Fear & Loving in Disneyland

Last Friday, my son and I journeyed to Disneyland to watch his sister's 5th grade class receive a big award (for their project to create habitat for endangered burrowing owls, to learn more about it go to their save the burrowing owls website) with lots of hullabaloo. For me, the wildest ride of the day was the Big Corporate Rollercoaster of Love ride--my own strange conflicted relationship with Disney.

In the days before the trip, the ride began:


Down the rollercoaster dipped as I saw the "Environmentality" hats they handed to each of the 30 some kids--shaped and colored exactly like army hats, creating an army of Disney aficionados.

Up I flew as the kids ran to embrace a live Jiminy Cricket who came to their school in Sacramento to give the award--the kids were so thrilled and honored!

Once inside the park, down I rushed as several Bush administration officials shared the stage with the 10 and 11 year olds--"how dare they posture as pro-environment!" I even went so far as to ineffectively heckle this fish and game guy who said "it is with great pleasure that we will turn stewardship of the environment over to [a new generation]...," while I suggested "the Democrats" loud enough to annoy my son and a couple of proud fellow parents.

My ride climaxed as two obviously professional actors (Gladys and Dwight) dressed as owls "interrupted" the ceremony and proceeded to sing a hilarious and perfect medley of bird songs backed up by the girl group with chick yellow feathered hair, "the Peeps" (get it? Gladys, Dwight and the Peeps?). Tears actually came to my eyes at Disney going to the trouble of creating this whole production just for these children (putting aside the thought of Shakespearean actors being paid to dress up as owls).

Down down down I came as I looked at the PR hacks in the back handing out paper to the cameras and reporters, desperately using our children to create a "pro-environment" image even as they had given each kid Jiminy Cricket lunch boxes almost certainly made by 13 year old girls in China and laden with lead (according to recent reports).

But up I came for the final enjoyment of the ride as their (liberal) teacher Mitch Carnie, right in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, asked the crowd to remember John Lennon's lyrics and "imagine" what it would be like if every child in California did a project like this that genuinely improved the environment before they graduated 6th grade.

And from there, I kept enjoying it as my son and I continued on real rides, seeing the improvements to Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, and other face lifts to the park--we love Disney's California Adventure. And having a fabulous meal with friends at the Blue Bayou restaurant (the New Orleans-style "outdoor at night" atmosphere that the Pirates of the Caribbean ride takes you right by), something I've always wanted to do.

So in the final analysis, even though I mistrust the Disney corporation, I love Disneyland, Disney movies and Disney production values--my recommendation, just enjoy the ride.