Disneyland In The Digital Age

Standing In Line For A Dole Pineapple Whip In Disneyland
Yesterday

Remember the days when a family would take a trip to Disneyland and they would come back and couldn't wait to tell you what a great trip they had? And then you would wait another week or two for them to get their film developed and you would maybe plan a night when you could go over the trip and the pictures and all the fun, or at least what they could remember of the fun now that their trip was a couple of weeks ago after getting everything together. Remember? Probably not. But I do. Then again, I'm older than dirt.

My sister is in Disneyland right now....been their since Wednesday. She has been texting me pictures, asking me questions, filling the down time of standing in lines or waiting for someone to get off a ride by keeping me posted of  her Disneyland events of the day. Last night during World of Color, she sent back video clips while the show was going.

In the days of Facebook, Twitter, and the broadband transmissions through the internet, it is almost possible to feel like you are part of a Disneyland trip even though you may be hundreds or thousands of miles away. You can see what family members are eating at the time they are sticking a fork in their plates of food or see smiling a faces while a ride is in motion. Ah yes, Disneyland in the Digital Age.

Does all this immediacy of technology somehow diminish the Disneyland experience? Is some of the magic gone? On some days, maybe a person can feel that way but its also kind of nice for me to be a great distance away but still be a part of the happiness. Yes, I wish I was with my sister right now but she's done her best to give me the next best thing.