Wouldn’t life be easier if we all had a Jiminy Cricket?
Those tough choices would be answered and we wouldn’t even need to worry over them. The fact is we do all have a conscience. We can listen, but sometimes the message isn’t so clear.
“I only took two pens from the bank. Hey, I’m advertising.”
“That parking spot I snagged even though the lady was waiting with her turn signal on…no big deal. I’m in a hurry.”
“Oops! This pack of gum is in the bottom of my shopping cart! I didn’t pay for it! Oh well, it isn’t much money. The store will never miss the $1.05 it cost.”
These are all examples of life’s little quandaries. It’s easy, in this fast paced world to don blinders. We are in a hurry, we need a pen now, we like gum and enjoy getting it for free. The consequences to others may not be major in the short term, but what about the long term? That lady who was waiting for the parking spot is now grumpy and takes it out on the cashier. The cashier goes home and snaps at her son. You get the picture. Little things add up, and it doesn’t always hurt who you’d expect.
It amazes me at how much I hear about these incidents at Disney. Confession time: I have been guilty of it too. Hopefully I have thrown off my blinders for good, but there once was a time when my thought process was that Disney had WAY more money in one mouse ear than I’d ever see in a lifetime! If I wanted to pay for a kid priced dining plan for my ten-year-old daughter who would only eat off the kid’s menu anyway, then darn it, I will!
Now the question is, who does this really hurt? I can answer that it probably doesn’t hurt Disney that much. Not one action anyway. Multitudes of “nickel and dime-ing” can add up, of course. We can speculate that Disney will raise their prices to accommodate, only propelling more bucking of said system. However, I think the real victim is the one who flies in the face of regulation. I know I felt guilt for my own actions. Plus, the entitlement mentality that makes you want to take “one more thing” can have a snowball effect- permanent blinders and a long wooden nose included.
This isn’t about refilling a 2008 mug in 2011 or buying a kid’s meal for your twelve year old or even making a salad out of the fixings bar at Pecos Bill for free. It is about treating others, even large corporations, the way you want to be treated yourself. I admit it is a personal choice, and one that could even vary from one person to the next. Guilt is a heavy burden to carry. Disney is best enjoyed with a clear conscience- one that is just waiting to guide.
Contributed by: Ami B. (NDM#381) Ami is the DDL Ethics and Marriage Blogger. She is also the creator of Disney Park Goddess.
Princess Ami grew up going to Disney World when it was young and very small in comparison to today. It was a “World” that spanned only the Magic Kingdom resort area and the E-ticket was king! Disney World grew and Ami did with it, savoring every moment and change. Now that they are both knocking on 40, Magic Kingdom does its Disney magic with 3 more parks. It’s probably not a coincidence that Ami now experiences that new magic with 3 more princesses in tow. The girls are growing up addicted to the magic just as their mom did. Married to Prince Scott, Ami is gradually converting him over to the pixie dusted side! In addition to writing Disney infused blogs like www.disneyparkgoddess.blogspot.com and www.faithtrustandpixiedusted.blogspot.com, Ami is a singer in her Virginia church’s contemporary praise band and a self-proclaimed foodie.
Great post!
Thanks a bunch Greg!