Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Walkin' around on those (whad'ya call 'em?) oh - feeeeeet...

When I tell people I worked for Disney in Orlando for almost two years between high school and college, they always ask what ride I worked on or which character I was. I tell them that I was Ariel in the "Voyage of the Little Mermaid." In the dark. Under black lights. And they always look skeptical. I understand; it's one of the park's most popular attractions (or it was at the time, in 1992 or 1993). I do what I always do in the face of skepticism: Bust out in a top-of-the-lungs stage singing voice: "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has everything?"

And so on, and so on. By the time I get to: "I wanna be where the people are, I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin'...Walkin' around on those (whad'ya call 'em?) oh - feeeeeeet. Flippin' your fins you don't get too far, legs are required for jumpin', dancin'...Strollin' along down a (what's that word again?) streeeeeeeeet" they usually believe me. If there's still any doubt, I offer to act it out with the choreography. Or add a bit from the reprise ("Watch and you'll see, some day I'll be, part of your worrrrrrrrllllllld...").

Maybe they think I'm more of an Ursula than an Ariel? I would have happily played the sea witch, however her part was played by a giant puppet. Most of the other characters were either puppets or film clip animation. How else can I explain why I can't remember my own home phone number, but the lyrics for Part of Your World have taken up permanent residence in my brain? It is also possible that people are skeptical because I'm such a deadpan liar.

I once worked for Disney. Whether or not I did so in a mermaid costume is open for debate. I hate to blow the persona I've spent years creating (angry rock chick) by admitting to another (cheesy Disney character), so let's just focus on what's really important here: In the end, they all lived happily ever after.

7 comments:

  1. I. Am. In. Total. Shock. Please tell me you never had to ride the mermaid float and wave to the unwashed masses.

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  2. you may or may not find this amazing: i, too, worked for disney for a short while. My proudest moment was the night i took a picture of Mickey Mouse's costume all crumpled and un-occupied on the floor of a dressing room.

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  3. Cool. It was an experience from life. Embrace it. And never talk about it again... LOL

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  4. Walter! You were a Cast Member! Wow. My childhood Disney dreams were shattered the day I took a tour through the underground tunnels. The rest was a drunken Pleasure Island blur.

    I never had to ride the mermaid float. I may never speak of this again, but I can't say I won't spontaneously burst into song from time to time.

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  5. You reminded me of my brush with Disney...

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  6. Digging through storage to find the photo of Baby Sis and I with Arial at the Under the Sea Sunday Brunch (our trip meshes with your employement dates)... wouldn't that be something...

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  7. I am sitting here at almost one in the morning crying from laughter and desperately trying not to wake Tommy up. I bow down to you O' worthy one...I have been humbled beyond belief. You have my upmost respect but I am POSITIVE that I will bring this up more than once in the near future. Thanks for the laugh.

    By the way...I didn't think you weren't fit for the part. I just know how much you hate getting in front of people. Maybe you should just wear the fins to get over your stage fright. LMAO *whew*ahem* Sorry, couldn't pass that one up.

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