One of the things that kept me busy this weekend was a family trip to Disneyland. You gotta love that place. But it is sort of weird.
For example, they have switched the Haunted Mansion over to a Nightmare Before Christmas theme…
Now don’t get me wrong. It was awesome. But I can’t help but wondering if the smaller children are going to be just a little freaked out by mixing coffin-shaped presents and black wreathes with giant snakes and a scary Santa Claus.
I mean a guy who watches you when you sleep and sneaks down your chimney is already a little creepy. Turn in him into something more sinister and you might have trouble getting the young kids to sleep at all on Christmas eve.
But aside from the horrible emotional scarring… or scaring?… of our children, there is something magical about Disneyland. Sure, it is a huge, megalithic corporate monstrosity, but Republicans say those are people too, right? And there is a lot of stuff they do that borders on the magical.
Where else can you go and stand in a jungle by an ancient ruined city…
And then see Marry Poppins and Bert outside an old-fashioned ice cream parlor just a few dozen yards away?
Then you go back in time and see pirates, and when you come back there is an old sailing ship passing by.
You walk through New Orleans and see a Mississippi paddle wheeler on your way to take a space flight in the Star Wars universe, all without getting sore feet.
But I do sort of hate the new California Adventure park. Not so much the park itself, but the fact that they built it in the Disneyland parking lot instead of the unused land at the back of Disneyland. Am I the only one who finds this a little cynical on their part? They could have included the new rides in the old theme park. But now you have to stay an extra day to see it all. And you have to park farther away.
That being said, there is some fun stuff to do in there. And the crowds were rather small. So we did a lot.
At the end of the day, there is no place on Earth that combines reality and pure imagination in the way that Disney does…
Pouring My Art Out 
I went to Disneyland when I was 12 for the one & only time. What I remember: Lincoln’s speech, It’s a Small World, the pirate ship & Magic Mountain.
Somebody shot Lincoln…
I love Disney. My family and I have been to Disneyland and Disney World twice each and California Adventure once. Despite the magic though, I think they have a bunch of my money. I am still paying credit card debts to Disney years later.
They are an evil greedy corporation… on so many levels. But Walt Disney had a glorious dream, and just enough of it survives at the parks to make it worth while.
When you wish upon a star… your dreams come true… and then you pay the bill for it.
I might have weirder dreams than even Walt foresaw…
Cool beans! Do you put them in writing? Is there a name of a book you are promoting?
My book is right there… to the right… on the top of the sidebar… the first in a series of weird sci-fi dreams… unless you mean the children’s book I am getting ready to publish… that is sort of dreamy…
I bought a copy of your saloon book just because of the Douglas Adams reference. But since I apparently read your mind about the children’s book, I’m interested in that too. I am the author of a couple of YA novels that dish out the heavy-handed humor in ways that would blow the tops off readers’ heads if anybody bothered to read my goofy books.
I am dancing with happiness… and I plan to check up on your books… but you might need to remind me next week. My daughter is coming to visit and help me send the kid’s book to the e-publisher and I only have a few days left to finish the artwork.
Sounds like fun!
Because it was.
i’m sure. 😀
Sure you’re sure.
sure
erus
what drug was Mary on that day?!
Whatever makes her fly.
it’s seems to be having the reverse effect by the look on her face!! lol
She might just be a stunt double…
I may have to visit her and inquire. Maybe tie her to a magic brollie and see how she reacts then.
Give her my best… uh… so to speak…
what it be more appropriate if I sing it?!
I think it would.
My girl and I were at Disney World a few years ago over halloween, and it was fantastic. Say what you will about Disney, they’re really good at theme parks.
I did say that… sort of…
Need to come there someday 🙂 looks very awesome.
It is surreal…
Never been to Disneyland, only Disney World. How do they compare?
Well yours is newer…