Outside of loving Disney since I was born, I’ve also been a lifelong fan of Mary Poppins—especially the music. During my first year of college, while trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I stumbled across the documentary The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story which tells the story of the Sherman Brothers. If you’re not familiar with the name, Richard and Robert Sherman were the duo behind an endless list of Disney classics: Winnie the Pooh, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, it’s a small world, the Enchanted Tiki Room theme, the Carousel of Progress theme… just to name a few.

In The Boys, I was deeply struck by how Disney—especially through its music—connects people across generations. I remember my roommates walking into our room while I was crying, saying, “I just want to work for Disney!” I had known since I was little that I’d work for Disney in some capacity, but this documentary made me feel even more drawn to that dream.

I should also mention that my college was only 15 minutes away from Disneyland, so I visited quite often (despite not having a car).

That same night, on Disney Twitter, someone mentioned that Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter would be receiving a window on Main Street the next morning, and that a small section of the ceremony would be open to the public. Being the Disney-obsessed fan that I was (if you haven’t already picked up on that!), I knew how rare and special Main Street window ceremonies are—it’s a high honor. And, lucky me, it fit perfectly with my class schedule.

So, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to walk two miles to the bus stop and catch the first bus at 4:30 a.m., getting me to the gates of Disneyland by 5:15 a.m. I didn’t have much information—just that the ceremony was happening—so I wanted to be the first in case of a crowd. I was, in fact, the only person there. I sat in the dark, leaning against a security station, doing my makeup on the ground. About an hour later, one other person joined me, and we tried asking the slowly trickling-in security Cast Members if they had any info. Each one had something different to say—some said we needed wristbands, others said it was happening at a hotel convention room, and someone else said it would be in front of the castle. Despite all the confusion, I was (probably overly) confident that I’d find my way there.

After waiting around for a few hours, I was finally at the gates of Disneyland, ready to enter the moment the park opened. Still, no one had definitive information. I had to make a quick decision. I speed-walked to the left-hand side of the entrance. If you’ve ever been to a Disney park at opening, you know how packed it can get—what they call "rope-dropping." Through the crowd, I spotted a blocked-off section of Main Street with rows of white chairs facing a podium. While I clearly wasn’t an invited guest, I saw a tiny triangle of space being roped off for public viewing and managed to squeak in just as they closed the rope.

I had made it! I had my DSLR with its insane zoom lens ready to go.

Just before the ceremony was about to start, a Cast Member came back to the rope and said they had a few extra seats to fill if we wanted to sit. I was ecstatic! I ended up sitting next to one of the current Disneyland Ambassadors and was over the moon that my early wake-up had paid off.

The ceremony began with then-Disney Parks President Tom Staggs listing the other Disney Legends in attendance—one of whom was Richard Sherman, who stood up and waved. I couldn’t believe it! It felt like kismet, especially after crying over his story the night before. My Disney-loving heart was so full as I snapped photos of Tony Baxter receiving his well-deserved Main Street window (left) and Bob Gurr goofing off (right).

After the ceremony wrapped up, I noticed that those of us from the "public" who had been let in weren’t being asked to leave the now-crowded area filled with mingling guests. I didn’t hesitate—I got up and walked over to Richard Sherman. At that point, everyone was swarming around Tony Baxter, so Richard was standing on his own. I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Richard?” He immediately turned around and said hello!

At the time, I wasn’t someone who cried easily (despite, of course, crying over the documentary), but I immediately burst into tears. I told him how much his music meant to me and thanked him for creating something that has brought meaning to so many lives. He and his wife were so kind—they asked my name, where I was going to school, and more. We were about to take a photo together, but he was called to the podium for a group photo with all the Disney Legends in attendance. He promised to come find me afterward for a photo.

Once the crowd realized who Richard was, he was completely swarmed following the group photo. I lingered for about 20 minutes, unsure whether to leave or wait just a little longer for another chance to speak with him.

Just as I was about to walk out and be content with the interaction I’d had, Richard saw me across the crowd and called out, “Izabelle, I didn’t forget about you!” I walked up and finally got the photo I’d hoped for—one that memorialized an interaction I’ll treasure forever. As I thanked him, I asked one final question: “What is your favorite song in your songbook?” Without hesitation, he replied, “The same as Walt—Feed the Birds.” I was already melting at that response, and it became even more heartfelt when I asked what the song meant to him. He explained that it was about how simple it is to show and spread love—all it takes is some tuppence.

As I thanked him and started to part ways, he asked what I wanted to do. I told him I wasn’t exactly sure yet, but I knew I wanted to work for The Walt Disney Company. He squeezed my hand and said, “You’ll do it—keep the dream.”

I was lucky enough to see Richard Sherman perform it’s a small world in front of the attraction at Disneyland for its anniversary. The timelessness of the song hit even harder having it come from the creator of the song, and even more so as we sang it with a crowd of guests while trailing behind Richard’s cavalcade toward Main Street.

Years later, I still think about the moment of meeting Richard often. It wasn’t just about meeting a Disney Legend I admired the work of—it was about feeling seen, encouraged, and connected to the very magic that inspired me in the first place. As Richard once wrote, “there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow”—and that morning, I truly believed mine was just beginning.

Meeting Disney Legend Richard Sherman