The Keys To The Kingdom

Part 3

Continuation From: "Down The Rabbit Hole"

       For those of you who are getting extremely bored of me rambling on about Disneyland for the past two blog posts, be prepared to rejoice! This will (probably) be my last part in this saga of Disney goodness. I'm sorry to make this so long, but for those of you who follow this blog, you know that Disney is a big part of my life, and I wanted to document my impression of Disneyland while it's still fresh in my mind. It's funny how memories, even such potent ones, fade considerably after just a few weeks. I know I've been typing like a maniac about this subject, but there is just one more aspect of the experience I have to cover. Since my first visits to Disney World, the thing that always stuck in my mind was: "What's in the castle?". My dream was to go in it. I didn't have to live there, I just wanted to know what was in it. The mystery was agonizing to me as a five year old girl. It drove me crazy that there could be an entire world of wonder within the stone walls of the beautiful castle I've been visiting once a year for my entire life. This is one of the things that sets Disney apart from any other theme park in the world. 

      The mystery that comes along with any of the parks is so enticing. Disney doesn't just give free reign to any and all information about its beginnings and its secrets. Not just anyone is allowed into every nook and cranny of the park. When I was in Disneyland, one of the first rides we headed to was Pirates Of The Caribbean. As a family favorite, paired with the fact that we heard it was supposed to be better than the one in Disney World, we were all eager for this ride. But, the line stretching all through New Orleans Square suggested that we weren't the only Pirate lovers in the park. So we were waiting in the hot California sun when all of a sudden, my sister noticed something. Above the entrance to the ride, there was a balcony, adorned with the sign "Disney Dream Suite". So, we did what any normal American family would do. We whipped out our iPhones and scoured Wikipedia for answers. Indeed, Walt Disney had the "Dream Suite" construction started in the 1960's, but the project died along with the creator of all things Disney. However, it was reborn in the Year Of A Million Dreams in 2008. The suite is a luxurious living quarters, each room themed after a different area of the park. Every so often, the suite is given as a gift to a random family visiting the park. 

       This is the pure beauty of Disney. Do they have to give out this "Dream Suite" for free? No. Do they publicize their good deeds to show how "wholesome" of a company they are? No. They keep their humble good deeds quiet, mysterious, and full of fantasy. Now, not only will I forever fantasize about what is in Cinderella's Castle (besides the Disney World Dream Suite in the top), but I will always wonder what is in the "Dream Suite" that overlooks the bustling New Orleans Square. Supposedly it is adorned with memorabilia from past films, beautiful antiques, etc. 

       There is one more secret that Disney holds to be one of the most exclusive clubs there is. Club 33. This was Walt's idea, to make a private club that would only be kept at the highest standards of elegance and class. This club includes a restaurant, lounge, and full bar. The project was started and finished by Walt, the club itself is decorated by his wife, Lillian Disney. Membership to this club is set at the bargain price of $10,450, and an additional annual fee of $3,275. Oh, and that price does not include your meals eaten at Club 33, which customarily cost around $85 each. However, with this membership, you are allowed free access to Disneyland parks during any of its opening hours, including its early entrance hours. You are given six fastpasses upon entrance to the park, while normal patrons are only given one at a time. Also, free valet service, and permission on the presidential cart of the Disneyland Railroad is included with membership. Only a certain number of members are accepted at a time, and currently there is a 14 year waiting list to become a member. Some well known members include Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, and Elton John.

        The secrets. The mystery. The fantasy. The magic. People ask me what's so great about Disney World or Disneyland, they're just amusement parks like any other. But they're just not. These parks are different from anywhere else. It strives to be original, whimsical, and exclusive, while somehow still including everyone in the world. These secrets of Disney give me something to dream about. What you see is not what you get. No one can be sure of anything in these parks. The information in this blog entry is, of course, available to anyone with access to Wikipedia, so some may say they're not actually "secrets", but what mystifies me is the fact that these are just the secrets we know. It makes me wonder what secrets we don't know. The magic that is kept from our eyes. Those that hold the keys to the magic kingdom are the only ones that know. 

          There are so many conspiracies of things hidden in Disneyland and Disney World. Most I'm sure are just fake stories that were made up for entertainment. But it does make me wonder...what is hidden throughout these mysterious parks? What other secrets do the gates of Fantasyland hold? What has taken place there after the Extra Magic Hours are over? What hides just around the corner from Wonderland? Most likely, I'll never know. And that, my friend, is the magic of Disney.

I digress...

Down The Rabbit Hole

Continuation From: "The Worlds, The Land, and The Adventure"

      On with my comparison of Disney World and Disneyland, I'd like to quickly mention the one thing I heard in Disneyland that really bothered me. I consider Disney parks to be a higher class of amusement park. It's not like the others where getting their hands on your money is all they care about. The workers are top tier, the music, the atmosphere, everything is just dead set upon making the patrons feel the magic of imagination and fantasy. For fun, my sisters and I decided to dress up like different Disney characters the days that we were in the park. My older sister decided to dress up as one of her favorite princesses: Belle. White collared shirt under a blue cotton dress with an apron, and a white bow holding back her hair to top it all off. She looked adorable! Then, when we're entering the park, she's stopped at the gates. The workers were required to stop and inspect her outfit, to see if it was too "costume-esque", because apparently, in Disneyland, if you are over the age of nine, you are not permitted to wear a costume, due to "company policy". Am I the only one who is completely shocked by this? I mean, it's Disneyland, a place where you are supposed to be able to feel any age you like. Where you can travel back to the days of your innocent youth. That's the one thing that just put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

       But to end that bad note with a good one, I'd like to mention the two things that really made me waiver on being so resolved that Disney World was better than Disneyland. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for live shows. The costumes, the bright lights, the singing and dancing, I love it all. Sitting in the lavish Disneyland theater, waiting for the live Aladdin show to start, I had no idea what to expect. Was it going to be a full length show or just an abbreviated twenty minute version of the story? How far would they go to make the show dazzling? Well, when the lights went out and the Cave Of Wonders appeared in front of me, my question was answered on the spot. The show was incredible, more than I could possibly have expected. The acting was impeccable, especially by the Genie. The singing, dancing, scenery, it was all just as perfect as it could be! I laughed so hard my sides began to ache; and I'll admit, I'm not one to cry in movies whatsoever, but something about this show brought tears to my eyes. Aladdin is my favorite classic Disney musical, and I could not have asked for a better live interpretation of it. Plus, it's a show I've seen no where else, not even Disney World; where all they have is a very abbreviated version of Beauty and the Beast.

       The second thing that really floored me was another live show called World of Color. Again, I didn't really know what to expect with this. Disney is known for their firework shows at night, and this was a show that made its debut every night after the sun dipped below the Mickey Ferris Wheel. So, naturally, when I was waiting for the show to begin, I figured the boom of fireworks would infest my ears at any moment. But, wow, I couldn't have been more wrong. The show began with a great spout of water, illuminated by colored lights. The show progressed with sprays of water shooting up from the lake, all of different colors, waving in different designs, all set to coincide with music. In addition, in the middle, there was a wall of water on which different Disney movie scenes were projected. It was really dazzling, I was mystified. The spraying water, along with the music, just told such an emotional story, mixing in the classic Disney characters. 

World Of Color

My Sister As Belle

Aladdin Show: "Friend Like Me"

End of Part 2

To Be Continued

The Worlds, The Lands, And The Adventure

    Throughout my entire life, since before I can even remember, I have been visiting the magical and enchanting Disney World on an annual basis. I've traveled all over the world; all fifty states, Europe, all over the Caribbean, Canada, and Central America. Why is it that the one place that my sisters and I continue to beg to go back to over and over again is a theme park. We've seen the most beautiful natural wonders of the world, and all we want to go back to is the man-made land infested with actors in costumes, pretending to be characters of our childhoods. I guess I answered my own question when I said that I've been visiting these parks since before I can remember. I grew up with them. I grew up with the characters, the songs, the rides, the shows. Going inside Cinderella's Castle was my greatest and earliest dream I can remember. I love this place with all of my heart, but somehow, I hadn't been to the park that started it all up until this summer.
     Disneyland is obviously the original Disney park. Starting in Anaheim, California, Disneyland took the phenomenon of Mickey Mouse, fantasy, and imagination of Walt Disney and put it into a theme park that could be enjoyed by children and adults alike. However, when Anaheim attracted the "wrong kind of businesses", cluttering the streets with plenty of neon-clad establishments, Walt Disney wanted to start a new park. One that would cover enough property to be considered its own entity. This became Disney World. So Disney World is, of course, much larger. Containing four separate parks, it is 47 square miles of pure Disney. That is twice the size of Manhattan. Disney World is also much newer, closer to where I live, and has a much greater selection of attractions. So why in the world did we even want to visit its smaller and older Disneyland counterpart?
     Walt Disney's original park is referenced thousands of times in daily conversation. When I think about it, I probably hear more in TV shows, movies, and books about Disneyland than I do Disney World. That, compiled with the fact that Disneyland is the original, we thought it was about time to see what all of the hubbub was about. I was not ready to be overly impressed. I knew there weren't going to be the incredible amount of attractions that take three days minimum to visit them all like it is in Disney World. I knew that it was just the two parks: Disneyland and California Adventure, as opposed to the World's four: Magic and Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. There would be no Epcot, futuristic and cultural experience, which is my whole family's favorite. I was ready to visit a theme park that would just make me long to go to Disney World even harder.
     I've got to say...I was a bit shocked. Part of my speculation was correct, some of the attractions weren't quite as good as Disney World, which just made me want to visit that park. In addition, when I entered the Disneyland Park, and I step onto Main Street, I look up, expecting the vast castle that just floors me every time I visit Disney World. Instead, I saw a castle...but it looked as if it had shrunken. It was tiny! Very cute, but I've got to say, I was a little underwhelmed. However, there were several newer attractions that had been built recently in order to try to attract more crowds that were extremely impressive! Namely, The Adventures of The Little Mermaid, Monsters Inc. (Mike and Sully To The Rescue), Indiana Jones, and California Screamin'. Then, there were some of the classic rides from Disney World that I adore, in which were actually much more entertaining in Disneyland. This was most prominent in Pirates of the Caribbean and It's A Small World. Maybe it's because they're the original rides of the original park.

End of Part 1

To Be Continued...