The Corridor of Goons is such a neat hidden gem inside Sleeping Beauty Castle. It seems only fitting to pay it homage during October when villains take over the Park.
As Disneyland Wakes
I find myself in a rather peculiar mood today, in wandering thoughts on life. I feel I must make a disclaimer that the following characters are the product of fingers run away with themselves at the keyboard, lost in these thoughts. Please feel free to scroll past to the picture.
I am so grateful for reminders of what really matters in life. But I find the need for their frequency alarming. Each time I feel a renewed sense of gratitude I think, “This time it will stick. This time I won’t lose sight.” When the next reminder rolls around I’m always taken with surprise, “Did I really forget again?” I know it’s different from person to person. Not everyone struggles with it and not everyone cares. I’ve had seasons without struggle and I’ve found I don’t care much for apathy.
“What’s the big deal with forgetting here and there?” you might wonder. For me it’s important to keep my mind focused on the truly important stuff, because that’s the stuff of life that keeps you honest. It keeps you grateful. It keeps your motives pure. I tend to live by a belief that Walt Disney voiced, saying “If you live right, things happen right.” When things don’t happen right I feel lost. I don’t like feeling lost. That’s usually my indicator that I’ve forgotten the important stuff.
Of course, when you’re lost you have two options: Find your way or give up and stay lost. Since I don’t like feeling lost I strive to find my way. When I do eventually find my way back to being focused on and grateful for the truly important stuff, I also find myself right here – wondering why I lose my way so much and need so many welcome reminders of what really matters.
You might also be wondering what in the world any of this has to do with this picture and I wouldn’t blame you, if you decided to go ahead and read all of this. To answer the question, this picture contains two reminders for me: sunrise and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Sunrise reminds me of the joy of a new day ahead and that it begins with beauty. Sleeping Beauty Castle is the icon that probably best encompasses Disneyland, which reminds me that with enough audacity, courage and hard work, dreams do come true, no matter how big or small. So I’ll keep on struggling to find my way, believing I can achieve my dreams, big and small. I hope you will too.
The Waking Beauty
Spending the night in Disneyland for the One More Day event was very much a dream come true. It was one night spent at the Park without that feeling of having to leave. Even better than that was seeing the sun come up in a place where magic is made for people, by people. Walt said that it takes people to make the magic happen. That’s truer I think than any of us realize. This special time in Disneyland, when the sun wakes Sleeping Beauty Castle, is a time typically reserved for those very special people who make Disneyland magical. Watching night turn to day. Seeing the sun pour its golden light across Disneyland the way milk falls across cereal before filling a bowl. It was a wonderful, humbling experience to share in. Next time you’re at the Park, give a Cast Member a high five and tell them how awesome they are.
When the Castle Glistens
When the sun is just above the horizon, the spires of Sleeping Beauty Castle glisten in radiant gold. It can be one of the prettiest spectacles at Disneyland. It’s a sight that lasts for maybe a few minutes and then without hesitation or apology it’s gone. If we make it to the Castle for this brief period of day, it’s easy to miss taking a picture because you become so taken by it, first by the beauty and then by the fact that it’s escaping so quickly.
Dreaming of Christmas
Christmas day has come and gone and I hope that yours was blessed. Mine certainly was, spending it with family, thinking of friends and reflecting on the tremendous blessings this year has held. Christmas brings warm feelings and optimism with it that tend to wind down as we enter back into our normal routines. I don’t want to do that this year. Too many days go by that feel like being alive more than they do like truly living. I’m dreaming of Christmas that carries on in the coming days with meaning and thriving and warmth because life is wonderful. There is so much to be grateful for and there are so many blessings to share.
The Warm Glow Beneath Winter’s Castle
The front of Sleeping Beauty Castle gets most of the love most of the time and Christmas is no exception. I’m not really sure why either, because the backside is beautifully adorned in Christmas splendor too. As I stood, however, trying to take this picture, countless flashes went off from folks taking pictures of the opposite side. I like to think of those moments as a duel and see who can wait it out longer to get a shot. Of course, that’s probably just me being a little crazy. Nevertheless, I usually outlast my competition. I think my favorite thing about this perspective is the contrast you get between the icy top of the castle and the warm glow beneath it. It lends a welcoming feeling to the fact that Winter is just around the corner.
