Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Disneyland.



I spent the last few days at Disneyland. And while many people can't stand the place with its people, commercialism and, well, people. I LOVE IT.

Here's why:

It occurred to me, while I was there, that Disneyland is all about stories. It is a park based entirely on stories. Some are classics like Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Alice & Wonderland and some are newer stories like Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Toy Story. Many of the themed rides even tell a story. There's an inciting incident, rising action and a resolution. I LOVE that adults can act like kids again and kids can act like exhausted brats. I love that I hear this on a regular basis, "You're going to have fun whether you like it or not!" I love that parents suddenly have more energy than their children and I also love that you can eat cotton candy and ginormous corn dogs.

What would it be like to have your story turned into an experience? Does it cheapen it, or does it honor it by exposing it to the masses. I'm not sure, but what I do know is that any exposure to a much forgotten classic like The Wind in the Willows is a GOOD thing.

Having said all that, I am glad to be home and back to, at least, pretending to write.

What vacations do you like? Crazy or peaceful.

13 comments:

  1. DISNEYYYYYYYY I love Disney :) My mom and sister, though, are the truly crazy ones. They can go to Disneyland twice a year for an entire week from opening to closing each day and not get tired of it. My dad and I, after day two, are getting a little antsy.

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    1. Taryn, I'm with you. By the end of the second day, I'm pretty much done. But I do love it. I love running around being happy and screaming until my legs feel like jello. Nothing better than falling straight into a crappy hotel bed completely spent.

      And dream of 'It's a Small World After all'

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    2. Omg I LOVE, LOVEEEE Disney! I love the whole atmosphere of being a kid, but I never thought of the story part! Now I love it even more :) I'm going to Disney World in October and I can't wait!

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    3. Ooo, Amanda I LOVE Disney World, we've been there twice. It is five times better than DL, but too far from our house :( Very jealous. Have fun.

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  2. Kids love crazy Disney. I like relaxing peaceful. We are saving up for a Disney cruise to hopefully make everyone happy.

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    1. Good call on the cruise. It is our dream to go on one of those cruises. Disney does everything right so I'm positive that the cruise would be the best thing ever.

      Relaxing by the pool while the kids go crazy with goofy. I can totally dig it.

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  3. Sounds like you had a lot of fun!
    I am a little weird about crowds and talking puppets, though..
    But I guess that, in a way, every place has a story to tell, we (as in: us storytellers) just have to listen :-)

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    1. Talking puppets can be horrifying, I agree. I think you're right. Every place has a story. I like that.

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  4. I have to say, I love Disneyland too. I just hate chasing ornery kids through that park. Once my kids are at least three or four, I can handle it, though. To me Disneyland is a giant world of imagination, and a place adults are given permission to act like kids again...be Peter Pan. I've always wanted to travel to places where films were made too, like New Zealand and its locations for the Lord of the Rings films. I love old castles for this reason too. It would be surreal to go to a place that was really in my book.

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    1. Ooo. I will go to New Zealand with you. That sounds fantastic. Or Europe for some good old fashioned castles. Love that!

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  5. We brought our kids (ages 5 & 7) there for the first time this fall. Long days, but it was fun. The only disappointing thing was not really seeing many princesses. We only visited with one and spent 45 minutes in line to do that. Luckily the 5 year old wasn't too sad, even though she's super into princesses.

    I'd love to go to the Magic Kingdom without kids sometime, but that probably wouldn't happen.

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  6. I love Disneyland so much I want to kiss it on the mouth

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    1. Our oldest daughter cried when we left. She's eleven. "I can't believe it's over already," she said. While I consoled her, in my head...I was saying the same thing.

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