Discontinued in 2022 , Disney ' s Magical Express will always hold a place in our hearts . PHOTO BY CLIFF WANG
What a welcoming thing to say . It truly set the tone for my whole trip .
An even more magical surprise : Out of the 11 buses in a row , Santiago ’ s bus wound up being my transport to the resort .
“ Ah , you made it !” he said as he took my suitcase 30 minutes later . “ You must be psychic ; that ’ s why you came to my bus before checking in .”
“ I hope you don ’ t get tired of me ,” I joked . “ I was assigned Row 0 .” Row 0 , of course , was right across from the driver .
“ Excellent !” he said , ushering me onto the bus . “ Maybe we can use your psychic abilities to predict bad traffic .”
Santiago ’ s good humor lasted the whole trip to the resort . As we approached the gate to Disney World , he sang into the bus microphone , to all the kids ’ delight , “ You ’ re going to meet Mickey and Goofy . You ’ re going to Disney World for the best vacation ever .”
It was such a magical moment that I don ’ t think any of us realized until later just how tone-deaf he was .
A THANK YOU FOR THE MAGIC In my time staying at Disney World , I ’ ve relied on cashiers to help me find a phone charger when mine frustratingly stopped working , hotel clerks to fix issues with my MagicBand , housekeepers to bring me an extra towel , and even a landscaper to take my picture with Goofy .
Simple words like “ thank you ” don ’ t ever feel like enough to show our appreciation , but I make it a top priority to show as much gratitude as I can every time I interact with Cast Members . Their job is to make our stays the most magical vacation ever ; it ’ s only fitting if , through our kindness and appreciation , we can make them feel like they have the most magical jobs ever .
Looking for a unique way to say thank you to a Cast Member , whether in the parks or at the hotel ? Check out our Top 5 piece this month on page 30 for some innovative ideas for expressing Cast Member gratitude .