TheBanyanTree: The Happiest Place on Earth

[Jena Norton]

When I was kid, I religiously watched Disney's weekly program. I fell in love with Spin, hated Annette, and had a coonskin cap. I was captivated by the shows about the construction of Disneyland. I wanted so badly to go there, to experience Tomorrowland, Adventureland and Fantasyland. But Disneyland was a whole continent and another world away from me.

Fast forward a bit to 1975. I was in southern California to get married and meet my new in-laws. They offered to send us to Disneyland. But I was still of that 60's mind-set: none of that Beaver Cleaver world for me. I would have accepted a trip to San Francisco or perhaps gone to Disneyland if they now had "Protestland."

Disney World came to Florida. By now my parents had been to both Disneyland AND Disney World. But their daughter still felt it was politically incorrect to go to either. And I didn't like Florida, having spent too much bored time there on family trips, when I'd have rather been just about any place else.

I've heard it said that as we get older, our tastes change and our ideas morph into newer ones. Perhaps that's the reason I was lured at last to Disneyland.

My friend who was attending a conference in Anaheim with me was appalled that I'd never been to Disneyland. She went about every year, rain or shine, until she went off to college. And she still goes whenever something new is added.

Cheryl decided that I WOULD go to Disneyland, especially since my birthday was during the conference. We made some free time for ourselves, playing hooky from a workshop we'd already had and from another chicken dinner with a speaker we'd heard before.

We could see the park from our hotel, but getting there required you go some place else first. We had just missed a shuttle, so Cheryl marches off with me in tow. As we're walking, she's muttering about how the shortcuts don't work since they threw up California Adventure.

Eventually, we arrive in a parking lot that looks like it's at the end of nowhere. This feeling is reinforced because this parking lot is named after "Timon" from Tne Lion King, not exactly one of the most popular characters. But a tram did come and we hopped aboard.

In due time, we arrived at the gates of the Magic Kingdom, but before we could pay our tribute and enter, we had to go through a security checkpoint. It wasn't quite like the Homeland Security search at an airport and the security personnel weren't exactly fierce guardians of safety. They were all more like Wal-Mart meeters and greeters.
 
We bought the 2 days/2 parks pass, since we planned to return the next evening, at least. 


Jena, Full Moon Warrior Princess