Thursday, January 15, 2009

Just Being 'Me'

As part of my new, "I'm just gonna be me and try to stress less about what that looks like on a blog" plan, I wanted to pop on to let you know that I'm off to Disneyland for the weekend. Our school's Visual and Performing Arts department takes some kids on a trip there every year after finals. They get to participate in acting and music workshops, and our marching band gets to march in one of the Disney parades. And people like me get to chaperone the trip and go to Disneyland for free - WOO!

So for the next few days, I'll be enjoying the Tower of Terror:


And the Matterhorn:


And the ridiculously-overpriced, fat, squishy characters:


And, of course, the exceedingly odd stick-figure people who tell us that it is NOT okay to "raise our hands in the air like we just don't care" on thrill rides:

(But apparently it IS okay for a grown man to hold hands with a small boy. Michael Jackson, eat your heart out.)

(Edited to add: Upon further reflection, it looks like they're just trying to escape that tiny red bubble that's confined them. "Help! Let us out!")

So yeah, I'm off to the happiest place on earth. In my absence, please share one of the following:
1. Your favorite Disney memory.
2. Your most traumatic Disney memory.
3. Your "I'm bitter because I've never been anywhere Disney-endorsed" non-memory.
4. A riddle with no logical response.

Thanks for reading. Peace out, yo.

18 comments:

Ashley // Our Little Apartment said...

Disney World has an awesome 50s style cafe.

I've only been to Disney once, when I was 16. (I'm the oldest of 5, we were waiting until the youngest was old enough!)

Good times.

Maggie said...

I got to go to Disney World only once, and I was 10. I remember LOVING it. We went out Space Mountain at the end of the night, and since there was no line, we got to ride it like three times in a row. AWESOME.

Have a great time!

Tandava said...

I've been to Disney Land several times and Disney World once. The one time in Disney World it was raining. Hardly any lines at all. My sister, dad, and I had a ball with it.

Rowyn said...

The last time I went to Disneyland was courtesy of Google and there were essentially no lines -- I got to ride Space Mountain several times in a row!

Anonymous said...

I did Disney twice with high school choir. The second time was my senior year and super drama filled - the girls I was supposed to be rooming with in the hotel managed to have a fight somewhere between getting off the bus and getting to the room on the first day. So by the time I got there to put my stuff down I found a couple girls in tears, and talk of switching rooms. Man, high school drama like that is the worst. But from what I've heard about the kids at your school they are pretty supportive of each other and not likely to do stuff like that, so yay for that.

Have fun! )

morgan said...

Well, there was the time we got pepper-sprayed on the Haunted Mansion when I was 13 or 14. Of course, Disneyland was nice enough to give us free tickets in an attempt to make up for it, so it was fine.

I'm looking forward to my 30th birthday party at Disneyland (4 weeks to go...). I want to make that my best Disney memory.

Dee said...

I never got to go to Disney as a kid, but my best friend took me to Disney World after I graduated from college. We had a blast together. I can't wait to take my kids someday!

Anonymous said...

I've never been to Disney anything, unless you count the Disney Store. I live closer to Disneyland than Disney World, but plan to take my kids to Disney World some day.

Disneyland holds some weird negativity for me that repels like two magnet poles of the same vibration. My husband and his ex wife honeymooned there, I drove by up and down the freeway many times when I lived near Camp Pendleton, and my ex-husband, The Marine, was too wrapped up in himself and his wants to care whether our daughter and I got to see the sights and do fun, touristy things while we lived there.

So, we will journey about 3000 miles across the country to go to Disney World, before our youngest children are too old to enjoy it. And someday, we'll go to California to Knotts Berry Farms and Seaworld and Coronado and Julian (and, and,and...) and do all those things I wanted to do when I lived in Cali, but couldn't.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I have sooooo many good Disney memories. I'm not sure I can think of just one. Ok, maybe I can ;)

nutmeg said...

Too easy: favorite and most traumatic all wrapped up in one!

http://simplynutmeg.com/?p=446

Clair said...

Disneyland after sunset, mid-march, nice weather, not very crowded, watching the light parade with friends.

Anonymous said...

I went to Disneyland with my girlfriend at the time our senior year of high school, rather a long time ago. The Br'er Rabbit ride -- Splash Mountain, I believe it's called -- got stuck while we were in one of the calm sections. The seating configuration permits a happy boyfriend to snuggle his girlfriend to him, his arms wrapped around her and her back and head nestled against him. She turned her head up and around and I bent my head to meet hers and we kissed, and everything was perfect.

BetteJo said...

Too long ago to remember, but today I am gratified to see how many people followed your directions! :)

Hope your trip is FUN!!!

Big Sis said...

Who has never been to Disneyland, and isn't really sure she cares to go?

Oh wait, there is some logic between this riddle and the topic at hand.

Lisa said...

So I went to Disney with my mom, sister and brother when we were all older....and we went on this one ride that FREAKED ME OUT. I have deleted the name from memory, that's how scared it made me. It was one of those sensation rides--where there is a story (in this case an alien escaping) and cool mist, sounds of glass shattering, something brushing against your legs....all sorts of stuff to make you think the alien is RIGHT THERE beside you.
My brother wanted me to go again and I said an emphatic hell no.
I did always love It's a Small World though. Cheesy and boring, but kind of sweet in an old school way.
Have fun!

Wolf Lover Girl said...

OH! How fun! Been to Disney World twice.

Once when was about 15. My baby sister got her head stuck in between the rails at a dock (okay that was actually in Epcot) and we had to wait for the tides to change to get her head out. {don't ask me}

Then about 5 years ago took hubby for the first time! We got stuck on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. We were stuck but the electronics - and song - kept playing. Yep "Yo Ho HO.. a pirates life for me!!" Over, and over, and over and over again! I was so happy it didn't happen on It's a Small World. I would have gotten out of the boat and walked out!

OH! and the light shows are the best.

~ Wolf Lover Girl

A. Nonny Mouse said...

Most traumatic for me (and my sister) was on the way to Epcot. I was 7? 8? I can't remember.

What I do remember was reading over my sister's shoulder in the car. And then suddenly feeling VERY SICK. I threw up all over myself. And of course it started making its way towards my sister. She was unamused.

We pulled over in front of a teeny tiny motel and my mom was stripping me out of my clothes and my step-dad ran to the hotel to beg for some paper towels.

Good times.

I still can't eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch without vivid reminders of that day. :)

I'm looking forward to taking my daughters there when they get a little older.

Anonymous said...

We took the kids to Disneyworld last summer for our family vacation. Once we got past the initial shock of the expense, we settled down and had a great experience. The kids are already planning their next trip.