My Disney Article for Newspaper

    Happiest Place on Earth

    After months of strenuous organization, fundraising, and memorization the Glide High School music department was able to make their trip to Disneyland. This year, unlike the trip two years ago, the GHS choir was able to tag along, as well. And, as it just so happens to have ... happened, I got to go along, too. The following is a very brief account of the 2005 Disney Magic Music Days trip as described by a choir member.
    Preparing myself for the bus on that snippy March 21st, my mother and I scuttled out the door promptly at 7:40 P.M. to make the pre-appointed time. Halfway to Glide, I realized I had forgotten my tuxedo. D'oh! Arriving at around 8:20 P.M. (plus or minus one hour, my mind is a little hazy), I was surprised to find that I hadn't missed choir rehearsal. Following the short rehearsal, everyone's bags were inspected for drug and sex paraphernalia none of which to my knowledge was found. Luckily they didn't check my socks, muwahaha.
    Finally, at around 9:05 P.M. we loaded onto our cruise bus, the lovely S.S. Experience Oregon. Her majestic crew of one would service our every need while EO barreled down the highway on our some 13-hour ride. Let me just say that the trip down was a lot more enduring than the return. Menopausal-like body temperature changes and weather, foreign smells permeating from who-knows-where, and the cabin fever bickering of some musicians made the going rough. We did, however, stop for many entertaining restroom breaks at areas with immense water pressure, able to wash away even the most grotesque of public waste (and babies).
    Arriving in Los Angeles around 2 P.M. the following day, we made it to our home away from home, the Parkside Inn and Suites several hours later. Let's just say that if we got an "inn," I'm afraid to see what a "suite" looked like. Disturbingly discolored carpet, fecal spatterings near the heater, a strange hole in the top comforter, and mysterious black shavings and hair between both sheets made me feel right at home, or something. As I later found out, our room was the worst of them. While the others had been updated to fairly modern standards, our room, which was shared by seven boys, was in the Stone Age. The only commendations I can give are of the smoke detector above my head, although I don't know if it was operational. The bathrooms, while new looking, had a shower head five feet tall (if you've ever watched "Lost in Translation" then you'll know what I mean) and a toilet seat that fell off and a toilet handle that was broken, although which could be finagled to work. A friendly immigrant woman with portable TV served breakfast promptly at 7. Viva le Telemundo!
    Moving away from our wonderful hotel, which wasn't all that bad, our first night involved dinner and a show at Medieval Times in the themed restaurant part of Anaheim. The people sang, the men jousted, and Princess Esperanza lavished her fans with hand waves. Oh, yes, the hand waves {gurgle noises}. Anyway, the show was very nice, the food was delightful, and the wenches were wenchful. I took pictures.
    March 23 gave us our first opportunity to enter the park, and what an enterance it was. The band was playing, the monorail was railing, and a giant carnation Mickey Mouse head greeted every race, color, and nationality that dared entered. Around every corner a souvenir stand could be found peddling the same unreasonably priced assortment of goods. A hotdog and bag of chips cost $7.50. I was now in the happiest place on Earth.
    At around 1 P.M. that day the choir was called back to Toon Town for our clinic session with a man who taught us to be energized in the face. It was a magical experience. We then recorded our Fantasmic Finale song and scooted out of there.
    The next day choir performed at around 3 P.M. at Carnation Plaza in the heart of Disneyland. Clouds had begun to pour rain droplets, which gave us a captive audience for about thirty seconds. We performed well, and the entire experience was unbelievable. Us, the GHS choir, performing live inside Disneyland for potentially thousands of people to hear. It was the-dream-I-never-had come true!
    March 25 was ours to just enjoy. We had our three-day park-hopper passes ready and some cash to spend; it was great. I got to see California Adventure, Disneyland, and Downtown Disney. I even got to see the ESPN Zone before a woman gave birth to a baby two days later in their restrooms. The Aladdin play at Hyperion Theatre was especially memorable. Goofy, Buzz Lightyear, Cinderella, Aurora, The Rabbit, Pinocchio, and many others were there, too. Even Ariel came out of the water to grace us with her seashell-covered presence. All of the rides you would think of were there, including the teacups and Splash Mountain. Every night, promptly at 9 o'clock, Disney would glorify the sky with a fountain of light, which poured from behind Sleeping Beauty Castle. Their firework finale lit the entire park and awed everyone who gazed upon it even after the third time. Disneyland was everything I had hoped it to be, and more.
    Dragging ourselves back to the bus, we had to go at 7 P.M. Our magical journey was nearing its end, and a 13-hour stretch of highway lay ahead of us. As stated before, the return trip went much faster, probably because we were all too tired to remember much of it. 19 postcards, five disposable cameras, a couple hundred dollars, and five Yoohoos later, we were home.
    Being in choir has really changed my life, and I appreciated Mr. Graham for "forcing" me to join. I will never forget this experience and hope to return again one day. Our choir sang to the best of our abilities at the time, and I'm proud of the how we did. All in all, this is definitely my favorite Spring break and the first vacation of this kind I've ever had. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Graham, the parents of GHS musicians, the Governator, and the creators of Yoohoo for making my California adventure one of the most magically happy events of my life. And yes, this is very brief. Choir rocks!
    "Wunderbar…diese Disney Phantasie"