Germany, French Restaurants, English Pub. The costumes worn by the cast members were traditional wear from those countries, albeit what the Americans would think of as customary. Of course wearing an open neck beige shirt, blue knickerbockers and Guy Fawkes style shoes is hardly my idea of a traditional English costume. But it works.

It was an honour to be invited to go and work at Epcot. At the time I thought it would be all about living and being in America and fulfilling a dream of working at a place I had dreamed of working since I was a child.

When that dream came true in April 1995 it was far more than I ever thought it would be. It wasn’t about fulfilling my dream, that was now not a dream but a reality. We were taught the History of Disney and the most important lessons a Cast Member can learn. How lucky we were to be a part of the most magical place on earth. A place where people, millions of people from all around the earth save and save and save to try and one day, if at all possible go and enjoy its wonders. To think that if I had nothing better to do on my day off I could use my Cast Member Pass to go and enjoy the parks as a guest.

Just 8 Months after I started, having worked my way up from Cart Tart to Seating Host to Bus boy and ultimately to Server in the restaurant I met so many wonderful people. Friends from around the globe and some friends that I am still in contact with today.

A month ago I went to the Disney Reunion in London. If you are a regular reader you will recall my reunion with Ben. Someone I have not seen since July 2006.

This week I have been working down in Bristol. His home city. With the opportunity to have caught up a month ago we promised if we had the opportunity we would meet up for a drink in Bristol. Last night that became fruitful. Ben met me at my hotel and we went down by the riverside to a local bar.

With 11 years of separation you are either going to be long lost buddies or find it hard to have anything to talk about. We chatted from the moment we met till after midnight. It was as though Disney was not 11 years ago but maybe earlier this year. Talking about common friends, common experiences and the bond that ties. The magical bond that is having the opportunity to work for Walt Disney World. Like people that share a bond that is so intense that they will remain life long friends no matter what distance in space or time may pass.

We both agreed that Disney changed us for the better. Made us the men that we are today. Everytime I see him I am greeted with this enormous smile as though we have been friends forever and you know it feels like we have. Maybe you don’t choose your family in life but you do choose your friends.

After we got fluffy and enjoyed a fantastic night together and Ben caught his taxi home I sent him a text to say thank you for a lovely evening and how lovely it was to have been reacquainted after such a long time. He replied “Thank you for a great night and for including me in your circle of friends”.

Walt may never have got his city but his park was built and his vision lives on 25 years after opening. His harmonious city of 20,000 people was the dream but if you ask me, the harmony and the values of Epcot live on in each and everyone of the 1100 people that are the lucky bitches chosen to go and work as a cultural representative at the park. Now if my Maths is correct that’s around 27,000 people who have lived, worked and played in Harmony at Epcot , part of the Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts and if we can still be dear friends, enjoying and treasuring every moment that we are reunited then Walts City was built. For the vision lives on and the people come and the people go but they take with them the values, the love, the respect, the diversity that they learn and they take with them all that they have learned and all that they became and furthermore they take with them a little piece of Disney. A little piece of magic will live on in each of our souls till our final days. It doesn’t matter whom of my Disney friends I speak to we all feel the same. It was the most magical amazing dream come true you could possibly ask for.

Living, working, playing at Disney we the cast members are the living actual Epcot. Long live the magic. Thank you Walt. Thank you Ben for a lovely evening and indeed for including me in your circle of friends. I hope to se e you again real soon. . Thank you to all of the wonderful dear people I met in my time at Epcot and remember…. It all started with a mouse!