In Doc's World - Chapter One

I am a member of the Music City NFFC; the local chapter of the National Fantasy Fan Club. At this time our group is small enough that we can meet in various members’ homes – which is good since Mr. & Mrs. Doc occupy a rather small home. I enjoy offering our address as a meeting place as it gives me an opportunity to share my Disney collection with others who either collect or have an appreciation of things Disney.

The majority of my collection occupies my office upstairs. This is due mostly to a promise I made to my wife to try and contain the majority of what I have in one room. This is hard to do since every trip brings new additions and friends and family help add to the assortment of treasures from time to time. Consequently, some things have found other areas of the house to be displayed. It is part of the A.L.D.I.E.R. Initiative that is under way In Doc’s World. The A.L.D.I.E.R. Initiative proposes to place A Little Disney In Every Room.

Chapter One has is roots in a 1992 (or was it 1994) trip to Walt Disney World. Tucked away in a small corner, just off of our living room, is homage to one of our favorite cities, Paris. There you’ll find a paper model of the Eiffel Tower that I found in Galerie Des Halles. For a time there were several models you could choose from. I purchased the Eiffel Tower and Mont St. Michel. To date, only the Eiffel Tower has been constructed. The Mont St. Michel model resides on a shelf along with models of the Opera and Notre Dame that I picked up while on a visit to Paris. The small resin buildings could be found in La Signature. The sculptor is J. Carlton working in association with Dominique Gault.

Over the next few weeks I hope to share more chapters from Doc’s World. I hope, too, that some may provide an interesting anecdote here and there.

More to follow…

World Showcase: The Flag Pins

Used to be that you could purchase a small pin representing the flag or flags of each country around the World Showcase. I came away from that first walk "around the world" with my first Disney pins.

I thought I had lost these until earlier this year I found them tucked away in a small box atop a bookcase. I stuck them on an old bluejean jacket and wore them proudly during 50id.

If you remember these pins I hope you look back in time.

“The Beginnings: My First Visit”

The last visit I made to Walt Disney World was in April of this year. It was for the occasion of my 50th birthday. It became known among my family and friends as the “Fifty in Disney” Celebration, or 50id for short. My next visit will be in eleven days. As I look forward to this next visit and all that I wish to accomplish with it, I think back to first trip. The memories I have from that trip continue to be relived with every new visit.

My first trip was in the spring of 1972. I was in the 9th grade and Walt Disney World was still less than one year old. My father had borrowed a motor home and packed up the family for a two week journey around Florida. Packed into that motor home were my mom and dad, my younger sister, my grandparents and me. The whole affair was quite an adventure.

Our circular trip around Florida allowed for one day very full day in the Magic Kingdom. We took the monorail over to the park and remember being fascinated with going through a hotel. As I remember it, the park was very crowded and I was hampered by just recently having had a cast removed from my leg. I also remember that my grandfather was so concerned that my grandmother would have her pocketbook stolen in the crowds. His solution was to carry it for her. He had the handles tight over his shoulder and the bag firmly tucked under his arm. No one bothered the purse, but he did get more than a few enquiring looks.

We were in Adventureland on our way to see the Enchanted Tiki Room. We stopped to listen to a group of musicians playing steel drums. My grandfather insisted that the music was being piped through hidden speakers (most likely from behind the tiki statues) as it was impossible for music to come from an oil drum.

Some of my memories have faded over the years, but I have wonderful ones that are still with me. I remember going to the Country Bear Jamboree and the Hall of Presidents (my grandparent’s favorite). We visited the 999 Grim Grinning Ghosts, and went 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Captain Nemo. I still miss that ride. I feel fairly certain that we rode on Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel.

No matter how old I become I will never forget the first time I rode Peter Pan’s Flight. I remember being amazed at hearing Peter say “Off to Never Land” and the rounding the corner to fly over London. All of those tiny lights were simply magic to me and now no day in the Magic Kingdom is complete without taking a ride in a flying galleon through the story of Pan. Each time I am struck by the sight of London and find it impossible to set back during the ride; I am always on the edge of my seat.

My only souvenir from that first trip was a letter opener my parent’s bought for me in the gift shop in Cinderella’s Castle. It is called Fantasy Faire now, but then I believe it was known as The King’s Gallery. I still have it and use it to open my mail. If only I had kept the ticket booklet.

While I am proud to be able to say I was there the year that it opened, I don’t think I fully appreciated what I was experiencing. If memory is any indication then I know I didn’t.

I do know that deep down inside of me a little magic was born that day. It was to lay dormant for quite a few years as I finished school and did those things that “grown ups” do. It was in 1989 when I became a lost boy once again and the magic was given its freedom and it began to grow. But that is another story for another time.