Thursday, February 18, 2010

Goodbye Toon Town Fair

As many of you know I am obsessed with all things Disney. In fact in one point and time this whole blog was going to be dedicated to Disney. Well I scrapped the idea of doing all Disney all the time, but there are somethings I just must share.

Today is a very sad day for me, and yes I cried. (for real) Today Mickey's Toon Town Fair closes forever. I know your laughing at me... and I am okay with that.

Mickey's Toon Town Fair has not always been Toon Town Fair it was originally used for Mickey's 60th Birthday Party in 1988. There were no permnet buildings at the time just tents to make you feel like you were attending a special party. "Mickey's Birthdayland" helped attract people who were waiting just one more year (the year MGM, now Hollywood Studios would open) for their family vacation. Well it was such a success that the party couldn't stop after the 18 planned months of Mickey's 60th Birthday. (BTW this is the LAST birthday Mickey will ever celabrate. Disney doesn't want people to thing Mickey is old, rather he is cool hip and relevant) The area was then renamed Mickey's Starland in 1990. Starland was to be centered around the famous after school cartoon line up of Duck Tales, Gummi Bears, Goof Troop etc. At this point and time the number one complaint of guests was that they were not able to have a meet and greet with Mickey. At the same time guests were no longer visiting the Starland part of the park. So Disney had to make changes quickly.

Disney settled on the idea of Toon Town Fair were everything was bigger then life and centered around The Fab Five's trip to the county fair after growing all their veggies. Toon Town Fair opened on October 1,1996, the same year as Disney's World's 25th anniversary. As you first enter you see Pete's garage (aka the bathroom) with fine details including the drinking fountain hooked up to an oil can. Up to the right you can go to Goofy's Winsere Farm and help Goofy crop dust his plants in his plane that goes terrible wrong and ends up going right threw this barn. (This is a children's roller coaster) Across the street you can walk threw Minnie's Country House. This house is so much more to us crazy Disney people. All the pictures on the wall are cels of past animators who have past away. You can press Minnies answering machine and hear a very special message. As you leave Minnie's house and look across the street you will see Donald's boat (S.S Daisey) dry docked but springing water leaks out all over it. Right next to Minnie's House is Mickey's Country House which again is filled with great Disney details and special additions. Once you are out the back door and into Mickey's garden you are only feet away from Mickey's judging tent and your chance for a Meet and Greet. Here is where so many dreams come true.

You maybe thinking "thanks for the history lesson ... and why did you cry about this?" Well here is why: January 1997 was my very first trip to Disney World. Toon Town was only 4 months old and I can still remember walking threw both Mickey and Minne's houses with my dad behind me with the video camera. We were all in awe of the awesomeness. I clearly remember waiting in line in the judging tent watching the cheesy cartoons. Then the doors opened and Mickey was standing there in his overalls with a giant blue ribbon pinned on him. I chocked back my tears and knew I would never forget that moment. October 2002 was my honeymoon and as Keith and I left the judging tent I was holding in my tears, (again) The Walt Disney World Express steam train pulled up and blew his whistle at the same time my dad called to see if I had met Mickey yet and I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I sat on a bench and cried my eyes out because I was drowning in everything Disney and I couldn't be happier. I had these same feelings the first time I took Ryan, Emmalee, and my nephew Dylan to meet Mickey. My other memory from Toon Town is Ryan on the Barnstormer. He was so scared of the roller coaster. I can still hear Ryan's deep uncontrollable laugh from the first time Keith and Ryan rode the Barnstormer and his fist words were "can we do it again right now?" When we took Ryan for his free before three trip Keith and ryan rode this ride over and over. On our last trip in November Ryan had no interest in the Barnstormer but rather rode Everest at Animal Kingdom. Sadly Em was a bit short to ever be able to ride the Barnstormer.

I know Disney always does bigger and better but I hope when I go back in 2012 (when all the toon town / fantasyland changes will be complete) I will be able to create new wonderful memories in new amazing lands.

Good Bye Toon Town... Thanks for the great memories.

Disney Trivia of the day: How many Steam engines are at the Magic Kingdom? Can you name the steam train(s) at the Magic Kingdom? The answers will be in the next blog.

2 comments:

  1. OK, here is my guess. There are 4. Lilly Belle, Roy O. Disney, Roger E. Broggie and Walter E. Disney. Are you impressed?

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