Quite honestly, I was out of the loop when The Walt Disney Company decided that this was a good idea. I was 12 years old and Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet. The company was, of course, celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Walt Disney World Resort (and the Magic Kingdom in particular). However, they turned a veritable icon into somewhat of a monstrosity.
Those that know me are aware that I am a huge fan of the Disney parks in general. I am unable to figure out exactly why that is. During my senior year at Hope, I did some extensive thinking about this, and the result was my worldview paper. My worldview since then has changed, but the words remain very true to my life experience and love for Walt Disney World:
The year was 1989, I was five years old, and it was my second trip to the World (I was just six months old the first time my family visited, so I only have vague recollections of what the place was all about during that trip). I honestly do not remember all that much about the trip. I do remember, however, the plane ride down with a connection in Baltimore, Maryland, the rental minivan (all we had ever ridden in was a 1980s Chevrolet Caprice station wagon replete with wood paneling on the sides), the Days Inn motel where we stayed, and of course, lingering memories of the parks themselves. This was an important time for my family, and would actually be the last vacation that we ever had while I was living with my parents.
I remember being in awe at everything there was to see and do at the resort. There were scary and not-so-scary rides, the magnificent geodesic sphere at EPCOT Center called “Spaceship Earth”, and all kinds of Disney characters to meet and greet. There was also the impressive monorail system that took us from park to park during our stay, and the ferry that brought us from the parking lot across the man-made Bay Lake to the Magic Kingdom. I will never be more impressed than by the effort that is made at Disney World to completely transport the guest from the everyday to a place where the everyday ceases to exist. I loved that vacation to Walt Disney World; my memories are lasting and their impressions remain strong upon me to this very day.
Does it matter what impacts us as long as we are changed for the better? No mistake here.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
a mistake?
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1 comment:
i was there during the 25th anniversary celebration! i was dancing there, actually, with my tap company. we performed on the stage next to space mountain. and one day when we were visiting the park, me and 2 other dancers got to be in the 25th anniversary show in front of the castle that they put on several times a day. we got to hold up little signs with years on them. haha. good times, aww disney world... :)
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