Unfortunately, or fortunately (in my case), an event happened in the Magic Kingdom in my pre teen years that would shape the attraction that I would forever call my own, and that would call to me every trip to the present.
[caption id="attachment_8" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Let's do this![/caption]Let's go back in time to the early 90's, when I first entered the glorious age of meeting the dreaded "ride height requirement". My family lived in South Florida, so weekend trips to the house of mouse were commonplace. I remember the day my parents told me I was able to ride big boy rides! A Star Wars and Star Trek nerd from birth, I was always attracted to the mere ambiance of Tomorrowland, so it would come as no surprise that Space Mountain would be my first choice of attraction to ride for the first time.
[caption id="attachment_44" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
The greatest challenge of my big boy trip.[/caption]So, the first day of our trip, we head straight for the fabled mountain at rope drop (park opening for the uninitiated). As we came upon the entrance to the attraction, I began to have a pit well up in my stomach. "Is this really the best Idea? Maybe we can just go back on Peter Pan," I thought to myself. When I came back from that introspective moment, however, it was too late -- I was already in the tunnel.
[caption id="attachment_45" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
The point of no return.[/caption]As you can see from the image above, there is a steady stream of people, and this is doubly so at park opening. There would be no convincing my parents to leave the line when there was no wait for the ride, short of wetting myself of course, and they always made sure we used the bathroom before leaving the hotel, so there was nothing to do but meet the fate I had begged for just a short time ago.
[caption id="attachment_39" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
What I believed would occur on the final ride of my life.[/caption]Upon getting in my seat and having the lap bar pushed down, I said my prayers and went for the ride of my life! It was, however, not that fake movie ride that you see in theaters, where "it wasn't that bad, let's do that again!" I believe everyone there said I exited the ride looking like this:
Fearing I would need therapy, my parents took me on what I would mistake as space mountain for what could be a few years:
[caption id="attachment_41" align="aligncenter" width="432"]
My security blanket for the next 5 years.[/caption]Although I have grown to love thrilling attractions (all the mountains, everest, etc.), tTo this day, I still get feelings of nostalgia and safety from that attraction, and the knowledge that, instead of anything surprising, I will get beautiful lights and unique views of this world of tomorrow.
[caption id="attachment_42" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Gorgeous, no?[/caption]I hope you enjoyed my little editorial! If you did let me know, and I will add more "origin stories" to the blog!
