Welcome back to Disney Stuff. This time around, I'm not going to focus on a whole collection of Disney paraphernalia. Today, I'd like to focus on one specific piece that comes with a good story. Sometimes the stuff we Disney fans accumulate help to remind us of a special moment from a Disney trip or experience. That's really the point of buying a souvenir, isn't it? They're keepsakes; things to help us revisit a memory from a vacation. Of course, I think I buy this stuff just because I want it, but sometimes you need something in particular to bring you back to that great moment in time you spent at a place like Walt Disney World. Especially if it's a special occasion while you're there.
I was showing a friend of mine my display case full of “Disney Stuff” the other day, when one particular piece caught their eye. Like many of you, I have many Disney pins. I particularly try to collect as many classic character pins as I can. I prefer ones with little or no words, just a nice representation of my favorite characters. However, the pin in question is a little different, and it is one of those items that transport me back to a rather interesting week in Orlando several years ago.
My wife, daughter and I visited Walt Disney World the summer of 2004 for a nice long week in August to celebrate my wife's 40th birthday. Many of you may remember that infamous season as Florida's “Summer of Storms.” Four hurricanes and a tropical storm made landfall in the state during the unforgettable storm season of 2004. Three of those storms, Charley, Frances and Jeanne, caused the parks to close their doors; a rare occurrence indeed. One of those storms, Charley, was a fairly direct hit on Walt Disney World, and there we were: smack in the middle of our vacation, hunkered down on the third floor of building # 7, at the French Quarter.
I have many memories of that experience. It was fascinating to me to see the carts in Town Square strapped down to the ground and the signs and street lamps on Main Street tied up. We walked out of a nearly empty Magic Kingdom at noon and were handed this slip of paper, which I've kept as one of my keepsakes.
A rather unique flyer handed to all guests exiting the parks on August 13, 2004. Photo by Christ Barry.
I'll never forget the insanity of the food court, with people leaving carrying stacks of pizzas, and the mad frenzy for free granola bars being handed out by that poor swarmed castmember. My daughter, who was six years old, was pretty excited to see Aladdin and Jasmine in the French Quarter lobby area. We bought some board games and some other things to keep her busy at the gift shop, headed back to our room, watched free Disney movies all day and night, and hoped for the best. I remember there were a bunch of us; foolishly I might add, out in front of our doors “watching” the storm from time to time. Being from Long Island, I've been through several hurricanes in my life. At a place like Disney World, people from many different parts of the country surround you. There was someone from Ohio that asked me, “We don't have hurricanes where I'm from, have you ever seen one before? What are they like?” I wasn't really sure what to say. It's kind of a hard thing to describe. That night, things got pretty hairy for a while. My daughter slept like a stone, while my wife and I lay there and listened to the wind blowing violently at the door. When we woke, trees were down all over, the Sassagoula was filled with branches and debris, but we were fine, and after a few hours, we made it back to the empty parks. We were even able to get a last minute dining reservation at Cinderella's due to all the cancellations.
The amazing thing was, in spite of all the surrounding devastation, things in Walt Disney World were fine. We were kept safe. The power never went out and the magic continued. As a matter of fact, a cousin of mine living nearby had no power at home, work, or his kid's school, so he booked a room at Animal Kingdom Lodge and came to be with us for a few days. That feeling of safety, security and unimpeded magic would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the most amazing people in the world, the Disney castmembers. They went above and beyond for all of us, even though many of them surely had their own devastation to deal with beyond the Disney World gateways.
A few months later, I was surfing the web and hunting for some pins for my daughter. I came across this pin, which has really become one of my favorite pieces of Disney stuff that I own. The pin was given to castmembers in appreciation of their efforts during the “Summer of Storms.” As you can see, Mickey is holding on for dear life to his sorcerer's hat in a heavy wind. Inscribed on the pin is the statement, “Nothing can stop us from delivering the magic…Not even hurricanes Charley, Frances or Jeanne. 08-13, 09-06, 09-26, 2004.” That quote is also printed on the presentation card followed by the following line, “Thank you for everything you did…lee.” Lee, of course being Former Executive V.P. of Operations for The Walt Disney World Resort, Lee Cockerell.
Mickey, being blown away by Charley. Photo By Chris Barry.
The pin is sealed in its original bag and was bought online for less than $20. I realize I'm not a castmember, and the “Thank You” emblazoned on the card isn't for me, but I still feel a close connection to the sentiment. They deserved all the thanks in the world. It was an unforgettable Walt Disney World moment for us and when I see the pin in my display case, the memories come flashing back. Like I said, that's what we buy souvenirs for in the first place, isn't it?
Keep your comments coming and I'll be back next time with even more of that great Disney Stuff.
