I'm making an Alice costume for Halloween. I'm basing it on the Alice costume in the Mad T Party stage show at Disneyland. I know it's only June, but when you're making a costume it's best to get a head start. Here's a picture of the costume I'm basing my own off of:
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I'm going to try to emulate the one on the right...
In case you weren't sure. |
Anyhow, my love of Alice is nothing new, and it actually started a long time ago. Ever since I was little I've LOVED Alice In Wonderland. I was actually Alice for Halloween one year. There should be pictures around here somewhere... AHA!!! Here we go.
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Day of Halloween when I was about 3...
Obviously not time for Trick or Treats yet. |
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| My mom and I ... Almost time for Trick or Treats. |
And I mean LOVE... I made my family watch the Disney cartoon at least 3-4 times per week. And I would act out parts of it, while the movie was playing.
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"Don't... Step... On... The... Momeraths...
The Momeraths?!?" |
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This phrase would become the hallmark of my growing up years.
If only I had realized it sooner. :P |
Anyhow, my love affair with Alice in Wonderland wasn't limited to the movie.
I've always loved the Mad Hatter's Teacups at Walt Disney World. (My mom used to work for Disney, and absolutely adores everything about Disney, and as such, I've been indoctrinated in Disney culture, and have been to all the Disney parks... Except for the one in China... But that'll get checked off some day.)
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| Disneyworld Teacup Ride. |
When I was almost 5 I got to go to Disneyland for the first time.I had only ever been to Disneyworld before, so it was a new experience, and clearly I was determined to have fun.
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My Daddy and I in Minnie's house in Toontown.
Just look at that face.
This is actually probably my favorite picture of me as a kid. |
They have Spinning Teacups there too!
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| Disneyland's Teacups. |
They also have a ride!!! :D
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| Alice In Wonderland: Ride Edition! |
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This pic is from 1958. The Alice in Wonderland ride
is at the bottom of the picture, you can see part of the track. |
And then when I was 6, we went to Paris Disneyland. They were celebrating their 5th anniversary. The castle was made up like a giant court jester. I loved it.
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| Well, many jesters really... |
And they had a Teacups ride there too!!!!
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| Paris Disneyland's Teacups |
However the coolest thing about Paris Disneyland for 6 year old me was the fact that there was an entire area in Fantasyland dedicated to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
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| A model of the Alice section of Paris Disneyland. |
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| The Castle of the Queen of Hearts |
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| It's like you're in the Wonderland Forest!!! |
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| And there's a Hedge Maze!!!! |
The hedge maze was really cool, and seemed absolutely gigantic. But I was like 4 feet tall, so, everything was huge. But it was still probably one of the coolest experiences of my life. There were characters hidden in the maze, so it was like a giant look and find. I don't remember much of the rest of the park. But I definitely have memories of the hedge maze.
Some years went by and I visited Walt Disney World many more times.
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| Back when regular people were allowed to ride in the front of the monorails. |
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| Miss Piggy and Moi! |
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| My mom and I with Phil. |
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I'm a Cheetah! Rawr!
I think this was from our trip to Disneyworld
shortly after Animal Kingdom opened. |
And every time I rode the teacups. Sometimes by myself, because the spinning made my parents sick, and I refuse to go on unless I can spin. The teacups are by no means my favorite ride, but they are special to me because they are from the Alice in Wonderland story. That and I like to spin until I can't walk a straight line to save my life. (Not that I can walk a straight line when I'm not dizzy as hell, it's just funnier when I am.)
Coming up: Part Two of My Own Wonderland
In which I explore the years 11-20. (Spoiler Alert: I go to Tokyo Disney.)
