My Favorite Park Memories

Walt Disney World officially opened up again (with restrictions) this summer. And while many are enjoying being back, for many others visiting the parks will not be an option for months to come. In the meantime, I'd thought I'd share some of my favorite park memories.

1. Big Downpour Mountain 
    I was spending an afternoon at Magic Kingdom with one of my friends. One of our favorite rides is Big Thunder Mountain. As we were waiting in line, my friend noticed the clouds growing darker. I checked the weather app on my cell and assured her it was not supposed to rain for a few more hours, which gave us plenty of time to have fun before hunkering down in a gift shop or somewhere. So we stayed in line and continued down the stairs to the enclosed loading platform.      If you don't know, Big Thunder Mountain starts indoors. The loading platform is all indoors, and the train enters a cave scene. The cave is where the trains starts its ascend to the first hill. At the peak of the first hill, there is the exit of the cave and the drop launches the train outdoors for the rest of the ride. This hill is not very high and drop is not scary at all. When I'm with friends, we spend the ride cracking jokes and laughing, waving off any danger the ride tries to evoke. 
    But this time was different. As the train slowly made its ascend, the light at the end of the tunnel revealed a downpour of rain. Panic spread through my veins. We would be launched full speed toward the one thing we were trying to avoid - but could now not escape for another 3 whole minutes. My friend and I looked at each other, then back at the rain, and screamed some not-very-Disney phrases. The other guests on our train were laughing at us, thinking we were scared from the ride rather than the rain. After our unexpected water ride, we fast-walked (we don't run) to the nearest shelter to design a plan of attack for exiting the park while staying as dry as possible. This memory was not so fun when it was actually happening to us, but it's hilarious to think back on. 

2. I Scream, You Scream
    This memory is from when I visited the parks with my boyfriend. He had never been to the parks before, and I was excited to introduce him to all the magic, including all the delicious snacks. I'm not sure why, but Disney has the best soft serve ice cream. Maybe it's because anything cold tastes amazing in the Florida Humidity or maybe it's because they sprinkle pixie dust on it. Either way, it's nectar for the sugar-addicted soul. So I planned a stop at Storybook Treats in the early afternoon on our Magic Kingdom day. 
    To my surprise, he put up some resistance to my dessert suggestion. "I'm not hungry," he said. 
    "But it's soooo good!," I said. 
    "It's just ice cream," he countered. But I grabbed his hand and led him to Storybook Treats. I bought a chocolate cone for him and a twist cone for myself. We sat on a bench by the castle walls and ate away.
    Later that day as we were passing by Storybook Treats again, I noticed my boyfriend giving it a longing look. He sheepishly asked me if we could get some more ice cream.  

3. Dinosaur Debacle
    I know this is oddly specific, but I have a fear of animatronic dinosaurs. I blame my parents for letting me watch Jurassic Park as a tot. That T-Rex still intrudes my nightmares decades later. There also used to be Lego dinosaurs on display at Camp Snoopy in the Mall of America, but I can't remember if they were animatronic or not. I just remember fear filling my pint-sizes body as I walked past them, hovering to my mom as closely as possible for protection. 
    Knowing this information, I bet you can guess my favorite ride at Walt Disney World.
    Somehow, 5 of my friends convinced me to ride Dinosaur with them. I asked repeatedly if it was scary. "I don't do T-Rexes" I said as I was struck with flashbacks of nightmares where Rexy stalks me though a forest. But the 2 who had gone on this attraction before assured me it was just a "nice, clam ride". 
    Okay.
    Lucky me, I was loaded into the first row of the ride vehicle, but demanded that I had a friend on either side of me. I tried to relax, telling myself it would be a nice, calm ride like my friends said. And then we turned a corner and came face to face with a ginormous animatronic dinosaur swallowing another animatronic dinosaur whole and I lost it. I don't remember exactly what I yelled, but it was probably along the lines of "WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT? OH HELL NO! I HATE IT!" We were only 3 seconds into the ride and I already decided I would spend the rest of it with my eyes closed. I ducked down in the ride vehicle so no animatronic dinosaurs could take a chomps at my head and continued yelling. As the ride went on, one friend siting next to me also decided she had enough terror for the day and huddled next to me. Soon, the friend on the other side of me joined us and grasped each other, screaming until it was all over.
    The ride photo we got was almost worth it. The back row of the ride vehicle featured other guests, just sitting regularly, neutral faces on as if they were sitting on their couch at home. In the second row was two of my friends with their mouths open, laughing and pointing at the front row, which had the three of us clutching each other, faces hidden from the horror surrounding us. I wish I could find that photo again, but I will NOT be riding Dinosaur again.

4. RIP Osbourne Lights
    My favorite way to spend my time off work during the holiday season was under the Osbourne Lights. Fortunately, my College Program took place during the very last year the Lights danced. If I clocked out at a decent time, I would change into something less sweaty in the staff bathroom and catch a bus to Hollywood Studios. Once arrived I would stash my lunchbox and work boots in a locker, grab a peppermint mocha at the Trolley Cart Cafe, and trek to the Streets of America. There I would find a curb to sit, sip my hot Christmas drink and just people watch. 
    Anyone who has had the pleasure of experience the Osbourne Lights will tell you that just standing on a make-believe city street is magical as is. But hearing a father and son talk about how many hidden Mickeys they've found in the decorations or seeing a mom dance with her daughter to the music or watching complete strangers enhancing niceties while in crowded conditions just added another layer of wonder to it all. Here people were probably tired, uncomfortable, sometimes packed closely together, and had just dropped hundreds of dollars to even be in the park, but everyone was still in a chipper mood. I don't know if I can explain it all without getting too cheesy, but those evenings under the Osbourne Lights was truly a magical place.

5. Wishing Well
    I might've told this story on my blog before, but I think it deserves a repeat-telling. As frequent readers know, my favorite spot in all of Walt Disney World is Cinderella's Wishing Well. One day I went to the park by myself and wanted to hang out at my favorite spot. I brought a bag of pennies with me to toss into the well. If I saw some kids stopping by the well, I would offer them a penny for a wish. The path by the well is usually quiet so I did not see a lot of kids walk by, until a little girl in a Princess dress and her mom ambled by. I got up and said, "Excuse me", getting their attention. I bent down to the little girl and said "That's a wishing well. Would you like to make a wish?" I handed her a penny.. She didn't say anything to me but closed her eyes and dropped the coin in. Her mom thanked me profusely and they left. 
    A few minutes later, they came back. "I'm sorry," the mother said, "but she won't stop talking about you. Do you mind if I take a picture of you two together?" I knew in that moment what it felt like to work as a Princess at the parks. But the cool think was I didn't have to be a Princess to make a happy memory for someone else, I just had to be kind.