Disney World
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to blog more often.
Yeah, broke that already. (Sorry!) But I have a very good excuse. I have been without Internet access for a week because...
Me at the Happiest Place on EarthI've been in Disney World!!!
I love Disney World. I really, really love it. I think it's my favorite place in the entire world. I know not everyone agrees. I do recognize that Disney chose the most passive version of Cinderella that exists, that Minnie Mouse is an appallingly non-feminist role model (for pity's sake, get yourself a hobby that doesn't involve Mickey!), and that Snow White's voice could curdle milk. I know that sneering at Disney is fashionable and that loving Disney probably renders me ineligible to join the cultural intelligensia. But I absolutely love every inch of the place.
Why do I love Disney? Three words: princesses on leashes.
Princesses on leashes!!!Seriously, tell me that's not awesome. It's awesome. Also awesome: the new Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Little girls can be transformed into princesses, complete with a dress, tiara, and lots and lots of sparkles all over their cute little scalps. There were princesses (on and off leashes) everywhere you looked. I felt underdressed. And jealous. I totally want a princess dress. And tiara. And wings. Oh, and a unicorn. Or possibly a manatee. Manatees, while perhaps less elegant than unicorns, are the teddy bears of the sea. I want one.
I love the little (and not-so-little) details at Disney World. I love that the trash cans are designed to match whatever area of the park they're in. I love that the giant Big Wheels sculpture outside our hotel had a recommended child weight limit of 877 lbs.
Big Wheels recommended child weight limit: 877 lbsI love how every time you turn around you're encouraged to dream, to imagine, to make wishes. In the acknowledgements for Into the Wild, I say that this book is my wish in the wishing well. Disney reminds me of my wishes.
I make a lot of wishes.I made some wishes for my next book, Out of the Wild, while I was there. I even chatted with some of its characters...
Me and Sleeping Beauty 
Me and the PrinceAnd shopped in its namesake gift shop...
Out of the Wild!!!But the best part of the whole trip was spending every second with my family. Here's a photo of my family on Dumbo:
My family on Dumbo... wait, that didn't work...
My family on... okay, one more time...
Oh, never mind.Hope you all are having a magical start to 2008 and that all your wishes come true!
Labels: Disney World
posted by Sarah Beth Durst @ 11:44 PM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Hi Sarah!
If you can't join the cultural intelligensia club because of your love of All Things Disney, then you can join the Mickey Mouse Club instead. You KNOW you'd have a lot more fun there!
I, too, am a Disney Freak. Long before I had children, I dressed in shirts very similar to yours (LOVE the dwarf one!), decorated my bathroom with Disney "shtuff" and would HAVE to skip down Main Street of Disneyland each time I went. Usually I had to do it alone, as my husband would pretend that he had no earthly clue who I was, but I didn't care. Thank goodness I had kids, so I could skip in an unabashed fashion. But as they've gotten older, my son has joined my husband in becoming temporary strangers. I'm sure my daughter will eventually join them. When that happens, I'm just going to have return to skipping alone, albeit with a walker, probably.
Yes, there is something truly and metaphysically magical that happens everytime I enter Disneyland. It's almost like Walt takes me by the hand and whispers in my ear, "It's okay to be a kid again. Forget about the mortgage and the bills and the piles of laundry and the..." I honestly think I could live there and be happy for all my days.
Do I sound delusional? Probably to some. Do I care? Not one Disney bit! And I think that's what allows writers such as us to continue to dream and imagine. We have to get past all the everyday, mundane stuff and wish upon that star. Because, as you and I now know, dreams do come true!
Wow--loved your recap! REALLY loved the OUT OF THE WILD store photo.
Um, and I know where you can get a fairy princess dress and wings. Yeah.
Judi: Yay for Disney Freaks! I call dibs on living in the castle!
Elizabeth: Functional wings? And how about the unicorn? I REALLY want a unicorn. Or a nice, friendly telepathic dragon.
My mom is in orlando right now (for business, not fun but I'm still totally jealous). My aunt was running in a marathon there for Lukemia.
I'm obsessed with, not princesses, and not Mickey, but Pluto- the dog, not the planet (or... ex-planet?). I have a shirt, hat, pins, little stickers, a pluto alarm clock and a pluto that sings jingle bells. *sigh* Disney is a wonderful thing.
Oh, and I think I have a spare manatee around here somewhere...
He he, this was so funny to read. I've never been to Disneyland, or Disneyworld, for that matter. But I retain that there is one of the Disney "princesses" who had more hobbies than chasing princes. Name? Belle. That's right, from Beauty and The Beast. That has to be my favorite Disney movie of all time...
Ditto Sookie: this was such fun to read.
I have never been to Disney World and am not a huge Disney fan, but I loved it when I was younger. What little girl doesn't want to be a princess? And okay, I still want to wear those awesome dresses. ;)
Enna Isilee: Yay for Pluto!!! And thank you so much for your super-kind words about Into the Wild on your Squeaky Books blog!
Sookie: Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite fairy tale! It's the one fairy tale where the hero and heroine believably fall in love. Have you read Beauty by Robin McKinley? Love, love, love that book. The library scene... I want that library.
Anidori-Isilee: I want those dresses too. I'm continually disappointed when I go into the Disney Store, and they don't have things my size. Not that I actually have any place to wear a Cinderella dress...
Yes! I LOVE Beauty. It took me a couple of reads to get into it, but I absolutely adore that book now!
Oooh! Love, love, LOVE Disney World! And Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) is my absolute favorite princess! :-)
I hope your vacation was absolutely fantastic. I can't wait until the end of April... I'm starting an internship there! 5 months of working at the Happiest Place on Earth. As you would say, Snoopy Dance of Joy!
Sookie: I swear I re-read that book at least once a year. It's one of my "comfort foods" books, along with Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane and Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce.
Alyssa: An internship at Disney! So cool! I'm totally jealous. What kind of internship is it?
Sarah, nothing was said that wasn't deserved. It was awesome! I'm eternally in Erin's debt for telling me about it.
Enna Isilee: Thanks! *blushes*
Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I forgot to come back and check comments! :-)
My internship is part of something called The Disney College Program. We get to work inside the parks and resorts and we live in apartments specifically set aside for participants on Disney property. I'm having trouble waiting unitl april...
Alyssa: So cool! I hope you blog about it. I want to hear all the details!
Hi Sarah. I just read your blog and I am so happy that you can keep that magic and fantasy when it comes to Diseyworld. my daughter is 20 and just started in a internship for a character for Disneyworld. and she is living in HELL!!! the people are cruel and abusive to her and all the ones who are characters. the so called princess are MEAN!!! they think they are better then the rest. my daughter is black and blue from the suits, and she is only 5;3 and she has to have a 50 head on her every week:( she always liked you, loved Disney. but now she is comming back home early, sad just hating and no respect for the whole Disney program. maybe you as a writer should try to go behind the seens and see for yourself how the staff really treats there employees. you can write a book!! I will no longer ever support Disney!!
Darvin: It is undeniably expensive, but it's also so clean! I love that it's so unnaturally clean (in complete contrast to my house).
Minako: Ooh, so jealous! I hope you have a wonderful time!
Kim Gilbert: That's so sad! I'm sorry she had such a bad experience!
Post a Comment
<< Home