The Happiest Place on Earth, part Two

At long last, the final second and final partof the series. I'll return to my irregularly scheduled programming after this. This was written on July 18, 2004.

"Just returned from our first day in the Disney parks themselves, I find myself in the peculiar condition of being mentally awake, as in possessing physical energy, but so achy and physically tweaked out that I just feel like collapsing on my tiny bedroll and falling into blissful unconsciousness.

Disneyland is crowded, but the whole place is designed to funnel guests into and through attractions, into the little theme shops afterwards, and to the next attraction that it’s only when there are huge attractions that you really get a sense of the mass of people in the park. The nightly fireworks display is one of those times. If you stand on one of the innumerable park benches, and take a slow turn around, you can see literally tens of thousands of people, all with identical expressions of awe, staring at the sky as flashes from the tons of fireworks set off nightly flicker in their faces.

There was an unusual theme throughout the day, for us. At least four times, rides closed either as we approached them or were in line for them. Indiana Jones’ Adventure closed when we were right in line, and Grizzly Peak, Thunder Mountain, and another ride we passed on the way to somewhere else were just being roped off as we approached or walked by. It was like an Anti-Wheeler Conspiracy, is what it was.

Our hotel, the Grand Californian, is only about four years old, and is almost an attraction in its own right. Boasting 704 rooms, a swimming pool, arcade, four restaurants, a conference room, and innumerable small services, plus a huge lodge-style common room with a massive stone hearth. I don’t know how much it costs to stay here per night (we bought a package deal through a travel agent), but it must be tremendous. I’m not used to being waited on so single-handedly. They even turn our beds down in the evening. I prefer it to the actual Disney Hotel, not only because it’s newer, but because the Disney-ness of it is much more understated. The theme of the place as a whole is like that of a gold rush-era hunting lodge, with Disney-style paintings and sculptures scattered about."

And there you have it. Thank you all, and good night!