A Visit to Disney's Magic Kingdom: 5 Lessons on Staying Relevant

It's been 20 years since my last visit to Disney and it didn't take long to remember why it's "The Most Magical Place On Earth." I even changed the face on my Apple Watch to Mickey for the first time. I've been thinking about what makes Disney so special that millions of families continue to come back.

• Convenience matters: Disney has done a great job of integrating new technologies and experiences without losing its authenticity. As we see with Uber, technology helps make traditional experiences, like riding in a cab, easier and more interesting. Disney's MagicBand connects you to all of your vacation choices and adds an element of coolness and convenience to the the journey. Guests love how the band stores your park tickets and lets you pay for food or merchandise. A simple tap of the band at the gate is all you need to enter theme parks. No more worrying about forgetting or losing your park tickets. Even better, it's a FastPass to rides. There is also the added relief in knowing that lost children and other members of your party can be easily located.

• Employees matter. Forbes recently published an article by Micah Solomon, Five-Star Customer Service Depends On Treating Employees Well, Say Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons. Walt Disney firmly believed that customers remember people more than products. He knew that employees are important. Really important. And this has driven much of the company's success. While technology and innovation have been woven into the Disney experience, with more than 130,000 cast members worldwide, it's clear that philosophy hasn't changed. When you work for Disney, you're not an employee, you're a cast member. From the characters, to the ride operators, to the janitors – they're all cast members. Every role matters. Disney also recognized that even the best employees can't be authentic if they're not in the right role, so they put a lot of energy into getting that right.

• Environments matter. Despite chasing after kids and standing in long lines, people just seem happier and nicer. They can leave the stresses of home at home. While you may still be tethered to your iPhone, Disney has a way of letting you know it’s ok to let go and maybe wait a little longer to respond to that message.

Everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch is an environment. And those environments are either adding energy or draining energy.?—?Jim Bunch

• Influences matters. The Magic Kingdom is filled with many positive life lessons. There are countless tales about good triumphing evil, how the girl gets the man of her dreams and they live happily ever after, or that sometimes we need to just let it go. With so much coming at us today, it's refreshing to have children exposed to something so innocent and inspirational.

The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem. – Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)

• Experience matters. The parks are a place you can go and forget about the rest of the world. The authentic magic of the parks hasn't changed. Nothing can replace walking down Main Street and seeing a show or spotting your favorite character. With such an emphasis on what's new and what's next – we can take simplicity for granted. While simulator rides like Soarin' create amazing virtual experiences and help us effortlessly reach places we may never get to see, you still can't replace a Disney parade or seeing fireworks over the Magic Kingdom.

Leave a comment about your experiences at Disney or if you want to share your perspective on why you keep going back. You might also like my previous post about Steve Jobs.

Nathan Drapkin aligns with companies and causes that empower people to improve their health and well-being. His profile can be viewed at LinkedIn and you can follow him on Twitter at @nathandrapkin.