We'll Leave The Light On For You

Yesterday, I went on a guided tour of Disneyland.  My guide was a young lady named Karen who gives these tours on a regular basis.  She was a delight and full of interesting tidbits.

The focus of the tour was how Walt Disney shaped the park from its beginning until his death.  She shared a number of significant details about the plan, construction and maintenance of Disneyland.  At several points, she shared tapes of Walt speaking on a variety of themes.  It was a great opportunity.

I was shown the lobby of the exclusive hidden restaurant in the New Orleans Square section called Club 33.  Walt built it to entertain his important Hollywood friends.  It sits behind a plain door, but it has a closed membership list and only the invited are allowed to enter.  We were not allowed upstairs to the club area, but only into the opulent lobby that includes an exact replica of a lift from Europe that Walt fell in love with on a visit there.

I saw the wonders of the Enchanted Tiki Room up close.  It is not a great show, but an amazing technical achievement considering its completion in 1963.  Karen demonstrated how the singing orchids work.

One of the many things that caught my attention was on Main Street.  As you enter the park to the left, there is the town hall with the fire department next door.  I already knew that Walt had an apartment built over the fire department's engine bay.

While Disneyland was being constructed, he often spent the night on the property.  He enjoyed having the ability to watch it all come together.  His wife accused him of living at the park.

Karen pointed out something I didn't know.   The light in the middle window was burning.  It seems that whenever Walt was in the apartment he left the light on.  It was a way of letting the workers know that the boss was watching.  That light is now never extinguished to remind employees that Walt's spirit is ever vigilant in the park.

It reminded me that too often we get involved in doing our work and forget why we are doing it.  When that happens, it is easy to become bored and disinterested.  But that light shining in the window makes sure that Disney employees remember why they are there.

I suspect that churches would run a lot better if we had some perpetual reminder of God's presence.  Perhaps instead of just going through the motions, we would work with more vigor and fire because we would know that the boss is watching.  Let's disregard our Mom's and the power company and leave the light on.