A local news producer might call development announcements from Disney destinations “fluff” – the kind of material that fills time between high school sports scores and predictions from your town’s most dependable Doppler radar.
But for many of us, that “fluff” is our fuel – reassuring reminders of a great big beautiful tomorrow. Attending the recent D23 Expo in Anaheim and watching our company fuel fans with a flurry of said “fluff,” I was as struck by the people in the audience as I was by those on stage.
Disney fandom represents seemingly every walk of life. I saw grown men dressed like lost boys, little girls dressed like Golden Girls and a particularly enterprising woman dressed like Dumbo the Flying Elephant (not the character – the theme park attraction). I saw Mandalorians and Minnies, Pirates and Panthers, Na’vi and Namaari. And while I couldn’t tell you where any of them stand on issues of the day or who they voted for in the midterm elections (though I spotted more than a few “Loki for President” shirts), I can tell you something they all had in common: they were happy. And so was I.
Because in a world where divisive news can feel like slamming your hand in a car door, being among a sea of cheering Disney fans felt like getting a hand massage from a big, red, fluffy panda.
There’s that word again. “Fluff.” We have plenty of it in the pages ahead: news about roller coasters and restaurants, fireworks and funhouses, healthcare companions and Hatbox Ghosts. It’s the kind of stuff that makes me want to hug a heffalump and fist bump Facilier. The stuff that reminds me just how lucky I am to publish a magazine with giant chipmunks on the cover.
All of us at Disney Files Magazine look forward to bringing you the best kind of news throughout the New Year ahead. You know…the fluff.
Welcome home,
Ryan March
Disney Files Editor
Important Information: Theme Park admission is not part of the ownership interest and is sold separately. Some elements depicted in the pages ahead are part of Membership Extras, which is an incidental benefit. These offers are subject to availability, change or termination, and may require a fee. To receive any Membership Extras, purchasers must present a valid digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card, along with a corresponding valid photo ID. Membership Extras are available for use with eligible Vacation Points. Visit DisneyVacationClub.com/MemExtrasPolicy for more information.