You’ve Got to be Kidding is parody. Pull up a chair, relax and have a great time.
Welcome to the day after. (And if you have to ask “The day after what?” then you’ve forgotten what web site you’re visiting.) How are you doing? Are you still a little shell-shocked from all the celebrations? Were you one of the lucky ones who were actually at the park on July 17th? Or were you, like so many others, forced to come up with a way to celebrate in absentia?
Well, I can’t speak for you and yours, but I have to say our neighborhood did it up right. An entire block of rabid Disney fans who, realizing they could not attend in person, came up with an incredible celebration for an incredible event. Yes, our neighborhood held one of the best parties for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary you were likely to see anywhere.
It began at 8:00 am when the loudspeakers we had installed throughout the neighborhood reverberated with Walt’s sonorous tones. “To all who come to this happy place…” Well, you know the rest. And that was the signal that the celebrations could begin.
All up and down the streets, neighbors began revealing the decorations they had been working on for the last few months. Every house decorated (inside and out) to represent a land or attraction within Disneyland.
We all gasped as the Trundles revealed that their house had been turned into Cinderella’s Castle decorated for the 60th anniversary. Blue and silver bunting hung everywhere, diamonds flashed from every wall, and giant clear crystals sat perched atop every eave and gable. None of us were quite sure what the strips of duct tape across the roof were supposed to represent, but it all came together in a sparkling display.
The Springers also did an excellent job of transforming their house into New Orleans Square. Ornate railings, small store fronts, curving staircases, beads, lanterns, and even a stuffed pirate all worked together to make us feel we had actually walked into that special Disneyland land. We particularly enjoyed the number “33” which was attached next to their front door. However, everyone later agreed that it was a bit tacky for them to insist on everyone paying a “membership” fee to be allowed in the house. And, once inside, you still had to pay for food and drink. But the effort still looked really good.
However, there was not a single person who did not feel the Marshalls had done the very best. Their yard literally became Fantasyland, including original Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Sleeping Beauty, and Alice ride vehicles. We are all still wondering how he was able to stretch their personal budget to afford such a display. But it just goes to show we made the right choice when we selected him to be the official treasurer for the overall celebration.
Unfortunately, a few of the efforts left something to be desired. George Meyer claimed that his was the House of the Future. We were all a little perplexed until he explained that this was his interpretation of 1955 forecasting a 1985 future. More than one wag commented that they would have preferred if he had just updated his house in the last thirty years.
But even more upsetting was the Winethrop’s claim that their theme was Adventureland. None of us felt an unmown lawn and untrimmed bushes represented a real “jungle”. And while they did try to spruce it up with a few stuffed animals, none of us were particularly comfortable with the taxidermy, particularly in light of the ongoing investigations at the local animal shelter.
But everyone’s heart was in the right place, and we all spent a long time touring every nook and cranny of every house as we explored the amazing things going on in some people’s homes.
It eventually had to end, though, because it was time for the children to shine: The Parade of Parades where the kids in every family put together a float based on parades from Disneyland’s history. The children had come up with the idea themselves, so most parents tried their best to let the kids build the entries on their own. (Although nobody believed that Howard Capp built the synchronized marching toy soldier band by himself.)
The parade started perfectly with Bobby MacMahon’s entry based on the very first Disneyland parade. (At least, we think it was supposed to be the first parade because we couldn’t come up with any other reason for his wearing that grossly misshapen Mickey head.)
This was followed by such entries as the Clifton twins throwing beads in celebration of Party Gras; Jodi Dresbeck dressed in red, white, and blue for America on Parade; and the entire Condello brood jitterbugging down the street as Blast to the Past.
Again, there were a couple of missteps. It might not have been wise for Craig Dingle to have chosen the State Fair parade because, really, no one seemed to care. And while we had all been looking forward to Patty Boffle’s Main Street Electrical Parade float (what Disneyland fan wouldn’t), it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Her parents ensured us that her outfit and accompanying float had almost 500 lights. But somehow the effect was lost in the morning sun.
But the final float in the parade, “Celebrate – A Street Party”, was the perfect finish. The Kersten children, dressed as Mary Poppins and Bert, perfectly recreated that excruciatingly uncomfortable moment in the parade when Mary Poppins “danced” to “I Love Rock N’ Roll”. There was much laughter, applause, and a genuine appreciation for all the work the children had put into their entries.
It was getting close to lunch and everyone was getting hungry. Before the celebration had even started, everyone had been given 50th anniversary cupcakes, and these continued to make appearances throughout the day. But it was time for real food. There were hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and Coke everywhere. But there were also plenty of Disneyland favorites such as corn dogs, turkey legs, Dole whips, churros, and the latest Disney favorite, Starbucks.
After lunch there were many other activities including the canoe races (using padded oars to propel wheeled canoes down the neighborhood street), the character dress-up contest (including a special award to the person who went the longest without speaking or taking off their head), and the Disney trivia quiz. Unfortunately, that last event had to be called off when, as it turned dark, there was still a fifteen-way tie. Everyone agrees that, next time, we will ban hand-held devices.
Once the sun set, it was time for the “Disneyland Forever” extravaganza. Unfortunately, city ordinances would not allow us the spectacular in the sky we had originally planned. So, instead, we played the soundtrack over the loudspeakers and flashed pictures on the houses. It might not have been as good as the real thing, but everyone oohed and aahed at the appropriate times.
At that point, it was time to get the children to bed. But the adults had one last activity: Extinct Attraction drinks. Each household was to develop a drink based on an extinct Disneyland attraction. (And, yes, we allowed extinct DCA attractions because it gave everyone so many more alternatives.) Some of the most popular were The Wizard of Bras (a double shot), the Orange Stinger (tequila, orange, and cinnamon), and The Rocket to the Moon (whiskey, vodka, and schnapps; set it on fire and take off.)
However, the absolute favorite was the Superstar Limo. Equal parts water, flat sparkling water, and melted ice, all left sitting for half an hour to ensure it was sufficiently tepid. Everyone agreed it perfectly matched the excitement of riding its namesake.
It was a fantastic time for all. And the one thought on everyone’s mind? What’s in store for 65?