my first memory of the world

My first memory of the Walt Disney World resort is a commercial. Go figure I am 28, raised by television.

Sure I watched all the shorts growing up, "The Long Trailer" "Windy Day" and what not on my grandparent's RCA SelectaVision CED VideoDisc player (how many of you remember that one) we had all kinds of discs with Chip n' Dale, Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy and all the cavalcade of characters. But as many times as I watched this cartoons, I never put two and two together that Mickey and the gang, where Disney, and in turn Disney World (even though it is so much more).

Then came The Cosby show. I watched ever episode of that show, I have to honestly say that it taught me very useful values. (I often thought of myself as Ruddy, if they were to cast a white Ruddy, that would be me :)

But I see this commercial and is the perfect hype mix of audience appeal and commercialism just came out it hit home. I thought to myself, at the ripe old age of five, "Hey the Cosby's are there, it has to be fun, but are they in a Mickey Mouse Balloon?"

Oh course from that point on, 5 years old, I came to understand and realize the mecca that is The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida. I learned the slogan "The Happiest Place On Earth" and to me, it MUST have been. That if the Cosby's went and had so much fun, then every family that goes has to have that much fun. Oh the naive little girl I was.

Well in 1993 I got my chance! Heck by this time, my grandparents had been numerous times and has a blast. It was my family's turn. My mom, sister and my grandparents packed up the family van and drove the 12 hours from North Carolina to Orlando Florida. We stayed at a nice Days Inn, not far from the parks, and we used the hotel bus to go to the parks everyday. Before I get to the parks, the McDonald's cross the parking lot from the hotel, had an autoanamatronic "Moon Man" from the "Mac Tonight" commercials, playing a piano in the lobby. (AWESOME!!!!)

Well we get to the parks. I didn't have friends with me, and there are a few low lights from the vacation that I remember. One: I would only use the hotel room's bathroom, so i held it all day. TWO: all my character pics and pics from Magic Kingdom and MGM *gone* my grandfather opened up the back of the camera in the middle is Sunset Blvd. It the time I was overwhelmingly upset, but as i got older, I understood he didn't mean to. Three: I was too scared to ride Haunted Mansion (stupid yes i know, and i didn't get a chance to ride again for ten years)..oh and FOUR: I was not a fan of the circle vision theaters in EPCOT (of World Showcase as a whole at that point in time)

I got to see awesome sites and ride rides that aren't there anymore. Mr. Toads Wild Ride, 20.000 leagues, and many others in EPCOT that I thought were just "neat"

I got my first set of ears, and PROUDLY wore them everywhere (i think i even tried to wear them to SeaWorld, I still have them and love them.) I got a red rose that was battery operated and lite up (Just like Belle's from Beauty and the Beast). Also I was/still am the proud owner of my invisible dog, Roger.

Now there is an interesting story behind Roger. I got him over at the Roger Rabbit store at MGM, and we were walking away, my mom was in front and i suddenly am separated from her by three HUGE men. all muscles and blonde hair and they sounds like Arnold. I was scared. then they bent down and started to "pet roger and took pics with me roger and my mickey ears on....some where over in Europe someone has a really funny group picture with a really scared 11 year old American girl.