When I was a kid, my favorite part of the first week of school was when the teacher allowed the class to brag about how they spent their summer vacation during show and tell. I would always say the same thing, year after year.
“I went to Disneyland, teacher,” I said with a smile upon a face. I thought it was the most wonderful place in the world.
I loved the big cuddly bears and the cute little mice. I wanted to hug them all day long. When I got there I would go straight for Fantasyland. I would stay there until lunch.
My family and I would eat lunch, watch the Country Bear Jamboree, then finish our day off in New Orleans Square.
I never remember staying late because my mom would always get lost on the freeways going home. For our safety, we left before the sun went down. Unfortunately, we would not get home until late because no matter how many times my mom took Interstate 5, she always got lost.
The Disneyland of yesteryear has fallen from its glory. According to the Sept. 7 edition of the Los Angeles Times, Disneyland has lost business in both its theme park and hotel.
The once planned Wescot, a California style resort with several hotels and a water park, was halted after a “dry summer.”
To keep the locals coming, Disneyland dropped its admission price to $23 until December 24. This means more business for the park and less for the hotel.
I know Disneyland’s follies all too well. Before this lackluster summer, I learned that the ideals I held as a child were not all that great.
As I entered the ULV as a transfer student last fall, I accepted a decent paying job at Disneyland. I needed money and I believed there would be no better place to earn some than the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
My job consisted of seating guests at tables. I wore and continue to wear a clown outfit designed to make me and my fellow cast members look like chefs.
My first six months went all right, but this summer I saw a different Disney. The place I used to spend my summers relaxing became a place of doom.
Do you know how many times I was asked “Where’s Mickey Mouse?”
At least a 100 per day.
I replied with what I have been programmed to say, “He’s at town hall taking care of business.”
And kids, well I love the well behaved kind, but I despise those bratty kids everyone must stand behind while waiting in line for Splash Mountain while he or she climbs the guard rails and wipes their snot on the signs.
In the middle of the summer, I was promoted from hostess to server at a grease pit restaurant. It was wonderful. I learned just how to make tasty treats at the park from Mickey Mouse Club Sandwiches to Gephettos.
Unfortunately, I had to decline my promotion before I lost all respect for Disneyland.
Now I am back where I began except now I don’t go to my favorite place on earth without being reminded of this summer.
I’ll remember working splits, doubles, and overtime.
I’ll remember all of the seasonal summer workers who got the ax after our slow summer.
But then something happened to me this week. I met a little boy much like me as a child.
He must have been 3 years old. He was not scared of the characters. He bravely walked up to the evil Jafar turned to him and said, “I’m not scared of you, I have the Genie and this lady to protect me.”
Well I just wanted to hug the kid. I didn’t because his parents would probably sue me for abuse. I saw in him the dreams and ideals of a child.
I saw me.
