Brent defends Disney.

I feel that while this isn't direly important, it needs to be on the table.

Disney gets a lot of hate. These days it's seems that the name"Disney" has essentially because synonymous with "corporate juggernaut" or "teenage exploitation factory" or "soul-sucking entity" and the like.

I've slowly become a frequenter of the Disney parks. There are many Orlando residents who do the same. Investing in an Annual Pass is a pretty good idea, considering you basically pay a (discounted) flat fee and have somewhere you can go anytime you desire without having to pay for anything (except for food.) Don't have anything to do? Let's go to Disney World. Just walk around for a while. For free. Meanwhile you get to see all walks of life, people from other countries, and families acting genuinely happy. All rare things to see these days.

Back to the original point. I think that people forget that Disney is not just Disney Channel. It's not Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron parading around trying to steal money out of your wallet and devour your imagination.

It's funny, because the whole "corporate juggernaut" entity certainly is there, and I've noticed that it seems to be a tongue-in-cheek sort of joke with a lot of the employees. Anyone with any sense knows that, yes, Disney is trying to sell you merchandise pretty much everywhere you turn. And, sure enough, people (usually tourists) will buy it and it works. Disney does shove the business aspect of their entity in your face. But it's up to the dear park guest not to give in. The fact is that they know how to make money, they do make money, they will continue to make money, and, once again, it works. And people hate it. I've accepted it.

I was always a Universal Studios kid when I was younger. But going back to Disney now that I'm older I've found that all of the attractions that I once found "boring" or "educational" now catch my attention. Plus I enjoy the atmosphere, I guess. It's just a fun place to be.

The second (and most common) complaint about Disney is that "it's not what it used to be." It's true. Time's have changed, sure. The "newer" movies such as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and other Pixar creations aren't exactly the traditional heartwarming tales that we grew up with, and they may focus more on the entertainment aspect of things, but I'll be damned if they aren't fantastic films. When we think of Disney as an innovator of "art" we think of films such as Fantastia. Look at Wall-E. It managed to break so many aethetic and "normal" conventions in the world of animation just as Disney's older work. Sure, we grew up on The Lion King and Alladin, as well as the other various films of the "Disney Renissance." Watch them again. You'll still be amazed.

I don't know where I'm going with this. I guess it's my response to the awkward and cynical comments I get when I tell people that I go to Disney and still have fun. Yes, I know that we're college students that are supposed to (as Eddie Murphy once said) party all the time (party all the time, party all the time.) Our collective should be putting rings in our noses and getting tribal tattoos. We should be shaking our fists and yelling at things. I have nothing against that. I enjoy the conventional, "college" fun. But the social scene this semester just isn't the same as it used to be. The climate has changed. I've found myself spending my weekends with Mickey Mouse, or perhaps colorful characters and sounds (concerts) of Downtown Orlando (some hobos, too) and truly enjoying myself. Although Ticketmaster fees and I-4 can be a bit of a drag. But there really is nothing like rushing back to a parking garage after a show with a crowd of people, irrationally (or maybe not) fearing the random hobos and bar patrons on your 1/3 mile trek.

On a completely unrelated note, I spent all week trying to find a fan. Yes, a fan. But apparently fans "aren't in season." Heaters are, though. We found one at Wal-Mart, which was probably the first place we should have tried. But really, fans aren't one of those things that "go out of season." This is Florida. Come on.