Tucked away in that little nook halfway down Main Street, U.S.A., near the Uptown Jewelers, is the location of one of the most darling experiences I could ever recommend in Walt Disney World.
My “WDW Tip of the Week” is to not only patronize, but to make a tradition of having your likeness skillfully cut by the scissor-wielding artists at the silhouette cart.
You’ve seen these skilled craftsman there before, by eye, trimming black paper to the shape of guests’ profiles. No machines, no photos, no computers. Just some old-fashioned grit and skill…and a discerning, sideways eye. Maybe, you’ve had your or someone you love’s silhouette created there before.
But if I may, if you can start early enough, make a tradition of having your children’s or family’s silhouettes done every time you go to Walt Disney World. Beyond being a beautiful and unique keepsake, “tradition silhouettes” collected over time also serve as a chronological documentation of your family as it grows…with Disney!
For our family, it all started one cool spring morning three years ago when my wife and I brought our then one-year-old son Dean to the Magic Kingdom for the first time; the goal was to get our son’s first haircut at the Harmony Barbershop. Arriving to the park a little earlier than our appointment, we strolled down the crisp boulevard with our coffee and muffins, and came across the quiet, sleepy silhouette cart; Jill, the artist charged with serving the cart that day, beckoned us over as she was just then setting up shop, and her eyes happened to catch our boy’s.
The price was very reasonable — $10, I think – so we took Jill’s kind invitation as an opportunity to purchase a unique souvenir for Dean’s grandparents….and us. Jill could not have been more accommodating and masterful; managing to get our little guy to remain still while she methodically created his likeness with steel and paper was awe-inspiring.
Fast forward to our next trip, last spring; we walked by the cart again: “Hey! Dean’s two years older! Let’s do this again!”
We did.
Later, at home, we added our newest likeness to our living room wall next to the first one, and we loved the effect!
I know people do this type of thing with photos – like taking the same shot of the family at a designated spot year after year – but I think the silhouette idea is a unique take on the practice…a “cut above the rest,” if you will.
I think you might want to try it out!
(WDW Tip of the Week logo property of WDW Radio. Photos from the author’s personal collection.)
To learn more about Rich and read his recent posts for WDW Radio, visit his author page by clicking the link on his name at the top of this post.
