The mere mention
of Walt Disney World conjures thoughts of princesses and pirates, mountains
from space or mountains from Nepal, fireworks and parades, adventure, fantasy
and tomorrow, the sounds of Main Street and the scent of popcorn, and of course
– the world’s most beloved characters.
Each of them launching an assault on the senses that engages your
imagination, emotions, and memories. In
fact, there is so much to take in, that it is often very easy to miss what may
be among the best attributes of WDW – detail.
The reality of missing the trees for the forest happens as we rush from
one attraction to the other, all while trying to make it to our next meal
reservation, or avoid spending our last dime on another souvenir. Yet, along with all the other amazing things
that urge us to rush along, WDW offers some of the most amazing opportunities
to stop and appreciate simple beauty.
And, more often than not, those moments are as awe inspiring, momentous,
and enjoyable than any attraction, parade, meal or fireworks show.
Nestled alongside
the Germany Pavilion in World Showcase is – in my humble opinion – one of the
greatest of such opportunities. The
Garden Railway is, in essence, a microcosm of WDW itself. A world unto itself, surrounded on all sides
by reality (of sorts) yet completely oblivious to its presence or its
influence. A neat little world of
orderly beauty and function. Complete
fantasy, yet enough reality to allow relevant connections to the memories,
thoughts, and dreams of those who stop to gaze upon the unknowing inhabitants
of this miniature world.
It is also
fitting that a small, simple, rail themed attraction, serves to capture the
spirit of WDW. After all, it was a miniaturized
railway that helped start Walt down the path of creating attractions. Inspired by Walt’s lifelong love of trains, the
Carolwood Pacific – a 1/8” scale, live steam train – ran along a 2,615 foot
track through Walt’s backyard in Los Angeles.
It was while on a train trip from New York to California, after losing
the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, that Walt had the spark of inspiration
for Mickey Mouse. I guess you could say
that Mickey was born on a train. And, if
it was all started by a mouse, then the WDW connection to railroads is deep and
significant. Knowing this, is it any
wonder that a train is the very mode of transportation that carries guests on a
tour around Disneyland and Walt Disney World; or that a train of the future –
the Monorail – carries guests around the 7 Seas Lagoon, or from the Magic
Kingdom to EPCOT?
Aside from the
significance of trains, this small, unique attraction is awe inspiring because
of its simplistic beauty. I love to
stand along the rails and imagine what it might be like to live in this world. Or, to visit for a time. What might it be like to step out of one of
the shops and stroll in the courtyard behind the Spanish style church? Or tend to a small garden outside a
cottage? Or picnic along the tree line
in the hills? Or camp alongside the river
near the bridges? Who owns that castle
on the hill? Might it be possible to buy
one of the farmer’s pigs to feed my family?
I wonder if I could purchase tulips for my wife from the owner of the
greenhouse? Most importantly, I wonder
if the cottage and farm near the tunnel is for sale! After all, it’s just down the line from the
village and from the church. And, in that
might be the greatest feature of this attraction. It achieves the very thing EPCOT was meant
to. It sparks the imagination of all
those who dare to step away from the main stream hustle and bustle of the “World”
and dream of what could be or what might be.
So, the next time
you are hurrying through the World Showcase, rushing to ride the Maelstrom in
the Norway Pavilion, or to make your reservations at Le Celier in the Canadian
Pavilion, or killing time before your Soarin’ fastpass brings you back to
Future World, stop for a moment and dream about what could be or what might be
if we only had the presence of mind to enjoy the simplistic beauty offered by the
hillside community of the Garden Railway.
In the meantime,
step out of reality and take a ride on the rails through this great
attraction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qtqMgCHkjfw
For more on the
Carolwood Pacific, check out this great video:
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