Make a wish.

Does anyone else love the old Disney TV loop? It is the one that starts off with the Pee Wee's Playhouse style animation (Penny) and has the Tip for Today sections? And that nerdy guy who walks around with the human park hopper? I can't get enough of it!

I don't know what it is, but that TV loop captured something about the parks that the current Stacey loops just can't match. The combination of the narration, music, and visuals leaves me entranced. That loop, to me, is Disney World.

To start with, the video is relaxed. I remember being a kid in Disney and my heart would be pounding out of my chest while i was in the hotel room. I didn't need high energy music or a high energy host to pump my excitement any more. The narrator was calm; he was confident that the visuals would provide enough excitement for the viewer. The Magic Kingdom lead-in was simple and magical, "Make a wish."

There were no top sevens. The top sevens annoyed me (when they existed) because the first one was always Cirque Du Soleil. Imagine being a kid, watching this loop in your hotel, and the first attraction listed is a strange circus that your parents haven't paid for? And it isn't even in the parks! I just think that it was a cheap way of getting parents aware of a way to spend more money.

The organization on the old video was clear; they focused on one park at a time, and they had tips in between the parks to help you on your way. I liked that i could focus on one park at a time. I think families would like it too; they could watch and plan their next day accordingly.

The current Stacey video is a bit of a shock to me. I don't know to whom they are trying to appeal. I think that Disney was looking for a way to recycle and change their video without too much hassle. That's all well and good, but they have taken the heart out of the hotel tv loop. Stacey isn't even our peppy friend anymore, she's a news anchor.

The old video started with a feeling; that was clear. When i watch it, i feel like the way i feel on Main Street: relaxed and excited at the same time. Everything else was built off of that feeling.

Disney needs to refocus with regards to the hotel video. It is one thing that is intrinsically linked to staying at a Disney hotel, and they underestimate how much a video like that can mean to a visiting child. Heck, i still watch the old loop just to recapture that feeling! It's time to remember the magic.