If you have ever wandered through Disney World, you know it is less a theme park and more a living snow globe of joy. But every now and then, a guest adds a little extra sparkle.
That is exactly what happened when Justin Giliello visited with his family.On their way to dinner, they passed a tuxedoed pianist playing in the elegant lobby.
As the music floated through the air, Justin began twirling his six year old daughter Lila across the marble floor. When the pianist finished, Lila proudly announced that her dad could play too.
Justin laughed and clarified that his real talent was singing. Moments later, everyone in the lobby understood just how serious that understatement was.
A graduate of the Boston Conservatory with a degree in operatic vocal performance, Justin now teaches voice in his home state of Connecticut. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter in North Stonington. That evening, though, he looked like any other vacationing dad in a T shirt and shorts.
Then he began to sing “Ave Maria.”
His voice rose through the lobby like cathedral light, rich and resonant, turning a casual evening into something almost sacred. Conversations hushed. Guests slowly gathered around the piano. Strangers became an audience.
Lila’s mom, Lauren, later shared that their daughter adores her father’s voice. The two often sing together, and Justin sings her lullabies at night. In that lobby, those private melodies became a shared moment of wonder.
When he finished, applause filled the space.
For Justin, the performance carried a deeper meaning. As a child, he visited Walt Disney World with his parents. They stayed at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and would walk over to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa just to sit in the lobby and listen to piano music.
This time, he was the music.
And somewhere between memory and melody, a little girl watched her father sing and quietly began dreaming of a stage of her own.
Leave a Reply