In an act "not related to several high profile accidents at the park," Disneyland will begin stationing full-time paramedics at both its California parks.
Accidents at Disneyland, along with other Disneyland-related legends, have always been the grist for my family's gossip mill. My dad and I are two generations of native Los Angelians, who take pride in the fact that we're always the ones at parties who convince everyone that Walt Disney is buried, or rather cryogenic'ized underneath the Pirates of the Caribbean. It's not true, by the way.
Most of our interest in Disneyland-related accidents stems from the Park's fanatical desire to maintain their image as, well, the Happiest Place on Earth. This of course requires a fast-acting crew of spin-doctors and re-imagineers.
My dad and I have this long-standing joke that when an accident occurs on Disneyland property, the first one in the hospital with the settlement check is none other than Mickey himself.
Of course, we picture him doing that annoying white-gloves-over-mouth pantomime, a behavior that is probably first on the syllabus at character-training school.
I love Disneyland but I can't stand Mickey Mouse. And I can't think of anything I would hate more than Mickey Mouse appearing in my room -- accident or not.
CNN link via Boing Boing.
Here's a sweet picture of me to wash the taste of the "Mickey's hospital visit" picture out of your mouth.
