(SEE THE TWO OTHER PARTS BEFORE READING THIS ENSTALLMENT)
I wondered what Star Tours would be like, scary or lame, thrilling or frightening, kiddish or mature. The one at Disney World's Hollywood Studios had giant robot walkers from Hoth, trees and little teddy bears from Endor (Endor Village) and also the gift shop was that bar in Tattoinne, the desert planet. Well, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about if you haven't seen any of the 4,5,6 movies of Star Wars. But then again, almost every person in America at one point in their life has seen the movies, so I wonder why I'm even saying this. But anyway, the one at Florida was bigger, as was the whole park, but we'd only seen the first one at Disney World, not this second one, which was "The Adventures Continue!" It was supposed to have new adventures and stuff like that. We stood on the verge of Tomorrow Land, and it really did look like something out of Science Fiction. There was a blue and gold sphere on the side of the entrance, to the left of another large cylinder with spheres on it, and with striking gold font read TOMORROW LAND! It even had a line going through it and gold around, blue in the background. And then there was something I can't even rightly describe.
A large gold ball with a ticket booth beside and a lot of rope lines and gate keeping it in had blue slots where metal sticks went up and down, which was the base of small rockets people were zooming around in. They went quickly around and also bobbed up and down, the metal poles moving along the slits. On the right and left and above were all a matter of different golden spheres, with inscriptions and markings, also large rings like Saturn going around, with a pole stretching up higher. There was blue and red on this, and there was a couple of small spheres displaying at the top. I can't describe it to you. Hopefully Mom offers up a picture of such a memorable piece of machinery. Behind it was the icy mountains, with little hills and bobbed surfaces. This really cool ride with the small rockets going around, looking like cartoon or Buzz Lightyear ones, was called the Astro Orbiter, and I spent many minutes taking pictures of this most interesting spectacle. Did I have an extreme urge to go on it? Well, not totally, although it was amazing to look at and cool. It looked a little scary though, and I don't like scary. I always have butterflies on roller coasters and you might even say I was afraid of all of them, but I am just anxious. I do not freak out or have spasms when I am around them.
The other buildings in Tomorrow Land here weren't as strikin. On our left we had a building which had sides like an octagon with two brown rectangles on each side of a cloud like building with Buzz Lightyear. Now, we could of gone and done that, but I had remembered at Disney World that we had waited for about an hour for the stupid ride where you spin around in chairs and hit alien targets with a fake gun. Sure, it was a lot of fun, but it wasn't worth it to wait that long. But then to our right was what we had come here for.... Star Tours, the Adventures Continue. It was a blue building, oddly shaped of stone and paint, with glass doors all around and a cool pointy triangle with a barely recognizable Luke holding up a firing sword in a blue background. We walked through the doors after seeing the Fast Pass machine. Inside, it was just a super long line in this rectangle room, with lines and ropes switch backing, and also on the carpeted walls and floor and ceiling white stars and blue background, with a few Star Tours silver triangle symbols also. For endless boring minutes we shifted through this, thinking, talking to a few people in line, but most were quiet and uninteresting, like a boy I tried to start a conversation about Star Wars with. He didn't seem interested. Shifting, slowly. Stopping, move one foot. Mumble. Say a few words. Complain. Move on. Move up one aisle, look at wall for creative inspiration, try to count stars. At Disney World it was so much more interesting!
The next room proved better. At one end along a ramp going up that went to the left, there was a screen which had the now recognizable Star Tours Logo with also a robot sounding solicitor speaking. It was a robot of animated form with big eyes, skinny body and big torso talking about the weather forecast and there would be some lava showers, a really themed alien forecast. I loved stuff like this and smiled at the funny robot telling about IC360, which was a red little squarish video camera attached by a flexible silver pole which would move about and project the recording of outer space while you could see everything from the safety of inside. There was also 3-d! Even Rebecca was now interested and excited with the ride. There was also some bars and a blue background flight schedule, in different languages, English and then in what looked Greek. A teen beside me wanted to catch me off guard, and asked if I could read that. Much to her delight and surprise, I played a long and said, "Yeah it says Googleigoogaaga (taking a character from the short story I had written that morning) and Tekon 43. I'm actually going to that planet today. And you?" or something like that. Then I saw it.
It was in the middle of this room. It was a red star ship, white and red and squarish but with markings on the side and also corners and vertexes, and R2-D2 was on it, making various noises and beeps. C-3P0, my favorite robot ever, was by some computer standing up pressing buttons and as usual, doing his daily duties, getting the ship ready, and cutting down the other droid. He also is cut down by him, saying what the un-understandable R2-D2 says for the audience to know. They talked about fixing the ship as it went up and down when Threepio pressed a few buttons, and also C-3P0 told D2 to fix some of the things as more beeps were made. For those who don't know, C-3P0 is gold and pretty stiff like a man, and R2-D2 is blue with three wheels and is like a barrel with all these buttons and white finishings. We past by them, and I was glad I got to see this instead of just another boring room. Going up the ramp that went directly up and then would turn right, I saw these two Squid looking guys... Captain Gial Ackbar and someone else. They were talking about how the Empire was coming and about how to take down the Imperial baddies. Although they didn't use that word. No aliens use that word.
At least we had something interesting to see while we waited in line.
We turned right, and up the balcony we went, into this room that went around and right by the main and most funny mode of display in the room, as there were balconies and ramps all around it. It was a funny sounding droid, with two long big eyes and a head like binoculars, and was really short and metal. He was scanning several luggage items(the theme was that Star Tours was like an airport) and on a screen above him with different languages was some stuff. He was saying funny stuff like blasting a camera because it had a barrel and weapons weren't allowed, also commenting on someone's hair or different facial hair or something of the sort. It was funny. As the line gradually shifted upward, I heard the robot constantly remarking if there was no lines and no people having luggage. "Then I would be without purpose, 'cause that's all I'm programmed for. That's a scary thought." Finally we came to this hallway, as these uniformed employees told us to stand in rows. Us four were on like row five of these five little pads before many television monitors and also below it silver and blue doors with the logo. On the screen, we saw the Spaceship in the terminal with droids falling down and R2-D2 attacking them and them being silly, getting all on each other to reach for a part and stuff. They have flat circle heads and are really short. Before and after that was also the computer voice saying to put all items under you, and to watch your children with moving images of wookies and aliens alongside humans and the kid doing bad stuff to an alien. It was really funny as they strapped up and put seat belts on. C-3PO was waiting for the Captain but then he had to go do stuff and at that point the doors open. So was Threepio the one who was going to drive?
We slid over, and Dad was on the end with me in between Dad and Mom, more to the right. There was a small television monitor to the right. I was excited for the ride, but a little anxious also. I didn't remember exactly what the ride at Disney World was like, so here goes nothing. Putting the seat belt strap on in a big hurry with the clipping and yellow stuff over my waist, I then put my stuff on the four beneath my chair. In the first Star Tours it was a small robot deal, but in this one C-3PO commented and sat in a chair as the silver lining in front of us went up. It also went down and we saw Threepio to the right on a monitor during the show. D2 was presumably outside partly flying the ship.
"What are you doing, R2? We have to wait for the Captain. I'm not programmed to fly. I'm just a droid for relations and negotiations. R2!" Threepio yelled in dismay, as R2 beeped and stuff as they went forward. The robots there let them off the terminal as they sped up. It wasn't too scary off the bat, and really felt like we were going over concrete with all these different space cruisers around. This was going to be fun. I guess from the IC360, we saw everything from the main monitor in the middle of the screen, when the grey thing was replaced. Then suddenly several white storm troopers in edition to Darth Vader emerged, and they shot blasters and he slashed with his light saber, saying that it needed to stop right now and be searched, for there was a rebel spy on board. A white and black monitor to the right where D2 usually was seen now showed someone in the audience, a little kid, which brought a lot of chuckles and laughs from the audience. I could hear his voice and the blasters so clearly, surround sound, like I was really there, which is probably the illusion their going for. Our blue seats were comfortable. C-3P0 pleaded and pleaded he wasn't the captain but the computer didn't understand and robots led them through, rafters and cranes and force fields all around as Darth said noo! and we zoomed backward. I thought I was going to be jerked out of my life.
It was all in 3-D! Threepio kept pleading for us to turn around. We started flying and zoomed back as more blasters hit us and R2 took out giant guns and started shooting. Some other black fighters came out and we shot them, and was amongst all this large cruisers and giant storm cruisers. R2 pressed light speed and we zoomed through the supernovas and blue and white stars efficiently. We had felt the bumps and the moving up and down, as all the chairs moved from side to side. This was a complete experience! We went in this blue spinning wormhole deal, and then after we went onto a blueish planet and then zoomed into the atmosphere. I could feel the cold air on me, and we were by all these icy peaks and white mountains. Hitting a pinnacle we soured through this valley, and instantly I could see we were on the snowy planet of Hoth. Threepio whined and pleaded with R2 to go back, and it got bumpy as we hit all the snow. My seat vibrated and shook with all the bumping along. The sky was blue and cloudy. We went over lumps of snowy rocks in the ice plain, as two fighters in front of us said, "Star Tours, why are you here? This is a restricted area!" "I have no idea!" The British accented C-3P0 replied.
"Stay clear of the combat zone."
Combat zone! Oh gosh! I had no time to think as I heard all the tons of blasters, and I saw the giant four legged walkers with guns, and also speeders flying around, snow, tons of rebels on the ground, and also red lazers going everywhere. We were speeding right towards one of the walkers. A fed lazer hit our rear and black smoke came up. It felt like I was jerked out of my spine, and it shook with increased bumpyness. How realistic this ride felt. We were hit and slid underneath one of it's legs, scraping along the cold ice. I felt like it was really cold there. A walker came down with it's legs bending and we went under the metal head as we came to a peak. With our engine failing, we didn't have much longer to go. C-3PO, scared as everyone was, told us not to move. With terrible realization I saw we were teetering on this icy crevase. Oh no, no oh no! "Actually, everyone move! Lean back!" It was too late. For an instant more we teetered, but then plunged down a narrow slideway into this two sided mountain. It was so steep, and the chairs really lifted like we were going forward, and there was a lot of bumpy ride action. I was pushed forward as my head bobbed up and down. What if this was really happening?
We spinned corners and I took in this so realistic, shocking scenery that looked like the Himylay's. It was so black rocky with snow all around also, and was interesting to behold. The flurries went into the screen and it was almost like I could feel their icy touch or frozen layers. R2 contained the controls finally and we zoomed up into the sky and then got into outerspace. R2 said there was a transmission(in beeps that were translated by Threepio, and on a blue small hologram Ackbar came and said a rebel alliance agent, the spy, was vital to the rebel cause and the future of the galaxy. We needed to take him to a ron da voux point where we could then get him to the leaders of the Alliance. We were now not just silly tourists going through all this mess and confusion, we had a duty to do! He said in his gruff old voice, "May the force be with you all" as D2 programmed the longitude and latitude into the computer. It was time to rumble!
The classic Star Wars music boomed in the background. I love Star Wars. The white lights became longer as we burst into light speed, going through the blue vortex thing again. The white lights became long and then stars as we saw a white planet and then sped quickly past in the midst of the battle. This was to be the most epic part of the whole Star Tours. Red ships, with flat bodies and then two t looking parts coming up in a pole, larger than life and very commanding, took on the stage as blue and red lasers, making beeping and whizzing noises, as small droid speeders with two points striking like swords and then a grey circle part in the middle flew about, also brownish beige ones that were being blown up or hit by all the confusion and war. The rebel fighters were orange with some poles stretched out each way and small lasers, awesome craft in the Star Wars universe. We zoomed around and did sheer drops and spins, quickly I felt all this movement and it almost made me throw up, as our seats went up and down rapidly. Space stations were like crescent moons and had blue gunners shooting all about wildly. We managed to avoid getting shot in this mass battle, but went right past all the blue guns on the station, lighting up like neon with black and blue lighting. Then we dropped and turned slightly. This scene was of pure madness.
We went under cruisers and were passed by friend and foe ships alike. What an epic adventure! All of a sudden buzz droids, with beige circles and bug like legs, went onto the screen, trying to chizzle themselves in, as Threepio told R2 to kill them and he shot his blue electricity at them as we rocketed through the scene. Unknown to us we had gone downward in this process and then....
A burst of fire and smoke in front of us, and then out of nowhere city lights, black and red and orange, as another ship burned and went down faster. We pulled up as C-3PO madly commanded R2, and we went in amongst all the different speeders, fighters, cruisers, and ships that were by all these futuristic skyscrapers and almost hit us a million times. This was the worst traffic planet ever... Corosaunct! There was a million walkways, lights, beeps, and flying cars. We went into a curving blue lighted tunnel, and Threepio asked R2, "Are you sure this is the right way?" and after that tons of different ships came in our way. R2 beeped and C-3PO replied, "There not going the wrong way, we are!" After countless minutes of confusion, we landed on a floating tarmac or gas station, with a robot and the orange sticks leading us in. Thereafter we went down into a deeper terminal and they said, "Is the agent safe?" as Threepio justly answered, "Do you know how much we've been through?"
He was rewarded as captain and then the gray lining when up. "Hope you had a pleasant journey with Star Tours!" The second journey had even been better than the first. We got our items and un-belted in the normal looking whitewashed corridor, which had pictures on the wall of Courasant and several other advertising space things. The gift shop was big and we entered to it on a ramp that went right, and everywhere around was blasters, action figures and light sabers galore, plus a whole manner of different stuffed animals, souvenirs, and memorabilia, so like buttons, mugs, stickers, and other stuff. I looked around a bit, but didn't want to be a spoiled brat and make Mom or Dad spend any large amount of money, because the trip in itself was such a lucky privilege. However, past all these cartoon figurines and awesome blue and white blasters, was a long row of bins with a lot of marks and words on small panels, with all this plastic stuff in them. A couple of ladies were helping out kids putting a regular flashlight skeleton and putting all this grey and gold stuff on it. Right on I realized that this was a light saber making station, where you got to custom design your own weapon! Wasn't that so cool?
I came up to the uniformed employees, and asked if I could make my sword. There were steps for this, all the different cufflings, the design thing where the red button was to make it do all those sounds, and finally all the curved handles and different things like that. Actual Jedi masters had their own specific way, like Dooku's curved handle or other ones. There was even a one with a grey stick coming down, like a gun. We started out with just a bare flashlight with red button. So that's what made all the saber's lights! I hadn't known or even thought about it before. The old lady who was black and kind of gruffly mean, asked that before I went through the whole process I had to confirm I was going to bye it. It was 30 dollars. I went and asked Mom and she said it was alright, picking out shirts for Rebecca. She would later get a shirt with all the Disney characters around the castle. She slid all the parts I selected, but only with certain other parts were those parts compatible, so I didn't have that many choices every time, the cuflings around the cylinder. In the end as we moved along and got them out of the bin, I got grey rowed at both ends, and then a larger grey circle, in edition to gold right by the blade. Next on the opposite side was that grey stick thing that looked like the handle to a gun. There were three holes and much to my dismay it had to stay on where it was half on and half off, whcih looks kind of odd to this day. But, in the end I got blue. I had custom designed my own light saber! Not many get to say that! The only bad part was it didn't go in all the way, although I tried to. Rebecca got an action figure Anakin (weird, right?) and we payed for the shirt, my saber, and some other small items. After that we went across the street and ate some strawberries and fruit in a futuristic snack station. We sat down at the metal table and looked at the domed place with balconie and blue glass across the street, which I wondered what ride was.
After eating the little 3:30 energy booster (we hadn't had lunch) I went over and asked this man by the pizza place (it looked like the Pizza Planet with the red and white rocket like in Toy Story) I asked what was in this auditorium. It was just a walking museum thingy where you spend your time there about all these different innovations and inventions in past generations and decades. Rebecca desperately wanted to go to Fantasy Land, and I kinda wanted to do Space Mountain and maybe the monorail where you can go all around Tomorrow Land, and maybe even Buzz Lightyear (I LOVE science fiction) but I guessed that I'd take one for the team and let her go there. Besides, it wasn't like I hated all that kind of stuff. Besides again, (I've been saying that a lot) I'd done all these rides in the past, all except for this finding nemo ride, which went underwater, which I sadly didn't know about at the time so we could've gone on that, but no. Well, without Dad here (he had discreetly and without my knowledge gone and exited Disney Land with his tickets to go pee the dogs and would reenter later) we went to the rocket thingy we had seen before.
Rebecca actually wanted to do this, much to my surprise. So by the ticket booth where we had to show our pass like on every Disney Land ride, we then passed the big glass area and waited by these two boys and their Dad by the gate to the ride. They had been in a Downtown Disney Hotel and got here at like 7:00, and had basically done every single thing in the park, amazingly. They were go-getters with fast passes. Besides the fireworks and some stuff in Tomorrow Land, they had done the whole of Walt Disney Land. The blonde haired man motioned us as an employee helped us into the rockets. Mom would go alone, and Rebecca and I together. Rebecca got the one on the left with the controls to go up and down, the little stick-shift looking knob that made the rocket go up and down. One seat belt was the whole thing. I was a little scared, but only because of the height and the speed. I put it on at the last minute as we lifted up at a pretty small height and went around. I saw Space Mountain in the distance and also the white mountain Bobsleds thing. I, getting on the rebellious spirit for once as we zoomed around and my hair blew everywhere, told Rebecca to make it go up and down. But she didn't. She was perfectly fine how it was and was scared to go too high. I tried to reach for it but she cupped her hands and slapped them off. Mom was having a great time, utilizing the knob to it's full. "Move the knob, Puck!" she yelled constantly among other things. We went around. And around. Around again, once more. Three more times. Again and again and again and again. And again. Still she didn't move it and we came down to the earth, the rocket lowering, as we unbelted. It had been so lame! I don't think we should of done it if she didn't even move it. Whatever though. At least it made for a good blog post.
We exited Tomorrow Land, the best part of Disney Land.
After the Astro Orbitor we then went on the left side of the statue, on our way to Fantasy Land but hung out because of all the disturbance. We couldn't travel cause there were security guards in the road. People had gotten off the rode and piled up on the sidewalk, cameras in hands, trying to see past the other person. We were by some trees and a patch of grass. A big fence was put up. What were they preparing for?
It started out as a few walkers, in all this military-looking garb, with big hats and red velvet. A person in a Mickey Mouse costume, also in this drum core attire, beat on a drum with sticks surrounded by all these singing girls. The floats were colorful and decorated, and as I pardoned and excused and stood on my tippee toes to look at the occasion, Goofy, actually in the float with his head all silly-like and sticking out, passed by. Minnie was with Mickey as they turned down the actual street section of the section of Disney Land. A guy let us stand in front of him. Nice guy. Mom later insisted on giving him 5 dollars for his services, and with her pleading he eventually took it. It wouldn't buy him much in the expensive Disney Land, Mom remarked, but maybe he could buy a coke somewhere. All of a sudden more floats passed by, all the princesses on one float(with Snow White being the exception on one with several cartoon looking dwarfs in costume) and they waved the princess wave in their flashing dresses, sparkling in the Cali sun. Sorry I'm not describing all this greatly, but I'm sure Mom took pictures. There was also that big Squid lady from the Little Mermaid, moving and in the float and making noises along with the catchy theme music and effective drums, with the Little Mermaid higher than her flapping her mechanical tail. They were all just programmed machines... frankly, robots.
After all these princesses and then the African-American princess, Tiara, from New Orleans, on a green one, they all went down the street valiantly. It was time for a boy protagonist float! Like "The Hunchback of Notre Dame!" No more "Beauty and the Beast" "Sleeping Beauty" "Cinderella" or the other one's I've mentioned earlier! No more! My screaming and whining in my head (but little to none real-world protest) actually did something, and the Lion King with a giant Lion's mane and head came out, with AA priests and tribesman plus that old monkey with the stick. I love that movie. I have to see it again sometime. Then there were a few more floats, with Pluto and Donald and his wife sharing one, and another. This was Mickey's Soundsational Parade, something I really enjoyed. After it was done the fence was taken up and all those security guards dismissed. Mom gave the man the five and thereafter we proceeded to the castle. Disney Land was a little smaller and less awesome than Disney World, and also the castle was more pink and red than the blue and white stone one we were all familiar with. This was a little smaller also. It was now about 5:00, because the parade, eating, and astro oritor had taken so long. What to do now?"
Sunset colors of red and purple were in the sky. The fireworks were to come on at like 7:00 or something like that. The day had really sped along and was quickly ending. We had a great spot right in front of the gate that separated the castle stone area and here. I wish at some point to go into that very mysterious castle and see what there is, but every time we go there seems to be something else in the way. Mom didn't really want to move and wait on some ledges by the shade of trees until the fireworks happened, but then again Rebecca really wanted to do all the Fantasy Land stuff. A security guard in orange traffic officer guard told us that the rides in Fantasy Land would be closed until the fireworks were over, when everyone could do it in the dark until they all closed, but most 0of them closed at like 9:00 so we wouldn't have much time and be tired. "You should go to basically every other park? Which one's haven't you done?" It was so ironic and sad though. I'd been kind of looking forward to Fantasy Land. We could maybe go back to Tomorrow Land and do some stuff there or New Orleans Square, where we hadn't really spent much time. We'd see which ones in Fantasy Land were open, because we basically enjoyed all the fun rides and characters there, Peter Pan, all the princesses, Alice in Wonderland, all that. We started to walk, and went around the blue moat and through an arched stone passageway.
The bottom was grey and the top was a light tint of pink with also some blue cobblestone tower roofs. Going through various corridors wishing we could go inside of this grand piece of architecture, I then saw a few shops along a street. The first had a knight on the hanging medieval sign with panned windows and some old leather bound editions of books in the display window. It looked very interesting. The street had Swiss buildings and was also very narrow, probably modeling itself after Europe where this castle really was when Walt looked at it. By this very interesting looking shop was "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique" a princess shop with all kind of wigs, dresses, mirrors, makeup, and stuff. Rebecca liked this as much as any ride so she spent a lot of time in here, trying on all the costumes and attire. I was on a bench, no book, Mom on FaceBook or going to see Rebecca try on these things and smile and laugh, while Rebecca danced around with all the girly stuff. At least she was happy when we couldn't go on any of the rides. Come to think of it, we should have done FantasyLand first. Oh well. I asked Mom, bored out of my mind, if I could go into the knight shop, with the suit of army right by the wood and old entrance. I walked in.
My eyes danced like fire as I beheld the different articles of mail and silver, and the two edged blades and rhinestone handles, leather and black furnishings populating the handle. The scabbards at the far side of the small shop in the glass display case glittered in the lights surrounding them, so soft to the touch, yet deadly against a grave foe. Hard and cold, yet the sounds they made while swooshing in the air were sharp and acute. The heart colored gems inside of the handle created an illusion to the beholder of these rich weapons of humanity having a spirit and warmth. Yet they were death giving pieces of a knight's attire, beautiful, dazzling, spectacular, also horrible, stinging, and the last blazing thing many fallen saw before their atrocity of a death. These weapons were swords.
They all had tiny markings or little tags by them, saying like the sword Exaliber used in the movie on a long hilted sword, sheath by it held up by some placers. It had a blueish look and very old and magnificent gold handle. Others, like the sword used by Gilimi in "Lord of the Rings" was shorter, larger, and fairly commonplace and un noticable. There were even large axes, and also a quiver and bow, and arrow of course. On the left side of the room, past the family crests of different countries which had a shield formation and name in fancy letters with a tapestry on the top, was a counter with a black haired young Asian guy. He was tapping into the computer as fast as an Olympic runner, his eyes full of determination and irritation at this young mongrel of a boy standing before him, recording the swords with a video camera. He rolled his pupils closer to his head and sighed, and then tipped and tapped some more on the automated device. I asked him if I could record. He nodded and said yes, but not to use a flash or sell the video, everything said in a boring, matter a fact adultish kind of way. The man was scarcely over 30. Is this what happens when you exit college, and become all serious. It was my birthday yesterday of turning thirteen as I write this (the date's 8/7/12) and I wonder if I'll go boring. Hopefully not. I do not want to be boring.
Looking around at the crests I asked if he had Bourne Family Crest.
"Frankly no, I am deeply sorry but we do not have it in our collection (said in soft tone, very suddell and fake-understandable). However, I have a list of primary archives listing the nessicariy family crests. How do you spell Born?"
"Thank you sir. It's B O U R N E."
He typed it in quicker than lightning. "And what country is it in?"
Thinking on my feet with numerous "uhhs...." I thought about where Dad said we were from and where Granddad said, and then figured I'd go at United Kingdom or Britain. He typed it in and then in only a few seconds he turned around the computer screen and I got to see it. I reached to get my video camera but he said that I couldn't take pictures for the copywrited thing. This guy was a real, frank, matter a fact guy who made me think he was being a jerk. To a couple that went in and got to buy a $200 dollar framed crest(not worth that much my Mom said and we can just look at it online) he was fairly nice, wrapping it up and putting cardboard on the outside of it. As he said I could go show my Mom the crest I went and got her, but she was watching Rebecca so I had to wait until she came. In the meanwhile I went back to the guy and told him my Mom was being slow. He said he could pull it back up in his fancy matter. In the meantime I asked questions about all the armor and swords, and thereafter went into the costume shop and looked at a few foam fake swords. Rebecca didn't end up getting a dress but got all these mirror junk, and also a rapunzel hair wig. Mom saw the crest and said it wasn't worth that money and we could get it online. We decided to go farther up into FantasyLand after talking to a fat young lady named like Angelia in a smock at a little stand in the middle of the street. We walked up farther.
She had been nice. Hopefully we would do one ride. The only other place we hadn't been to, Mickey's Toontown, was also closed. Going up the street in the stone and wood medievil European houses and buildings lining the way, we passed by open air lines that included the last on Peter Pan's ride, and the Carosaul, which looked like it was a waste of money. Actually, for some reason I feel a strong urge to get on one of those in a short period of time. Why do I want to get on glossy fake horses and yellow poles, and those benches that go around in a circle. Why do I want to so much? This is scary! I don't like this! It's ripping me apart! HORSES, GOLDEN POLES, BENCHES, SPINNING, SPINNING, SPINNING, COTTON CANDY, FUNNY KIDS, I LIKE CHEESE, PHOTO OP, VOMITTING, GOING HOME, ASLEEP IN THE CAR.... I remember now! I have bad memories on that thing! I should never want to get on it. That was really weird. Alright, let's get back to the blog now, if you wish, reader.
We asked a guy where the toad thing was when we were by the Mad TeaParty, a amusement ride when your in tea cups and they go around in circles. He said it was across the street by Dumbo and we couldn't miss it. We went by Dumbo and as it got darker and darker and only the evening grey in the sky, and with all our exhaustion and items and map, after walking around all day, we couldn't find it in the dark lights. The guy who told us where it was Justin. We asked another guy as I looked at the whale spurting out water (Pinnochio) where it was and he openly pointed behind us and then went about his duties, not even smiling or talking. So far we weren't getting good service in the Fantasy Land district, and people were giving us misinformation and not caring. I don't think Walt would've been proud. We walked over, wanting to do this ride we had never done before, missing Dad and wondering where he was and when he was going to get here. A pale brown haired thin young adult scarecly over 30,(I'll never forget her appearance) was by a fence and dressed in fancy white suit thing. She had just let someone in when she put the "Ride Closed sign" on the metal fence and shut it. I put it together, so disappointed.
Mom expressed that we had been looking for the ride forever, never had been to it before, and had been given a lot of misinformation. She had a name tag that said Angelique or something like that, and the guy's name was Hercules. She shook her head in mock dismay, smiling and when Mom recounted the tale, sarcastically, said, "OH NO!" We knew she didn't care, and her bad acting showed that she wasn't trying to hide it too hard. An asian looking Dad and his young daughter actually went through the line, and Mom pointed out to her that they were getting through. She had just let someone through as soon as we came up to her. She told the people the line was closed though. Mom later told me that Angelique (she was no angel) could of let us in since we came up literally right after it closed. We walked away in the cold hard night, bitter and in disgrace. How could of the wonderful day at Disney Land ended in such rude employees and unlucky predictaments! It was pretty unbelievable. Mom renounced the whole tale to Angelia, the lady at the cart. She had real sympathy and nodded and and hugged as Mom suddenly started tearing up. Mom is a very sensitive person and probably expected more from Disney Land. I would too. She had a lot of stress and a lot of hard work into the whole process and was rightly disappointed. I understood why she cried.
Angelia asked the names of the people and Mom said "Angelia and..." The ladies eyes lit up, saying, "No it wasn't me! That's my name!" I told Mom it actually must of been Angelique. The lady told us that she couldn't tell City Hall about their bad activities, but we could, and we should, for what if the employee did that again? There was a complaints box, and she told us to convince Mom to go there and tell them. Mom said she didn't want to make it bad for the employees, nice person as she is always. But after that I went to the restroom as Mom talked to Angelia about a few other things. The closest one was in Frontier Land, so I went back through the arches and out by some ledges and a red and white pavilion, some seats two with people sitting and smocking. I went through an arched sandstone place and went to the restroom in an open air hall where a Mexican restaurant was close to. People played music and drank beer at the bar. Upon returning we left the kind Angelia and they went to the restroom while I stood up against the brick walls adjoing this open air hallway and called Dad. He said that he was again at where Eric did his performance and would meet us there, because there was a good, or pretty good, view of the fireworks from there. It was sad that we hadn't been able to make the 6:45 time for all the ride and were pestered by mean employees, but maybe the fireworks show would make the night brighter. (no pun intended... okay maybe there is.
A few minutes later found us away from the castle and onto Main Street, the left side, by the Coca-cola and the umbrellas and the step-up piano. We could see a bit of the castle, the left side, yet couldn't see the best of the fireworks but Dad said we could go in the street to see them. We sat at a table and told Dad about all we did, Astro Orbitor, parade, and Mom recounted the "Foul FantasyLand." Rebecca showed Dad all of the stuff she got at the boutique and I asked Mom if we could go to the Emporium, that big building I talked about earlier, to get a book. She said yes and we walked in, with all the clothes and souvenoirs that are too many to describe. You know what a souvenoir is, key chain, mug, hat, shoes, all that. We went to the back and found a cool Disney Land hat, but no books, besides a few history books and stuff like that at one table and platform, but nothing really that shocked me. An employee told us across the street was the motherload of books, so we headed over there, just across the mass of people ready for the Fireworks. In the cramped quarters of an area to the left designated for them, we looked at the mingled masses of parchment and glossy covers, Houndini stuff and toles, to the left, and behind the doorway more books. Paradise.
A nice African-American lady showed us some cool books, most of them being fixed by her. There were a lot of kids book and a book by a producer about animation I found interesting, but alas it was too much money. If only I brought my own money for I was feeling guilty of every book purchase of the trip! I found two however, one a little pocket guide of all the rides and history of Disney Land, and another that was by a book about the evil witch. It was called Brain Storm, and was white besides the stuff in the letters like Van Gogh, Mark Twain, and that skinny animal from Lion King. Under this was The Unleashing of your Creative Self. Now, I loved these kind of books, wanted to be a director, and also liked to be creative. I flipped through it and it seemed interesting, and the first little story was very funny. It was written by Don Hahn, the producer and director to do "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" , "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King" his favorite probably. This book really intrigued me and I'm so glad I got both of them. Paying with the nice lady, we then preceded back to Rebecca and Dad and talked about the book and the bad and good experiences of the day, as we had beforehand at the Emporium.
20 minutes after talking and sitting bored we took all our stuff(so it wouldn't get stolen) and stood in the very large street of the main, and looked up at the castle in waiting. An instant later there was loud Disney Land songs and talking of wishing upon a star and your dreams coming true with actual fireworks of characters faces and the whole Main Street changing the colors of it with the music everywhere. There were swirls in the sky, also big puffs and explosions, with Credala Da Vill and Captain Hook glittering and then in an instant turning into smoke on the black sky. Jimmy Cricket made an appearance, as did many more characters. It was an awesome performance although my eyes drooped only to be woken up again by the big claps of fire and smoke. Big sizzling impressive fire things, and also a cast of very interesting music. I didn't like it when the Evil Queen came up and it got all green cast on the buildings. Tinker Bell also made the stage. I loved all the great efforts of light and color in a dark night, and the twinkling of different tones on my eyes were glued to the castle and behind. Such a grand display of magnificent proportions, but so short for me! In a minute after a grand finale of displaying colors and shapes it was over, with the Disney Land experience over. We could've waited until the rides of Fantasy Land powered up again and then could ride them until ten(it was 9 now) but I don't think it was worth it. We slowly in the mass of people got out of Main Street, past the statue, and then was into Downtown Disney.
The rest of the night was like a dream, a daze, walking, holding on to your stuff, straining your knuckles and muscles, eyes drooped, foot sore and yawning all the time, the street lights the only illuminater and constantly having your stuff hit against your legs, always pushing into people and stuff. Well, Mom and Dad asked if we wanted to eat a late dinner at the Mexican restaurant, but we said no and whined. They weren't as tired as we were. The car ride home Rebecca slept, and then as soon as I opened the door, got off my shoes, and plopped on the bed, I was asleep. It was a great day. Disney Land was a whole lot of fun and the rides we hadn't done before, Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain, and Davy Crockett, were cool to experience. However it's always good to do a ride you know is fun, like Splash Mountain or Star Wars. Even though the ending wasn't so great, Disney Land is still one of the best places on Earth, where animals sing, planets you can see, and anything is possible. Why wouldn't you think it would be it? It is, after all, the places where dreams come true. All you gotta do is wish upon a star and work toward that dream. Goodbye for now everybody. Sorry it took me so long to post this three part saga.
I wonder if when the rides are over if R2-D2 and Brer Rabbit go to Indiana Jones to try out a different district and if Buzz Lightyear goes to Frontier Land and Woody goes to Tomorrow Land. Just a thought,
