Anniversary Era Comes to a Close

Friday, September 29, 2006

Page 15

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

Anniversary Era Comes to a Close

By J’AMY PACHECO

Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.

—Plaque at Disneyland entrance

July 17, 2005. It was a Sunday, and a friend and I had hatched a crazy plan to get up at 3:30 a.m., pile our sleeping children into the car, and drive the 70-some miles to the Happiest Place on Earth.

It was Disneyland’s 50th birthday, and we decided – the night before – that we had to be there. We’d been at Disneyland for the early kick-off of the celebration two months earlier, and, worried about crowds, had not intended to return on the park’s actual birthday.

But at the proverbial (and literal) eleventh hour, we realized that we wanted to be there, and off we went.

It was one of our best Disney days ever. We were given golden ears, vintage map reproductions, and cupcakes. Cast members called out, “Welcome home,” bringing tears to our sleepy eyes.

Although the park was packed, most guests were like us – people who just wanted to be part of the milestone day and who felt a sense of camaraderie. When our children couldn’t see over the adults in front of them during a morning rededication ceremony, for example, radio people we’d never met invited us to sneak our children into their viewing area.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the afternoon ceremony. By some miracle, we found ourselves watching from an ideal spot near the legendary “Partners” statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. We were surrounded by a sea of golden ears, and the park was unbelievably quiet as Walt Disney’s opening day speech was replayed at 4:45 p.m. – the same time he’d delivered it 50 years earlier.

I was – and remain – convinced that our children will never forget that day, either.

It’s been more than 16 months since the 50th anniversary celebration began. We’ve been to Disneyland so many times during that period that I’ve grown used to seeing the blue-and-gold anniversary decorations and the 50 Mickey icons scattered throughout the park. It’s hard for me to remember what the castle looked like before each spire was topped by a golden crown.

But it had to come to an end, and last weekend, I realized that it was. Several weeks ago, my daughter had decided to photograph every 50th icon before the celebration ended, and only had two left to capture.

Sunday, I noticed almost immediately that most of the icons had been removed. Fortunately, the two she needed were still in place, and she was able to complete her task.

At lunch, I noticed the sugar packets I’d grown accustomed to seeing were different. For the last 16 months, we’d been opening sugar packets that bore images of the castle and a 50th logo. Last weekend, the sugar packets simply displayed the word, “Sugar.”

That, more than anything else, woke me up to the fact that the 50th anniversary celebration was coming to an end.

While it’s been the most consistently crowded year that I can remember since I started going, I have to say it was one of our best Disney years ever.

We have many tangible mementos of the year – pressed pennies, 50th anniversary shirts, stickers, pens, antenna balls, cds, autograph books, mugs, photographs and, of course, golden ears and even a few sugar packets.

Of course, we also have memories. Some are unpleasant, such as frenzied parents wielding their strollers like weapons, people cutting in lines, and children running into our backsides.

But most of them are happy memories, like sitting on the ground in front of the castle on warm summer nights, my still-tiny daughter on my lap, watching Tinker Bell glow more brightly as we clapped our hands to let her know we believe. This was the year we got to watch our pre-school age nieces meet Mickey Mouse for the first time; that my speed-hating daughter finally braved Space Mountain, and that we got to meet a real live Disney legend – quite by accident — in the park.

To borrow a phrase from an old Frank Sinatra song, it was a very good year.

In a few days, a new promotion starts. It’s called the “Year of a Million Dreams,” and Disney is set to give away a bunch of stuff, from lanyards to trips. That sounds promising. But it’s hard to say goodbye to the physical reminders of a wonderful year.

Ah, well. At least the yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy will remain…