Sunday, June 17, 2012

Why I love Disney

Our Trip
2010 

I've discussed my love for Walt Disney many times on this blog.
I know it's not an uncommon thing to love Disney...I mean how many cars do you see with a tinkerbell decal on the back window? And it's not that I think I am above any of those other fans- I just see my "obsession" as something different. 
Let me see if I can explain it.
I can remember my first real love of all things Disney perfectly. One evening my mom and dad called me into their room to watch a TV show with them. It was a show that went behind the scenes of Disneyland and the animatronics used in the park. In this segment they were showing how the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean moved and spoke. Sure I had seen Disney movies before this and loved Mickey and the rest of the gang...but there was something about this that really got my attention. I'm not even sure I can really explain why or how it made me feel, but I can tell you from that day on I had a new appreciation of the things Walt Disney created. 
My new interest was fueled by my mama. She would go out and buy me any book she could find on Disney.
I began to understand that Disneyland was more than just the characters and the rides. Disneyland was created to transport you into new worlds of the past, the future, and the fictional. One of the most magical things is that you are not only transported to say, Adventure Land, but you are taken to the Adventure Land that was created in Walt's imagination. This means that when you enter the Tiki Room you are not only in the exotic lands of singing birds, you are also seeing it from the perspective of someone in the 1960's.When you walk down Main Street USA you are seeing what Walt remembered from his childhood but designed with influences of the 1950's. The influence of the wholesome 1950's create a quaint experience for the viewer. The areas and rides created later (say, the 1990's) are still amazing and magical but you can see the more cartoony quality of the time.
I do hope that last part made sense because I believe that the influence of the 1950's and 1960's is one of the most magical things about Disneyland. 

There are so many other details about Disneyland that make me fall in love with it every time I visit. One of my favorite things about the park is sitting down and soaking in the scenery. It has become a tradition for Austin and I to sit in New Orleans Square with a mint julep and listen to the jazz band playing in the French Market Restaurant patio with the tick tick tick of the railroad in the background. I look forward to this moment because I'm able to take it all in. The music, the architecture, the smells! So much thought has gone into every inch of the park. 

This weekend Austin and I are driving down to Anaheim and spending the weekend in Disneyland. I can't wait to take it all in once again. I feel so lucky to have found a fella who takes me to my favorite place every year. I have been known to cry as we enter the park or as we wait in line for Pirates of the Caribbean. I just feel so grateful.

I know this post may seem random (and may not even make sense) because we haven't posted in a while but it seemed like a perfect opportunity to express my love for Walt Disney and all that he created.
I promise to post when we get back!


3 comments:

Kerry Rivers said...

I totally get what you're saying!

Daveland said...

Looking forward to hearing how your trip went!

Anonymous said...

Speaking of crying...what you wrote made me teary eyed!! For many reasons :)

Love you boo,
J Bird