Ni hao Mickey

In a recent Hong Kong trip, a guy in his late teens visited what has fashioned itself as the "best place in the universe" – Disneyland! He admits, having grown up from the last time he went to see Mickey and his magical clique, he was quite skeptical as to the amount of fun that he would actually have. Two rides, a musical revue, and a stroll through Disney’s busy streets later, Walt reminded this young man that "hair today, gone tomorrow," his legacy will always be part of that little kid in him who can hum, sing, and skip along to any of his tunes.

Getting lost in the MTR, a system of railway transits similar to our local MRT, I made my way from the hotel in Tsim Tsa Tsui to Sunny Bay, a station which connects to the Disneyland transit. An obvious tourist who dug his nose into a city map of Kowloon, I met up with three of my friends, two of whom I had met from joining a Repertory Philippines summer workshop and one I’ve known for quite some time. Franz, my delightfully talented buddy, has been working for Disney as a chorus guy for the Golden Mickeys show since late last summer, was generous enough to give us complimentary tickets to the 310-acre fortress.

As I eagerly waited to set foot into the magical theme park, I heard a faint trace of Zipadeedooda playing through the speakers that hung atop the entrance arc. As a long-time fan of Disney, I recognized the tune to be the signature "moment" song of the Hong Kong Disney’s fellow installments: Disney World Florida and Disneyland in sunny California. This tune was followed by a heartwarming medley of timeless Disney classics that brought a dose of fever to the chilly afternoon. Then and there, I felt a tinge of excitement as I realized that six years later in a continent far, far away, the magic of Disney songs has managed to live on – oriental-style.

Being in theater didn’t help curb my enthusiasm either as the job entails an appreciation for music and the arts. As I sat back in the 1,000-capacity theater for the Golden Mickeys show, I pretty much formed an idea in my mind as to the hustle and bustle that went on backstage. Based on my experience as an actor, I knew that there would be the occasional technical difficulties that perplex a show. Missing props, defective costumes, unstable sets, and fainting actors are just some of these many factors that keep the tension high up until the show gets all fired up and ready for action.

Franz even shared some funny anecdotes regarding Disney’s musical extravaganza. Once during a performance, he couldn’t help but pass gass on stage after a heavy meal. As a result, he was left with no choice but to hold his breath for dear life inside the thousand-dollar "Beast" attire. There was another time when due to exhaustion, the "Woody" mascot from Toy Story fainted during the parade and remained lifeless on the wooden rails. To the Disney executives’ luck, the crowd took this as a lifeless toy figure that played dead on the moving float. All mishaps aside, the very feeling of performing onstage and doing what they love most are what keeps the large working Filipino population in this show going and going despite their distance away from home.

The Golden Mickeys show was narrated by alternating Filipino actresses Shiela Valderrama and Fiona Paras in the local Cantonese. This was of course, much to my English-speaking dishevelment. The songs however were a huge consolation, performed in English by Franz and his fellow Pinoys, including headliner and veteran actor Ralion Alonso. The production numbers in this Oscar-inspired musical revue proved simply phenomenal and definitely worth queuing up for. With the colorful costumes, astounding choreography, and the lusciously designed backdrops, who wouldn’t enjoy this phantasmagorical experience?

Seeing my beloved Disney characters again as I walked past the children lining up for an autograph and a snapshot with their idols couldn’t help but warm my heart. Not to be cheesy or anything, but absolutely nothing in this world can describe the feeling that comes over you upon seeing the figures of your past. I was reminded of my youth that had gone M.I.A. after countless occasions of growing up. Such is that upon seeing Simba in the 4-D Philharmagic Orchestra, the little kid in me jumped right out singing "Oh I just can’t wait to be king," much to the amusement, or probable horror of my fellow spectators.

At quarter past five, I left Disney with a big grin on my face, having to confront the sad reality that all good things certainly come to an end. After five and a half hours of being kid, I had to grow up and face reality like a 19- year-old. But unlike previous feelings of grief that had encumbered me every time Mickey and I would go our separate ways, I left Hong Kong Disney with a slightly different feeling. With him in his mighty castle and me an ocean away, I left Disneyland with a comforting thought – that Mickey and the gang are finally, just a two-hour plane ride and a ni hao ma away.

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Catch your breath and let me know what you think at chasingtoff@yahoo.com