I'll Always Have a Friend Like You, Robin Williams

Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to bid one final farewell to the friend we’ve always had, Robin Williams.

Robin Williams was a friend we grew up with. He was the crossdressing nanny who fought off burglars and shoved his face into a cake. He was the lovable Genie who could make any and all of your wishes true, while encouraging you to bee yourself and to dream. He was the wild man of the jungle who knew everything about the sudden stampede, the very game of survival itself, and how to avoid a ruthless huntsman. He was someone that we could always turn to for a laugh and could make us smile no matter how sad we were.

Robin Williams committed suicide at the tender age of sixty three in his San Francisco home. He had slit his wrists with a pocket knife and hanged himself with a belt.  It’s a painful image to imagine, our childhood icon tossing himself into Death’s arms, especially after attending rehab to maintain sobriety.  Robin Williams has had a long life of struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol, yet with every struggle he has managed to put his vices aside, and make us laugh.

Robin Williams’ death shed light on another demon he had been battling all his life. This demon is known as depression. While it’s rumored that he also suffered from supposedly being bi polar, it was never confirmed. The depression supposedly began when he was addicted to cocaine in the 80s and it haunted him for many, many years. Even his psychologist stated that he was still suffering from depression when he committed suicide.    

The idea of Williams killing himself due to this mental disorder has caused the Internet to burst with concern for others who many suffer from depression and at times, want to end their lives. On Tumblr, suicide hotlines have been posted like wildfire. Upworthy has posted links about depression and articles relating to it. Because of this tragic death, people are worrying for others, offering them a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to listen to when times are tough.  People are opening themselves to strangers and friends, asking them to spill their soul in hopes that they won’t end their lives and it’s all because of Robin Williams.

Not only has the famous actor touched our hearts, but the hearts of those who had the pleasure to work with him. Dante Basco, aka Rufio from “Hook” wrote a farewell letter to him and hoping that he would see him in Neverland someday. Countless of stars, including Gilbert Gottfried, tweeted their respects for Williams. Even Blizzard, the company that brings us World of Warcraft, is planning to memorialize Robin Williams as an NPC within one of their games.

Peter Pan once told us that we should “never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” We say goodbye to Robin Williams who flew away to Neverland one last time, but I assure you that many others, like myself, will never forget him. May he rest in peace and find humor with God beyond the clouds and in our hearts. 

To Infinity and Beyond!

Once again it is Disney Magic Mondays here at The Magical Mystery Blog.

Last week I brought up Fastpasses in my top 5 general tips for travelling to Walt Disney World. Today, I will be highlighting rides that you should DEFINITELY get a Fastpass for. Some parks will have more rides than others because they’re larger and/or contain more rides.

First up, The Magic Kingdom – a land of western wilderness, exotic beauty, whimsical fantasies, and the unpredictable future.

     1)      Peter Pan’s Flight – this actually surprised me when I went to Disney World. For the first three years, I could not get on this ride due to the monstrous crowds. To be honest, I’m not sure why this one was so packed. Other rides like it, Snow White’s Scary Adventures and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh weren't that crowded. At best, they had a 30 minute wait which isn't that bad. Peter Pan’s Flight is a retelling of the Disney classic where you ride in a flying pirate ship. It’s mostly designed for children and nostalgic adults and is located in the Fantasyland part of the Magic Kingdom. There’s nothing scary about it, other than the fact you’re dangling from a bicycle chain.

      2)      Big Thunder Mt. – this is the wildest coaster in the Frontierland section of the Magic Kingdom. You hop on a runaway train that takes you through an abandoned gold mine. Word to the wise: do NOT wear anything on your head for this roller coaster; it will fall off. Like any other coaster it will have its unexpected drops and turns which could scare some children. There are no flips on this Western inspired ride and it even has a ton of interactive gadgets to play with while waiting in line. 

      3)      Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – are you ready to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg? Now’s the time! Not only is it designed for kids who adore Woody’s best friend but for video gamers as well. Board a mini-space craft that takes you deep into space to fight off the Evil Emperor Zurg with laser guns. The more targets you shoot, the higher your score and ranking gets.  This shoot ‘em up ride is situated in Tomorrowland, right next to the Carousel of Progress (a ride which is dull as a bag of bricks).

      4)      Space Mountain – 3,2,1 blast off from Tomorrowland and into the cosmos! Each section of the space ship craft houses three people. This coaster may terrify kids because it’s completely shadowed in the darkness. It also has loud noises like your ship taking off, various cosmic noises, and other sounds that may irk them. Like any other coaster, it too has its sudden drops, twists, and turns throughout the galaxy but it’s a classic Disney ride. 

      5)      Splash Mountain – hang onto your ear hats, you’re going down the Briar Patch! Anyone remember the Disney flick Song of the South from 1946? Well, that’s basically what this ride is centered around. Board a log and follow Br’er Rabbit escape the clutches of Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox only to wind up in the thorny Briar Patch. Word to the wise: You WILL get wet on this ride but it’s a matter of where you sit depends how drenched you’ll be. The first two rows usually get soaked, the third row gets somewhat wet, and the back row doesn’t get that drenched.  There are a few miniature drops leading up to the fifty two foot drop.

Next up, The Animal Kingdom – a distant, foreign land of beasts and mystery.

      

      6)      Expedition Everest -  journey into the Himalayan mountains to discover the ferocious Yeti and escape his savage wrath. No sooner this ride opened up, lines were flooded with crowds wanting to experience the ride’s unexpected backward plunge, changing tracks, drastic drops, heavy attention to detail, and one smooth as ice animatronic. This ride only ventures briefly into the dark which shouldn't scare children too much, other than the sudden encounter with the Yeti.

      7)      Kali River Rapids – this one is especially crowded during the summer because it’s a wet ride and people use it to cool off. You jump into a large raft, pile all your belongings in the middle storage circle, and hold on for a rough and tough ride through the rain forest. There are drops, turns, and elephants spouting water from their trunks. It’s a fun family ride that WILL get you wet but that greatly helps with the summer heat.

      8)      Dinosaur – rawr means danger in dinosaur and on this ride, danger is no exception. With every jolt of your jeep and every twist and turn, you’ll stumble upon various prehistoric creatures. Escape from the vicious jaws of a tyrannosaurus rex and survive the last day of the dinosaurs. This ride is also in the dark with flashes of light from meteors and spotlights focusing on numerous beasts. These effects may scare children so it's best to ride with them.

Now onto Hollywood (MGM) Studios – a movie town filled with films of yesteryear and modern times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHkPMA-axjA (This is where my Google decided to lag on me but I assure you this is an epic commercial for a ride).

      9)      The Twilight Zone’s Tower of Terror – imagine boarding an elevator shaft, your next stop the Twilight Zone. Explore the cursed Hotel Bates and discover what happened on a tragic stormy night back in 1939 Encased in the darkness, you climb multiple floors before dropping from the highest level of 170 ft into the shadows below. This ride lives up to its slogan of, “Never the same fear twice” because every time you board it, it’s a different riding experience. You may drop seven times one time and five another. As for myself, I usually lose count when I start screaming. I recommend going on this with children because this ride is completely in the dark and the only thing protecting them is a seat belt.

      10)   Aerosmith’s Rockin Roller Coaster - walk this way onto a rockin coaster, baby! Climb into this stretch limo and speed through Los Angeles to catch an Aerosmith coaster. With Aerosmith tunes blasting in your ears you'll flip, dive, and turn while clinging to your harness. This ride is completely in the dark with flashes of scenery, leading up to a red carpet that you walk out onto, just in time for a brief glimpse of an Aerosmith concert. 

      11)   Toy Story Midway Mania – join Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and friends throughout this carnival themed ride. Board a vehicle for four and shoot your way through 3D midway based games like darts, ring toss, and tons of others. The more you hit, the higher your score gets, and determines what “prize” you win from the ride.

Lastly, EPCOT : The Experimental Prototype Community (or City) Of Tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MIS4S5FJMs (The last Youtube video of the night.)

    12)   Mission : SPACE – ever wanted to be an astronaut growing up but never followed through with it? Here’s your chance to fulfill that dream. Climb into a space ship with five others and journey to Mars. In this ride, you will take on various roles as you explore the red planet. You will feel the anti-gravity as you jump from rock to rock, the upward aerial charge from the lift off, the four gs stretching your face and freezing your hands, and the many sounds that come with it all. This is a pretty intense ride, so much so that when it debuted many were sick or suffering from whiplash. Nowadays, people may receive the same results from riding this but not many. 

      13)   Soarin – hang gliding over California can be a beautiful experience. Doing it under a roof can be a bit challenging but not at Walt Disney World. In the Land Pavilion of EPCOT, lies a flight simulator ride that takes you over California and allows you to experience everything wonderful about it. Raising you only fifteen to thirty feet off the ground, you’ll be gently pushed by the wind over the sea, above the orange groves, and into the sky. You’ll be taken by wonder over, sideways, and under on this ride. The only scary thing about it is the sudden upward motion when your hang glider takes off. It only lasts for a few seconds but other than that, it’s a relaxing flight of fantasy.

      14)   Test Track – just updated for your driving pleasure, this ride allows you to drive a car without any insurance. In this ride you are the crash test dummies to your own customizable car which takes you through a Tronesque test track to see how your vehicle would hold up through bumps, oncoming trucks, and other obstacles. While this ride is in the dark, it has plenty of light to see what’s going on so there’s no need for fear.

Based on my experiences, these rides are the most crowded. Get a Fastpass for the ones you really want to go on, which is a bit of a hard selection as seeing these are fantastic rides. Each ride has a unique experience that you will never forget, even when your Disney days are over.