Disneyland

Music from Splash Mountain, Aladdin, Toy Story, and even Space Mountain are heard playing above as my feet carry me to the gates that will lead me to a whole new world. Before we reach the green metal gates, an esplanade to the Hargrove family brick laid in the ground in front of Disneyland. The red stone inscribed with Tracey, Mike, Brian and Matt Hargrove is a blissful sight for my mom. As I walk through the gates and scan my ticket with the noise of magic following, I become excited with the anticipation to come. As usual I am trailing behind my mom because of her overwhelming excitement, but I am right on her heels. Mickey ears on the head of my mom are a beacon that allows me to keep track of her. I lose track of her sometimes because of the fast pace she keeps. The cobble stones under our feet are uneven as we walk to the bridge that allows entrance into the Magic Kingdom. The plaque above reads, “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.”

At the passing under the bridge, the noise of obnoxious omnibus horns, the neighing of horses pulling carriages and clattering of street cars moseying down the cobble stone roads are heard. The bustling of people is like a day when everyone wears caffeine patches. An aroma of hot, fresh churros fills the air with a slight scent of buttered popcorn.  Before the two of us can continue our route down the street the reading of the dedication plaque must be read: “To all who come to this happy place - welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America ... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” Strolling down Main Street, U.S.A. has the feeling of a previous era without troubles and no worries. The windows are filled with pristine Disney figurines and clothing stitched to perfection. Even the windows above the stores dedicated to men and women who were integral in the development and operation of Disneyland. 

The “Partners” statue in the center of the hub that leads to the lands of adventure, fantasy, frontier, and even tomorrow is a landmark that cannot be missed. Bronze colored miniature statues of Goofy, Dumbo, Pluto, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Jiminy Cricket surround the “Partners” statue. White and purple flowers and verdant trees with the view of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the background create a picturesque moment while sitting on a bench in front of this place of placidity. To the right, Snow White’s wishing well and statuettes of the Seven Dwarves is viewed. The statuettes are positioned on a waterfall that leads to a pond where two white serene swans named Walt and Lily. During this time, the music of “I’m wishing…for my one true love,” is heard coming from the wishing well when a copper penny is tossed into the water below.

A sinuous path leads from Snow White’s area back to the castle’s draw bridge. Blue topped roofs, pink walls, and the crest of the Disney family present themselves at the foot of the castle. The sparkling carousel spinning round and round is one of the first sights seen while passing through the castle. Flying elephants, boats floating along the water in Storybook land and a white snowcapped mountain are found within Fantasyland. Even though “It’s a Small World” might be a little slow and contain an exasperating tune, it is a ride that cannot be overlooked. As we float on the plastic, hard backed boats the sights and sounds of various countries are seen and heard. A small Hawaiian doing the hula, an Eskimo fishing in the ice caps and the Dutch clogging all are in sync with the repetitive song.    

With the exit of “It’s a Small World” a little venture creeps into our system so we are off to Adventureland. The tiki masks placed on each side of the entrance into this audacious land brings on a sense of escapade. Icy, pineapple flavored Dole whips are a treat in the heat of the day and cools the body down for the upcoming exploration. Lofty jungle trees surround the land with vines hanging from various directions. The Jungle Cruise allows travel down the Nile on an African riverboat with a view of elephants bathing in the waterfalls, giant snakes ready to strike at any given moment, a pride of lions watching over a baby zebra sleeping, and even the backside of water. A Jeep tour through Indiana Jones is a bumpy, death defying adventure. The vehicle drives over a wooden bridge suspended over a pit of lava, hopefully no wrong turns are made. The ride concludes with a massive boulder approaching the jeep but at the knick of time the jeep makes a tight turn.

The land of tomorrow is intriguing and mindboggling. At the entrance, rockets soar in orbit round and round with small children, teenagers and even adults inside the golden Astro Orbitor. A vast white building shaped as if made to spin has sharp spirals protruding through the top. Lengthy lines of people are present in front of this immense building but this site should not be feared, we have fast passes of course. My mom and I amble to the front of the line and enter the building. The room we have just entered looks like a scene from NASA. A spaceship the size of Apollo 13 hangs from the ceiling with blue glowing walls surrounding us. Assisting us into our seats, the attendant tells us to hold on tight. Once everyone is seated…blast off! A sound of terror with a hint of thrill comes from my mom as we wind through the dark abyss of space. 

The day is coming to an end as we leave Tomorrowland but that’s okay because the lights have just turned on, like magic. Night at Disneyland is not like any other night. Shimmering lights are displayed throughout all the lands and along all the trees. Fireworks and new shows, even parades are present during the night version of Disneyland. Meandering through the crowd in front of the castle is where my mom and I find ourselves about an hour or so before the fireworks go off. Wall to wall people have the same idea as us, packed like sardines. Finally! A vacant spot with our name on it is seen so we rush over, bumping into a few people but we finally arrive. Five minutes before the fireworks begin a voice over the speakers announce only a short amount of time left. All the bustling of people comes to a dead halt when the music and fireworks begin. The sparkling blasts in the sky are synced to music from the rides. Tinkerbell soars above the castle as the finale begins. The only noise coming from people in the crowd during this dazzling show are oohs and ahs. Loud applause and a standing ovation occur at the finale and people finally stand to make their move to Fantasmic! One slow step at a time is taken as the heard of people travel to the next show. It’s like déjà vu, the same people are seen as we sit in front of the Rivers of America. Mickey emerges from no where in a film of smoke. The water rises and the motion picture of Pinocchio appears. We are sprayed in the face with the cold water because of our proximity to the river. Pachyderms dance onto the Rivers of America in a dream like appearance. Purple fills the air, at first no one knows what it is but finally a gigantic dragon appears. As it breathes flames onto the water and makes a lake of fire, the heat swarms to the faces of all in the audience. Mickey appears again and with more smoke filling the air he disappears and makes a switch of clothing.  

Dong! The strike of midnight signals the end of our day at Disneyland. We begin our journey back to the gates that allowed us into this wonderful land; our feet seem to not be going as swiftly as they were in the beginning of the day. The muscles in our legs we did not even know about feel as if they are on fire. The crowd of people leaving is like a school of fish trying to swim through a narrow passage. One last stop is required, Candy Palace. Candy galore is found within, a child’s dream. The thick chocolate filled with viscous caramel topped with pecans is my favorite. As a bite into this dream filled candy I become filled with chills. I would not have been able to saunter down the street any further without the little push from the sugar. We have finally reached the long stretch down Main Street, U.S.A. and we begin to exit the park. As my mom’s eyes fill with tears I remind her that there is always tomorrow.