Disneyland Part 2 – Lines and Gifts

Abby has the gift of gab.
Every line we stood in that was longer than 20 minutes ended with a goodbye to a new friend.
All but one line ended in a ride or a meal.
Two lines ended in new toys.
* The girl in front of us on Space Mountain gave Abby her (whale) dolphin.
* A woman in front of us on Toads Adventure gifted Abby a small Tinkerbell for her pocket.
Four Japanese girls on holiday wearing Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, and Tigger ears thought Abby looked like Dakota Fanning and took their pictures with her, teaching her the Japanese word for cute.

But some of the best gifts were untouchable.

On the first day Abby was startled and scared by the menacing characters of her first indoor Disneyland ride, Pinocchio. At the end of the ride, she was crying pretty hard. Alison, an attendant at the end of the ride heard her crying and asked us what happened. She immediately gave us the lowdown on the remaining rides, Peter Pan and Snow White. Then she took the step that makes Disneyland real. She said,

Abigail? Do you like Peter Pan?
Yes [between sobs]
Well why don’t you come with me and let’s take a ride on the flying ship with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.

Alison proceeded to take us up to the exit and straight onto Peter Pan without the 30 minute delay of the rest of the line. And when we were done with that we were told we had a spot in Snow White if we wanted. Abby was good after Peter Pan and didn’t ride Snow White until the last day but Alison made an impression on Ang and I.

Abby is particularly fond of Ariel, Snow White, and Cinderella but now Alice in Wonderland has a special place. On day four, we saw Alice and The Mad Hatter dashing across the plaza, grabbing attention and navigating small children and strollers. Abby saw her and I encouraged her to run over and “catch her up”.
She did, and after the brief hug and picture that followed Abby just stood there and watched the next kids getting autographs and the requisite clever quips in Madhatterese.
Every time Alice looked towards Abby, Abby waved.
One woman, whose daughter was waiting patiently behind Abby encouraged Abby to take her turn. Abby said

I already did.
Oh, I thought…well…but you kept on waving at her.

Alice heard the exchange and turned to the woman and said,

Because she’s my friend.

Abby and I looked at each other with wide eyes.

[matter of factly]I’m her friend.
You sure are honey.

Shortly, her purposeful lingering was further rewarded. Abby was approached by the Mad Hatter this time and then Alice joined in for a 2-3 minute conversation about tea cups and riddles and other things Wonderland. Considering the other pressures on their time that may as well have been an evening dinner.

It was real and all because she was her friend.