Disney

Disney World and Universal Studios 2007: In April I'm there with my husband, eleven-year-old son, sister and eight-year-old niece. While my niece is content with princesses and other Disney characters dancing at The Magic Kingdom, my son wants spider man roller coasters and other rides with special effects that are way too scarey for my niece.
 Personal preferences, our desire to stay together, and my husbands sense of adventure create an exhaustive Disney world a la cart experience without taking advantage of any of the many family specials.


Before leaving for Disney world my son discovered that a boy in his class was also going to be there with his family.

We meet the classmate and his Mom at the gate of Universal Studios so he can spend the afternoon with us while the rest of his family spends a relaxing afternoon by their hotel pool.. His Mom is wearing clean white sneakers and socks. She looks at my sandals and explains that she has learned to avoid Disney World blisters. It also turns out that the classmate, his parents and sister are taking advantage of a six day at Universal Studios family special that includes a Disney hotel meaning the rental car and parking hassles aren't necessary. Their vacation is economical and relaxed enough for them to enjoy down time by the pool while we're pounding the Disney pavement in our blistered feet.

My son and his classmate want to immediately run off to many rides that do not interest my niece who calmly expresses a desire to go to Dr. Seuss Land with my sister. Before bolting for Spider Man, the classmate has something to discuss with the adults. He had been to the special effects demonstration with his family, thought it was really good, and wants to share the experience with us. We agree to go with the classmate to the next show.

Sitting in a comfy chair in an air conditioned building in the dark watching a documentary about how the special effects and make-up people create various monsters who sometimes fly or disappear almost allows me to take some needed rest. The sleepy documentary does not last long. Soon a middle aged well put together woman who is a real live Hollywood make-up/special effects artist is up on stage with a man who is lucky enough to be her Disney World assistant. She sends her assistant down the aisle all the way to the back where we are sitting. He spots the large letters written on my face that say PLEASE DON'T PICK ME and responds by dragging me down the aisle onto the stage. After seeing the letters on my face change to SHY, they decided to do the trick where I look like I'm getting my arm chopped off enhanced by lots of blood and screaming. Because the first scream is too soft, they order me to scream again so loud that my throat is scratchy for the rest of the day.

Then I get to relax again in my dark, comfy, air conditioned audience seat until I look over at my son's sixth grade classmate who smiles and winks at me. After a short period of anticipation the make-up artist and her assistant ask each other a question:

“Who is the ideal person to dance with our monster?”

“Ellen!!!” they chorus is a loud animated way.

Whisked back on stage, the word beautiful is said to me in a low private voice that makes me think they want something more than someone who obeys their order to put on a vest that controls a dancing monster.

The second time I get to return to my audience seat, nobody winks at me yet I have the uneasy feeling that I'm not quite finished even though the show ends and I slip out of the dark theater out into the Florida sunshine and the other amusements. Later, someone who had been in the audience recognizes me and calls me "Ellen."