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3. Always try to make good things greater

Walt Disney World is never finished. Even attractions that have become mainstays – things like Pirates of the Caribbean or even Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress – change and grow over time. For Disney, it's not enough to have something that's good when it could be made to be great. It's not enough to have something that's great when it could be made to be spectacular.

Walt, himself, instilled this idea in his Imagineers – something he called, “plussing.” These designers were tasked with always looking for fresh ideas that might make a current attraction better. Inertia is a powerful force, and Walt knew that effectively fighting it could help make his parks different from all the rest.

In the real world, you'll constantly encounter things that, for one reason or another, are deemed too important to alter. Good ideas become stale ideas, and the power of inertia prevents them from ever being supplanted by great ideas. It's easy to keep on going with something that's good – it's much harder to be willing to swap out something that's good for something that could either be great or be terrible.

But this is what Disney does regularly, with everything from adding Captain Jack Sparrow to Pirates of the Caribbean all the way up to the new Frozen-themed attraction that's replacing Maelstrom at Epcot. Of course, it's very risky to do, and it often backfires for Disney, but what matters is that they are willing to try again – in which case, we can get something amazing like Test Track or the rumored night version of Kilimanjaro Safaris.

And while we're on the topic of risks... 

4. Never be afraid to take risks

When Walt opened Disneyland in 1955, it was far from the slam-dunk idea it is perceived as now. In fact, as the idea ballooned in scale and cost, Walt had a difficult time securing funding to build the park. Put in such a dire circumstance, Walt agreed to several corporate sponsorships and co-ownership of the resort – a risky proposition considering he'd no long be beholden solely to the principals of The Walt Disney Company, but rather, a large assemblage of entities. If Disneyland failed, it wouldn't just be bad for Walt's pocketbook, it would be bad for his reputation too.

And, if that wasn't scary enough, Opening Day at Disneyland was a complete and utter disaster. There were gas leaks, wet asphalt, and water shortages – all of which led to some pretty heinous reviews of the experience.

With all of that promotion, planning, and funding, Opening Day was as big a failure as you could imagine. And yet, Walt kept at it and kept tinkering behind the scenes until Disneyland became the gold standard of themed entertainment.

The lesson there, then, is that risks are essential to progress – and this is evident throughout Walt Disney World. Every time an attraction is swapped out for something new, or something small changes the way you see the parks, Disney is taking a risk. However, they're doing so with the knowledge that if they fail, they'll dust themselves off, and try again another time.

That attitude is one that anyone should value and strive toward – you'll never accomplish your dreams by being afraid to fail. That's as true outside Walt Disney World as it is within it.

5. It's OK to want to tell stories – in fact, it's encouraged

Above all else, Disney's Imagineers are storytellers first. That is what they think about when they wake up in the morning, and that is what they think about when they lie down to sleep at night. All they care about is making sure that guests walking through the gates at Disney's parks are treated to some of the most affecting and immersive stories on Earth.

And, walking through Walt Disney World (or any Disney park), it's hard not to feel inspired by those stories. Whether it's the tale of a clever rabbit outwitting a dopey fox and bear, or the story of our country as told by some of our greatest icons, the stories of Walt Disney World are what keep guests coming back again and again. They're what we connect with on a most primal level, even more than the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. We react to the stories, and how they make us feel.

The lesson in that, then, is that stories are how we connect as people, and sharing them with one another is a gracious a gift as you can give someone. And, on top of that, being able to tell a story well is very, very important.

Lawyers tell stories. Filmmakers tell stories. Chefs tell stories. PR people tell stories. Scientists, economists, historians – all of these people tell stories in one way or another. The tools might be different, the mediums might change, but the biggest commodity we share with one another are those stories.

And this, more than anything else, is what you learn from a trip to Walt Disney World – it is what sets it apart from all the rest. Telling stories is what brings us together as people, and Walt Disney World is a master class in how to do that. And, as a parting gift, it gives you countless stories to share with your friends and loved ones – not only does the resort show you how important storytelling is, but it dares you to try it for yourself.

 
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Fantastic Report! An inspiring and rewarding read - thanks as always.

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