Today is the day that Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom opened its gates to the public 54 years ago. Well if you consider an exclusive press event with a host of celebrities such as Ronald Reagan, Art Linkletter, and Annette Funicello open to the public. Let’s just say that this weekend is when Disneyland opened its gates so long ago. So it’s fitting that my first post for my re-focused blog is about Disneyland. As a kid I would fantasize about living in a seedy motel along Harbor Blvd, enjoying such amenities as a color TV, heated swimming pool, and Disneyland conveniently located across the street. Today laying down $1,467.00 dollars for a two night’s stay in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel seems equally luxurious. Growing up, a trip to Disneyland meant nine to twelve hours of out-and-out fun. It was an opportunity to witness the fantastical, eat junk food, and stay up until twelve midnight. For my parents however, Disneyland offered escape-escape from the dull realities of everyday life. It is only now that I realize the significance of Disneyland for adults. Disneyland is a place to escape from the regimented grit of the six’ clock news, a place to relish in immersive story telling, and a place for family. The more “grown up” I become, the more I value a trip to Disneyland.
The more responsibilities I have to tackle the more I find myself saying, “I wish I were at Disneyland.” For upon entering Disneyland’s gates, guests leave the world of the mundane and often frustrating and “Enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. ” Disneyland’s immediate charm culls guests into a parallel universe specifically designed for the child in all of us. In fact, once guests step foot inside, every trace of the outside world is absent. Since the 1950’s Disneyland managers have gone out of their way to ensure that Disneyland succeeded in being a place far removed from reality.
Beginning in the days of Walt Disney roaming the park sidewalks, Disney has not sold a single newspaper inside Disneyland Park. And since 2003 the sky above Disneyland has become restricted air space, with low-level flights being regulated. Disneyland also has a berm, an elevated blockade of earth and trees that separates the park from high-rise buildings, traffic noise, and behind the scenes facilities. All these measures exist so that the outside world does not intrude on the guests’ experience. It may be extreme, but Disneyland succeeds in its mission to serve as an alternate reality, a places devoid of reminders of the worlds vexing realities.
What makes Disneyland an ideal place for adults to retreat is not only the absence of the real world, but the quality of the parks atmosphere. Disney’s signature attention to details and intriguing story telling is what imprints a sense of wonder in children and catharsis in adults.
Disneyland is comprised of eight individual “lands” and whether it’s the “Promise of the future" or "the hard facts that have created America, ” each land has a story to tell. And in order for that story to successfully reach audiences, each land must appropriately evoke a mood or “theme.” From an adult perspective, Disney’s concept of theme goes beyond the superficial atmosphere and decorations found in most theme parks and some amusement parks. Theme expresses specific attitudes and emotions. For example, Main Street USA represents a booming American town at the turn of the century. The streets are lined with kerosene lampposts and filled with horseless streetcars. Guests can faintly hear the barbershop quartet amongst the steely Orchestron, clapping nickelodeons, and mechanical fortunetellers that reside within the penny arcade. Every thing about Main Street USA is exciting and brimming with life; much in the same way an actual turn of the century town would be. And although Disneyland’s Main Street as well as its other lands is vastly idealized, it elicits the feelings of exhilaration, nostalgia, and wonderment.
Disneyland is a theatrical experience as much as it is an aesthetic one. The last time I was at Disneyland I toke refuge from the crowds in a small courtyard in the New Orleans Square portion of the park. I didn’t mind that I paid well over $10 dollars for a bread bowl and a small drink when I had such beautiful place to eat. What was especially interesting was that I was immersed in a place that was layered in exorbitant detail and extraordinary showmanship, but still achieved a sense of intimacy and seclusion. Among the courtyards many details I found beauty in a quite fountain and a tall staircase adorned with live floral arrangements. Disneyland is full of alluring details and none of it seems contrived or fake
Despite being able to appreciate Disneyland on a deeper level as an adult, I can’t deny the fact that Disneyland is a perfect family destination. I was lucky enough to go to Disneyland almost annually with my dad. And as was often the case, he was more enthusiastic than I was. He toke joy in seeing the park through my eyes, exposing me to a place that was different from the concrete jungle that I was accustomed to; discovering places that seemed rare and exotic. Eventually I would like to go to Disneyland with a child of my own and discover together. That is the brilliance of this family park; it can and should be shared by generations.
Disneyland’s appeal only intensifies with my age and the desire to escape to a place that’s whimsical and fun becomes more understandable as I grow older. Whether it’s an escape from ones everyday routine, the desire to find beauty in interesting storytelling, or sharing the overall experience with family, Walt Disney’s “Original Magic Kingdom” is the ideal vacation spot. Today spending an arm and a leg for a couple of nights in a Disney owned hotel sounds tempting and at the rate I’m going I’ll be making plans to scatter my ashes over “It’s a Small World” by the time I’m 89. Disneyland simply gets better with age.
