Disney Magic: Making dreams come true
Much to my chagrin, my run as a North State Voices columnist will finish with this entry. When mentioning this to friends and family, many have asked what I will do next. My immediate thought echo’s the sentiments of winning Olympians and championship sports teams and is spoken with pure gleeful joy; “I’m going to Disneyland!” I seriously love Disneyland. Disney magic captures my heart every-single-time with my first step onto Main Street, the view of Cinderella’s castle and Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah merrily setting the mood from unseen speakers. I delight in the harmonizing barbershop quartet with their colorfully striped suits and straw hats, the sweet smell of freshly spun cotton candy, and a new Mickey hat with my name stitched on the back. Nothing brings back memories of my childhood like a Dole Whip frozen dessert, the Country Bear Jamboree, and the Main Street
Electrical Parade.
I am a born and bred southern California “Valley Girl.” I grew up going to Disney several times each year and could navigate the park as well as my neighborhood. I spent high school “Grad Night” at Disney, watching the sunrise during that one final spin on the Matterhorn. In college, Ken and I made the drive from Santa Barbara to Disney a handful of times. Naturally, when we started our family, we bought baby-sized mouse ears and began the indoctrination.
By elementary school, the kids were bona fide Disney fans. We had taken them to the California parks and to Disneyworld in Florida. After Disneyworld, we made a lofty goal as a family. We must visit all remaining Disney parks in the world. It turned out to be an alluring, exciting and just plain crazy fun, family pact.
Fate cooperated, and we were presented with natural opportunities through work, a Girl Scout trip, and study abroad, to attach a Disney park visit in the three remaining locations, Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Ten years later, mission accomplished. I wish I could report that there was a medal ceremony, or that we were crowned with a coveted custom set of mouse ears, or even a paper certificate given to mark the achievement. Alas, it is a pride, not prize, victory. The win is an outstanding set of family memories. Also, we did not hold the title long. Two years after we completed the circuit, Shanghai Disney opened and remains unvisited by the Chapmans’.
The parks around the world are distinctive, each having its own flavor mixed with standard Disney rides, characters, and aura. A great example of variation is found in Hong Kong. Here, due to cultural differences in the way ghosts and afterlife are perceived, there is no Haunted Mansion. Instead, Hong Kong Disneyland has The Mystic Manor, which includes a few elements familiar to Haunted House aficionados, but is more of a lighthearted, fantasy ride.
All Disney parks are outstanding, but my favorite is Disney Sea in Tokyo. Reflecting Japan’s connection to the ocean, this enormous park has extremely unique and creative rides. Popcorn is the snack of choice and flavors abound including, curry, Chinese chili, black pepper, tomato and herb, blueberry, and of course chocolate, caramel and good old salted. The design and feeling of Disney Sea is like no other.
Disney is a great uniter. From Anaheim to Shanghai, the pirate’s life is for everyone. This was exemplified in Tokyo as we “yo-ho’ed” with a dozen others, through the Pirates of the Caribbean, and equally marveled at the wonder of this ride. It makes the song from the most classic ride in Disneyland everywhere resonate; “there is so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware, it’s a small world after all.”
Unfortunately, I am not really going to Disneyland. Not yet anyway. Disney will start welcoming back guests in 2021. With a wave of Tinkerbell’s wand and a couple of vaccine injections, we will once again marvel at the evening Fireworks Spectacular, scream as we plummet down the massive drop at the end of Splash Mountain, embrace the slight headache from the jarring Big Thunder rollercoaster, and anticipate which ghost will be coming home with us as we exit the Haunted Mansion.
In the meantime, I plan to continue writing in a newly created blog, Rear View Adventures (rearviewadventures.com). I will share stories and travels in this format, so if you have enjoyed my column, feel free to subscribe. The opportunity to be one of the North State Voices this year is something I am grateful for and proud of. I went to college thinking I would be a journalist, took a different career path, and then focused on family. Returning to this original goal has fulfilled a lifelong aspiration. Thank-you to everyone who encouraged me, sent me messages, and to all the North State Voices readers. Walt Disney said it best, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”