Getting up in the morning has always been an issue for me,
but today, I couldn’t wait to get up. For today – today was a day that would be
held in my heart forever. Today was the day that I would relive my childhood.
Today was a Disneyland Day.
There might
be better words to describe what it feels to walk through the ticket line and
see the flower Mickey head that welcomes you to the domain of fun, but the
first word that pops into my mind is “home”. Unlike most children, I did not
grow up having experienced Disneyland; my first time was just about a year ago.
I never walked the cobblestone streets or hugged Mickey amidst the throngs of
screaming children, but I did watch Disney movies religiously. Having dreamed
in Disney cartoon as a child, coming to the place where they came to life can
be noting but fulfilling your every hope for imagination to meet reality.
This time
would be different; this was the time that my friend was taking me, a friend
who is not like the rest - a friend who is handicapped. Ruthanne would be my
guide, the person that would take me around to all the rides I hadn’t been on
through the secret handicapped passaged I had never seen and to the front of
the line where only those that couldn’t walk could get to.
Everyone’s
tactic when first entering Disney Land is completely different: some go
straight for Tomorrowland and grab their flash passes for Space Mountain while
others run to the Indiana Jones ride, while still others race straight for Toon
Town to get it out of the way first. The goal is always to ride as many rides
as possible as many times as possible with as much food as you can handle.
This was a
day for relaxation, for soaking in the essence of what Walt Disney hoped for
people to experience. As you walk through Downtown Disney, there is a wonder
that fills you; it’s not just excitement but more of a reverence for what has
been accomplished for so many years. We sludge through the people, alerting
them with the little bell attached to her handlebar. You’re in Disneyland but
it feels like just the beginning, like you haven’t arrived inside yet.
“Look.” She
said, pointing up at one of the corner offices, second floor. The window read
“Elias Disney” and I looked back at her quizzically. She smiled, “That’s his
dad’s office.” She went on to explain that Walt Disney’s father, Elias, was a
cold hard man, one that you would not want to be the child of on a cold
winter’s day. He was a harsh man and yet Walt wanted to revere and remember him
in a way that would last a lifetime. There are trinkets from all around the
country up in that office and it was sort of a haven for Disney to be at when
at the park.
Toys were
everywhere, Main Street teamed with people running in and out of stores, kids
screaming for presents and parents ignoring their kids. The vast amount of clothes
and paraphernalia that filled each place was overwhelming. Mickey ears were
everywhere, headbands and classic bowl mickey ears that had different styles
and designs. There were bride and groom mickey ears, Maleficent ears, Star Wars
ears, Jazmin ears and classic ears. Every type of Disney character that you can
imagine has a design of ears that you could buy.
Then, there
it is, sparkling in the distance, the Mickey and Disney statue standing in the
middle of the round-about circle, waving to you in front of the princess
castle. It is smaller than you see in the pictures because of optics but is the
most beautiful sight to see when entering the park. The castle stands as a
symbol for every little girl that “Someday my prince will come.” It is the
metaphor for good triumphing over evil and the best example of dreams coming
true.
“Let’s get
a Dole Whip!” Ruthanne breaks my thoughts and speeds off without waiting for
me. “ We have to start the day out right.” She continued, not checking if I was
behind her or not. It didn’t matter that it was 8:30AM, ice cream in the
morning is a reality in this place. Dole Whip, if you do not know, is a must
when visiting Disneyland. It’s pineapple soft serve ice cream that cannot be
topped – there are places that sell Dole Whip but nothing compares to a Dole Whip
at Disneyland; I don’t know if it is the atmosphere or the freshness of the
juice, but it’s never the same other places.
After
slurping up our last bits of ice cream we headed straight for the Indiana Jones
ride – the most exciting ride in my opinion. The plan of attack being to get a
flash-pass, run to try to get on the Haunted Mansion ride and then run back to
jump in flash-pass line for Indiana Jones.
“We get
special flash passes even.” Ruthanne reminded me, I was ready to experience
this side of Disney. Flash passes scanned we headed towards the Haunted Mansion
ride. People were just beginning to show up at this point, and the park was
becoming more crowded. We continued to weave in and out of groups of people as
they were on their own mission with their families and friends. It was nice to
have just one other person, it’s easier to make decisions that way. I started
to walk into the main line before Ruthanne stopped me,
“What are
you doing?”
“Getting in
line!” I said, confused.
“Come
here.” She rolled her eyes and I came up beside her as she grabbed a red card
from the crew member standing at the front. “This means I have to be taken right
up to the ride” she explained as she putted herself forward in her scooter.
They really do take care of the handicapped here. There were about fifty people
in line already and we were able to hop to the very front, they let us in the
elevator before everyone else so that we could get a good exiting position.
Once the elevator goes down in it’s creepy exhibition we were let off after
everyone else so that we could easily get down the hallway to the loading area
– which was a chained off area specifically so that they could load handicapped
people on carefully.
After the
ride we were lifted back up the elevator unlike everyone else so that we could
easily get back out the way we came in. As we walked around I didn’t really
realize how much people stare at those with disabilities, I was astounded with
how much Ruthanne was looked at and asked about her injury. Though they were
not really rude it became a bit of an annoyance to me to see the blatant
staring people showed. In a way it made me more sensitive to the handicapped
people around me as well, they always are stared at and draw attention to
themselves by just living, which would be a difficult thing to deal with every
single day.
After
hitting more rides on this side of the park we wandered over to TomorrowLand,
the land of the future with Star Wars and Buzz Lightyear rides that took you to
outer space and to infinity and beyond. We made a quick lunch stop at Pizza
Planet before heading to the Matterhorn. While we were walking past the
TomorrowLand building there was a commotion at the stage.
“Padawan
practice.” Ruthanne shrugged. I lit up – Star Wars.
“We’re
watching.” I said with finality in my tone. She rolled her eyes as we sauntered
up to the group of parents who were watching, as their children were hand
picked by the “Jedi Master”. They were given little Jedi robes and light sabers
to practice with. It was so magical to watch these little kids be Jedi in
training, pretending to practice their sparring. I would give anything to be
one of the crew members that helped set up the kids on the stage, dressed as a
Padawan themselves and looking ready for their next lesson from the Master.
These kids will be talking and reenacting this lesson for months to come.
Next stop –
fantasy land where all the original rides are housed. There were people
everywhere, even the handicapped lanes had lines, though they were the most fun
lines to be in because you got to go through the exit and hope on the rides
before anyone else was able to get on. It was sort of a selfish, greedy thing
to be so satisfied not having to wait in the long switchback lines but for the
moment I enjoyed not having to be a sucker for the first time at Disneyland.
As the day
begins to wind down and become dark you have to plan it out very carefully.
There are multiple ways to spend the evening because there are multiple shows
that happen. This is what we typically do. First the night parade which is the
most fantastic light show of all – every single character from the Disney
movies has a float that drives throughout the park, they sing and dance as they
parade down the street. They have lights covering their float, which enhances
every single aspect of the show because the lights are timed with the overhead
music. It’s interactive with certain light up Mickey ears as well; the ones
that have programmed lights inside the ears literally blink along with the
music.
After the
parade we typically run to “It’s a Small World” so that we can stand in front
of it to watch the fireworks that seem to be right above you when you are
standing there. The fireworks show is as well timed to the music as they burst
above you, almost singing along. This show is always moving; it’s inspiring
because it relates to what you feel inside with pure happiness. The music will
move you to the right mood that you need to be in. The most interesting part
about the fireworks is that the City of Orange County pays for them every
single day, since Disneyland has brought it so much business over the decades
it gives back to the community by paying for every single person’s day at
Disneyland to be the best day they have ever had.
Once the
fireworks end it is a mad dash to the riverfront to watch Fantasmic – which is,
in my opinion, the best show that Disney puts on. This show is the farewell
song, it is the show right before the park begins to close down; you may have a
short amount of time to ride one or two rides if you are lucky before
everything closes. Ruthanne grabbed a spot while I went to hunt down more food
and a couple drinks. I knew exactly what I wanted to get.
I returned
in about 30 minutes to find Ruthanne sitting with the other handicapped
individuals, chatting away while I handed her the drink. I sat on the ground, crossed
my legs and pealed open the tin foil covering of my hot turkey leg, the last
thing I always get at Disneyland. BOOM the show starts with a massive trill
from a symphony. Mickey comes out on the stage and conducts the music as if he
is the maestro. This show is special because it is about imagination and the
power that it holds in success. It shows the audience, young and old, that
dreams and imagination are what help us to get through tough situations,
dreaming about better things and hoping the best for our lives. It also shows
the danger of imagination and how it can get the better of you, but that goodness
always wins in the end. It’s an exciting light and water show with fireworks
and plays on color. There are boat floats that have the different princesses and
characters from the movies that float by with their individual iconic songs –
this part always makes me cry because it is where you see all of the characters
come to life.
Disneyland is my home because it’s
where your dreams really do come true. Imagination is such an integral part of
any childhood’s life and the older you get the more you realize that imagination
is not reality and the more cynical you can become. Disneyland is that escape
back to when you were five and imagined prince charming coming to the rescue or
Buzz Lightyear coming to save the day at school when someone was picking on
you. Disney is imagination and following your dreams. It is reality of
humanity.
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