Dare to Disney

Sometimes all you need is a little Disney.

 

(*blink blink*)

 

What??

 

(Who are you and what have you done with Jim?)

 

Oh stop it now. And don't worry, I'm not getting all magical and sparkly and whatnot. I'm just saying that maybe, sometimes, yeah, a little Disney does go a long way.

 

(I'm going to need to sit down for this. And need some more coffee.)

 

Alright, sassypants, I'll explain. A dear friend of mine recently celebrated a milestone birthday and, in celebration, made arrangements for a large group of friends to stay at a Disney resort and wreak havoc on the parks for a few days. Of course, being the cynical, skeptical self that I am, I immediately questioned why we'd go to the land of enchantment… for children. With hordes of… children. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but generally when I think vacation I think relaxation, not thousands of screaming, smelly, sticky children.

 

(You have issues.)

 

I know. Nevertheless, I agreed, and a week ago yesterday I embarked on the journey to central Florida. Immediately upon reaching the airport I knew I'd made the right decision. You see, I am blessed in my life in having a wide, diverse group of friends. Among those with whom I went to Florida were two of my very closest friends, and a slew of others I've met through them. Though we were not especially close, we all knew each other well enough that the trip wouldn't be awkward by any means, and we were destined to have a grand ol' time, starting with drinks on the plane. There were twelve of us all traveling down together, much to Southwest's dismay, me thinks, and we took over the last three rows of the plane on the way down.

 

After a short flight, getting lost in the airport, a Magical Express ride to the resort, and after devouring about three bags of Bugles, we were on our way to Universal Studios to experience Halloween Horror Nights. Walking through the park, honestly, was actually more frightening than the haunted houses themselves, as we wandered through mist and wondered what zombies, clowns with chainsaws, or other ghouls would cross our paths.

 

(Clowns? With chainsaws? So, how's that therapy going?)

 

Just fine, thank y—HEY! *gives stink eye* Anywhoos…. This all led up to the next day's adventure, when I would, for the first time in over thirty years, step foot into the Magic Kingdom.  Here's what I learned on my journey through the Disney parks:

 

1.         The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Admittedly, I had very little recollection of the last time I went to Disney World, but as soon as I walked through the gates I experienced an overwhelming sense of familiarity. There had been so many changes to the park, whether in infrastructure, exhibits or rides, yet it was somehow still very much the same. Fleeting memories filled my head as I climbed aboard Space Mountain, or rode through the Haunted Mansion. Though all of the rides had been modernized and updated, notably with the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow to Pirates of the Caribbean, I still felt like the same kid that rode those same rides all those years ago.

 

2.         You can't help but think "holy sh*t, Walt!" when you experience the Magic Kingdom park as an adult.

 

Seriously. Holy. Sh*t. Walt. As children we stared in wide-eyed amazement as we traveled through the fantasy land of Disney. As adults, we stare in wide-eyed amazement at just how much adult humor and innuendo exists, everywhere, throughout Disney World. A prime example is the iconic It's a Small World ride. Now, this ride hasn't changed a bit in the forty years it's been in existence. Not. One. Bit. Keep that in mind as I tell you that part of the exhibit featured a boy from Australia stroking a boomerang in a decidedly non-child friendly manner, and another child, and I swear on all that is Dave Barry I am not making this up, literally choked a chicken. Don't even get me started about what was happening on Don Quixote's donkey.

 

(Surely you're exaggerating.)

 

No, I am not. And don't call me Shirley.

 

(*sigh* Dammit I walked right into that.)

 

You surely did. There was more, too, scattered throughout the park. Ask yourself: Just where was that rhino sticking his horn? Walt Disney was a dirty bird.

 

C.        Everyone should play in the rain sometimes.

 

One of the purposes of the trip was to go to EPCOT for the Food and Wine Festival. Scattered throughout that park were food kiosks where you could sample cuisine and libations from the nations of the word. The culinary adventure was dampened, however, by a couple hours of rain the night we attended the festival.

 

(Dampened…rain…I see what you did there.)

 

*snicker* I must say though, it did not dampen our spirits. Into the rain we trekked, soaked to skin, and we had perhaps some of the most fun of the entire trip. There being no lines, we were able to walk right up to the kiosks and obtain our treats, in stark contrast to the next day when the tarmac was lined with droves of thousands and each line extended fifty or more people long. One of the most comical events of the night was yours truly, removing his shirt, ringing it out in a bathroom sink, and then drying it in the Dyson-air-blastomatic hand dryer and then watching others, who witnessed me, do the same thing.

 

(Sur… you've got to be kidding.)

 

Nope. I'm a trendsetter.  We capped that evening watching fireworks and a laser light show as the rain faded to a mist. Of course we nearly froze when we returned to the air conditioned bliss of the room, but it was worth it.

 

4.         Because Star Wars.

 

Star Wars was everywhere. From little kids with toy lightsabers, to adults with toy lightsabers, to throngs of people wearing Star Wars apparel, Star Wars had indeed made its presence felt at Disney. Seeing so many, young and old, embracing this wonder of my childhood made me downright giddy. That I got to go on the Star Tours ride, see an AT-AT up close, and get even more excited for Episode VII's upcoming release? Priceless.

 

5.         Food.

 

ER. MAH. GERD. The food. Lamb chops; macaroni and cheese with fresh made pasta, cheese and bacon; authentic Udon noodles; and I don't even remember what else we ate at EPCOT. That I didn't come back weighing twenty pounds more is a minor miracle, and I can only assume the indulgence was offset by the eleventy million steps we walked during our time there. The culinary highlight for me, though, was dining at Morimoto's in Downtown Disney. Yes, THAT Morimoto, as in Iron Chef Morimoto. And YES, he was there himself, in the kitchen, his cuisine reigning supreme. Probably one of the best dining experiences I've had in years. I'd go back just to dine there.    

 

vi.        Things are better with friends.

 

Twelve of us traveled down together. Seven of us stayed together in a suite. At one point over twenty of us gathered and literally took over half of the outdoor lounge of Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar in Downtown Disney. From time to time throughout the excursion groups would meet and part, ride rides and dine together, or split off to do our own things. But we were all there together, experiencing the magic of Disney, having fun, laughing, forming new bonds, and generally enjoying life. I think we forget to do that sometimes. I know I do. This trip was what I needed. Time away from the world. Time away from work. Time, too, with someone special in my life. And time remembering how to have fun. It's funny, how easy it is that we let the simple things slip from our lives. Thankfully I didn't let it slip completely out of grasp.

 

So go. Gather some friends. Get yourself to Disney. Go be a kid again. You never know what fun you'll have, what you'll experience, or who you'll run into. It's a small world, after all.

 

(It's a small world after a… I swear I'm gonna cut you.)

 

You're welcome. Have a magical day!

 

 

© 2015 J.J. Goodman. All rights reserved.