Disney and Positive Stuff – Looking Back at 20 Years of Daps Magic

20 years ago today, Daps Magic was born. This came out of a dream for something better and kinder than what existed at the time. This dream has only continued and grown through the years. It continues on today and is bigger than ever. At Daps Magic we strive to be a place where fans can celebrate being fans. It’s a place where people can disagree without being disagreeable. It’s a place where people look for the good in each other and build them up and not look for the bad and tear them down. As one of our team members often says, “Assume positive intent.” It’s a place where critical thinking is embraced but personal criticism isn’t. This is a place where fun is embraced, kindness is celebrated, and imagination is encouraged.

Through the years, we have tried many different things at Daps Magic. This has included the No-Name Game (it’s back in our new podcast!), adventures in the parks, photo adventures, Mr. Potato Head adventures, random videos, and a whole lot more. Some of these things have worked. Others haven’t. Through all of them, memories were made and quite often, laughter ensued. The thing that has come out of all of it is how much fun we have together as we try these random things.

We have also covered many different stories over the course of the last two decades. Some stories have continued to span multiple years, like the Candlelight Ceremony at Disneyland and the Disneyland Resort All-American College Band. These stories we have documented, filmed, and shared on an annual basis, and have loved the people we have met while doing it. Other stories have been one-time events, like the re-dedication of Disney California Adventure in 2012 or Disneyland’s 50th anniversary and then 60th! There also have been experiences that are “pinch me” moments that have turned into core memories. As I sit here writing this I think back to hearing Richard Sherman play Feed the Birds in the Walt Disney Archives on Walt Disney’s piano before it was moved back into his office. I also think of getting to interview Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (and hope someday I’ll get to interview Kermit the Frog)! Other memorable moments that pop into mind are the premiere of World of Color, the opening of Cars Land, multiple CHOC Walk in the Park events, and the multiple introductions of different Disneyland Resort Ambassadors. Each of these memories has people connected to them that have made them special.

Two decades of Daps Magic isn’t just two decades of content, it’s more importantly two decades of experiences with amazing people. The Daps Magic team and its members are second to none. They are incredible! I have also gotten to meet and have special experiences with other members of the media throughout the years that I’m so thankful for. Beyond that are the media reps who are absolutely incredible and I’m so thankful that I get to work with and also have worked with in the past. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention all of the incredible cast members who bring the magic to life at Disney on a daily basis. This is perhaps what I’ve been most thankful for with Daps Magic, the amazing people that I have gotten to know because of its existence.

As we head into a new decade of Daps Magic, there is a lot to look forward to. We know who we are. We are an organization that is quite literally about Disney and positive stuff. We know where we are going. We also know that some new and exciting things are on the horizon. One thing that has been announced is our new podcast, Daps Magic (the Podcast). We look forward to digging into Disney and positive stuff with it in the coming months and years in a new format than we have done before. We have some other exciting plans on the horizon that will show up in the not-so-distant future as well. There are plenty of creative ideas that are being developed by the Daps Magic team and we are going to have a whole lot of fun seeing what they grow into!

The future is most fun when experienced together! You can join us on this adventure as Daps Magic continues to keep moving forward. There are several ways. The most obvious is by subscribing to our newsletter. As you may have noticed, we’ve been playing with it a bit lately. I will be adding personalized notes to newsletters on a regular basis moving forward. The newsletter will be the only place where this content is shared. If you want to be a part of the Daps Magic community and chat with other people who like Disney and positive stuff, check out our Facebook group! We have fun sharing our love of the parks and beyond there. Feel free to share your experiences and photos from the parks and beyond there as well! If you want to engage even more, check out our Patreon! We have a blast there and I share exclusive content including a weekly update about what I will be doing each week, a behind-the-scenes pre-show before Geeks Corner on Tuesday nights, and also previews of what is coming in the future. We also go to Patreon to ask opinions about our ideas and where Daps Magic is going!

Whatever level of involvement you want to have with Daps Magic, know that you are valued and we appreciate you. The only way Daps Magic could have gotten as far as it has over the last 20 years is because of people like you. Without people, it would just be some coding and photos. However, because of people like you, we have a special place for people who want to celebrate Disney and positive stuff!

As I look back at the last 20 years of Daps Magic, it all comes down to Disney and positive stuff. While we might not have always defined Daps Magic in that way, it has always been what we are about. It is also what we will continue to be about. This is very exciting to me and I am looking forward to seeing what the next chapter of Daps Magic brings! Here’s to the next 20 years of Disney and positive stuff and Daps Magic!