What once was a dream (part 1)

It's about time I got back to blogging. Maybe.

Last week I got home from a birthday trip with Corey. It was his birthday and he's always wanted to go somewhere for his birthday, so we went to Disneyland. One of his most favorite places to go. The weather was rainy and cold, but we powered through the trip. It quit raining Monday morning and things got busier. I can't complain about the rain (seeing as how I do live in a very rainy city), we did get to walk on to most of the rides because of it. A pair of rain coats and a Mickey umbrella did a great service. We were prepared for the rain, this time. I think our longest wait for any ride was 15 minutes and that's because we waited for the front seat on California Screaming. We even got on Nemo's submarine ride in under 15 minutes, now that is some good planning!

Overall we had a good time. The off season has really spoiled us on any theme park. No waiting. No hot, sweltering day. No overcrowded restaurants or long waits for food. The only set back to off peak season is that some of the rides are closed for upkeep. That works for me depending upon which rides are closed. We only missed It's a Small World. An annoying classic, that I did truly miss riding on this time around.

By the end of the trip I was a little disappointed and let down. The happiest place on earth isn't so happy any more. What has happened to Walt's dream? It's so sad to see Walt's pride and joy become a place where happiness is forced, paint is peeling, the grounds are littered, and the plant life in need of desperate up keeping. Where did his vision go?

Am I being biased? Am I expecting too much? Am I just growing up? What happened that dream place I knew as a child? Where is the Disneyland that used to be?

Disneyland today is not what Disneyland was even 3, 4 years ago. The magic is disappearing. We walked through so many buildings that were looking warn and in desperate need of cleaning and sprucing up. Paint peeling from railings, concrete cracked and holy. Shrubs in need of trimming, old vegetation rotting on the grounds. Garbage strewn along the walkways with no "street" sweepers in sight. Cast members can are even seen walking down main street looking as though they hate their job and would rather be anywhere else. They act out of character, and talk gossip about their other co-workers throughout the day. They rarely smile. It's as if the park has lost it's happiness. It's as if Walt's dream is dying.

I understand that we arrived during a very non peak season where Disney does spend it's time fixing up it's parks. But the degree of neglect this park is saddening.

Now don't get me wrong, our trip was not full of disappointments. There is a little magic still left there. You just have to find it sometimes. There were a few exceptional cast members who truly have the Disney spirit. The ride operator on Peter Pan who put smiles on every little child's face, and many of the big "children's" faces as well. And the embroiderer at the Mad Hatter. I wish I remember the embroiderer's name, I only remember his home town was in Japan. He truly had the Disney Magic and absolutely made the day special for me. I bought my first pair of Mickey ears in 22 years (I had a pair when I was 6) and he spent the time finding and listening to my Mickey Ear quest, to my story about the 6 year old with the Mickey ears destroyed after so many years of use. And after the ears were done, he gave me one of his "My dreams came true at Disneyland" buttons. Because my quest and dream had come true. To own a new pair of Mickey ears with my name on it. He some how knew that he had help make a dream come true.