One of my all time favorite movies is a little film called High Fidelity. John Cusack plays Rob, a 30-something-year-old record store owner who spends the film lamenting his love life, and recanting the stories of his top five break-ups to the audience. There are several scenes in the movie that take place in Rob's small record store in which Rob and his two hired hands, Barry (Jack Black) and Dick (Todd Louiso), discuss their various “top five” music lists. “Top five songs about death,” “top five greatest side one, track ones” (you all remember when there was a side one and two, don't you?), and “top five songs to play on a Monday morning” are just a few of the lists the oddball crew bats around. I watch this movie whenever it comes on cable and while the love story is compelling, the thought of these three music geeks sitting around a record shop arguing about their “top five whatevers” always makes me smile. I guess it's because I have friends like these and I've spent hours of my life having similar discussions, often coming up with similar results.
So, I thought I'd transfer that notion to the other great obsession of my life, aside from rock and roll—Disney. I present to you my Disney Top 5, what I hope will be a theme meant to elicit discussion, debate, and perhaps disagreements. Granted, these are my opinions. They are based solely on my thoughts and experiences earning—what my dear friends Robert and Paula have always referred to as—my Disney PhD. I've visited, read, collected, watched, thought, learned, discussed, obsessed over and pontificated enough about Disney over the years to allow me to offer my thoughts here to you, my friends and fellow Disney enthusiasts. That said, let's begin yet another in a long line of endless discussions about Disney, with a tip of the hat to the creative team behind High Fidelity, for their inspiration.
We've all had those moments. You merely walk into one of the parks, enter an attraction, sit in a theater, or catch a glimpse of something at your favorite place in the “World” and instantly you become all, to quote Saturday Night Live's Linda Richman, “verklempt.” Maybe your eyes well up a bit. Maybe you get chills. Maybe you full-on bawl like a baby. Whatever it is that you do, we all have those moments at Disney. Here are my Top 5.
5. Tinker Bell's Flight
I know when it's coming. It's no surprise anymore. I've seen it plenty of times. Maybe it's because Peter Pan is my favorite Disney film. Maybe it's because my wife loves Tink, and kind of reminds me of her. Maybe it's because I just can't believe that someone actually does this each and every night, just for our entertainment. Whatever it is, every time that pixie flies out of Cinderella's Castle over our heads and disappears onto the roof tops of the Magic Kingdom during Wishes, I get all choked up and must have the look of an amazed 5-year-old on my face.
4. Illuminations
I challenge you not to get chills during Illuminations. Photo By Chris Barry.
I adore Epcot. There's just nothing like it anywhere. To me, there's no better way to end a day at Walt Disney World than by finding a favorite spot around World Showcase Lagoon, the bridge in the Italy pavilion maybe, or the red traditional torii gate at the Japan pavilion, settle in, feel the heat from the torches and proceed to get blown away and completely captivated by Epcot's nighttime extravaganza. I'm choked up from the moment it starts until the bone shaking crescendo of the finale.
3. Voyage of The Little Mermaid
I'm not going to apologize. I'm a grown man, but I can't help but get all buttery every time I hear Ariel sing “Part of Your World” during this tried-and-true show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Sorry, no apologies, it gets me every time.
2. Snow on Main Street
I've only been to Walt Disney World during the Christmas season twice, but I'll never forget the first time. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party had just ended. The throngs were headed out to the turnstiles. We decided to shop the Emporium and let the bus crowds thin out, as we usually do. All the members of my group entered the shops, but I stayed outside. My 5-year-old twin boys were in the double stroller, out cold from a long day. I found a quiet spot on the Main Street sidewalk, sat down, gazed at the castle and watched as the “snow” came drifting down. All the while, one truly great Christmas classic after another came out of the sound system. Soon, there were very few people walking down Main Street, just the snow and the sounds of the Lawrence Welk version of “I'll Be Home for Christmas.” I might as well have been somewhere in a quaint village in New England, in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve 50 years ago. It was pretty transcending.
And finally, my Disney top lump-in-your-throat moment at Walt Disney World…
1. The Magic Kingdom Opening Ceremony
Casey Jr.'s coming down the tracks. Photo By Steve Russo.
This is how we spend our first full day of every Walt Disney World trip. There's nothing like arriving early to the Magic Kingdom, grabbing a spot by that giant flower planter just outside the turnstiles, right in front of the Mickey flower garden, and watching the Opening Ceremony. Sure it's corny, but I feel like a little kid when I hear that train whistle toot just out of sight of the Main Street Station. Which characters will be on the train? How does it feel to be that lucky family that opens the park for the day? The anticipation overwhelms me each time. I know Mickey says, “Welcome to The Magic Kingdom everybody!” But he might as well just look at me and my family and say, “Welcome home!”
That's My Disney Top 5 for today. What's yours? Click on the “Discuss this article on MousePad” link below and share your list!
