Dispatch From Disneyland
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Donald Duck nearly tumbled across the floor making his entrance. It was a good thing he didn’t, thought Jane, as he was carrying her birthday cake. Donald was followed closely by Goofy who bumped into Donald and again the cake came perilously close to spilling onto the floor.
“Donald. Goofy. Be careful with that cake,” chided the Cast Member. “I’m sure Jane here is looking forward to eating the cake not having it smushed all over her face.”
Donald and Goofy looked at each other, looked at Jane, looked back at each other, looked at the Cast Member, looked at each other, then looked at Jane and snickered.
“No. No. No!” cried the Cast Member.
Ignoring the protestations, Donald and Goofy started stalking closer and closer to Jane. Before Jane could consider getting down off her chair. Minnie stepped in and stopped the two marauding characters.
“Gee, thanks Minnie,” said the Cast Member. “You’d better grab that cake yourself. I don’t think it’s safe with those two.”
Minnie tried to grab the cake, but Donald scooted away and the chase was on. Mickey and Minnie followed Donald and Goofy around the restaurant. The cake came close to being destroyed at least a half dozen times before the cast member’s yells of “Stop!” were heeded.
The characters seemed to stop in mid-air. “Now put that cake down on the table and step carefully away,” the Cast Member instructed Donald. “Okay, now who has a match for the candles?”
• • •
Traffic was backed up on the interstate over 10 miles, came the report from the Highway Patrol officer. Cars were stacking up in the parking lot and the lines to get through the gates were so long, guests were having to make decisions about which bush looked the best to relieve themselves behind. Security wanted to know what they should do.
When Roy heard of this all he could say was “God Bless’em. Let them pee.”
Word came down to Walt’s office that his worries of an opening day disaster were unfounded. At least they were founded on the wrong principles. It wasn’t going to be a slow day; in fact, if anything the day was going to be much busier than they had planned for. It looked like twice as many people were lined up to get in the park as they had printed admission tickets for.
Walt knew this meant long lines, food shortages, and thick crowds. He instructed those he could trust to keep that stuff off of the television coverage. Let them read it in the newspapers, the pictures from TV will stick in their minds.
But it was time to forget about all that. He had to get into his Walt Disney persona -- the Walt that all the kids accepted into their living rooms each week. This was the Walt that had to show up for the television crews, no matter how over run he was with last minute details and emergency responses.
Walt put on his jacket, adjusted his tie in the mirror one more time, and tested out his smile in the mirror. His family was waiting downstairs, and the public was waiting to see this new marvel he had built. It was time to give it to them.
• • •