It is a very exciting time for Daps Magic. 2025 was a big year for us. We covered more stories, went to more events, and celebrated quite a few milestones. Perhaps the most significant milestone was Daps Magic’s YouTube passing 100,000 subscribers at the end of the year. This last week, the “Play Button” for this milestone arrived. This turned a rather nebulous accomplishment into something tangible and real. It also got me thinking more.
Daps Magic is getting close to entering its 22nd year. For 20 of those years, YouTube has been an important part of what we are. Very early on, when YouTube became a thing, we realized that we really liked the medium. It was fun to document what was going on in the parks and share it with those who couldn’t make it into the parks. There was also something special about knowing that we were saving some of these moments for posterity. As time has gone by, some of these videos have really become part of the record of Disney’s history.
The moments captured haven’t been the only important or special part of this journey and the milestone that we recently reached. The moments that we’ve had together through the years as we have been building to this milestone stand out to me. As I sit here at Starbucks, a wave of memories floods my mind as I focus solely on Daps Magic’s story that is connected with YouTube. It makes me very happy and very thankful as I think about them.
One memory that pops into my head is on a summer afternoon with my Merlin and Murray. We were filming the Disneyland Resort All-American College Band. It was probably ridiculously warm, and yet I was in a suit coat. While waiting for a set in front of the Train Station, someone suggested we get a picture of the three of us. It might have been a guy named Mark. As I think about this, I think of how many days we spent at Disneyland on a summer afternoon and evening following the College Band around, and how thankful I am for Murray, Merlin, Caitie, and others for their help filming this energetic and beloved group.
I’m also thankful for the community that surrounded the College Band. We met so many fantastic people through the years. Many of them would come back year after year, and we would pick up each summer right where we left off. Sadly, some of these people are no longer with us. As I write this, I have to give a hat tip to my buddy Rick. He was dedicated to taking photos of the band every summer and gave so much time and effort to the students throughout the years with his gift of photographer with his wife Connie.
I also think of the piano at Coke Corner (Refreshment Corner if we want to be particular). Through the years, there have been some incredibly magical moments there. For many years, Rod Miller could be found tickling the ivories, and then Ragtime Robert took over. I think back to that transition period when the two of them would occasionally do a duet together. They were electric! I also think of when Ragtime Robert and a guest named Robby would make up duets on the spot and dazzle those who would sit around the piano. It really was something special, and there were a lot of special people here as well. Some of them have also passed away, and I take off my hat to my buddy Peter. These friendships came from a couple of geeks being interested in music and wanting to document what was happening in one little corner of the park. I’ll be forever thankful for it.
I also cannot skip mentioning the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. For nearly two decades, the Daps Magic team has camped out on Saturday and Sunday nights to film the first show each night in its entirety. This is a labor of love and is only possible with the help of the team and community around us. We have made incredible friends through the years doing this. I have to give a major shout-out to Merlin and Angela, who have filmed a majority of these performances, while I did my best to guard the camera and videographer from being blocked, bumped, or whatever. This is often done with the help of friends, old and new, through the years. Sometimes this has led to some adventures when the weather has decided to make things interesting. In fact, a rainy Sunday is how Angela became involved with Daps Magic!
Along with documenting things in the parks at Disneyland and around the world, we have also produced our own videos. As I think through the years, I can’t help but laugh at the memories of some of the early videos we did. Quite often, they’d end up being challenges or adventures that my friend Stevo and I would go on. They were ridiculous to say the least, but we always had a lot of fun! I mean, who wouldn’t want to go on it’s a small world 10 times in a row? What were we thinking!?
As time went on, we came up with other ideas for videos… and even a webshow. Since October 2010, Geeks Corner has been a weekly web show that Daps Magic has produced, and I have hosted. What came up with “we’ll come up with a better name later” when Johnny 5 and I came up with the initial idea has turned into “well, we can’t change it now!” over 15 years later.
There have been many people who have helped Geeks Corner through the years, most importantly the Buddy Pals who show up each week and geek out with us about Disney and positive stuff. This core community is incredible and makes it worth doing week after week. One of them has even watched every episode since the very beginning! I also want to thank the team who has helped get the show onto YouTube every week. This includes (and I know I’ll miss some names): Johnny 5, Caitie Bear, Mikey Really Likey, Hayley the Hatter, Matthew, Tyler, Lauren, Nathan, Johnny, Cameron, Laura, Melanie, Jessica, Chris, Jenny, Murray, Sarah, Hali, and others that I’m sure I’m missing. I also need to thank Roger, who week after week helps us during the show with social media. On top of all that, a hat tip needs to go to Caitie, who shows up week after week and says “let’s do it” to all my crazy ideas.
Another special that goes up daily is Disney This Day. Each day, Egon Bonkers shares what happened on that specific day in Disney history. This is quite a bit of work that also takes a team. I want to thank Caitlyn for helping make this happen initially and Angela for her dedication to keeping this special going up each and every day. People love hearing from Egon on a daily basis, and it is fun to watch people interact with him through the comments. I also love hearing about how people love him when I meet with them in the parks or at events.
Following the web shows, podcasts came to be. Through the years, there have been quite a few of them. First, there was Dapscast, which was a blast. This eventually led to what is now Disney and positive stuff. There have also been several others, and I’m thankful to all of the people we have met, interviewed, and interacted with because of them. Currently, one of the podcasts we produce is Photoniks with Clocky from Sent From Disneyland. I’m so thankful that we get to do this together and just share how we normally geek out together with others who watch/listen to the show. I’m also thankful that we get to walk around with old photos at Disneyland, geeking out about them, just like we did when we first met!
I also have so many memories of moments at different special events through the years. CHOC Walk will always stand out, particularly the one in a hurricane, as something special! There have also been anniversaries, Disney Ambassador ceremonies, interviews, premieres, and so many others. I think of these incredible experiences I’ve been able to have because of the support of those who are around me. I’m also very thankful for the team members I’ve been able to take with me to these events through the years!
They say “it takes a village” to get anything worthwhile done. Having now run Daps Magic for nearly 22 years, I can tell you this is true. We have an incredible team. It has evolved through the years, but at its core has always been my brother and dad, who have always been great sounding boards and idea guys since before we even had a name!
We have incredible people on the team who bring their own talents and interests. I’m so thankful that Doug brings his love of Disney history to the site each month with 30 Years Ago at Disneyland. I’m thankful for Steven and Spencer, who often discover things in the parks and send them on to me to share with our viewers and readers. DC Sarah is one of my biggest supporters and also a longtime team member/writer/contributor, and podcast co-host (keep your eyes on this space in the future!). Mikey Really Likey has also contributed to Geeks Corner and podcasts through the years and has also helped with video. Roger is also an incredible part of our team as he contributes articles regularly, along with videos. Angela also contributes videos on a regular basis, along with helping with research for Disney This Day! Last but not least, Caitie also contributes weekly in front of the camera on Geeks Corner and then frequently behind the camera as she films me doing interviews, writes occasionally, and supports wherever needed. The whole team always steps up for whatever is needed and really is incredible.
It’s funny, I started writing this, and I was thinking of moments. Those moments turned into faces and names. I’m thankful for them all. Heck, as I get down this far, I think of the opening day of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge when a certain Disney executive “booped” my bow tie as we waited to go into this new land. I also think of our video camera and so many others getting drenched during the world premiere of World of Color. There are so many memories that add up to this milestone as I think about where we are today.
I also should acknowledge that not all of these moments were fun, funny, or even happy. There have been plenty of moments through the years where I’ve been told “you can’t,” or “that’s dumb,” or “give up.” Sometimes by people quite close to me. I am thankful, though, that the positive moments have always outweighed the negative. Perhaps part of this is because I have chosen to focus on the positive moments over the negative, and I firmly believe that what you focus on will grow! So I’d rather have the positive be the thing that grows.
So the question then becomes, what’s next? As we look towards the future, we build on the foundation of the past. We are looking forward to more videos, more podcasts, more adventures, more crazy segments, and more coverage in the coming year and beyond. We are also very excited about Daps Magic HQ and the community that is being built there. To put it simply, we are excited about getting to geek out about Disney and positive stuff with other people who want to do the same thing.
The future is bright for Daps Magic. We are at the place where we are today because of the people who have been with us along the way. We have incredible people who are a part of our community, our team, the team at Disney we work with (and all the cast members!), and those with whom we attend events. As we pass this milestone and move on toward the next, I look forward to more moments with more friends, and it will be great!
Moments Through the Years
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