Man, we must have all got an overdose of magic this weekend.
I know that I did, from the moment I pulled into the parking lot.
Now to humbly add to the discussion. I must preface by saying that CP and Boss Radio are hard acts to follow though. You both made such wonderful posts.
One of the comments I have made most often at the park is that I feel "centered". It is like a therapy session, a total state of relaxation, no matter how big the crowds are or how long the line for Space Mountain is. I always feel myself letting out this big sigh of relief when I walk through the tunnels, as if I am home. (Of course, when Main Street is lined with cast members welcoming you home it really accentuates that feeling.) I truly leave the stress of the world behind when I walk through its gates. And as someone who has more than a passing interest in Buddhism, I find a lot in common with how I feel at Disneyland and the sense of being centered that comes with meditation.
And strangely, I am not that big of a "Disney" geek. I love a lot of the movies but I don't know them all by heart. I'm not especially attached to any one character. I don't know the lyrics to all the songs. I know that many "geeks" love everything that is part of Disney. For me though, my specific geekiness is focused on the park and Walt Disney's dream, rather than the company as a whole. And it is only Disneyland Park. I have visited WDW and it just didn't do it for me. It wasn't as quaint and it wasn't as magical. I'm sure others disagree but that's just MHO. Maybe it's that DL was the first one but I suspect that it has to do more with the fact that I know that Walt put everything he could muster into this park. He walked its streets, rode the rides, he was and will always be the most special part of it.
Once on another board, just to be odd, I decided to post a trip report, circa 1973. Those are my earliest recollections of the park and they are still so ingrained into me that writing a trip report was easier than I thought. It wrote itself. I remember everything about those trips, even though I was so young. I remember how I felt on the rides, what they made me think and wonder about. Those thoughts all resurface to this day when I ride those same rides. I can stare in wonder at the pirate ship firing its cannonballs or the ghosts in the ballroom or even the magic carpets floating around Small World. And to be honest, I feel very priviliged to still be able to suspend disbelief and let my imagination take over. It keeps me young, it keeps me sane, and it keeps me happy. And most importantly, as an artist, it keeps me creative. I have a constant reminder that there are no bounds to imagination. If you can think of it, you can make it happen. It is an invaluable part of the creative process.
And for too many years, I thought that there was something odd or rather, unique, about my attachment to Disneyland. It never occurred to me that there were so many other people that felt like I did. Meeting everyone and being able to share all of these thoughts and musings has taken my appreciation to a new level and I cherish that I have all of you in my life to share it with. So glad to know you all.
Ok, time for bed. I'm gettin' punchy