Does Seeing Behind the Curtain Ruin the Experience?

For my birthday this year, I wanted to take the Backstage Magic Tour at DisneyWorld.  For those of you who are not Disney nerds, it is a 7 hour tour of the “backstage” at DisneyWorld. We got to see the before hours mechanical and engineering checks at The American Experience at Epcot, along with a backstage look at the mechanism that runs the show there.  We went to costuming, where they design and create the costumes used in the shows and on characters at The World.  We drove by the warehouse where they maintain and store their holiday decorations.  We went to one of the multiple laundries, this one for the deluxe resorts (which was beyond cool, by the way) .  We went to the engineering and mechanical shop where they maintain the ride vehicles, design new animatronics and build them.  We went down into the utilidoors at Magic Kingdom, which are the underground series of tunnels by which cast members traverse the park, take breaks and the like.  It was comprehensive....and fun.  We saw how The World is a self contained municipality, with banks, medical facilities, day care, power plants, fire and rescue.   There is so much and so many details that go into making a Disney experience that it would make your head spin.  I know, many of you are probably thinking that taking a tour like that would ruin the magic of Disney.  It doesn’t.  Actually, knowing what goes into every part of the Disney experience enhances it and makes me appreciate what is on stage even more.  Not everyone feels this way, so not everyone takes this tour, but Disney is happy to let you know how they do it.

Some lawyers in the Trenches worry that if clients know what goes into drafting a pleading, preparing for trial, or that there are Maryland State court forms online for things like filing for an uncontested divorce, filing for child support or filing their initial pleading for divorce or custody, they will lose a client.  I find just the opposite.  I often tell a client that they could use a court form if all they need is an uncontested divorce; I help them fill it out if they want.  I tell them what to expect at a hearing and how it will go and what they need. Sure, I might earn less on that case, but I have a happy client who will come back to me if they have a need and refer friends and family my way (and they have).  Some of those folks end up doing their own divorce and are thrilled to be walked through the process.  Some folks realize that they’d rather not do it themselves but stay involved in the strategizing and planning of their case.  Still others would rather just have their lawyers do everything.  Sometimes, seeing how the process works “backstage” makes a client appreciate the effort even more and see the magic in what we do.  Here in the Trenches.