DISNEYLAND – when you wish upon a star

Wednesday – our third and final day in the Magic Kingdom!  I must say now that we are exhausted – but exhilarated with our time here.  I could stay here for a month making my memories of childhood a reality over and over again.

Today is a very special day – it is the day that we are to be honoured guests of the Disneyland gang at the Toontown Parade.  This is a special privilege for those who purchase a 3 day Park Hopper Pass.

The early wake up call unfortunately does nothing for my travelling companions sense of adventure especially when it is Kylie who answers the phone. K is not at her bubbling best in the morning and I am sure that I heard thunder when she ‘spoke’ with Mr Mouse.  Me – I am up and rearing to go.  Begrudgingly K & T skulk out of the bed clothes – stumble into the shower – and we are away.

We are allowed into Toontown an hour before it opens – but – what’s this?  We still have to queue up at the Main Gates which don’t open until 8am – the same time that Toontown opens – AND there is a crowd and a half of people.  Obviously the ‘Special’ Toontown promotion that we thought would be an intimate affair has turned into an adventure of gigantic proportions.

AND to top it all off only the odd numbered gates are going to be in use – this being told to everyone AFTER they line up at every gate.  Organisational skills apparently are not a pre-requisite of this place!  I can see smoke coming out of people’s ears – especially those of our party!

We have gone from being first in line to being half way down the queue!  Not impressed in the least!  Finally the gates open – we have our tickets scanned – tinkle tinkle – and we head off for Toontown which is right at the other end of the park.  Some fun eh?

On arrival of course everyone wants to get in front of everyone else but we take our time and let everyone push and shove and we still end up having a good viewing point (so what if we pushed back a few times).

It was a life or death situation let me tell you.  So we stand and wait, and wait, and wait until we hear the music and see Mickey and the gang dancing up the street to stop right in front of us. Ha!

They dance and sing and it’s a right old carry on – and everyone loves it.  When the musical interlude finishes it is time for the Town Meeting in front of the Toontown City Hall.  Mayor Mickey asks for his speech which Goofy hands to him.  Mickey starts to read out ‘flour, sugar, butter’ etc and of course this ends up in mega embarrassment for Mickey as Goofy has given him a grocery list.

Gales of laughter from the audience.  The speech cannot be found and Mickey says he doesn’t remember what is in his speech and Minnie tells him to speak from his heart. (Yes, really corny but very, very Disney and very, very charming).

Mickey welcomes us to Toontown and then tells us the best thing we can do is smile – (everyone smiles at each other) the best sound we can make is a laugh (everyone laughs) and the best gesture we can do is a friendly wave – and everyone waves of course.

Mickey’s speech is a thundering success and everyone cheers and claps.  Then he tells us it is time to play but first everyone has to warm up so we do some fun exercises after which we are made Honorary Citizens of Toontown and given badges to celebrate the occasion.

Of course these go on our special lanyards along with all our other special badges.  We are getting quite a collection.

After all the singing and dancing, Mickey and the characters then go inside City Hall for a short break before their scheduled visiting time with us!

I am sure it is to psych themselves up to deal with all the little rugrats and their parents. We walk around for a while to get our bearings and decide what we want to see first always keeping an eye out for the character appearance and then we spy Donald Duck’s house or I should say boat. It is called ‘Miss Daisy’.

Walking around the boat we spy the Duck himself having photos taken inside his house – he must have snuck in on the quiet in the hope that no-one will see him – but alas the plan did not work.

So taking no  prisoners we muscle our way into the line and get our photos taken.

I am especially pleased for Tyler as this is about the only thing he really wanted to do – him being a very much Oregon Ducks fan.  The University of Oregon met with Walt Disney who granted them permission to use Donald’s likeness as a mascot.  It is the only sporting team in the world that is allowed to use a Disney character.

Tyler has on his Donald tantrum t-shirt along with a great big cheesy grin.  Donald also has a special meaning for Kylie for when she was younger her tantrums were just as outrageous. Come to think of it – they still are!

Our next stop is Mickey’s House and a very special visit with Mr Mouse himself, but the queue is so long I decide to leave K & T waiting in line and head on over to Minnie’s house.

Her house is so cute and full of really pretty Minnie Mouse trinkets.  There is even a cake in the oven being baked for Mickey’s birthday!

Just the type of house that any little girl would love.

Photos of Mickey are everywhere of course – leaving the house I find that K & T are still in the queue so I wait with them.

When it is our turn for our special audience he welcomes us to his home (without speaking) and gladly poses with us to have photos taken.  A true gentle’mouse’ if ever there was one.

Is it any wonder he has been a favourite for nigh on seventy five years – and he doesn’t look a day over 18!  I wonder how he does it?

After having the photos taken we walk around inside his house and remembering we are Mickey’s guests we have only our best manners on show.

I wish I could say the same for some of his other guests!

Inside Mickey’s house there are lots of Disney memorabilia – photos of Walt and Mickey etc.  There is even a pianola playing the Mickey Mouse Club March, so of course I sing along.  ‘Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? M-I-C  K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E!  Frightening that I still remember all the words but I won’t write them all down here – you will just have to take my word for it.

We see Mickey’s Movie Barn and his chickens and the back yard where Pluto has his home.

We also see characters from Mickey’s movies – the straw broom out of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia – the harp out of Mickey and the Beanstalk – everywhere you turn is a memory!

For me it’s the heritage of the place and the characters.  I have a smile as big as Mickey’s. Who said this place was just for kids?

It is still early so we decide to go on a couple of rides before heading back to the hotel to check out and pack up the car.  Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is not far away so off we go again.  We get into his little red car and it zooms off through the tunnels of the town, back alleys and underground streets as we try to save Jessica Rabbit from the evil weasels and all while the car spins around hairpin bends as in the movie ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’  It is a great ride and is another Disney Classic.

Coming out of Toontown on the way back to the Hotel we spy ‘It’s a Small World’ where the song although cheerful is enough to drive you round the twist and reach for hard liquor!

HISTORY LESSON : The “it’s a small world” attraction was first designed for the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Dressed in costumes that represent more than 100 countries, the dolls sing the “it’s a small world” song lyrics in 5 languages. The original plan for this place had the dolls singing the national anthem from each country they represented.  A good idea in theory, but everyone singing a different tune would end up in a musical nightmare.

So Mr Disney got the Mary Poppins composers to write the single theme song for “it’s a small world.”  Robert and Richard Sherman’s first version of the “it’s a small world” song was written as a ballad. Walt requested something more cheerful, so the song was sped up and sung as a round – something like ‘row, row, row your boat’ and believe me the song goes on – an on – and on – and on!

We line up and get into our little boats and sail off into the ‘small world’.  The music starts and it is cheery and we all sing along – that lasts about 30 seconds.  We pass all the dolls from every country – French Can-Can dancers; Russian Cossacks; Spanish dancers; Dutch dolls in clogs beside windmills the list is endless but a special aaahhhhhh comes when we pass Australia complete with Kangaroos.

With the song ringing in our heads it is time to head back towards Main Street and grab some breakfast as it is still only around 10.30am.  We get on board the Disneyland Railroad for a last ride.  Alighting at Main Street we head off to our unanimous choice – The Rainforest Cafe.  After another big meal – it’s then off to the hotel to pack up!

We get everything together and then I take some video of the room – our beds have Disneyland emblems on the bed heads – there is a map of Disneyland on the cabinet and on the wallpaper around the top of the room Tinkerbell flies sprinkling pixie dust on us.  We take everything down to the car and load her up – and then it’s back to the park for a last hurrah!

Chip ‘n’ Dale and Daisy Duck are out having their photos taken so one last surge of energy and here’s the photos.  We also get to see the Fire Station where an eternal light glows bright in the window above the station as an everlasting memorial to Walt Disney.   The only time it is turned off is when Walt’s family are in the park.

This apartment above the Fire Station was Walt Disney’s private apartment so that he could oversee the construction of the park – and most probably even spy on everyone having a great time.  I am sure he still does.

Due to Kylie’s insistence and not much opposition from us we make a return to Pirates and Phantom Manor – our two favourite rides.  But instead of walking all the way we hop on board the Omnibus that takes us to the top of Main Street – or the bottom of Main Street whichever.

After all of this it is nearly 5pm and we still have to shop. So back down (or up) Main Street and into the shops we go.

Talk about kids in candy stores – we just cannot make up our minds on what to get for everyone and us!  Good news is that we have a 20% discount voucher from Disney Vacations – bad news is that we spend nearly $800!

Sometimes it’s easier to get everything and avoid disappointment!

We then have to carry it back to the hotel and pack it up in the car that already is full to the brim.

It’s sad to be leaving but I know that I will return – farewell Disneyland and thank you Mr Disney for allowing us to meet your family and be a part of your dream!  It certainly is the Happiest Place on Earth and it certainly was a place Where our Dreams Came True!   

Well, all that is except for swimming in the Peter Pan Pool.  Nevermind I will pretend I am there when I get back home.

Despite the crowds – obnoxious mannerless kids and their even more so parents – we have had a great time and I wouldn’t have missed it for quids!

We now have to drive to our night’s accommodation – the Best Western Stovalls Inn in Anaheim which is not very far away.  We toy with the idea of getting the shuttle bus back to Disneyland for the fireworks – but once we get to our comfortable room and unpack we are bushed.

We have a shower – get ready for bed and being tired and lazy we order Pizza and that is as far as we get.

We have another early start tomorrow – though not as early as today – we head for Los Angeles and Hollywood!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY : Meeting Mickey and paying our respects to Walt.