A wish is a powerful thing

During this time of year we do tend to try and think of others and not just ourselves. We send out cards wishing for brighter years ahead and filled with heartfelt notes about our shared histories, serve each other dishes to fill our bellies and keep us warm, and we strive to see the good in each and every one of our fellow women and men. It is with this spirit in mind that I offer up these wishes for each of Walt Disney World’s parks for the next year.

Magic Kingdom – You kept me safe and gave me a head for stories in my youth, just as you have done, and continue to do, for countless other children and little boys and girls who never completely grew up. This year I’ve noticed some extra glimmer around your edges, a shine that I know is going to continue for several more years, but it is my hope for you that you have a brighter tomorrow. Tomorrowland may be a slippery concept to take hold of, but you have some of the brightest minds and keenest eyes helping you. I’m sure that together they can restore the land of tomorrow to its place of prominence, not the butt of guffaws.

Epcot – You have the hopes and dreams of tomorrow in your pocket and the entirety of the world in your hands. You feed the body, mind, and soul without a second thought. For the coming year I hope the world of your back yard continues to grow, adding new cultures and new awareness. I hope the lessons of the years ahead can be gleamed from the guests of today with more of the spirit of ’82. I hope that the children of today are as inspired to step out into their own worlds because of you as I was in my younger days.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – If they say that Hollywood’s Golden Age is behind it, that your best days are behind you, don’t listen to them! Hollywood is lights, cameras, and action, all of which you have coming up in spades. In the next year I hope you give your wardrobe a kick in the pants, and dash off that old cap of yours to let your true inner-beauty shine! What is old can be new again, if only you believe in yourself. Remind folks who think that they’ve seen the real Hollywood in their Blu-ray bonus features, what it really means to get behind the camera, to step up and hit your marks, and all the remarkable stories, both real and imagined, that live within your borders! Hooray, I say, Hooray for Hollywood!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – You have always held the majesty of the natural world and the reminder of those who came before. You educate the wide-eyed and send chills down the spines of disbelievers. It is my sincerest hope that in the new year you are able to host a menagerie of the imagination, creatures that have only ever lived in our minds, in the pages of our books, and on our films. Most of all, I wish for you to find new ways to educate and enthrall those who visit you. Engage in every corner, whether with a game or roaming exhibits. If your message can be carried home, it has a chance to spread exponentially.

Every year each and every one of us has highs and lows, and the parks and resorts of Walt Disney World, which are created by human hands, are prone to these same highs and lows. It is my sincerest hope the year ahead is brighter for Walt Disney World than it was in 2012 and that it is even brighter for each of you!