On Friday, March 26, we woke up around 8:30 to the smell of fresh chocolate chip pancakes made by Harri, which was a really nice way to start the day. We headed to Magic Kingdom and took the monorail over to Epcot in the morning. We spent about 4-5 hours going around each country like Mexico, Morocco, Norway and more. Through these various countries we learned about the history of certain Disney characters or productions inspired or influenced by the culture. We drank lots of drinks and tried many different foods like tanghulu and frushi.
Once we finished looping around the park we came back to Magic Kingdom around 4 and stayed there for the rest of the night. Kiki had never been to Disney World, so she got a My First Visit Button. The group went on the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction and Space Mountain, and then we ended the night with Tron.
Around 9:30 we saw the fireworks go off as the castle was lit up from afar. We later went together to see the castle shine very bright on Main Street. By the end of the night we were completely exhausted but grateful to experience “the world’s happiest place.” What made today stand out was how it felt like two completely different experiences in one day.
We were surprised by how much Epcot focused on culture and learning instead of just rides. We were lucky to experience the Flower and Garden Festival. There was some amazing works of art and so many different types of plants to see.
A moment we felt really happy was walking through Magic Kingdom at night and everything was lit up and it felt kind of unreal. We felt most calm in Epcot when we slowed down and just walked around without rushing to the next thing.
One challenge was how long the day was, especially being tired by the end, but it taught us to stay positive and enjoy the moment instead of focusing on being exhausted. That’s something we want to bring back with us – being more present and not complaining about small things.
The most meaningful thing we’re taking away isn’t a souvenir but the memories we created, especially all the times we laughed together. We also appreciated how Disney represents different cultures in Epcot and how that can help people learn, even in a theme park setting.
Overall, this experience is changing how we think. We are starting to appreciate moments more and understand that tourism can have both positive and negative impacts on places and the people who live there.
Here are a few quotes from the group about their experience.
- “I learned a lot more about the impact of GKtW on families and the significance it holds in the lives of so many others.”
- “At the start of the trip, I was actually dreading the parts where I needed to talk to families, but only because I was anxious and nervous. And yes, at first I was super anxious/nervous, but slowly I warmed up to the idea after a few positive experiences until it became more second nature to do so. After that, and during the birthday party and my caste attendant shift, I laughed a lot with families and had many amusing and interesting conversations with them, allowing me to get to know them and vice versa!”
- “Since the first day, I’ve started to see service differently and understand that it’s really about showing up and being present for people. It made me realize I should be more patient and not take everyday things for granted.”
- “Just like the way these families are very appreciative and live life really opened up my heart and eyes to see that not everyone gets to be as privileged. You have to live everyday like it’s your last. I think the way we also view peace can be different for everyone due to certain situations and that’s the beauty of life. You will never live the same as another, or your story may not be the same, but you’ll end up in the same place enjoying and healing an inner part of your life.”
- “Initially I was scared to talk to new people, but by the end it was one of my highlights. I loved getting to know people, especially the playful kids.”
- “Seeing such a large group of people come together for a mission like Give Kids the World is truly awe-inspiring. Working at the Village offers a new perspective to life and truly shows how lucky we are for both our health and for what we have in life.”