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By Mike Patrick, Jr., M.D.
www.pediacast.org
There are a few things I miss during a Walt Disney World vacation. Most of them aren't big-ticket items. They tend to be little things--activities or details I had looked forward to before leaving home. Then, when I arrived on property, I noticed they were gone. I had hoped their absence was temporary, but after several trips, when they did not return, I realized they weren't coming back. And now, I miss them.
This isn't meant to be an all-inclusive list. Some of the items here won't mean a thing to you, and I suspect more than a few of you could add your two cents to the list as well. That's fine. You miss your things, and I'll miss mine.
Also, for the most part, this isn't a gripe toward Disney. Progress brings change. I get that. It's just these are a few things I wish hadn't changed, that's all.
First on my list is Aunt Polly's. For those who don't know the name, she's a character from the Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn stories. She also used to run a little restaurant on Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom. She used to rustle up a ham and cheese sandwich on marbled bread that was out of this world. She had Root Beer Floats too. Big ones. The kind that require two cups--one for the float and one to catch the spill-overs.
Aunt Polly also had a seating area, where you could kick back, relax, and watch the Liberty Belle steam through the Rivers of America. It was a great spot to avoid the rush and take a break for lunch.
Then, without warning, the menu changed. No more lunch. Only desserts. Okay, I could deal with that. I missed the ham and cheese, but you could still stop for a cold snack.
Then they shut her down completely, installing a couple coke machines in front of the boarded-up order windows. For me, the death of Aunt Polly's was a shame--a real shame.
Another thing I miss is E-Ticket night. Now I know, they have extra-magic hours instead. They include all the parks and they are free for resort guests. But they're not really the same. E-Ticket nights at the Magic Kingdom required a separate admission ticket and, more importantly, the number of tickets sold was limited. The crowds were light, and the atmosphere was alive with Disney Magic.
This next one is a minor thing, but it still bugs me. There is a scene in Snow White's Scary Adventure where all the dwarves are dancing at a party. You'll notice one of the dwarves (I can't remember which one) has his lips puckered and his arms outstretched, as if he were playing an imaginary instrument. Well, here's the thing: It wasn't always imaginary. He used to be holding and playing a real live instrument--a saxophone, I think.
After a major rehab a couple years back, I thought sure the instrument would return or the dwarf would at least have a different pose. Nope. He's still in that funny position, and the sax is still missing. They can add Jack Sparrow to Pirates of the Caribbean. They can doll up the castle. They can put on a wonderfully-creative fireworks show. But they can't give a dwarf back his sax? Sort of sad, when you think about it.
Here's another silly one, but it's something else I miss. Remember when Fed Ex sponsored Space Mountain? As you were exiting, a voice boomed, "In the future, packages will be shipped to distant worlds through beams of light." That announcement is no more. Unless, of course, you happen to ride with our family. As we exit, I always make a point of making the announcement myself. Sure, I get some funny looks. But there's always a remembering smile or two as well.
Moving over to EPCOT, there's a few more things I miss. Anyone remember Roland? He was the funny mime outside the France Pavilion. How about the living statues? Or the other street performers around World Showcase. I know they got old for frequent visitors, especially locals, but for us in the once-or-twice-a-year crowd, watching those performers was like coming home and visiting old Uncle Fred. I miss them.
How about the Tapestry parade? My family loved that one. I know, it was only supposed to play during the Millennial Celebration as Tapestry of Nations. Then, when that celebration ended, they gave it new life--as Tapestry of Dreams.
We discovered a place you could watch the procession twice. It was where one leg entered World Showcase and another finished. Lots of Cast Members knew this location as well, and it was always fun to strike up a conversation or two. The music, the smiles on each performer's face, and the way the puppets interacted with the crowd was simply wonderful. The score still gets occasional play as EPCOT area music, but hearing it now just irritates me. Bring back the show, already! That's where the tune belongs.
Then there were Beaver Tails. The Canadians used to serve them up in a log hut near their castle. I can't tell you how many times we passed that hut without stopping because we had no idea what a Beaver Tail was. Then we read on the DIS board how good they were--like county-fair Elephant Ears, only better. We gave them a try and fell in love. Another Disney treat that would become a family tradition.
Only the tradition lasted no more than a couple trips. They boarded up the hut. For several more trips, it remained closed. We heard a rumor it might reopen, but no. On our next visit, the little hut had completely vanished, and the hope of fresh Beaver Tails with it.
Alright, this last one may get me in trouble in some circles, but I believe it, so I'm saying it anyway. This one is bigger than the others, but it's also the one that can change most easily.
I think there is a little less magic than there used to be among Cast Members. I think it happened after 911, when attendance sagged and the most senior employees were let go in favor of cheaper-costing newbies.
It seems to me many of these fresh faces treat Disney as a job, without reflecting on their role as magic keepers.
Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about. In 2000, during our first trip to Walt Disney World, I rode Big Thunder Mountain several times with my then 5-year-old daughter. She really wanted to sit in the front seat, but since they load in order from back to front, we never had the chance.
On our last night in the Magic Kingdom, she asked me to request a front seat from the ride host. As it turned out, the party directly in front of us in line asked the same question, and the host informed them they had to fill the train in order--no exceptions. Then I came upon her with the same request. How could I not ask when I had promised my daughter I would?
I explained it was our last night. I explained how we kept missing that seat despite multiple rides. I was prepared for the same answer. I was prepared to console my daughter's disappointment. But to my surprise, the Cast Member said, "Sure," and motioned for us to take the first spot. Wow.
My daughter's grin was as wide as the Grand Canyon the entire trip around Big Thunder. Then, when we pulled into the station, that same Cast Member asked my daughter if she enjoyed the trip. She nodded that she had, and the Cast Member asked, "Would you like to go around again?"
Now that was the most magical moment of the entire trip. Something to remember forever. But would that scenario play out today? Sure, it might if we were the lucky recipients of one of those million dreams. But would it happen spontaneously? I'm not convinced it would.
So if any Cast Members out there are reading this, please listen to my plea to remember the magic every time you go on-stage. It's important to all of us, and it's often the most important thing that keeps us coming back.
In the end, Disney is fine without Aunt Polly or a dwarf's instrument or Rolland or even a Beaver Tail. But it can't go on without the magic. Otherwise, it's not much different than the other fine vacation spots out there.
So there's my list. Feel free to write in and share some items of your own. It probably won't bring them back, but we can at least share some of our memories of Disney-past together.
Dr Mike is a board-certified pediatrician and host of Pediacast: A Pediatric Podcast for Parents. You can read his blog, listen to the podcast, and sign up for his newsletter at www.pediacast.org.
COPYRIGHT 2006 MIKE PATRICK JR
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