Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family
history through old photographs.
This week’s Sepia Saturday photo of a parade float takes
me back to the summer of 1995 when we took a family vacation to Disney
World. No one does a parade quite like
Disney. Nothing stops a Disney parade
either, not even a technical problem, and certainly not rain.
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| Here comes the Geni |
We spent this particular rainy day at MGM Hollywood
Studios. As luck would have it, we were
right on time for Aladdin’s Royal Caravan welcoming Prince Ali into the city of
Agrabah. The spectacle of colorful
costumes, fire-eaters, snake charmers, acrobats, dancers, and musicians did not
disappoint.
Even the most discouraged guest bedecked in a plastic
emergency poncho couldn’t help but smile at all the animated floats.
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| Geni in a bathtub |
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| Abu |
The “Prince Ali” theme song built to a crescendo upon the
arrival of Prince Ali and Princess Jasmine.
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| Prince Ali and Princess Jasmine |
But all that paled compared to that singular moment when I caught a glimpse behind the magic.
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| The famous spitting camels |
Do you see it?
Two giant camels were being driven through the streets by
twenty serfs with swinging legs. And
then I saw it. In the third row was one
honest-to-goodness real live human being disguised like the other nineteen
fiberglass characters. The moment I saw
him, it struck my funny bone and I couldn’t control my laughter.
And he saw me too.
He looked right at me, cocking his head and shrugging his shoulders as if to say, “Yeah, I know I look
silly.”
But that’s not the end of it.
Don’t you hate when people cut THROUGH a parade to get to
the other side? Some pushy parents and
two kids in their matching yellow Disney ponchos couldn’t wait. They just had to cross in front of the giant
camels. That’s when my buddy driving the camel float gave me a knowing nod and pressed the button sending a strong shot of camel
spit onto the offending family.
Disney justice.
Disney justice.
For more festivals and parades, follow the crowd to Sepia Saturday. But watch out for spitting
camels.
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights
reserved.
Ha, ha, love the spitting camels - that's what you get for being impatient.
ReplyDeleteYep!
DeleteI'm glad the organizers had a sense of houmour when preparing the parade. Nicely done !
ReplyDeleteThe spitting camels are now a stationary feature - and still spitting.
DeleteOh my goodness, my hubby and I with two of children were at Disney World in June of 1995! We didn't see even a drop of rain though. You are right about their parades too! We were at Disneyland last, in 2011 and I think I even like it better than Disney World!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid watching the Mickey Mouse Club, I LOVED it when they showed film clips of Disneyland. I thought it had to be the best place on earth. Some people say it is.
DeleteI’m sorry it rained on your parade But these are such bright pictures and the spitting camel story is great!
ReplyDeleteIf it weren't for the spitting incident, I probably would have forgotten this parade altogether.
DeleteEnjoyable post of a time of laughter. I've finally thrown out all my old Disney parade photos...just didn't see any reason to hang onto them since they were of little family value. But you did have a good story going along with yours!
ReplyDeleteOf little family value? They might have come in handy for your descendants' future blogs.
DeleteTerrific! Glad to know the parade did not pass you by.
ReplyDeleteHA -- that's right.
DeleteIt must be fun to decorate those floats I think.
ReplyDeleteI imagine just about any job at Disney could be fun.
DeleteLOL! Good One!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious Wendy.
ReplyDeleteI( wonder why he wasn't wearing the same red headwear as the fiberglass dudes to help him blend in a little better.)
What a great time.
Hmm, I thought he was wearing red headwear, but it doesn't look like it in the photo.
DeleteLove the Disney justice! Don't we wish to use that in normal life as well as in Disneyland?
ReplyDeleteYes, where is my spit button?
DeleteThey must use only waterproof materials for the floats at Disney World, or leave some out in bad weather
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point.
DeleteTHOSE spitting camels would be priceless at many events today.....oddly we never took photos of the Disneyland parades we attended...very colorful photos
ReplyDeleteI can think of so many things we did as a family but failed to take photos. What was I thinking?
DeleteVery nice Wendy, you caught a Disney mistake and I didn't think they ever made mistakes! As for the rain, it always rains in Florida and Disney makes a fortune selling those ponchos!
ReplyDeleteDisney certainly doesn't make many!
DeleteOMG...sometimes things just work out perfectly! I especially love it when someone speeds past me in their car only to be pulled over...but I'd rather see a camel spit on them!!
ReplyDeleteYeah - cha-ching!
DeleteThe spitting camels story is great fun, but like Michelle, I, too, wonder why the 'real' serf didn't wear a red head covering to blend in better? Oh well.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I'm glad he didn't. I might have missed the fun.
DeleteGreat story, Wendy -- I'd love to have a spitting camel!
ReplyDeleteA real one? I think you can get a llama or alpaca. They spit and might be easier to take care of.
DeleteWe took our kids to Disneyland a couple of times and were impressed by the parade, but this one looks much more extravagent.
ReplyDeleteI like the light parade at night better -- at least it was when we were last there.
DeleteHaha! Spitting camels. What was the family's reaction?
ReplyDeleteWe've been to Disneyland several times over the years, but never to Disney World. Your family must have had so much fun there, rain or shine.
The family was definitely surprised, but they all burst into laughter and hurried across the street.
Delete