Disneyland and the Lucky Ducks

Disneyland has hundreds of duck residents, maybe thousands. You see them everywhere. They really like it down on the Rivers of America and the Hungry Bear Restaurant. What's not to like? - water, shade, and abundant food scraps. You see ducks in the moat around the castle and the ponds that separate the entrances to Adventureland and Frontierland. Sometimes you just see them wandering the streets.

A duck in Disneyland? Not a bad life. They probably enjoy their stay in the park as much as any guest and they don't need hundred dollar bills and credit cards to get in. Of course the can't get into any of the indoor shows but I'm sure their parade views are spectacular. They can't get on rides but you're a duck, you can fly. If you can fly, do really need to get on a ride for a thrill? It's gotta be a pretty good life for a Disneyland duck. There is some competition for food, but I doubt that any of them starve. And you do have to make a run for it once in awhile trying to escape the clutching arms of a 3 year old.

One of the memorable sights of my last trip to the park was early morning in Fantasyland by the Tea Cups. A mother duck was walking around with 3 baby ducklings that were probably out walking around for the first time. They were really, really little. Rather than seeing the baby ducks get trampled under foot, 3 Disney cast members circled around the mother duck and her family and protected them in their early morning stroll. Eventually, I think they made it of the The Storybookland Canal where they probably call home. I'm sure 3 Disney cast members had better things to do but on this morning, nothing was more important to them than to see a family of ducks have a good time too.