This trip I finally had the opportunity to visit Ariel. If you were following me on my last trip, I was so busy in the five days finding Carli a car and a room for rent that there was no time for Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Now, as Carli has settled in, it’s my turn. This time, Carli will be my guide.
Grandma Sue, Ariel, Woody
When I left her last summer, she had just begun reading the Disney Princess manual. But before she introduced me to her good friend Ariel, I had to get acquainted with a few “sculpted” characters.
A sculpted character wears a big head over their own little head and an awkward costume. In that time, I met Mr. Smee (Cpt. Hook), Mr. Penguin (Mary Poppins), Elasta Girl (The Incredibles), and Jessie (Toy Story).
Wearing big heads and the proper, sometimes uncomfortable, costumes, these characters are in constant motion with profiled character poses, gestures, and acting skills. On top of that, they need to learn the autographs of each character and write them for the guests with their huge, clunky gloved hands. The acting part was easy, the autographs more difficult.
I’m not sure how Mr. Penguin or Elasta Girl autograph books for their guests but Mr. Smee drops an anchor, Ariel draws bubbles, and Jesse lassos her name with a rope. With practice, autographs become automatic with each request.
I’m excited to sit with Ariel on that giant clamshell in the grotto and get an autograph. Later on in the week, I’ll see Jessie, Woody’s girl, in the parade.
Thanks Carli for the grand tour with your friends at the Magic Kingdom. They are all quite the characters and always make me smile.
…Best fishes
From the Happiest Place on Earth
