I wasn't going to start my blog writing about a three-paragraph magazine article about "The top 100 ideas, people, places, and things that are making life in the West better right now," but I couldn't believe what I read last night. I picked up the Sunset habit at an early age, due to my parents' having a subscription as long as I can remember. I have a subscription of my own now, though I occasionally wonder why, as the magazine has apparently been taken over by yuppie hipsters. (They were just yuppies before, but at least they had some nice vacation destinations I could daydream about--now everything involves spas and learning how to farm.) So, I was quite surprised to read a defense of Disneyland, one of my favorite places. (Obviously--in case you didn't pick up on that, it's the "Park" in the title of this blog.)
I went to Disneyland occasionally as a child, of course, growing up in Los Angeles, but not frequently. I remember visiting Disneyland's neighbor, Knott's Berry Farm, more often. In recent years, however, I've become downright obsessed with the place. This is, perhaps, a sign that I need to travel more, but it's awfully convenient right there in Anaheim! Many adults don't seem to understand how other adults can love Disneyland so much. What's not to love? There are fun attractions, delicious things to eat, and friendly people everywhere! Where else can you walk down a clean street, full of happy people, humming a jaunty tune? The cleanliness and friendly staff seem to be part of what some people feel is wrong with Disneyland--it's too artificial. I say, that's the whole point! It's a place to escape reality for a while--you don't have to move in! I appreciate the effort Disneyland employees put forth to create a pleasant environment that can be enjoyed by a diverse group of thousands, everyday.
So, here, in much more eloquent writing than mine, is "the case for Disneyland," from Sunset Magazine:
"So give in. Brave the lines. Let yourself go. Because somewhere, say on Nemo's submarine, you'll feel gratitude for pop culture that exalts rather than demeans. And you'll grasp the essential Disneyland secret: All the pains the park takes are taken just for you."