The West Side of the Kingdom
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Now I jump ahead to the current anniversary celebration, and the new events associated with it. I live 500 miles north of Disneyland, so it’s not the same anymore; I can’t head over to the Park from my old location in Irvine at the drop of a hat or just head to Anaheim on a whim. When I do get to Disneyland these days, it’s usually a very scheduled, very specific mission I am on. Just a few weeks ago, I made a trip to the Magic Kingdom to see the new parade as well as the new fireworks show - Believe: There’s Magic in the Stars (now being marketed as “Believe!”). I’m not a huge fan of Outdoor Entertainment these days. I caught the 45 Years of Magic parade while at Disneyland and was not impressed. The music wasn’t bad, although I understand that the original piece has been replaced. The units were lackluster and it all seemed to me that it was a big Fantasia/2000 promotion rather than a Disneyland-specific parade. If it were up to me, I would have celebrated the past four decades with four parade segments made up of old ride vehicles, parade units, characters from those time windows, etc. However, Entertainment did what they thought was best for Disneyland, and so there it is. It’s not a thrilling parade in my opinion, but I have seen worse.

The fireworks show on the other hand, is breathtaking, to say the very least. For a moment I missed the familiar Fantasy In The Sky routine; that rapidly disappeared as I was treated to a visual delight of both big bursts and low-level pyrotechnics all beautifully set to a great soundtrack. I was surprised by the length of the show. In recent years, it’s seemed that the Disneyland fireworks (even on the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve) have been getting thinner and shorter. I was pleasantly surprised by how long the show was and felt completely satisfied as a Disneyland guest at its conclusion. Bravo!

Moving on from my recollections of moments past, I want to mention how very special the Marc Davis Celebration of Life was last month in Beverly Hills. The evening couldn’t have been more special; nor could it have been a more fitting tribute to a man that contributed so much heart and soul to all things Disney. There were too many Disney Legends present to name, but it was elegant and very personal to many of us in attendance. Alice Davis was a bit overwhelmed, but was very appreciative of all the love and support. For those of you who went, thank you - it meant the world to her. And for those of you who wrote your feelings to me and LaughingPlace.com regarding her husband, I gave her the one-of-a-kind booklet during the reception just prior to the Celebration. I have talked to her since and she truly appreciates all of the kind words and was moved by such an offering of love and respect. Thank you all.

Saying goodbye to Marc was difficult and the beginning of a new era of Disney post-Marc. There were many shed tears and a ton of laughter (as there should have been). Marc was an incredible, larger-than-life character in person and now he’s immortal; a true master of the heavens now, unencumbered by flesh and bone. The next time you’re at Disneyland watching the fireworks or strolling along Big Thunder Trail, take a look upward and give Marc a wink and a smile. He’ll be with us always - and I truly believe that there is magic in the stars.

-- Rick West (May 17, 2000)

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