Guest Author Sunday-Tamela Hansen

Guest Author Sunday

Tamela Hansen

Disney Gals welcome back one of our favorite Honorary Gals Tamela Hansen. Congratulations to Tamela for undertaking and completing a walk on behalf of Lupus on Saturday! So proud of you for always "believing in the possibilities and living your dreams!"

Hi it's Tamela Hansen from Alabama.  I just am so excited to talk about a subject that is endless.  Making special memories while on rides and watching different attractions!  This is a topic I could talk about forever but I will try to keep it to a minimum!  No promises!

As a child, teenager, young adult, wife, and mother with every stage of life the rides and attractions at Walt Disney World bring about new experiences.  As a child I always look forward to being old enough to ride different rides or maybe BRAVE enough.  Then the day comes when you accomplish all the Mountains at Magic Kingdom, Wow what an achievement!  Then O'my what a difference a shy teenage girl is after she has participated on stage in front of an audience.  That's one way to overcome shyness.  These are experiences that we encounter while at attractions and on rides at Walt Disney World, and they mold us into the people we are today. 

When I married my husband, who does not have a shy bone in his body, we went to Walt Disney World for our first year anniversary.  Wow did the special memories increase!  At Hollywood studios back in the 90's the backlot tour was a little different.  Instead of the boat an airplane attack scene they had a different movie they were directing.  Of course my husband volunteered he was " that guy"!  They dressed him up in a coat and hat put him on a bicycle and had him move to different commands.  Then 1,2,3 he was in the MOVIES.  He has taught our children to be no different.

Experiencing a ride, show, or even Toontown for the first time is amazing for a one year old.  My son Daelan could not understand why he could not get the food out of Minnie Mouse's refrigerator.

  The poor child tried and tried but it just did not come out!  Of course dad and I were laughing!  Another special memory is the first time you let your 5 year old son and 3 year old son ride the teacups by themselves together.

My 5 year old, Daelan was spinning the teacup so fast that my 3 year old Landen was down in the seat.  Of course the worry wart of a mom that I am as soon as the ride stopped I rushed over to find my 3 year old Landen laughing so hard that he had hiccups!  Then there's the first time your child can reach the peddle to drive their very own car at the Speedway.  The joy in their face is priceless!

As a family we have grown and I mean GROWN!  The heavier we are each time we ride Primeval Whirl we get a whole new Spin on the ride!  Then, oh yes, I must admit it!  It does not matter how many times I ride it or how prepared I am it always gets me.  DINOSAUR!!!  The dinosaur roars  and I jump but it makes for a good picture at the end of the ride! 

We have also enjoyed several Grand gatherings and they're always exciting when it comes to rides and attractions.  So of course I have a special memory to go with that.  My grandfather at 85, my mother, my two sons, and myself went for a twirl on the Magic Carpet Ride.  We had one kid in the front and one kid in the back.  As the carpet ascended up up up and we begin to spin my grandfather and mother were enjoying the ride.  Then my two monkeys discovered the buttons in the front and the back that made the  carpet go up and down and tilt.  Boy do I wish we had a picture for that.  My mother and grandfather could not figure out what was going on, the carpet was tilted going up and down and then every time we came near the camel he seem to spit on us!  My boys and I were laughing so hard and my poor mother and grandfather could not figure out what was going wrong with our carpet!  I explain to them it was the kids when we got off the ride but I think we got the last laugh! 

I have one more special memory and I have to share it, I have definitely saved the best for last!  It was Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and we had just made it in before they shut the gate.  So of course course we were sitting on the back row.  A cast member came out and asked everyone in the audience if anyone wanted to participate in todays show.  Then all of a sudden my husband lunged from his seat into the air and with his thunderous voice announced "MEEEEE".  So of course he was chosen.  They took all the participants dressed them then brought them back in to introduce them to the crowd and to get a laugh.  They test their acting skills to see who was the most exaggerated and expressive person that they had recruited.  Of course my husband Dale was chosen.  They told him that he would have to act out a death scene.  The cast member directed Dale to approach him and that he would shoot Dale and Dale was to die a slow death.  Unfortunately he did not know what a spotlight seeker my husband is.  So Dale approach the cast member and the cast member shot Dale.  Dale grabbed his leg and began to hop on his other leg .
cast member shot him again, Dale grabbed  his shoulder and continue to hop on one leg while holding his shoulder.  The cast member said "Dale you are supposed to Die" so he shot Dale again.  Dale pretended to be shot in the chest and S L O W L Y fell to the ground.  When Dale was on the ground the cast member announced that this was  "the  Death Scene", but Dale was not done!  Dale began to flip and flop all over the ground.  So of course he was shot again and again and again then in a Slow Jerking motion Dale died!  That was a memory that the entire audience will never forget.  The cast member said " We should rename this - Dale's Death Scene-". That is Dale in the picture with the pointed hooded robe at the far right. 

Every trip to Walt Disney World provides new special memories with every ride and every show you watch.  There are so many photo opportunities that you can take advantage of  year after year.  Through the years we have grown up sticking our heads out of Bruce's mouth at the Finding Nemo Pavilion in Epcot.  My children have grown up with their height being measured by the surfboard at the Polynesian Resort. 

Like I said, I could write a book on just this one sentence but as you can tell Walt Disney World is never short of providing more special memories than a lifetime can fit!  It's waiting on YOU!