Top Five Things I Have to Do at Disneyworld

Tomorrow, my mom, my daughter, and I are going to Disneyworld!  This deserves a woohoo.  WOOHOO!  I have been there once, but I don’t think it really counts.  I was on a high school band trip and we were allotted one day to spend at the park.  Needless to say, I didn’t see much.  This is my mom and my daughter’s first trip and we all have a list of attractions, rides, and experiences that are must-dos.  Here are my top five:

5.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – I am a roller coaster girl.  I’ve been riding them with my dad since I was tall enough.  Twists, falls, turns, loops-I love them all!  For the most part, there aren’t many roller coasters at Disneyworld.  This one looks amazing!  Not to mention that the whole time you’re on the ride, there’s Aerosmith music playing in the background.  That has to make it even more intense and exciting!   I’ve been going through roller coaster withdrawals pretty fierce since Astroworld shut down over six years ago.  I'm ready to feel the whooooooooosh of wind on my face and hear Steven Tyler wailing in my ears. 

4.  Pirates of the Caribbean – I wanted to ride this the last time I was in Florida, but I ran out of time.  It’s part of the classic Disney experience and I need to check it off my list.  This was way before Johnny Depp came on the scene as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow in the movies.  I’ve read and heard that Captain Jack has now been made a part of this ride, which only make me want to ride it more than I did before.  He’s dreamy in a dirty, pirate-y sort of way.  Also, I hear that he hangs around in this area of the park, and I really want my picture taken with him.  Probably more than I want to ride the ride.

3.  Stitch’s Great Escape – Lilo and Stitch is one of my favorite Disney animated films.  It’s the only movie I saw five times in the theater.  I know this is not considered by most people to be one of the classics, but I fell in love with Stitch the minute he uttered “Meega, nala kwishta!” and caused mass vomiting and disgust amongst the council.  Also, Lilo is an Elvis fan and the soundtrack is mostly Elvis music.  How could I not love that?  I think I’m endeared to the movie because both Lilo and Stitch don’t quite fit in.  They’re misfits.  They remind me of many of the students I have had over the years and of a few of my family members.  This attraction features an animatronics Stitch wreaking havoc on the audience.  I know I’m going to have a great time!

2.  Captain Eo – This is the Michael Jackson 3-D movie that was shown at Disney Parks in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  Because of the controversies surrounding MJ in the 90’s, the movie was removed as an attraction.  After he died, as a tribute, Disney brought it back.  This IS one of the few things that I did get to do when I went to Disneyworld in 1992 and I loved it!  Some great people were involved in making this film, like George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and James Horner.  I honestly can’t remember much of the plot, but I do remember that Anjelica Huston is in it.  I loved it because it was Michael Jackson singing and dancing.   Now, 20 years later, my daughter is a fan of Michael Jackson.  I’ve been playing his music for her since she was a little bitty girl.  I am looking forward to seeing the movie again with her and making a new memory.

1.  Meeting Cinderella – When I was a little girl, my mother read Cinderella to me night after night after night.  I had the Cinderella soundtrack on LP and would sing along with her pretending it was me with all my animal friends.  I flitted around my house humming “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” Every time I had to do a chore, I hummed “Sing, Sweet Nightingale,” just like her.   All grown up, there is still a (very) tiny piece of me left that wants to believe in the fairy tale ending, even though I know better.  I know that Cinderella is a made up character and I know that her story is a fantasy.  Still, Disneyworld is supposed to be a magical place where dreams come true.  It won’t be the grown up meeting her at that moment.  It will be that little girl.  That’s when the magic will happen for me and I can’t wait.