fbpx
Skip to content

The Senses of Walt Disney World – Part One: SOUNDS

But for the WDW nerds like me, these senses – the sights, the sounds, the tastes, the touches, and yes, even the smells, good and bad, remind me of certain times and places I´ve spent at Walt Disney World. What is even more amazing to me is that the Disney powers-that-be, know this and try to appeal to all of our senses as guests. Whether it´s the can´t-miss Cinderella Castle, or the subtle changes in music as you move from Main Street to Adventureland, the Imagineers know how to get to us whether we know it or not.

The one sense that stands out the most for me that I can return to any time of my day is the sounds of WDW. All of us who have been there can associate some sound from a trip that only reminds them of WDW. My ipod is jam-packed with Disney-related media. From the soundtrack to Sleeping Beauty to SpectroMagic´s Parade music to the incredible WDW podcasts, I am never more than a click away from the parks and movies. These are the sounds that bring me back there even if only for a few minutes. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was able to find and download on the web the soundtrack to Soarin´. I crank it up, close my eyes, and can almost feel like I am on the attraction again. I had to remind myself I didn´t need to pack my purse under my seat.

When I am sitting at my desk at home, doing some work, and need to rejuvenate, I´ll turn on Spectromagic, much to the groans of “not again” from my dear husband. (I quickly remind him who bought it for me in the first place!) I can imagine those crazy-looking masked cast members on the moving globes at the start of the parade.

Sometimes, it´s not always about the music of an attraction, parade, or movie. One of my favorite podcasts starts each show off with the announcer from the monorail: “Please stand clear of the doors…Por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas…” Every time I hear this I have to say it with the announcer. It´s probably the only Spanish I´ll ever know! My husband had to stop me from putting this on our outgoing message on our answering machine. It´s usually the first sound you hear on your trip that cements you are in WDW, for me it is.

Then there are those sounds you only hear when you are at the parks, the screams of guests dropping that first drop on the Tower of Terror as you are walking up Sunset Blvd. Or the harmonious tunes of the Dapper Dans as you stroll down Main Street. Or the exhilarating sound of the coaster tracks of Expedition Everest coming down the curvy drop out of the mountain.

I can close my eyes and wish myself there when I hear these things. Perhaps my favorite sound lately has been from a recent WDW commercial. It´s the one celebrating Disneyland´s anniversary but it´s an actual commercial for WDW and it has part of Walt Disney´s opening day speech, “To all who come to this happy place, welcome…” This is what brings it back for me. Yes, my eyes get a little watery when I see Mr. Disney and hear those words. It´s amazing how a song, a sentence, a phrase, or a sound can take me back to the parks and stir up all of my wonderful memories. I think this is what the Imagineers were going for. I can bet if you close your eyes right now and try to remember there is some sound that will come to you. Darn, I´m sorry I didn´t mean for you to remember “It´s A Small World After All, “It´s A Small World After All, “It´s A Small World After All, “It´s A Small Small World”. Now it´ll be in your head all day! I don´t mind, I actually like it!See you in the World! .

Comments

About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

Related Posts