Back to The Magic Kingdom again today to finish off everything we didn't do yesterday.
Many of the attractions are built around animatronic/robotic displays and one of the most impressive was 'The Hall Of Presidents'. Trouble is you have to sit through a potted history of the United States beforehand and it gets to be just too much to take after a while. The patriotism is puke making but the audience, mainly Americans, lapped it up, the patriotism not the puke....(I'm sorry, that was uncalled for wasn't it?)
At the end, the stage curtains part to reveal a robotic life size replica of every president of the US to date and there follows a series of short speeches from a select few of these characters, including Clinton. The models are incredibly life like and they have all been given a life of their own, reacting and responding to what's going on around them. During his speech, Clinton's trousers fall down around his ankles in a very realistic fashion.
It all finishes with a rendition of The Battle Hymn of the Republic and all that stuff about being a free country and there's not a dry eye in the house.
On this second day I realise that the whole of the Magic Kingdom area is a lot smaller than you think once you've got your bearings and you find yourself drifting in and out of the various themed lands without realising it. Everywhere I go Disney people wave, smile and say innocuous things to me and as a large proportion of the male Disney employees are so obviously queer, it's a bit of an effort to reciprocate in the same friendly way back. Not having had much experience as an old queen, all I can do is force a weak smile and shout, "Keep away from me you pervert or I'll punch you in the head". I think that helps establish our relationship in a subtle yet forceful way.
Emma's favourite ride was The Haunted Mansion. A slow ride through various spooky tableaux, all created with remarkably clever hi tech special effects. As the ride is coming to an end you're warned about hitch hiking ghosts and as you pass slowly by a long expanse of mirrored glass you see a ghostly creature sitting in the car with you as you travel along.
Very clever stuff.
At the end of the day in the Magic kingdom, the evening carnival parade is breathtakingly spectacular. It takes place after dark and hits all your senses at once. It's a masterpiece of sound and vision and is a marvellous way to end the day.
Once the parade is over, the fireworks start. Unfortunately Emma and Pauline were in the toilets when the firework display started and they were still in there when it finished so they missed the whole thing. I told them how terrific it had been and tried to describe how it was one of those once in a lifetime not to be missed experiences that I was really glad that I'd had....so I don't think they were too disappointed.
They wouldn't talk to me for a good hour afterwards, so choked up with emotion at my description of the fireworks were they. Even months later after the holiday they still ignore me for hours when I describe the beauty of the display they missed, so evocative is my description but, hell, if you can't share the good times with your family, what can you share?
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