Magic happens sometimes in the MOST unexpected ways....

Working here at Disney sometimes makes you realize that magic......DISNEY MAGIC happens in the most unexpected ways!! We have a friend from work, Emily....with whom I have been friends with LONG before we arrived here in December. Emily, Brian & I were chatting on our Disney International Program's chat room on their web site LONG before we ever arrived here. The three of us would talk on line forever.......so when we all arrived, we somewhat knew each other and we spent alot of time together. Like myself, Emily has been sick every since we arrived......however UNLIKE ME....she never seemed to get any better. Emily managed to contract Mono when she was here and realized this on a trip back home to visit her family!! Back to Disney she came after rest and some medication and low and behold, she NEVER got better. After tons of time off and looking like things were getting sticky with managers........Emily decided it was time to return home to get BETTER. When she went to the doctors again.....they now tell her that she has DOUBLE phenomena and that she needs to REST if she wants to get better.
After all that.....Emily has been home for over a month now TRYING to get well. We have ALL missed her alot......her smile......the laughter.......the spirit that Emily has......PRICELESS!!! So, Zach one of our cast members at work and a great friend of both Emily & myself, decided to do SOMETHING to let Emily know how much we miss her. But WHAT??? What could you possibly do .......to include EVERYONE........
Emily & Zach used to LOVE watching the Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom......SO much so.....they would go EVERYDAY before work........leave their early shifts and go over right after work.....CRAZY I know but when you LOVE something.....like a movie....you watch it OVER & OVER!! And they both did......also bringing several of us on their quest......
BINGO....that's it.......include something that she LOVES....the Lion King and her friends and co-cast members from work.....DONE!! Zach decided in his infinite wisdom to have ALL of us at the Canadian Pavilion.....and I mean EVERYONE from F&B to the Attractions to the Merch family........include everyone!!
Zach then took the dubious task of recording everyone lip syncing to the song........we were ALL invited to join......cast members and managers alike. It was SO much fun....some had larger parts then others but heck......we ALL can't be the star all the time. So Zach was done and was editing.......we were all SO excited to see it.
FINALLY at a morning pre-shift meeting Zach presented the video........
THE FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING CANADIAN STYLE........holy cow.......it is AWESOME. If you have NOT seen this already.....PLEASE GO AND WATCH IT.......youtube.com........search for it.......watch it........it is INCREDIBLE.
This story however is NOT over. Yes, Emily did have the opportunity to watch it.....we were eating at the restaurant one night and Zach & I and Sara called Em at home whilst she was sleeping to ask her to get her computer to watch.......WE AL BAWLED!! Like wee babies.....it was TRULY Magical. But the magic for this story is still NOT complete.
Fast forward a couple of weeks......I am server some cast members the other day from Animal Kingdom. I simply ask......WHERE do you work?? OH I work for "The Festival of the Lion King"..........really I ask??? Liz was ADORABLE.....we LOVE the show I told her. I also explain how we LOVE to finish an opening shift and RUSH over to the park to catch the last performances.....she laughs of course and said she never really realized that other cast members loved it THAT much!! I was like.......well if you think THAT is bad......you MIGHT want to check out what we did on YOUTUBE then Liz!!
Two days ago Zach & Allison decide that it was time once again to visit and watch the show......this time he called a friend to tell them they were coming to see them.......WELL weren't THEY in for a treat. The ENTIRE cast, much to the SHOCK of OUR cast at Canada, has been watching the video for like 2 weeks now and they LOVE IT!! Apparently they watch it before they go on each day!! Can you EVEN imagine.....they LOVED IT!! They are SO honoured that we would do THEIR show.....they brought Zach & Allison backstage and presented them with a HUGE plaque......with the ENTIRE casts signatures on it with messages to the Canadians.........it is TRULY a gift to be able to not only touch the person it was MEANT for....but also others that were merely thought if during this entire production.

Well, that isn't IT folks!! That's right ....there is MORE!! Last night.....there is a group of us finished work......it is like 5pm.......what do you want to do?? HELLO.....LION KING!! Well, I called up my friend Liz.....she told me WHENEVER I was planning on going to call......she would make SURE they were aware we were coming......
HOLY COW....Liz says....NO WORRIES Tracey......all taken care of.....PLEASE let them know when you arrive??? What is going on I ask.........FRONT ROW SEATS!! Not really a big deal but when they started the show.....I TOTALLY knew WHY it was a big deal. Zach, Allison, Melinda, Brendon & Carrie & I were watching and right from the get go of the show......TONS of animals were coming up to us and as they were dancing around us were mouthing....."ARE YOU GUYS FROM CANADA?"......we giggle and say.....YES we are.....the ENTIRE Cast start running by and saying stuff like...."CANADA ROCKS".....you guys are AWESOME.....THANK YOU.......it was TRULY an awesome time!! Then there is a part in the show when they grab people from the audience to participate in a parade around the entire arena.....GUESS WHO the decided to get out??? GO CANADA!! The cast were high fiving us....clapping....cheering us....it was SO cool!! Truly my heart was racing and the smiles that EVERYONE had were priceless.
After the show was over, a stagehand came to us and told us to hurry and follow them.....BACKSTAGE WE GO!! YIPPEE!! There were animals EVERYWHERE.....all wanting to talk to the Canadians....thank us for what we did....we THANKED THEM!! Truly if it wasn't for their AMAZING performances.........THEY are the reason we did it.....we LOVE the show SO much that we wanted to create our own VERSION of it!! Photo's were taken of the group of us and GUESS WHO didn't bring camera's???? THE ENTIRE CANADIAN CREW that's who!! One of the stage hands brought out a camera......I truly HOPE I get a copy of that one somehow!!
To also add to this story......the VICE PRESIDENT of EPCOT was in our restaurant eating yesterday and one of our managers Brandon decided to SHARE the story with him and SHOW HIM our video.......WHERE WILL THIS LEAD US ALL???? ba ha ha ha

Magic comes sometimes in the MOST amazing time. SO unexpected!! But the true gift in this was the reason behind it all......simply to tell someone WE LOVE THEM.....miss them ALOT And hope they return to join us SOON!!!

GOD SPEED EMILY......HURRY BACK....we know there are a few animals that want to meet you!