SwimminAtAKL
Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!
- Joined
- May 11, 2014
- Messages
- 58
Hi all!
Finally decided to de-lurk myself and join in the fun!
The magic began for me in the mid 70s, when I first visited the Magic Kingdom at WDW as a small child (~5?). I can still remember such a beautiful day, holding the hands of my grandparents (now gone)...We were there for two days, and on the second my brother and I were made to come in dress clothes (me in a frilly yellow dress and curled pigtails, tied with matching bows), so that we could have our profiles done in color pastels, by the artist who worked on the Main St. USA sidestreet.
I cowered and cried on the Haunted Mansion, then demanded to do it twice more (and cried both times). My wish was granted to ride the Astro Orbiters alone; I excitedly blasted straight up as high as I could go...and then my father and brother, riding just behind me, got a good laugh as they watched me panic and crawl into the nose-cone. Luckily the cars automatically lower at the end of the ride-- otherwise I think I'd still be up there today!
Everyone was wowed by the Jungle Cruise, and we all absolutely LOVED "If You Had Wings"-- really an ad for an airline, I suppose, but a great dark ride that made you feel like you were flying (slow moving cars on a track through round tunnels, with flying/takeoff/landing footage projected around you-- great feeling of motion. (I think this track and one of the tunnels is still part of Buzz?) The best, we all agreed, though, was the music! "If you had wings, If yooou had wings!" Perhaps if you remember that one, you'll know what I mean...
Another adventure remembered from that first trip: My grandfather's ginormous new Cadillac had these new-fangled electric locks-- which they'd clearly not quite worked the bugs out of. He accidentally left the lights on, and when we finally got back to the car, it proved impossible to unlock the doors-- turning the key in the lock required juice to pop the locks! I remember it being really fun to have a day-full of Disney memories zooming in my head, and having just ridden the wonderful ferry boat back to the parking lots; and there we were, up incredibly late in the sultry Florida night, just us left marooned in the midst of these giant empty parking lots! And then the Disney magic happened: Out of the gloom came a white truck, unbidden, and they had a Slim-Jim ready to open the door, and jumper cables! We were just in awe of the place...
...And the feeling has never gone away. We went every year we could afford it growing up (the gas crisis kept us away for awhile, I remember), a two-day drive each way in the old family Impala. We would stay at the grandparents' house in Ponte Vedra...fish in the lagoon and chase lizards in the yard, go nuts at the beach...but the best bit was always that 4am wake-up...to go to Disney World! My father was like a kid there himself, and he and us kids would actually sprint around the park, from ride to ride. We'd go in the off-season, and the place would be practically empty-- they'd have the re-ride pass-through open on Space, and we'd just run round and round, doing it over and over again. Many rides they'd just let us stay on and do it again, and again...Dreamy! I remember getting a 'Driver's License' at the end of the Tomorrowland Speedway from the CM who would jump on and steer you up to the un-load...I checked "plaid" for my eye color...
When I grew up, I eventually got beyond college poverty, and was married for some years. It took some doing, but I finally convinced him to try Disney (of which he had very cynical opinions)...And the ex-hub loved it! Phew! We went frequently and even spent a winter in Fort Wilderness, with annual passes...That was a dream-come-true...Basically living at WDW! That used to be very affordable, but no longer...I'm so glad I did it when I had the chance.
Back on my own again, I continued to visit WDW regularly-- often taking fairly long solo trips, staying in different places and just enjoying exploring at my own pace. I did go with a boyfriend in there once, which was fun, but otherwise it's just been solo. I am a big fan of the Imagineering work, and like to photograph all the wonderful small elements, props, lighting, etc. The incredible work of art that is WDW absolutely inspires me-- I've twice gone there on writing 'vacations'-- I wrote a whole film script there once, with a tiny laptop in my backpack, and just plopping down in pretty corners all over the World to write for awhile. (Fave spots: Along the river at AK (with tea), by the pool at AKL, in a hammock at the Poly, in rocking chairs on Tom Sawyer's Island, espec. overlooking BTMR, and on Aunt Polly's deck; with something nummy at Starring Rolls (HS); Epcot: UK gardens, Japan gardens, inside the Stave Church in Norway (love the music), inside the Morocco museum...)
I've enjoyed my solo trips-- I always have fun chatting with CMs and other people around me, and I like doing whatever I feel like all day. But at this point, I'm really hoping to find a partner(s) in crime for my next trip! (I think that the next beau will have to be a Disney-phile, or it's a deal breaker!) I did go ~1.5 years ago with some non-Disney-luvvin' female friends, but it was actually terrible! Some people are just awful travelers in general; I don't think it was Disney that was the problem for that group...
Me, I've travelled quite a bit (lived abroad for awhile), and spent time in some of the wackier parts of the world... I guess I've learned how to roll easy and find that balance between planning and spontaneity, and work with the different wishes of people in a group. Know what I mean, fellow travelers? Gotta be flexible, keep up the smiles & energy, and hakuna matata!
So that's my WDW story in a nutshell! Please feel free to ask me any questions, or remind me of past awesomeness in the World! Reminiscing is good fun.
My breaks at work generally consist of popping up a browser window pre-loaded with all the Disney forum/news sites...And I listen to Disney music CDs in the car. Sure keeps me going! I like to think of Disney as being an oasis of quality work and positivity...I'm definitely idealizing...but to me, that's the point! The place never fails to give me a shot in the arm that there are good people out there, working together to bring happiness into the lives of those around them. And Walt is one of my heroes. Yay, Disney!
Looking forward to chatting more with all of you,
-SwimminAtAKL
Finally decided to de-lurk myself and join in the fun!
The magic began for me in the mid 70s, when I first visited the Magic Kingdom at WDW as a small child (~5?). I can still remember such a beautiful day, holding the hands of my grandparents (now gone)...We were there for two days, and on the second my brother and I were made to come in dress clothes (me in a frilly yellow dress and curled pigtails, tied with matching bows), so that we could have our profiles done in color pastels, by the artist who worked on the Main St. USA sidestreet.
I cowered and cried on the Haunted Mansion, then demanded to do it twice more (and cried both times). My wish was granted to ride the Astro Orbiters alone; I excitedly blasted straight up as high as I could go...and then my father and brother, riding just behind me, got a good laugh as they watched me panic and crawl into the nose-cone. Luckily the cars automatically lower at the end of the ride-- otherwise I think I'd still be up there today!
Everyone was wowed by the Jungle Cruise, and we all absolutely LOVED "If You Had Wings"-- really an ad for an airline, I suppose, but a great dark ride that made you feel like you were flying (slow moving cars on a track through round tunnels, with flying/takeoff/landing footage projected around you-- great feeling of motion. (I think this track and one of the tunnels is still part of Buzz?) The best, we all agreed, though, was the music! "If you had wings, If yooou had wings!" Perhaps if you remember that one, you'll know what I mean...
Another adventure remembered from that first trip: My grandfather's ginormous new Cadillac had these new-fangled electric locks-- which they'd clearly not quite worked the bugs out of. He accidentally left the lights on, and when we finally got back to the car, it proved impossible to unlock the doors-- turning the key in the lock required juice to pop the locks! I remember it being really fun to have a day-full of Disney memories zooming in my head, and having just ridden the wonderful ferry boat back to the parking lots; and there we were, up incredibly late in the sultry Florida night, just us left marooned in the midst of these giant empty parking lots! And then the Disney magic happened: Out of the gloom came a white truck, unbidden, and they had a Slim-Jim ready to open the door, and jumper cables! We were just in awe of the place...
...And the feeling has never gone away. We went every year we could afford it growing up (the gas crisis kept us away for awhile, I remember), a two-day drive each way in the old family Impala. We would stay at the grandparents' house in Ponte Vedra...fish in the lagoon and chase lizards in the yard, go nuts at the beach...but the best bit was always that 4am wake-up...to go to Disney World! My father was like a kid there himself, and he and us kids would actually sprint around the park, from ride to ride. We'd go in the off-season, and the place would be practically empty-- they'd have the re-ride pass-through open on Space, and we'd just run round and round, doing it over and over again. Many rides they'd just let us stay on and do it again, and again...Dreamy! I remember getting a 'Driver's License' at the end of the Tomorrowland Speedway from the CM who would jump on and steer you up to the un-load...I checked "plaid" for my eye color...
When I grew up, I eventually got beyond college poverty, and was married for some years. It took some doing, but I finally convinced him to try Disney (of which he had very cynical opinions)...And the ex-hub loved it! Phew! We went frequently and even spent a winter in Fort Wilderness, with annual passes...That was a dream-come-true...Basically living at WDW! That used to be very affordable, but no longer...I'm so glad I did it when I had the chance.
Back on my own again, I continued to visit WDW regularly-- often taking fairly long solo trips, staying in different places and just enjoying exploring at my own pace. I did go with a boyfriend in there once, which was fun, but otherwise it's just been solo. I am a big fan of the Imagineering work, and like to photograph all the wonderful small elements, props, lighting, etc. The incredible work of art that is WDW absolutely inspires me-- I've twice gone there on writing 'vacations'-- I wrote a whole film script there once, with a tiny laptop in my backpack, and just plopping down in pretty corners all over the World to write for awhile. (Fave spots: Along the river at AK (with tea), by the pool at AKL, in a hammock at the Poly, in rocking chairs on Tom Sawyer's Island, espec. overlooking BTMR, and on Aunt Polly's deck; with something nummy at Starring Rolls (HS); Epcot: UK gardens, Japan gardens, inside the Stave Church in Norway (love the music), inside the Morocco museum...)
I've enjoyed my solo trips-- I always have fun chatting with CMs and other people around me, and I like doing whatever I feel like all day. But at this point, I'm really hoping to find a partner(s) in crime for my next trip! (I think that the next beau will have to be a Disney-phile, or it's a deal breaker!) I did go ~1.5 years ago with some non-Disney-luvvin' female friends, but it was actually terrible! Some people are just awful travelers in general; I don't think it was Disney that was the problem for that group...
Me, I've travelled quite a bit (lived abroad for awhile), and spent time in some of the wackier parts of the world... I guess I've learned how to roll easy and find that balance between planning and spontaneity, and work with the different wishes of people in a group. Know what I mean, fellow travelers? Gotta be flexible, keep up the smiles & energy, and hakuna matata!
So that's my WDW story in a nutshell! Please feel free to ask me any questions, or remind me of past awesomeness in the World! Reminiscing is good fun.
My breaks at work generally consist of popping up a browser window pre-loaded with all the Disney forum/news sites...And I listen to Disney music CDs in the car. Sure keeps me going! I like to think of Disney as being an oasis of quality work and positivity...I'm definitely idealizing...but to me, that's the point! The place never fails to give me a shot in the arm that there are good people out there, working together to bring happiness into the lives of those around them. And Walt is one of my heroes. Yay, Disney!
Looking forward to chatting more with all of you,
-SwimminAtAKL
