Disney Dreams

It’s no secret that my two favorite places in the world are Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Disney junkie, and have been since age 4.

So it was stunning delight that I saw this new promotion that Uncle Walt’s company is going to start on Oct 1 to promote their theme parks:

* * * * *

During 'Year of a Million Dreams' Celebration Disney Cast Members to Award a Million Magical Dreams

From an overnight stay inside Cinderella Castle to a Golden FASTPASS, dreams big and small will come true at Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts during Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams," a first-of-its-kind celebration of the individual dreams of Disney Parks guests.

The year-long celebration, beginning Oct. 1, 2006, at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, will feature the debut of an incredible lineup of new attractions and entertainment at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts, plus new technologies that allow guests to customize their Disney park experience.

And, for the first time, during the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration, Disney cast members will award a million dreams -- both large and small, including many "money-can't-buy" experiences -- to guests selected through a random process as part of a unique "Disney Dreams Giveaway" promotion.

The "impossible" includes the creation of over-the-top, overnight experiences for winning guests at both East and West Coast resorts: a royal bedchamber inside Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort and a Mickey Mouse Penthouse at Disneyland Resort, both expected to be complete by January 2007.

A day of royal treatment will end with a night of enchantment inside Cinderella Castle for a different lucky guest each night. Cinderella's royal bedchamber, now under construction at Magic Kingdom, will allow Disney guests to stay overnight inside the park and enjoy a view shared only by Tinker Bell. The lavishly decorated bedroom will be located in a space originally planned as an in-park apartment for the use of the Disney family.

And for a lucky Disneyland guest, each night, the all-new Mickey Mouse Penthouse at Disneyland Hotel will pour on the Mickey charm and include magical views overlooking both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks. The extraordinary penthouse will be decorated in all things Mickey, with finishing touches by none other than Minnie Mouse herself.

* * * * *

Wow, pretty freaking cool, no? But wait – it gets even better.

* * * * *

In addition, during the year-long celebration, other Disney dreams both large and small will be awarded in the "Disney Dreams Giveaway" promotion, such as:

* Traveling to each Disney resort around the world to serve as grand marshal in a Disney parade.
* A variety of unique Disney vacation experiences.
* Admission to special parties and other extraordinary experiences in the Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks.
* Private meetings with favorite Disney characters.
* Or, a Golden FASTPASS ticket with unique access entitlements to some of Disney's most popular attractions.

* * * * * *

I probably don’t have to tell you that my arm just about went numb when I read that. One million giveaways? One million exclusive Disney dreams? One million ways to have fun with Mickey & Pals that you’ll never, ever forget?

Excuse me for a minute while I breathe into a paper bag.

Okay, okay, I’m calm now. My pulse is back down to semi-normal, and the tidal wave of adrenaline is slowly ebbing. (You may think I’m kidding about my excitement, but just ask The Lovely Mrs. G. – she knows differently.)

Regardless of how this all plays out, it looks like it’ll be a really incredibly cool promotion. Who wouldn’t want to spend the night in Cinderella’s castle? Oh, sure – I suspect there’s some sourpuss out there who’d bitch about all the noise from the fireworks ruining their night’s sleep, but I know I’d trade a kidney for the honor. (Although I probably wouldn’t sleep at all – I’d spend my time on the balcony looking out and smiling all night.)

So I’ve entered the official sweepstakes, and will continue to do so once a day, per the rules. Because as my dear mother always says, “Someone has to win”. Plus, my odds have to be slightly better than Powerball, don’t you think?

Yes, it’s a tragic curse to be (almost) 41 years old yet still get giddy at the thought of a Disney vacation. But it’s a curse I’m willing to live with until I’m 101.

But I wonder (as I often do when I really should be working): If I won, and if I had my choice, what would my Ultimate Dream Disney Experience be? I mean, I’ve already had a lot of amazing and rare Disney moments. I’ve had a Disneyland parade in my honor. I’ve eaten at Disneyland’s exclusive Club 33 restaurant – twice, in fact. I’ve toured the Disney archives, I’ve got to hold one of Walt Disney’s Academy awards, I got to visit Walt’s Main Street apartment.

So I’ve been incredibly fortunate so far – what could possibly top all of that?

Here’s what I came up with – my Top 3 Disney Dream Wishes. Keep in mind that these are Blue Sky dreams – if anything and everything was mine – all I had to do was ask the Genie.

1 – Grand Marshal in Disney Parades in Every Disney Park – This is actually one of the prizes they’re giving away. There’s 2 parks in California, 4 in Florida, 2 in France, 2 in Japan, and 1 in Hong Kong. I’d be a lot of traveling, but it’d be worth it.

2 – A private party at the Magic Kingdom for me and 1,000 of my closest friends. We’d have the entire park to ourselves – food, attractions, you name it. (Of course, I’d invite all of you – it’s only polite.) The only caveat would be that all of my Disney trivia buddies would also be there, so you’d probably have to put up with an endless stream of trivial babbling from a couple hundred Disney fanatics, but I still think it’d be fun. Besides, I’d probably be the one doing most of the babbling, so there.

3 – I’d like to go back to 1972, to my first visit to Disneyland when I was 7. (Hey, you said I could ask for anything.) I’d like to go on Peter Pan’s flight with my Dad again. I’d like experience that thrill of meeting Mickey for the first time again. (See the above photo – I’d probably wear cooler pants this time.) I’d like to be able to sit next to my parents, have a Pepsi and a bag of Fritos, and watch Wally Boag and Slue Foot Sue at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon again. I’d like to ride through Pirates of the Caribbean with my sisters and brother once more. I’d like to see the 999 happy haunts in the Haunted Mansion through fresh, awed eyes. I’d like to ride through the painted desert with my Mom, and have her point out the painted pots and tumbling rocks and you-can-barely-see-him rattlesnake. Yep, that’s what I’d want.

Of course, I’d somehow have to figure out how to take The Lovely Mrs. G. and Miss Katie in the Wayback Machine with me, because it wouldn’t be a vacation without them.

So there you go – Disney Dreams a-plenty. I’ll keep on dreaming – and entering the contest. And who knows – with a little luck and some pixie dust, maybe I can say “I’m going to Disneyland/Walt Disney World/Disneyland Paris/Tokyo Disneyland/Hong Kong Disneyland!” on Super Bowl Sunday.