Room For One More

Where can I get this as wallpaper?

So, I dunno if you know this about me, but I have a fantastic fiance named Tom. (I know it's a bit late for this now, but I wonder if I should't have changed his name to protect him from a slew of admirers. Hands off, kiddos. He's mine.) Well, we went down to City Hall in NYC just last week and got a marriage license. (Yes, yes. That means I'm off the market, too. Try not to get too upset. We're open to being just friends with you.) We've been together for a bit over a year now. (He bought me a D23 membership for our one year anniversary. How awesome is that?!?!) I know that I have already told you about our Disney-related meet cute story, so I'm sure that you've been chomping at the bit to hear the engagement story, since, wouldn't you know it, it's Disney-centered as well. Since our wedding is in one week, on September 23rd, I thought that today would be the perfect day to do it.

From our first meeting, Tom and I got very close very quickly. You know that whole soulmate thing? The one we've all made fun of while sitting on our couches watching season five of Sex and the City and cursing our love lives? I found that in him, despite fifteen years of kvetching about how it would never happen. Pretty soon after we got together we started circling the idea of taking things to the next level and putting a ring on it. We talked about it in somewhat general terms and knew an engagement was on the horizon without nailing down when or how the question would actually be popped.

About six months after we met, we planned a trip down to Florida where Tom would meet the fam and we would make a lengthy detour down to Orlando and spend one day in each other four parks in Walt Disney World. Tom had not been down there for about a decade and I hadn't for almost a year myself, which is about 11 months too long, in my lil' ole opinion, so opportunity was ripe and our trip to Disneyland together two months after we met had gone so well that I knew that we would have a blast.

Sigh. So romantic.

Little did he know, bless his heart, that I had a bit of a surprise up my sneaky sleeve. Mama and I had been communicated on the DL about finding rings so I could propose to him while we were in WDW. After many clandestine phone calls and internet links passed back and forth, we decided on a lovely, simple silver band. It was one of those you-know-it-when-you-see-it moments when Mama showed it to me. Seven months prior, I thought I would end up being alone forever, and yet, here I was, seeking out ring advice from my Mama.

The next step was deciding where in the parks I wanted to do the deed. The answer was pretty obvious. Both me and Tom's favorite attraction is The Haunted Mansion. Tom, who's a fantastic musician, loves to play the music from it on the piano and knows the narration by heart (as well as the unused Vincent Price narration from Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris). I know, I know. It's a bit macabre and weird to propose there unironically considering that we are both pretty much the opposite of goth. But we're also both odd ducks and so in the end it all makes sense.

Stretching Room + 60's =
Tom's dream come true.
Thanks, Shag.

Once that decision was made, then it was time to decide where exactly on the ride to do it. I thought of doing it in the Seance Room with Madame Leota overseeing the proceedings, but quickly decided against it. The scenarios I came up with for giving him a ring during the ride itself were not pretty. What if he gets excited or nervous and drops the ring into the abyss below the track? What if he can't hear or see what I'm trying to do? What if he gets annoyed that I'm interrupting the ride? I quickly ruled that out. Doing it in the queue seemed a little silly, too. Almost like an after thought. "My, this line is long. How to pass the time? Well, I guess I can ask you to marry me."

Then it dawned on me. The Stretching Room. Of course. It's Tom's favorite part of the ride. We even have one of the portraits hanging up in our room. More importantly, though, if he drops the ring we can just pick it up and move on through. The decision was made. The rings were ordered. The trip was planned. Tom suspected nothing save one night where he turned to me and asked, "Are you going to propose to me in front of Cinderella's Castle?" I told him of course not because that would be corny. It was a close call, but I didn't even have to lie to distract him from my ghoulish plan.

We headed down to Florida, where Tom met my awesome mama, my rad sister, and my crazy dad. He made a wonderful impression and a few days later, after I collected the rings and buried them in my luggage, we made our way from Tallahassee down to Orlando. (By the way, every time I say the name of the city, in my mind I sing it like the song from Book of Mormon.) Our first day was in Epcot and so it was easy for me not to get too nervous. I was busy listening to the dulcet tones of Judi Dench explain the history of human communication.

Can you spot the boxes? Tom didn't :)

The next day was the Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom means Liberty Square. Liberty Square means the Haunted Mansion. And the Haunted Mansion means the moment was nigh. The morning was rainy and chilly. I was extra careful to slide the rings and their tell-tale boxes into my hoodie pockets when Tom's back was turned. They were still bulky and so I kept my hands in my pockets the whole morning as we drove to the TTC, took the Monorail over and waited in the rain for the gates to open. Luckily, since it's our fave, we headed straight in that direction first thing. I'm sure Tom noticed something was off with my energy, but probably thought that it was just because the rain rain rain was coming down down down.

I was nervous as the dickens while we made a beeline over and walked right up to the door. It was us and a small British family. They had an adorable little girl with them who kept on asking if there were really ghost in there with her cute little accent. She would jet out from behind her mom, knock on the door real quick-like, and then hide behind the mother's legs again asking if we were all going to turn into ghosts if we went inside. Finally, the door opened and we all went inside and then into the Stretching Room.

I know they smell a bit musty, but they need
a ride to the bachelor party. Please. Anyone?

I had decided that I wanted to wait until after the spiel was over so that a) we wouldn't intrude on other people's vacation with our big proposal production number and 2) so Tom would be able to enjoy the whole thing. After the room had stretched and the door that wasn't there slid open, Tom started to walk away. My heart leapt into my throat, I grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him back, and he looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. I got down on one knee, pulled the ring out of my left pocket (that was the one with his size 7 in it), and asked him to marry me.

The rings right after the proposal.

He had a scant moment to process it, but luckily that's all he needed. He said yes, I got up and gave him a kiss and said "Hurry, let's go before they close the door on us!" As we waited to board out Doom Buggy, Tom took the other ring and sealed the deal. I love the Haunted Mansion every time I ride it, but I must say, that was one special trip through. After we got off, we walked outside and the sun had broken through the clouds. The rain had stopped and the weather was absolutely lovely for the rest of the day. I could not have asked for things to have gone any differently. It was a series of perfect moments that I will remember forever.

Don't get any ideas, Tom Tom.

I was so surprised to find someone who fit so well with me, and the fact that he was as big a Disney geek as I was really sealed the deal. With a week until the wedding, and our immediate families soon descending on City Hall in NYC for a small ceremony, I can't help but thank whichever star I wished on that finally decided to listen to me when I said that I had room for one more in my life. That star sent me a mortal who was as foolish as I was. That day I took my loved one by the hand and we watched our step as we boarded the ride. I expect our lives together to be one heckuva swinging wake.

DATE Night: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

That cape is huge.
Wouldn't it trip the horse?

I told you that this DATE Night would be better! The rough patches will be few and far between in this Disney-centric relationship. I have been near fidgety waiting to get back to the single narrative features, beginning next week with Cinderella. I consciously decided to pause, take a deep breath, and really make sure to give my full attention to The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. It's all about living in the moment, right? I was newly surprised at some of the things that I discovered, in both good and bad ways. So let's turn to the final package film until we get to The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh in about thirty years. It was actually nicely timed to give us a good, old-fashioned Halloween season spook.

Is that black blob the
cape now? Unclear...

The Background:

We have now come to the tail end of the forties (we've come to 1949 to be exact) and the aftereffects of WWII on the studio are lessening. Disney spent the decade dipping its toes into live action films and producing animated package films consisting of more than a single linear story. These package films were less taxing on the manpower and resources the studio had at its disposal, but were by no means crowning achievements artistically. They were a way to keep the folks making animated pictures creatively active. It was a sort of fallow period that would soon bring about the growth of a second wave of unabashed masterpieces in the canon. Disney had been developing "Toad" as a full-length picture since the late thirties when the rights to The Wind in the Willows were acquired. It became apparent that the story was going to take much more work than they were going to be able to give it in the strained WWII years and it was decided to condense the story and pair it with another story, a la Fun and Fancy Free's pairing of "Bongo" with "Mickey and the Beanstalk". "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" was chosen as an American story to contrast with the very British "Toad". The film was warmly received at the time of its release.

The First Impression:

The Disney Project- Part 18: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Filling a gap, I'm back to the 40's. The two stories don't much tie together and neither is outstanding. But there are some great characters (adorable Mole, hottie Brom Bones), charming songs, and funny bits. There is some great styling and color work by my fave, Mary Blair, in "Ichabod". Neither tragic nor fantastic, but squarely in between.

March 7, 2010 at 12:54am ·

The Art:

They stole the crazy eyes for the
awesome attraction poster.

6/10. There are some nice artistic moments in "Toad", like his psychedelic pinwheel eyes when he gets excited about a new gadget, the atmospheric fog or the train rushing past the snow and trees in the night, leaving trails of red-hot ash behind it. But one of the moments that stands out in my head the most is the first shot of Toad Hall and not for a good reason. There is a pond in front of it where there would normally be beautifully animated water and yet it is completely still. It sits there like a painting until a blossom falls to the surface and produces a few rings. This seems to be out of economic necessity rather than artistic vision and left a funky taste in my mouth. The rest of the story employs techniques and tricks that we've seen before. Well-done but unexciting.

Mary Blair's firefly tree ghost.

"Ichabod" more than makes up for these shortcomings. Mary Blair's fingerprints are all over the place from the use of color to signal emotional states, especially in the climactic scene in the woods, to the stylized backgrounds and landscapes. The whole work is really rooted in her aesthetic, so you know that I loved every brushstroke and line. Beyond her influence there are really clever moments that stand out. Ichabod's approach seen through the bottom of a beer stein. Wheat and lettuce morphing into gold coins and greenbacks as Ichabod fantasizes about Katrina's fortune. Ichabod pulling down his dream bubble of Katrina to kiss but planting his lips on the feather duster he'd been fidgeting with. Brom seeing double of Ichabod and the doubles commence dancing with each other. Exquisite work during the dance, with shifting perspectives and sweeping movement. And of course the amazingly dimensional scene in the forest with the ghost made of a hollowed out tree and two fireflies, the shape of the clouds mimicking the creepy trees and a hand closing in on the moon and obscuring it. It is some of the strongest, most artistically provocative and unexpected artwork that we have seen yet in a Disney feature.

The Story:

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream.
Wait. No. That's not right, is it?

5/10. As with all of the package films of the forties after the South American duo early on, there isn't much to thread the stories together. Here, there really isn't even an attempt to. They both happen after we enter into a library through a stained glass window depicting a book. Wind in the Willows is removed from the shelf and Basil Rathbone, famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, narrates the tale as other voice actors portray the characters. The telling of the story opens with illustrations from the book giving way to traditionally animated scenes. It seems to me to be a rough ride going merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily on its way to nowhere in particular. Big chunks of story are told through newspaper headlines awkwardly thrusting us forward in time. The story moves very fast and seems to be leaving out a lot. So much was going on, from police chases to hijinks in Toad Hall, that it all became white noise for me because it never drew me in to begin with. It feels like if they were going to tell the story well, they should have made it a full-length as they had originally planned, and given it room to breathe. I felt like I was rushed through with bright colors flashing and people shouting at me and yet was somehow still bored more often than not.

Mary Blair's Headless Horseman.

Then we transition back to the vague library, where "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is pulled off the shelf and Bing Crosby settles in to spin us a moon tonight. Everything that is wrong with "Toad" is right in "Ichabod". The single voice of Bing gives a welcome sense of consistency. The story is muscular and lean, told with an economy that makes it fit comfortably in a half an hour time frame. It is genuinely eerie, with enough levity interspersed that it doesn't get too intense for most anybody. The art, which undoubtedly becomes abstract, eschews being literal in ways that really support the story and not just for show. Even the sound design, with animal noises mimicking warnings to Ichabod, creatively interpret psychological states. The whole scene in the woods is a trip into what fear looks, sounds and feels like. There is a sense of sophistication that makes this half feel more like a special even and less like something between an over-bloated short and an over-edited feature. 

The Characters:

The site of my favorite hidden Mickey.

5/10. The characters across the board are well-designed and animated. All the anthropomorphic creatures of "Toad" are done with the requisite craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Disney, even if there is nothing surprising in the designs. The problem lies in the fact that I feel like I don't really get to know them over the course of the jerkily told plot except in the most basic of terms. Toad is reckless. Cyril is goofy. Mole is the gay...uh...I mean sweet one. Ratty is uptight. Badger is Scottish. The people in the court like to yell. Winky is weird and the weasels are mean. That's all we get. When there are that many characters to cover in half an hour, some are bound to get the short end of the stick, but in this case it seems like they all did. This is a lot of why I felt so uninvolved in the story. They characters felt like quirky shells rather than dimensional characters.

Dude! You are all up in my grill! Chillax!

Now that doesn't mean that their counterparts in "Ichabod" walked out of a Tennessee Williams play, but there are some layers there. Ichabod is a superstitious, gangly, bookish, rather unattractive man who nonetheless gives heartthrob Brom Bones a run for his money where the most eligible bachelorette in the town is concerned. Brom seems to be attracted to her genuinely if overzealously while Ichabod seems only to want her for her money. Katrina just seems to love the attention, but seems to have feeling for them both. And boom! We have a genuinely intriguing love triangle with a town full of interesting bit players, including the girthy lady with the awful bangs who takes a shine to both the men herself. It's a manageable amount of characters to flesh out sufficiently in the time frame and they do it beautifully. The character designs here are fascinating. Katrina is a Liberty Bell bombshell. Brom has the body of a god and the capacity to do the work of a devil. Ichabod is all odd angles and proportions but carries himself as though he is the most attractive creature in town. And we mustn't forget the Headless Horseman, all shadows and a cape the color of a deep wound riding a horse with burning red eyes. He is one of the most chilling designs of any Disney villain and makes maximum impact with a minimum of screen time.

The Music:

I love that his ponytail is supporting his upper body.

5/10. I enjoy the music in this film quite a bit. We open with a funky little jazzy ditty that introduces the whole shebang. Then we stumble into "Merrily On Our Way", which is actually my favorite part of "Toad". It's appropriately non-sensical and captures Toad's freewheeling spirit perfectly. The sequence is also one of the most cleverly animated, with a real sense of joy and humor, including roads that literally run perpendicular. Once we get to "Ichabod", where our sole narrator is Bing Crosby, music becomes a more integral part of the story and it is fitted to Bing's unique sound. It works like a charm. The songs may not fit the period, but I'll be darned if they aren't fun and don't feel perfectly appropriate for telling the story. The hook into the story was telling it in a more modern, for the time, fashion and the musical sound supported that. Ichabod, or "Icky" as Bing says, even charms the ladies with his Bing Crosby-like vocal stylings. The songs themselves are very good. "Katrina" allows for some really funny animation that really gives us insight into the characters. Undoubtedly, though, the musical centerpiece is "The Headless Horseman", which Brom sings to wig Icky out. It's bouncy, jazzy, fun and yet completely creeptastic at the very same time. It is now a Halloween time classic and should be considered a classic for the "You can't reason with a headless man" lyric alone. Brother...you're preachin' my life...

The Gay Scale:

Hopefully they are assuring Mole
that it gets better.

5/10. First off, a working title for this movie was actually Two Fabulous Characters. Uh, hello! Outside of that, however, there is a decent amount of material we can scrutinize under the microscope of gay. In "Toad", it seems pretty obvious to me that not only is Mole a gay, but he's totally crushing out on Toad. When we first see Mole, he is looking longly at a butterfly while being described as a "gentle creature, kind and sympathetic". From then on, it becomes clear in the way that Mole reacts to Toad that he is the sweet, quiet gay boy who is totally into the rebellious bad boy. You see it in the way that Mole becomes shy around Toad. The way he always keeps his focus on him, hoping to catch his attention. The way he climbs up onto the wagon to join Toad's adventure before being pulled back by Ratty and waves at Toad in the courtroom to make sure he is aware of his presence. It's actually quite sweet. I also find Winky a bit suspect with his fancy curled hair and moustache and his spiffy pink and purple outfit. And of course, there are some drag antics with his horse Cyril Proudbottom (Proudbottom, eh?) and Toad as grannies.

Swoon! You manly beast, you.

On Icky's side, we have one major piece of eye candy in Brom Bones. He is one of the ultimate Disney Dreamboats. He is like the hot American cousin of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. He is cocky, tall, muscular and terribly handsome. And for a villain he isn't really that villainous, especially considering the Headless Horseman is in the picture. (When there's someone waiting to chop your head off, getting angry at a rival paramour and spooking him with a scary story pales in comparison.) That means I don't have to feel guilty about salivating over a bad guy. I'd be more than willing to let him to tell me ghost stories by the fire if he promises to snuggle up with me afterwards and assure me that everything is gonna be OK.

The Bottom Line:

5/10. There is a big discrepancy in quality between "Toad" and "Ichabod" in my eyes. If I had to break it down, I would give "Toad" a 4 on its own and "Ichabod" a 7. Many people would probably disagree with me, but I was just plain kind of bored during "Toad". It may be a disconnect with the story itself. I have never read the book and I get a little bored during the stop motion version of the story that was made much later, too. In the later version, however, the stop-motion animation helps keep my interest. I feel like in "Toad" I've seen it all before and done better. If it were a short, it would be passable though forgettable, but it fails to make a case for why it shouldn't fall squarely in the bottom ranks of the animated classic canon.

More Mary Blair awesomeness. Just cuz.

It's buoyed, however, by "Ichabod" which is artistically experimental, thanks in great part to the inspiration of Mary Blair, skillfully told and genuinely creepy, without being too frightening for young viewers. I enjoyed it much, much more this time around than I did before, when I thought the two were pretty much on par with each other. It is somehow able to mix periods (late eighteenth century viewed through the lens of a forties cultural sensibility) so well that it, in effect, emerges as a timeless and classic retelling of an already timeless and classic tale. It is no wonder that they were so often released and shown separately since there is no real cohesion between the two in any way.

The whole experience is kind of like when you ask a friend to go out to dinner and they're all like "Sure, but do you mind if I bring ---insert name of other person who's a total drag--- along?" and you're like "Oh. Sure. Of course." even though you really don't wanna hang out with Boring McSnoresalot. You just suffer through so that you can hang out with your friend. Luckily, with a DVD, you can just fast forward through the parts you don't much care for. At dinner, however, you're on your own.

The Miscellanea:

Characters from "Toad" show up a few times in later Disney films. They play several supporting roles in Mickey's Christmas Carol, which makes complete sense considering it is another adaptation of a British classic. Mr. Toad and Cyril Proudbottom also make cameos in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, as do the weasels, who bear a striking resemblance to the Toon Patrol. There was also a live-action adaptation of the story done in the nineties with Monty Python alums, called Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and distributed in the States by Disney. It did not do terribly well despite good reviews. Below is a song from it. I can't say it has me convinced, but I'm not a terribly big fan of the story in general. If you are, it's probably worth giving it a shot.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the Disneyland (and former WDW) attraction, "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". In my adulthood, I've only ridden it twice at Disneyland. I'm sure I rode it as a child at WDW before it was closed, but don't have any recollection, which isn't surprising since I have a memory like a sieve. In my terribly humble opinion, the dark ride tells a more effective story in a few minutes than the thirty minute film does. It is one of my favorite of the classic Disney dark rides and the best part is the weird finale that literally sends you straight to Hell! It's a deliciously twisted cherry on top of a wonderfully weird ride. I would usually include a ride-through video, but none that I could find does the ride real justice. They are all very dark and you can't linger on the awesome details, like my favorite hidden Mickey (in Mr. Toad's eyeball in the queue), the fantastic and detailed show building and the lighting effect on the floor that makes it look like the cars are emerging from the fireplace. Suffice it to say, all of it is amazeballs.

I've already expressed how much I enjoy the music from "Ichabod". I wanted to throw in two more versions of the "Headless Horseman Song" for your Halloween playlist. The first is from a story and song record released by Disneyland Records in the sixties with the vocals of none other than Thurl Ravenscroft (the bass bust of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" fame and the Enchanted Tiki Room's Fritz among many attraction appearances and most famously the voice of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"). It's a great arrangement with some bangin' rockabilly acoustic guitar. The second is a more swinging version done by Kay Starr. Both are fully awesome. You're welcome.

We have come to the end of the forties and the package film era. I must say that, on the whole, I don't look back fondly on this decade in Disney film history. These films seem to me to be far below the level of what Disney is capable of, but I understand why this period happened and appreciate what it allowed to come next. It also gave us a bunch of amazing work from Mary Blair, Joe Carioca (my green-feathered crush), and some moments of real brilliance here and there. Starting next week with Cinderella we get back to one story per feature (with only a few exceptions) and I cannot wait to take you to the ball and bestow some fancy but breakable footwear on you as we tear into the second golden age of Disney animation!

The Colors of Mary Blair at Disneyland- Part Three: Beyond "small world"

Just to catch y'all up, I took a pre-wedding trip to California in September to spend some time with my now-husband's friends and family in San Diego and to take a trip to Disneyland. We timed our excursion specifically so that we would be able to visit the amazing "Colors of Mary Blair" exhibit at the Disney Gallery, since we are both huge fans of her work. (Why is there no name for us Mary Blair fanatics yet? Blairvoyants? Blairmasters? Blairstylists? Hrm. I'll keep percolating and get back to you.) So far, I have shared photos of Mary's inspirational art for Disney films and for her masterpiece, "it's a small world". Now, I will share with you her work for other attractions and lands in the parks. Mary has quite a presence in Disneyland and Walt Disney World outside of "the happiest cruise that ever sailed".

These paintings were done for the never built "Western River Expedition", which is one of the saddest coulda-woulda-shouldas of all the abandoned Disney park attractions. Originally there was no plan to bring "Pirates of the Caribbean" to WDW. At the time, there was still the residual aspiration towards something new and better left over from Walt, rather than constant rehashing of what was already popular. In lieu of that ride, there was to be a boat ride through scenes of America's expansion West, designed by the amazing Marc Davis. The area was also to have a runaway mine train coaster, which eventually was built as "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad". It was to be the most expensive attraction area ever up to that point. When the park opened and there were no pirates stem to stern, people got miffed and complained. In yet another case of giving the people what they think they want rather than what they don't yet know that they want, the executives caved, hastily adding the pirate attraction and shelving the "Western River Expedition". I still bemoan the decision to this day. The Mary Blair paintings are gorgeous, suggesting a more playful, less literal use of colors in the scenes. In the end, they were quite influential on the look of a future Disney project, the vastly underrated film Home on the Range.

The following is Mary's concept work for Tomorrowland. There were big plans for a "new" Tomorrowland to open in 1967 and Walt wanted Mary, who had done so beautifully with "it's a small world" just a few years before, to create murals to adorn it. She obliged, creating some beautiful pieces that were executed in tile (the ones in a similar vein to "small world" which incorporate the children, collectively titled "The Spirit of Creative Energies Among Children") and some that never were (the more abstract ones). The tile murals stayed up until they were covered up in the late 80's and late 90's. There is some controversy surrounding whether the murals were destroyed or merely covered up. I hope that those in charge had the good sense not to destroy her gorgeous artwork to slap on a generic "Star Tours" fast-moving ride vehicle picture, and that the works are still there, waiting to be rediscovered.

You all know that I have a bit of a past with the murals at the Contemporary Hotel in WDW. They are absolutely stunning. Until you get off of the Monorail and stand at the bottom, though, you have scant concept of the true size and scale of these massive and beautiful pieces of art. They also include one of my favorite Disney icons- the five-legged goat. I have sort of adopted the little dude as a personal guiding symbol for the acceptance of variance and imperfection in life and art because that is what makes and keeps it interesting. Not only should imperfection be embraced, but sometimes it can be by design. (Future tattoo? Most likely.) Here is some of her fantastic concept art for the murals, known as "The Grand Canyon Concourse".

And that brings us to the end of the exhibit proper, but while we are at it, I thought I'd share a few pics from elsewhere in the park. Just for kicks. Y'all with me? Awesome! First, here are the standard shots of the sign, the incredible facade, and the clock from "it's a small world". I will never not get a little misty-eyed walking towards it. There is magic in that facade, let me tell you.

I wanted to include some pictures of the rest of the area of Fantasyland that surrounds "it's a small world" because before I went to Disneyland for the first time almost a year ago I had absolutely no idea that there was a mini Mary Blair land in that corner of the park. People (understandably) focus so much on showing the facade of the ride itself that they forget to share that almost every inch is Mary Blair themed, from the gift shops,

to the trash cans,

to the speakers and lighting fixtures for the parades,

to the gate that the parade emerges from behind,

to even the churro and pretzel stands!

Inside the Toy Shop they have a framed classic poster attraction. And I want it. Sigh.

And of course, even the cast members get in on the action with their costumes. Carolyn was kind enough to let me distract her from her boat supervision duties long enough to snap a shot. I wanted to really feature the embroidered "small world" boat on the pocket, but I didn't want her to feel like I was some masher trying to snap a pic of her cleavage. In the end, I'm glad I got a shot of her lovely smile. And that fabulous hat.

Every time I go towards that section of the park, I get all giddy. The colors and the geometric shapes, the 60's-liciousness of the whole affair, the joy of it all. It is quite possibly one of my favorite places on this Earth. Now those of you Mary Blair fans that have not yet visit Disneyland have been fairly warned. You may want to carry a box of tissues when you approach the attraction. It's a bit overwhelming in the best possible way. Gird your loins, kiddos.

I also have mentioned that there is a tribute to Mary Blair within the ride itself. One of the doll figures is actually modeled to look like Mary. I try every time to get a good shot of her, but because there is no light shining on her and she is behind the boat as you move through, it's always a challenge. This is the best shot I could get of her from the last trip. She's standing on the back side of the Eiffel Tower in the France section of the ride, wearing yellow and green and holding on to a red balloon.

Even outside the area of Fantasyland that houses "it's a small world" Mary's influence can be felt. This singing flower is in the queue for the Alice in Wonderland dark ride. It's not surprising that you would find a touch of the Blair all over this ride, since it is the film that hews closest to her style onscreen.

Even across the way in Disney's California Adventure you see how influential Mary's aesthetic still is on Imagineers. This is from the facade for the (fully awesome) "Monsters Inc.- Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!" dark ride. The fantastic use of color, the simple shapes, and the joyful exuberance are all a tip of the hat to Mary's work.

In the Art of Animation building, Mary's artwork for Alice in Wonderland is featured prominently during that films onscreen representation. By the way, if you've never been inside this building figuring that it's not worth your time because of a lack of shiny things that move fast, get your keister in there ASAP. I stood in this room, which surrounds you with sounds, art and stills from Disney and Pixar animated movies, as it cycled from one film to the next until I had seen all of them. It was one of my favorite experiences in the park.

Even beyond the berm, Mary Blair is there! This last shot was taken of a window display in the amazing and humongous to the point of overwhelming Amoeba Music in L.A. Tom and I caught up with one of my best friends from college and stopped here on the way back. I don't know if this is a permanent display or I was just at the right place at the right time, but I think it illustrates just how far Mary's cultural reach extends. I love this window. It's just a great big, bright, non-ironic splash of joy on the side of a hipster-ish music store (remember those, kids?) in a cooler-than-thou city. It makes my heart sing.

Well folks, that brings us to the end of our journey through the Wonderful World of my favorite Disney artist, Mary Blair. Thank you all for indulging me and I hope that these entries have brought a fraction of the pure happiness to you that revisiting all of these memories has brought to me! Do me a favor, will ya? Next time you are floating through "it's a small world" and you come upon the Eiffel Tower, take a second to spot Mary and give a quick thanks to the immensely talented lady whose singular artistic vision inspired it all. I always do.

Twenty-Five Life Lessons Learned at Disney Parks

Hard as they may try, bless their hearts, this
doesn't count as Disney in New York City.

So I'm about to get real witchyall, a'ight? I need a vacation. New York is a hard place to be. After close to nine years in the city, it is starting to really wear me down. There are still things about it that I love and I am lucky to have great friends, a supportive family, and an amazing fiance (two weeks 'til the wedding!) that help me keep my wits about me, but I'm nearing the end of my rope. New York is all concrete and steel and sometimes it feels like a lot of the people here are, too.

The good news is that on Saturday, I'm going on vacation!!! Hallelujah! Tom and I are visiting his friends and family back in California and, of course, considering our mutual adoration of all things Disney, we are spending two days at the Disneyland Resort (thanks to some help from his lovely mom). One day at Disneyland park, one at California Adventure, and overnighting at the Paradise Pier Hotel. I couldn't be happier.

I popped my Disneyland cherry last November on a fantastic trip with Tom. He's a great tour guide, who's as enthusiastic as I am about Disney Parks. Our trip was very short and so we only had one day there. It was one of the best days of my life. Yes. Really. It was that awesome. I have no doubt that this little pre-wedding quasi-honeymoon trip will be just as rad, and I can't wait.

Like I need a map. It's all up here. (taps noggin)

As I was brushing my teeth this morning, I started to think about all of the things that Disney Parks had taught me. They have brought so much into my life and being there makes me so happy, it made me consider that my life on the other side of the berm would benefit from the application of some of these lessons learned. My goal is that when the magic ends, and it almost always does, I want to bring what I've learned back to the Big Bad City with me.

I thought it would be fun to share with you guys a list of twenty-five things that Disneyland reminds me about my life after the pixie dust has faded, the fireworks are over, and the park closes for the night, sending me back out into the world.

1. Main Street U.S.A. reminds me to honor the past. Because it is the gateway to our next big adventure.

2. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh reminds me to embrace the gentle things. Because when the greatest thing you have to fear is a heffalump or woozle, then you're doing well, indeed.

3. The Haunted Mansion reminds me to find something to laugh about in things that scare me. Because I am just a foolish mortal, after all.

4. The Pirates of the Caribbean reminds me to be bold when I'm going after what I want. Because I'd bet you a bright, shiny nickel than one of those blokes gets the redhead in the end.

5. it's a small world reminds me to embrace and respect everyone despite our differences. Because there is no more basic truth than that through the laughter and tears, the hopes and the fears, we are all worthy of respsect and love.

6. Space Mountain reminds me to blast off into the dark unknown without fear. Because exhilaration often lies on the other side (and sometimes a souvenir shop).

7. The Disneyland Story featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln reminds me that there are great people who helped shape this country. Because I need to keep the faith that more will follow who can continue that work.

8. Splash Mountain reminds me that after every great drop there is a greater reward. Because I love me a showboat packed with Marc Davis inspired audio-animatronics.

9. Snow White Grotto reminds me that wishes really can come true, despite our own skepticism. Because some day my prince did come and he's more than I ever could have imagined.

10. Mickey's Toontown reminds me aspire to live in a world where silliness is accepted as the status quo. Because when even the buildings squash and stretch, it's impossible not to find something to make you laugh.

11. The Mark Twain Riverboat reminds me to be proud of where I come from and my Southern heritage. Because I'll be walking in the steps of the great Louis Armstrong, who played on the very same boat, and it just doesn't get better than that.

12. The Jungle Cruise reminds me to keep my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. Because you know the speil wouldn't be nearly as fun if we took it all seriously.

13. Dumbo the Flying Elephant reminds me to be grateful for the simple things. Because after years of avoiding it because I thought it was lame, riding it filled me with unbridled joy.

14. The Mad Tea Party reminds me that no matter how fast the world spins, you just have to hang on. Because the ride will stop eventually and sooner rather than later if someone yarfs.

15. Peter Pan's Flight reminds me to let myself be amazed. Because every time I fly over London in a pirate galleon, my jaw drops like it did the first time.

16. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride reminds me that even if some people think I'm going to Hell, at least I can have fun getting there. Because I'm not going to be able to convince them otherwise and they aren't worth my time.

17. Captain EO reminds me despite all of the awful things that the eighties did to its subsequent generations, it did leave us a few nuggets of excessive fabulousness. Because when Anjelica Huston, Michael Jackson, lasers, and furry aliens co-exist in world where people dance battle to bring about positive change, you gotta admit they were doing something right.

18. The Storybook Land Canals reminds me to pay attention to the small things. Because sometimes they are the things that are the most impressive.

19. Snow White's Scary Adventures reminds me to be prepared for things to get terrifying without warning very quickly. Because y'all know that you all get caught off guard at the sheer volume of heebie jeebies you get on that ride no matter how many times you've been on it.

20. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters reminds me to let myself engage in a little bit of healthy competition. Because nothing feels better than beating my video game aficionado fiance at a video game adjacent competitive attraction and holding it over his head for the rest of the day.

21. The Matterhorn Bobsleds reminds me not to be intimidated by the mountains in my path. Because they are always scalable and sometimes they have awesome roller coasters that will aid you in that climb.

22. The Disneyland Railroad reminds me to be ready for anything, no matter how benign things seem. Because something that can take you from the future, to the Grand Canyon, to the age of the dinosaurs, to the turn-of-the-twentieth-century, to New Orleans, to a world of cartoons, and a land of fairy tales all under twenty minutes makes you realize anything is possible just around the corner.

23. The Enchanted Tiki Room reminds me to believe in the power of magic. Because, all in one place, technological wizardry, ancient island voodoo, and a healthy dose of Disney pixie dust swirl together to make birds put on a show that will make you grin from ear to ear.

24. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reminds me that I should always look for the gold in them thar hills. Because the journey you make to find it is usually as valuable as what you discover when you do.

25. Sleeping Beauty Castle reminds me to believe in the power of fairy tales. Because for the day that I am in Disneyland, I will be living in one.

I cannot wait for my feet to finally be planted on Disney soil once more. I have literally been counting down the days for months (4 days left) and cannot wait to feel the way that only being on Disney property can make you feel. Since this will be my first time going to Disney's California Adventure, I look forward to expanding this list for myself in the very, very, very near future.

What reminders do going to a Disney Park give you? I'd love to hear your own additions! Holla atcha boy!

Character Creepings

I need to start off this entry with a bit of an apology. I know that I have already told you guys that my two big summer movies are Winnie the Pooh and The Help. Just as I did With Winnie the Pooh, I had intended to blog my thoughts on The Help, which is co-produced by Disney owned Touchstone Pictures, today, right after its release date, which was Wednesday. A few factors are going to push that blog entry back to next Friday.

AMC mini marquee poster fail. We're actually here
to see The Help and not A Little Help, but nice try.

I did in fact go see The Help at 12.01am on August 10th- the day that it came out. I had been waiting for what seemed like years for this day to arrive and, after a bit of eyelash batting, Tom agreed to go with me at midnight rather than fight whatever opening crowds may emerge the next night. (Suck on that, getting eight hours of sleep! Who needs you?) The screening ended up not being the most conducive environment for fully engaging with the movie owing to a possibly homeless dude with a mullet and a tank top who plopped down in the front and center of the theater and proceeded to snore like a hibernating bear from five minutes into the movie until the end credits had almost finished. 

This guy was making noise like a thunderstorm. I half expected lightning bolts to shoot out of his seat. A lot of people in the audience were, understandably, cracking up, and everyone else was distracted. Only twice was there was a brief respite. Once when Tom got fed up and finally went down to the front, found the guy's seat and slammed his hand on the back of it to wake him up and again when I left the theater to find an employee to help. After wandering for five minutes in the middle of the movie and finding only one lady on the floor, who incidentally didn't speak a lick of English and just smiled and nodded at me, I finally tracked down two NYPD paid detail. They came in, shined their flashlight on the guy and woke him up. Both times Snoreface McGee was up to his old tricks within minutes. I was upset, but stuck around to get passes so that we can go back and see the film (hopefully) uninterrupted.

The second factor is that I am almost done reading the book a second time. I started a little while back hoping to finish before I saw the movie. That didn't quite work out, but I'm almost there and would like to have the re-read under my belt before I give a critique, because I loved the book so much that the comparison will inevitably figure heavily into my opinion.

I have grown to really adore this poster.
It's like a burst of sunshine.

The third and final reason for my delay is the controversy surrounding the film, which was there on a smaller scale surrounding the book's release, dealing with the depiction of the African-American characters. It came onto my radar because one of my favorite political pundits, Melissa Harris-Perry, who shows up often on my beloved Rachel Maddow Show, went on an all out Twitter tirade against The Help. She then appeared on The Lawrence O'Donnell Show to discuss her thoughts further. I started feeling ultra-protective of the book, the movie, and my right to appreciate them without feeling like a racist.

I know that the subject matter is extremely sensitive, but feeling like I am standing at the opposite end of the spectrum from someone I've always really respected ideologically got my brain churning something fierce. Even as I type, it is taking me everything that I've got not to just let go and spew all of my thoughts, but, with your kind permission, I would like to take a week to let things marinate, finish the book and see the movie one more time.

Without hesitation, I encourage you to go see the film and/or read the book for yourself. The movie is not perfect by any stretch but the performances are stellar across the board and well worth the price of a movie ticket. And yes, I know how expensive they are these days. After you see it, most importantly, keep the discussion flowing. Do not shut people down who feel differently about what is being portrayed or the artistic integrity of the whole endeavor. I think part of the real value of these works is their power to make you consider people and events in ways that you maybe hadn't done before. It did that for me and that is what powerful art can and should do. The Help has the power to create a dialogue. For heaven's sake, please take advantage of that opportunity. As you can imagine, I will have a lot to say next Friday.

Until then, I figured I would shine a light on a very odd New York City phenomenon. I like to call it character creeping, which is like a character greeting except it is completely removed from the context of the parks, wholly janky, and, well, totally creepy. It may very well happen elsewhere but I've never heard anyone talk about it. When I did a Google image search for "Disney costume character NYC" I came up completely empty-handed. I have been in NYC for eight years now, but it only been for about the past two or three that I've seen this practice proliferate. And it freaks me the heck out.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good character meet and greet in the park. I think it is a unique part of the Disney experience to meet your favorite characters from the screen in person and share a moment with them. It is a sad trip for me indeed if I have not at least found Stitch to throw a hang ten sign, do my Stitch voice (which is pretty impeccable, if I do say so myself), and snap a quick pic.

Me and my man. Oh, and Tom's there too. Love you, hon!

I do, however, feel like the whole character greeting affair has gotten a bit out of hand. I can't think of any character worth waiting hours in line just to meet, yet more often than not nowadays that is the status quo. Now they even have queues gussied up to make them feel like they are an attraction unto themselves. (Cough- Pixie Hollow- cough) Though it is kind of them to give you something to look at while you wait, it's still nothing but a fancy pants queue leading up to a brief photo op and maybe autograph, if that's what butters your toast. It's just my personal preference, but there are a booty load of things that I would rather spend my time doing. It's a lot of effort for a very little payoff, unless, of course, you have a little one in tow, which changes the game entirely. Ask me in a few more years, when I've got a nugget with me, and I'll probably feel a bit different.

Best Mary Poppins. Ever.

That being said, some of the most charming experiences I've had in the parks revolve around these greetings, but it's usually not when I've had to line up and wait for an hour and a half. It's hearing Tiana belting her face off with a jazz band while we're eating at the French Market. It's seeing an awesome Mary Poppins who is so in character walking across the hub that I can't approach her for fear of interrupting her business. Another Mary Poppins was in Epcot when Tom and I found her. She was completely in character, very funny, and lovely. When she walked away from the meet and greet she was discussing Bert with her parrot umbrella. We loved her.

I was with my mama and sister in the Magic Kingdom when we queued up to meet several of the princess. When it was my turn to pose with them, I crooked my arm out in a princely fashion, as boys are supposed to, while Kelly girlied it up. When it got to Aurora, Kelly posed and I came forward and Mama said "Pose like her!" Aurora gave Mama a knowing look and then gave me a lesson on how to properly bevel. It was priceless. The cast members work hard to make these moments special, no doubt, but I prefer to stumble over them rather than seek them out. It feels more special when it's an organic part of your day.

As much as I wish I did, I do not live in a Disney park. Lately, Mickey, Minnie and friends are showing up on my home turf. It's quite jarring. Toe-up fakey fakes have been popping up in the streets of New York. Often it's Disney characters, but Elmo is also a fixture. They are shoddily made, sloppy, and run down looking. Now, in this economy I don't begrudge anybody out there trying to make a buck, but these guys kind of irk me. They are completely unauthorized, dilute and sully the Disney brand, and, worst of all, they usually come with small sacks which they shove in your grill for tips if you so much as look at them sideways. They usually congregate near Radio City Music Hall and Times Square, around the way from the huge Toys'R'Us and Disney Store.

Taking a picture of them is a terrifying task on its own. If you don't do it stealthily and they catch you, they will full on come after you, waving their satchels to demand money. I also have caught so many of them walking down the subway stairs in the midst of removing their heads. Sometimes they congregate, headless and sweaty, to count their money in full view of the public. That, in a nutshell (beyond the skeeziness of them expecting money for the privilege of standing next to their sweaty, smelly, matted selves) is what really drives me nuts. Unlike Disney cast members, they have absolutely no respect for the magic.

When I was still running events for a major book chain, I organized an event for a book on Sesame Street. Sonya Manzano, who plays Maria, told a story about a kid who was on the set. They took a lot of care not to let the kids see Muppets laying around, looking lifeless. Once, a little child came us to Sonia, tugged on her pant leg and said, "Miss Maria..." He pointed across the studio at Big Bird, who was taking a brief break, thinking he was unseen, and only wearing the bottom half of the costume and continued, "Does Big Bird know that he has a man in him?" It's a cute story, but when you step back and think about it, how odd it must have been for that kid to unexpectedly find a crack like that in his reality. Sesame Workshop understands that children pay attention and tries to avoid these moments. Kids really notice these things and it affects them.

So I finally got brave and snapped some pictures of these Character Creepings for you. You're welcome.

Notice the human neck. Classy.

Did he steal Sue Sylvester's track pants?

Me hungry... want eat brains...

Minnie is not exempt from creeping.

To be fair, Disney had it's own fair share of vaguely creepy costumed characters. The costumes below seem to be from the opening day festivities which were borrowed from the Ice Capades to say hello to the first crowds through the gates. They obviously hadn't quite gotten a handle on the whole concept yet. 

As scary as Mickey and Minnie may be, it's the bunny
that makes me want my mommy there to protect me.

So what do you think of the character creeping phenomenon? Should someone step in and put the kibosh on them? Should they be allowed to soldier on and make it rain any way they can? Do they tarnish the Disney shine or help to bring the characters to the world?

My plan is to put on my big boy underoos and start snapping pictures of these character creepings when I run across them from here on out and tweet them out to my followers, so now you have even more reason to follow me on Twitter @movedbythemouse. If you are in NYC and are able to catch one in action, please tweet and tag me. Or if you run across one of these anywhere else, let us know where they are spreading out to! Maybe they are stealthily trying to take over the world somehow. I am fascinated!

Remember Tuesday is DATE Night and we'll be taking a trip to Pleasure Island with Pinocchio. Until then I leave you with a picture of me at the most magical meet and greet ever!

Sigh. If only, right? However, now that I think of it, if they had a character greeting with the four Golden Girls out on the lanai, that would be the one meet and greet queue I would probably wait a few hours in. Are you listening Hollywood Studios? You took the the Golden Girls house off of the Backlot Tour, so you owe us at least that much!