“It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances.” ~Oscar Wilde
My sister and her family (husband, mother, and three little kids) went to Disney World for a couple days last week. After the “It’s a Small World” ride, my 4-year-old niece spontaneously began singing her own version of the insipid Small World song that went like this:
It’s a small, small world.
It’s a small, small world
It’s a small, small world
And everybody looks like pigs
Oink*
*I think she sang this because the dolls have piggy faces, not because lots of the people visiting Disney are obese. But you never know.
Sebastian said,
February 19, 2008 at 1:17 am
Qute
messiestobjects said,
February 19, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Awesome. She pretty much got the same impression of Disney that I did.
MamaPeg is Watching You said,
February 19, 2008 at 6:12 pm
We went in September and never even got in line for that ride.
MamaPeg is Watching You said,
February 20, 2008 at 5:43 am
Honestly, I am old enough to remember that this exhibit was at the World Fair in the 60’s. That’s where I first saw it. The song is annoying, it’s true. The faces are pig-like- also true. The sentiment is sappy – true again.
Kind of…
I did kind of miss it on our last visit.
MamaPeg is Watching You said,
February 20, 2008 at 5:49 am
And people in the Magic Kingdom are very rude… Guests, not cast members.
I think the Prosti-Princesses were the most frightening exhibits. WHoever thought up that marketing scheme is a pimp in every sense of the word. “…for the low, low price of $275, your daughter can look like a ho. But wait, there’s more… we’ll make her up with glitter and goo, we’ll give her a fine hair piece, and and and – a dress so that she can drag it around the grounds of the Magic Kingdom and wail and carry on when HER princess walks by and ignores her.”
I may never go back.
julieluongo said,
February 20, 2008 at 11:46 am
That’s awesome that you went to the World’s Fair. I’d like to go to one of those. I guess I could plan to go in 2010 to Shanghai. But they aren’t really a big deal anymore. If I could time travel, I’d go to the cool ones.
Childhood angst makes me sad. Kids crying … or worse, kids crying and getting yelled at for it. Tragic. Ok, I know it isn’t. The kids were probably being bratty. Or they’re over-tired. And everyone gets over it. But still, it breaks my heart.
Sarah said,
February 20, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Wow! You are starting to show just an inkling of getting through your childhood angst issue! Nicely done. Negative emotions are a-okay! Good to learn how to navigate them when young. Especially with caring aunties who make worry faces so sublimely when the tears turn on.
I don’t think the people in Disney are rude on purpose, I think they are just so completely overwhelmed and then stuck in group-think, a subtler version of mob mentality. The master mind manipulation, group herding, and sickening marketing all converge on the tired, trip weary, stressed out parent. Also, I’d wager that the majority of people who rarely travel and therefore don’t travel especially well, make the trip to Disney, so then we also have people without children who might not be the most easy being out of their comfort zones.
Everyone I spoke to in lines or other lines, were super nice. I only saw one group of people acting like total idiots by arguing about getting a meal at a restaurant where you need reservations.
julieluongo said,
February 20, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Oh, thanks for noticing my progress. Recently, my great boyfriend very kindly led me to take a step toward getting over my childhood angst issues. It was a small step, but still. Well, first I denied that I had them and he didn’t laugh or scoff or anything.
Doug said,
February 28, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Steve Martin’s book,
“Born Standing Up”
Is a great read, and details how much Disneyland, where he got his start, has always meant to him.
Also worked in Highschool at Knots Berry Farm.
julieluongo said,
February 28, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I like Steve Martin’s writing. He did a piece once for the New Yorker about how he wished he was more like Walter Matthau, who was a gregarious guy that people loved. Steve Martin’s an introvert who comes off as cold. He’s consistently rated as one of the worst celebrities to wait on by restaurant servers, a fact he references in the article in a funny bit about how he tried to be charming and ended up offending the waitress. He also wrote another New Yorker piece from the perspective of a horse. That was really great too. I wonder if I can get my hands on those? Maybe he compiled them…
Gary said,
February 29, 2008 at 9:28 am
Julie did you ever read Cruel Shoes? I had that book when I was a kid and I loved it.
http://www.compleatsteve.com/ – -that has the entire book – and maybe the stuff you mentioned.
julieluongo said,
February 29, 2008 at 10:59 am
Awesome, Gary. Thanks! And no, I never read Cruel Shoes. I want it. DId you see that he numbered each book by hand in ink in the back? I wonder what number you had.
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August 4, 2008 at 8:11 pm
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August 4, 2008 at 8:14 pm
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Judy said,
November 8, 2009 at 2:03 pm
What is wrong with you people? What kind of unrealistic expectations did you have of Disneyland? It is children’s fantasy and rides, did you expect the answers to life? You all sound like kids who just found out there is no Santa Claus! Oops! Did I let the cat out of the bag?!
Anonymous said,
November 8, 2009 at 5:13 pm
It seems like mostly people are talking about books and Steve Martin and the World’s Fair. What thread are you reading?
messiestobjects said,
November 8, 2009 at 8:51 pm
I can’t speak for anyone else here, but as for what’s wrong with me; Walt Disney touched me in my secret place and now all I can do is cry.
Judy said,
November 9, 2009 at 3:41 am
Ewwwww!
Judy said,
November 8, 2009 at 5:41 pm
No…they are not..read back for yourself…anonymous!
julieluongo said,
November 9, 2009 at 5:55 pm
@Judy. Yeah, sure, Disney’s an easy target… bloated multi-national hospitality-media-entertainment machine that pays poverty wages to Chinese girls to fill the world with licensed gee gaws and supports the religion of celebrity culture. So, the kids like it? They also like box-and-blanket forts. If you protect your children from Disney mania today you won’t end up with an adult child with a tattoo of Tinkerbell near her boob, a closet full of poly-blend sweatshirts with Pluto on them, and a blog devoted to Hillary Duff.
@ messiestobjects…you were at Typhoon Lagoon, eh?
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/Travel_News/Typhoon_Lagoon_reports_another_molestation_incident.htm
Judy said,
November 9, 2009 at 6:01 pm
LOL…I never thought about the possibility of a tattoo of Tinkerbell…I will have to reconsider everything now.
julieluongo said,
November 9, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Terrifying, right? Check this one out (unless nipple slip makes you uncomfortable):
http://media.43places.com/entry/255160pw150.jpg