22 Down, 4 to Go

Today, I finish up the letters series in a big way with the strangest letters of all. So here we go…..

W Wishes- We had an interesting schedule at my restaurant. You see, unlike Cosmic Ray’s or Pecos’s Bill, we didn’t stay open until park closing. In fact, in most cases, we would close our doors at……well I forget what hour because it didn’t really matter. On most nights of my program, when I heard the first blast from Wishes, I knew it was closing time. That alone won it the “W” title for me. But I assume you guys want more reasons than it was my clock-out alarm. It has a great soundtrack which even features some movies that don’t get as much love in the parks as they should (*COUGH* Hercules *COUGH*). Any fireworks are cool but when you set fireworks behind a well lit Cinderella’s Castle at night time to the afore mentioned soundtrack, there is only one word that can be derived……Magical. And I can’t wrap this up without mentioning the Tinkerbell fly over. Every little kid’s eyes open up and for that moment in time, anything can happen.

X Xenia- So, I actually had to look up words that begin with “X” and I came across this little number that fits into Disney World like the missing piece of a puzzle. It is Greek for “hospitality” or “guest service.” If I were to ask you, what is the one thing Disney is best at? You might say Dole Whips (you know that’s right). But the answer I am actually referring to is guest service. I mean, in the end, isn’t that why we want to work for Disney? We know how great it feels to walk through those turnstiles and to be treated as guests and not customers and I think it is that same feeling that we want to provide to the guests whether it’s their first or five hundredth time to Disney World. If there is one skill you pick up on your internship at Disney World (besides how to never be able to point with one finger again), its how to provide perfect service no matter what job you are doing.

Y Yakitori House- Hidden high among the mountain of Japan (okay, mountainish) lies what is arguably the best QSFB in the World Showcase. Modeled after a 16th century tea house, this tiny eatery offers not only amazing teriyaki chicken, sushi rolls, and beef sukiyaki but also some great scenery (there’s a koi pond there for goodness sake). And when you finish your meal, go down the steps and be treated to one of the best, unobstructed views of Illuminations. What a way to finish the night.

Z Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day- I love Splash Mountain plain and simple. Obviously, it’s a fun ride with a great story, great characters, and some fun drops. But this answer is not Splash Mountain; it’s Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day. There is just something so odd about this phrase. Essentially, it is just a couple of random syllables and hyphens thrown together in what is nothing more than gibberish. And yet, as I turn that last corner before the unloading dock on Splash Mountain and I see the phrase painted right there, I feel what I can only assume is optimism. So to close this Disney A-Z I leave you guys with….

It’s the Truth
It’s Actual
Everything is Satisfactual
Have a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Day!!!!!