Question of the Day
With Memorial Day rolling around tomorrow, let’s think about some of the representations of the United States at the current parks. What is your favorite “American” thing at any theme park?
Main Street USA. There is nothing like the feeling of walking through there at night, with the scent of confectionery delights filling the air and Cinderella’s Castle looming ahead. That is a little slice of heaven.
Question of the Day
What is your favorite memory you have from a theme park? Maybe a childhood memory or maybe a first time on an attraction?
I have so many.
Staying up late watching the WDW Resort Channel on a loop, meeting April O’Neal and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a little kid, meeting Ariel as a teenager, meeting Ariel as a young adult, meeting Ariel as a 30-something, riding Horizons and feeling so enamored with the possibilities of the future (nobody tell baby Tegan how it worked out, just let her enjoy it), going on attractions with first time visitors and getting to see their reactions, going on Carousel of Progress with my dad’s whole family and all of us singing “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” with such enthusiasm that we get the whole theater to join in.
But my absolute favorite is deeply personal; Getting to experience, well, the EPCOT Experience preview center in the Odyssey with my grandpa. Some of you may recall, but he was the entire reason that we are a Disney family and his enthusiasm never waned. WDW became holy ground for us.
On this particular morning, we got to EPCOT early, I grabbed a Joffrey’s, and we were on our way. The EPCOT Experience had just opened like a week before our trip.
When we stepped foot into the large circular theater that highlighted all the coming attractions, I immediately became six years old again. But then I looked over at my Grandpa, and he had a look of absolute wonder on his face. And I just stood there taking that moment in for a while. This intelligent, successful, retired executive had never lost touch with his inner child, and still allowed himself to be overwhelmed with joy and excitement.
The pandemic took over our lives about six months later. In spring of 2022, I went back for the first time since that trip, not knowing it would be my last time at WDW with my grandpa. He passed away two years ago. And I haven’t been back to our favorite place yet. But I carry that moment with me daily.