AN/ I just want to say that while I know this isn't my most popular fic, I enjoy writing it. My family has gone to Disney World every year and I always love it so I just enjoy sharing my favorite place with my favorite characters. To the people reading this, I hope I'm able to capture the magic for you. (P.S. I don't condone talking on rides, especially dark rides. It's just a pet peeve of mine but this is fiction.)
The family exited Fantasyland together, they walked by homes of traditional German architecture, through a walkway under a bridge and the theme gradually changed. The buildings around them transitioned to a colonial style, the ground beneath their feet changed from a gray pavement to a redder pavement, with a brown gravel pavement running through the middle like a river. On their left, a Dutch Gothic-style mansion loomed over on a hill with cobblestones surrounding it behind the entrance of the queue. In front of the mansion was a hearse carriage with a 'ghost' horse at the front with a fence around it. "That looks like a nice place to live," Chandler looked up at the large house.
"Nuh, uh that looks scary" Erica shook her head. "I like our house the best."
"I think we should go on that ride" Monica started walking toward the line. "It's only a fifteen-minute wait." Jack walked along with her on the cobblestones, walking between the chains as they went closer to the house. Eerie organ music played as the nearby cast members dressed in green and black tuxes, dressed as butlers and maids, kept a straight face as they directed the crowd towards the doors. "Please fill all of the dead space in front of you," the cast members called as they walked past a garden on the hill with tombstones in the ground.
"Master Gracey laid to rest…no mourning please at his request" Chandler read off of one stone. "Hey that rhymes," he smiled at Monica before reading the next one. "Here lies good old Fred, a great big rock fell on his head," he chuckled at the rhyme but stopped when both of his children looked at the stones terrified.
"Are those real graves?" Jack looked up at them as they moved forward.
Monica squeezed his hand in reassurance, "no honey, they're there for decoration."
Only a few minutes passed when the wooden doors in front of them swung open and they walked inside to a dark foyer room. A wooden unlit fireplace was at the front of the empty room with a painting above it of a man that slowly turned into a skeleton. The twins moved closer to their parents as they watched his skin slowly fade. A deep voice spoke throughout the room as more guests filled in, "When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still — that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!"
One of the walls slid open to a second room with paintings hung high. There was a painting of a woman, holding a pink parasol on her shoulder, an older woman holding a rose, a stern-looking man with his arms crossed, and a distinguished man, holding his suit jacket. Gargoyles holding lit candlesticks were around at the top of the circular room looking down at the guests. They walked together into the room as the voice continued. "Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host, your ghost host. Our tour begins here in this gallery. Here, where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state. Kindly step all the way in please, and make room for everyone. There's no turning back now." The door they walked in from slowly slid closed.
"Please drag your bodies away from the walls and into the dead center of the room.," the cast member called to the room and everyone shuffled slightly to the center. As the deep voice started to speak again the walls around them started to stretch up slowly, revealing the hidden half of the paintings. "Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination — hmm?" The parasol woman was revealed to be standing on a tightrope above an alligator with an open mouth, the woman with the rose sat on her husband's headstone with a statue of his head with an ax in his skull. The stern man sat on a man's shoulders who was panicked, sitting on another man's shoulders that were trapped in quicksand. The last painting of the gentleman was standing in boxers on a lit barrel of dynamite.
"And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors…" he chuckled. "Which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!" The man cackled before continuing, "of course, there's always my way." A clap of thunder boomed inside the room, the lights flickered out, a woman was heard screaming. Jack and Erica both hid their faces in their hands as Chandler and Monica just couldn't stop themselves from smiling at their kids. There's a crash before the lights faded back on and one of the walls slowly slid open to a hallway. "Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you prematurely. The real chills come later. Now, as they say, "look alive," and we'll continue our little tour. And let's all stay together, please."
"You okay?" Monica asked the twins as they walked into the dark hallway.
"That was scary!" Erica held onto Chandler's hand as they walked with the crowd.
Jack stayed close to his mom as he looked around at the dark wallpaper, the chandelier covered in cobwebs, and the paintings of different people looking menacing while a wolf's howl was heard every so often. "Momma, I don't like it" he whined as he went to his father and held his arms up, silently requesting to be held. Chandler picked him up immediately, putting him on his hip and Jack buried his face in Chandler's neck.
"Honey, it's okay. I promise you it's not real" Monica tried reassuringly as she rubbed his back.
"Yeah, there's no way this place would pass inspection with all the ghosts," Chandler said as a joke, then cleared his throat when Jack was audibly not happy with it. "But seriously, buddy it's just a ride…" he glanced at Monica to take over again.
She laughed lightly at Chandler's joke as she saw the ride vehicles moving continuously as families got on. "Jack, look at the seats, okay? They're big enough to fit all of us so we'll be with you the whole time," she said, thankful they wouldn't have to sit separately. There have only been a few rides so far where the seats only fit two, but Monica felt better when they could all sit together.
"Watch your step," the cast member said in a monotone voice as they stepped onto the moving walkway and sat down in one of the ride vehicles. Monica got in first, followed by Erica, then Chandler who moved Jack off of him and next to his sister while the vehicle continued moving forward slowly.
The voice of the 'Ghost Host' from the foyer spoke, "Do not pull down on the safety bar, please. I will lower it for you." The black bar in front of them lowered down seemingly on its own as they entered a dark room with a staircase on the left with a floating candlestick at the top. "And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times." The vehicle moved into a hallway with windows on the left side with flashing lightning outside of them. On the right were paintings that changed each time the lightning flashed. Jack shivered at the cold air, leaning into Chandler for protection.
They moved into a library, then into a room filled with multiple staircases going in different directions with footprints appearing and disappearing on the steps as if people were walking on them. "We have 999 happy haunts here. But there's room for 1,000. Any volunteers?" The ghost host chuckled.
Erica's eyes widened and looked up at her mother. "Momma, are we going to turn into ghosts?" she whispered.
"No baby, he's just joking," Monica whispered back. She looked over at Jack to make sure he was okay. Chandler's arm was around his shoulders while Jack was leaning against him, hiding his face. Eyes were suddenly blinked at them in pitch black before they moved by a hallway with floating objects in the center.
Jack peaked between his fingers when the vehicle started to move backward past a coffin surrounded by dead flower arrangements. A skeleton's arms held onto the corners of the lid, trying to push it open. "Let me out, let me out of here!" The man in the coffin screamed for help. Jack whimpered, moving his hands back in front of his eyes and closer to his father.
Chandler gently stroked his arm, "it's okay Jack. It's not real, remember?"
He nodded a little as he wrapped his arms around Chandler's middle. "But what if the ghosts do get to us?" Jack whispered looking up at him. Even if he couldn't see his dad in the dark, he just knew he was there looking back at him.
"If they do, I'll protect you. I promise, okay? But they won't. That's what the safety bar is for. It protects us."
Jack looked forward to where he knew the bar was and nodded. "It has a protection spell on it?"
"Sure, I mean, of course, it does." He held Jack close as they moved into a dark room and in the middle was a floating crystal ball with a woman's head in the center of it. She chanted to the room for ghosts to show their presence as they moved to a balcony looking over the large dining room.
Erica leaned forward when she saw the room filled with ghosts appearing and reappearing. "Woah…Momma, look there's three on the ceiling!" She pointed up at the ghost swinging on the chandelier holding a glass of wine next to a couple sitting on the light fixture.
"Do you see the one blowing the candles out of the cake? Do you think it's her birthday?" Monica smiled, watching her daughter look around the large room below them.
"Yeah, it's her birthday party. See they're dancing over there" Erica pointed at the ballroom dancers by the organ player. "And those guys are fighting 'cause they're in love with the birthday girl" she pointed up at the two paintings of two men in a duel. The ghosts of the men came out of the painting to face each other and fire.
Monica had no choice but to nod along to the story Erica had created. "Seems like a successful party to me."
As they turned the corner into an attic crowded with old wedding decor and furniture. They went by five different areas of the attic each with a portrait of a bride with a different groom. In each painting, the groom's head appears and reappears as they pass while the bride is always the same. Chandler looked over at Monica, "this isn't giving you ideas is it?" She just chuckled as she shook her head at his ridiculousness without giving him an answer.
Continuing forward, there was the bride in her wedding dress, standing in the corner, smiling maliciously. "Till death do us part" she smirked as her arms moved up and an ax appeared in her hands. Jack pulled on Chandler's arm with a whine, "Daddy I don't like it!" He sunk in his seat, trying to hide from her. "Here comes the bride," she sang as they moved next to her. Chandler held Jack closer when he heard his cry.
"Jack, don't be scared she's not real" Erica tilted her head slightly. "Daddy said so and he never lies." When the vehicle turned backward, Jack jumped slightly as they were going down a slope in the dark. He gripped Chandler's t-shirt as he buried his face in his chest while the music around them became louder. Monica reached over to rub his back in an attempt to comfort him while they faced forward again. Now in a graveyard surrounded by different ghosts playing music, playing games, having a tea party. "Look, they're happy!" Erica smiled, shaking Jack slightly to get him to look. "They're singing a song, they're nice ones."
He peeked out, seeing the band of ghosts playing their instruments. Jack sat up more looking around at the scene before the Ghost Host voice came back out of nowhere, making him jump. "Ah, there you are! And just in time… there's a little matter I forgot to mention — beware of hitchhiking ghosts!" Turning another corner they faced three ghosts sticking out a thumb before they turned again, facing mirrors where each vehicle had one of the hitchhikers on top of their buggy. Jack screamed as he hid again while Erica was giggling. As they got closer to the end of the ride, a small voice from above said, "Hurry back! Hurry back! Be sure to bring your death certificate."
"Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!" The Ghost Host said while approaching the unloading area. He cackled as the bar raised and Chandler quickly got out, picking up Jack as he did. Erica and Monica followed him out of the mansion, "I liked that one" Erica said softly as they walked away from the ride.
"Me too. It was fun," Monica followed Chandler to a nearby bench. "Jack, are you okay?"
"Is it over?" He mumbled into his father's neck.
Erica rolled her eyes as she sat by Chandler, "yeah. We're outside now."
"Do you want to look for a place to get a snack?" Monica gently ran her fingers through his hair. "Here, let's look at the map and find a place nearby. There's…Sleepy Hollow, Liberty Square Market…Aloha Isle is closer to the next ride."
He studied the map, mostly looking at the pictures, "Can we go to Aloha Isle?"
"Yes of course. Let's go get a snack and then we can go on more rides," Monica took his hand and they all started to walk together. Their surroundings changed to an old western town as they walked into Frontierland. Jack spotted a pin shop and made them stop inside to look, and the twins ended up getting more pins than they could fit on their lanyards.
"You don't have to buy them everything they ask for. I don't want them to become spoiled. We should try to teach them a life lesson about spending money wisely," Monica mumbled to him as they all walked to the snack stand.
"I know, but we're in Disney, we can save the life lessons for when we're not on a vacation. Plus you're getting them ice cream because Jack got a little scared on a ride. What life lesson is that?" He whispered to her while they stood in line.
She rolled her eyes as she turned to him, "I just want to make him feel better. It's been a few hours since we had lunch, they need a snack anyway. And this looks like soft serve, it's not real ice cream."
Chandler chuckled softly while Monica ordered a cup of the pineapple Dole Whip soft serve for the kids and herself, he ordered a Dole Whip float just out of pure curiosity. "So this is just the soft serve with pineapple juice," he sipped at his float as they sat down on a nearby bench. "It's good."
"Momma, after this can we go on the big mountain train ride?" Erica shoved a large spoonful of soft serve in her mouth and cringed at the cold.
Monica chuckled slightly combing down her bangs when she got a brain freeze. "Honey, you need to eat slower." She took Erica's cup and gave it to Chandler and got her water bottle out of her bag, giving it to Erica. "Thunder Mountain Railroad? We can go on the ride after we finish."
"Is it a rollercoaster?" Jack asked softly.
Chandler waited until Erica's brain freeze went away before giving her soft serve back. "It looked like one, but it's outside this time, not in the dark so there's nothing to worry about." He grabbed a napkin and gently wiped Jack's cheek free of ice cream. "If you don't want to ride on this one, you and I can find something while Mom goes on with Erica."
Jack bit the inside of his cheek, "is it safe? Roller Coasters go fast, don't they?"
"They can go fast, but it's perfectly safe. There are always seat belts. It's like a car ride with the windows down," Chandler sipped his float.
"I want to try it," he decided. "But you have to sit by me…just in case" he mumbled. "What if I fly out?"
"I'll catch you," Chandler answered as he finished. He took Jack and Erica's cup when they were finished and smiled at Monica, watching her eat.
She glanced over at him and chuckled softly, "what?"
"You're cute when you take forever to eat."
"Shut up," Monica laughed, getting more soft serve on her spoon. "It's just nice to sit for a minute, that's all. You were right, it was better not following my itinerary…even if it took forever to make" she said with bitterness in her voice.
Chandler's smile grew as he grabbed her wrist and ate the soft serve off her spoon. "We all appreciate the effort you put into everything. It's just nice to go off-book for a few days. If it'll make you feel better, we can follow tomorrow's itinerary." He grabbed her wrist again, eating more of her soft serve.
"Hey, get your own," Monica pushed him away. "And you're just saying that to make me feel better." She finished her ice cream and handed her cup over to Chandler so he could throw them away.
—
They walked up the winding ramp past the cacti and rock formations up to the wooden building at the top of the hill. The kids looked around at all of the mining machinery, listening to the western instrumental music play. Inside the building, Jack stopped at each signposted on the walls, reading about safety procedures working in the mine while Chandler tried pushing him forward to keep the line moving. Despite his father, Jack continued trying to look at every piece of paper hung up around the queue area. Seeing reports of the mineworkers, equipment the workers wore, props of lanterns, and pickaxes locked away. He didn't understand most of what he was reading, but he wanted to try reading everything as they passed by. They walked down a ramp, going to the left where they stopped with the rest of the crowd. "Have you ever worked in a real mine?" Jack looked up at his father, leaning back against his legs as Chandler held his hands.
"No, most mines were looking for money a long time ago. It's really dangerous so not a lot of people do it anymore," Chandler said as they stepped forward. When they got to the bottom, they told the cast member how many were in their party before standing on the number. Their party was split into two pairs, Chandler with Erica, then Jack with Monica in front of them.
"We're in the back of the train," Erica noticed when the train before them left the station.
When the train came back and the people unloaded, the gates opened and Jack held onto Monica's hand as they got onto the train. Monica put her bag at her feet and pulled the lap bar down, over them. "You okay?" She asked Jack, just checking on him as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"Yeah. I think so," he nodded.
Chandler gently took off Erica's ears and she whined slightly in disapproval while he put her ears in the pocket in front of them. "I don't want your ears to get lost," he explained while pulling the bar down. "You can put them back on when we get off."
The safety spiel started in Spanish, then in English in a western voice saying, "Howdy partners! For your safety, remain seated with your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the train, and be sure to watch your kids. If any of you folks are wearin' hats or glasses, best remove 'em 'cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!"
The train moved forward through a cave, going up an incline with bats squeaking. Jack covered his ears at the loud noise from the gears below them. The train slowly went outside, turning a corner before quickly picking up speed. Their bodies moved with the curves of the track as it quickly zoomed through another turn. Erica screamed, copying her Dad who had his hands up in the air. The train went over a bump as a second train zoomed past above their heads. Jack held on tightly to Monica's arm while they turned another corner, the sun beaming down on them before the train went through another cave. At the other end, they passed by buildings in the mountain where the miners resided. The train slowed slightly as they moved up again, "Daddy, look there's a goat up there!" Erica pointed to the statue on top of the rock formation in front of them.
Chandler looked in the direction she was pointing, "oh yeah, that's cool."
The ride curved around another corner, picking up speed again, quickly going over another hill then turning in a sharp circle. Jack screamed as they quickly dipped downward, turning again into another deep cave, slowly inclined upwards for the third time. He covered his ears again at the loud clicking of the tracks that echoed. The train continued to twist and turn in different directions, past a dinosaur fossil sticking out of the rocks, until finally, it slowed back into the station.
The family walked out together, the twins both gushing over how fun they thought the ride was. Jack told Chandler his favorite parts while Erica put her ears back on and talked to Monica about how she loved how fast it was. Right after, they went next door to Splash Mountain. Monica however, chose not to ride since it was a water ride with a large drop. Monica watched their log as it came down over the mountain. Erica had her hands in the air while Jack held onto Chandler during the drop behind the briar patch. Only a few seconds later, they came around the corner, assessing how wet they had gotten. All three of them came out afterward completely soaking wet and Chandler wrapped his arms around Monica as she yelled at him for getting her wet too. He smiled proudly at himself and kissed her cheek, forcing her to forgive him.
Continuing to Adventureland, Erica stopped in her tracks when she saw the black flag, ripped with holes in it, and a skeleton looking through a telescope on top of the wooden pole. "Daddy it's Pirates of the Caribbean!" She pulled on his hand towards the ride. "We have to go on this one, we just have to!"
"I think she's trying to tell me something. What do you think it is?" Chandler looked at Monica while Erica tugged his arm in the opposite direction.
"Please Daddy!" She begged, trying her best to get him to move.
Monica laughed, shaking her head as she gently fixed Erica's Minnie's ears so they wouldn't fall off. "Okay, we're going to ride it, just don't rip Daddy's arm off," she said, walking over to the line. They walked into the 17th-century building passing by an armory, a dungeon, and rooms where cannons point out of wells to the outside to ward off any unwanted visitors.
While they waited in line, Erica looked around the port, watching the boats come, load guests, and leave. She jumped up and down slightly on the balls of her feet, excited to get on the ride already. They stepped forward to a cast member, dressed in a pirate uniform, "hi! How many?"
"Uh, four," Chandler said softly.
She pointed to one of the numbers on the ground near the loading zone. "Stand on number one for me please."
Erica squealed slightly, going to the number quickly. She stood behind the gate, looking up at her Dad. "I'm excited."
"I can tell," he chuckled. One of the boats stopped in front of them and the gate swung open allowing them to get on. While the safety spiel played, Erica looked around trying to take in all of her surroundings as much as she could. The boat moved forward, going around a dark corner on the water to a scene on a rocky beach with skeletons that had swords sticking out from their bodies. All they heard was the sound of the waterfall and the voice of Davy Jones, "Dead men tell no tales," he said slowly as they passed a skeleton steering a ship. There was a short drop down and there were sounds of cannons. A large ship on one side where Barbosa barked orders. After each fire, there was a splash in the water near the boat that narrowly avoided them.
Erica's eyes widened as they turned a corner to a scene of pirates terrorizing the citizens of the town. A group of pirates stood by a well that had a man inside tied to a rope while one of the pirates lifted him in and out of the water. "Where be Captain Jack Sparrow and the treasure map?" The pirate asked the man who refused to talk. They passed by old mannequins surrounded by other bits of rubble with Jack Sparrow standing between them, keeping a lookout. "There he is!" Erica pointed with a smile. "Daddy, look!" She tapped his leg and pointed to make sure he was looking.
"I see him, that's very cool." The boat moved forward through a scene of pirates auctioning off stolen items to the drunk pirates on the other side. Then under a bridge towards the next scene of pirates stealing from homes and a drunk pirate holding a key while he rambled about Jack Sparrow and studied the treasure map in front of him. Erica pointed again to the barrel behind the pirate at Jack Sparrow peeking over, trying to steal the key from him.
Moving forward they passed a trio of pirates singing, A Pirate's Life For Me while the scene in front of them was the town burning down with pirates drinking, stealing, and singing. Going past a jail cell with three pirates trying to lure the scruffy dog over that was holding the cell key in his mouth. They stopped at the last scene of Jack Sparrow sitting on a throne surrounded by treasure with the key in his hand, singing alone. Erica tapped on Monica, pointing out the pirate to her, "that's the good guy. He's the best pirate ever."
"Is he?" Monica smiled.
"Yeah, it's Captain Jack Sparrow. He saved Elizabeth and Will all the time" she explained as the boat moved forward to the unloading dock. "One time, Elizabeth almost died 'cause she can't breathe under the water but Jack saved her"
"I don't get it. Stealing is bad, but pirates do it all the time. Aren't they the bad guys?" Jack looked up at his mother for answers.
"You're right, stealing is wrong, but that doesn't mean that some pirates can't do good things sometimes," Monica watched Erica run around the gift shop, dragging Chandler along behind her as she tried looking at everything. "Did you like the ride?"
"I liked it more than the ghost ride," Jack muttered.
They were able to leave the shop after Chandler bought Erica a Jack Sparrow hat that was too big for her to wear, a toy sword, a t-shirt, and a medallion that matched the one from the film. When they left the store, Erica spotted a stage across the walkway, she let go of Chandler's hand and went running forward before she was quickly caught by her father. "Don't run away from me Erica" he said as he put her on his hip.
"But Daddy, Captain Jack is right there!" Erica pointed with her sword at the pirate talking with other guests.
"We can go over to him together," he said as he lowered her sword so it wouldn't hit anyone. "I'm glad you're excited, but if you run away from me you could get lost." Chandler carried her across the walkway and stood in the short line.
Monica got out Erica's autograph book, "Jack, do you want his signature?"
"I guess so," Jack mumbled. "But he's still a bad guy," he glared at Erica. She furrowed her eyebrows looking down at him before whacking him with her sword. "Ow!" Jack whined rubbing his head before hitting her back on the arm.
Monica pulled Jack away, breaking the fight up and standing in between them. "Hey, no fighting in the most magical place on Earth."
"She started it…" Jack muttered as they moved up until it was their turn.
Chandler put Erica down and she walked up to the character who looked back at her with a slight sway in his stance. "Hi, Captain Jack Sparrow!" She shouted, handing him her autograph book.
"Ah!" He yelled, surprised, trying to match her energy. "What is your name?"
"Erica," she giggled.
"Erica, what are these around your neck? Is this your treasure?" Jack looked at her pins. "You should always keep it in a safe place. Barbosa might come by to take it from you," He said as he signed her book before giving it back.
Erica looked at the gold metal of her pins, "my Daddy got them for me. He wouldn't let anyone take them."
"Well, you're the only one with a sword. Do you know how to use it?"
"Yeah!" Erica swung her plastic sword around like she was fighting with it.
Captain Sparrow started to waved his arm around, fighting her with an invisible sword. He doubled over when Erica poked him in the stomach as she laughed. "Excellent form! Are you looking for a crew to sail with?"
"Yeah! I want to be on your crew with Mr. Gibbs."
"Well, it just so happens that I'm recruiting today. Welcome aboard mate" Sparrow stuck his hand out.
Erica shook it eagerly and looked up at her parents with a smile. "I'm a pirate now."
"That's what every father wants to hear, '' Chandler said sarcastically, watching Erica hug her favorite pirate. Jack got the pirate to sign his book but refused to join the pirate's crew like his sister. On the way to the next ride, Jack got distracted and made everyone stop at a short show with animatronic birds that he ended up loving, singing the song from it while they waited in line for the next ride. "Another boat ride?" Chandler watched the riverboats load guests before leaving the dock into the jungle.
"Well, it's called the Jungle Cruise. I'm assuming we're just going to cruise through some trees," Monica shrugged.
"Oh well, I'm glad we're waiting forty-five minutes to see some trees" he sighed, laying his head down on Monica's shoulder, "God, I'm tired."
"The day is almost over, we can sleep when we get back." Monica ran her fingers through his hair before pulling him closer into a kiss.
Jack and Erica looked up at them and then at each other, "ew!"
Chandler chuckled slightly as he pulled away from Monica to move up in line. He told the cast member how many people were in their party before moving up on the dock. When the next riverboat pulled up, they boarded, sitting close to the woman standing at the steering wheel.
Once all the guests were loaded onto the boat, the skipper drove the boat forward and waved to the people on the dock, "everyone say bye! Bye friends!" Everyone on the boat started to wave at the people still in line until the trees blocked the view of the dock. "And you'll never see them again," the skipper said into the walkie-talkie she was holding. They moved along the river through the plants and trees while the skipper blindly steered the wheel. "Well folks, good evening welcome to the world-famous Jungle Cruise. My name is Allison and I'll be your skipper for the next three months. As a friendly Jungle Cruise reminder, keep all your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the boat at all times, and please, watch your children because if you don't, the crocodiles will."
Chandler and a few other parents chuckled at the joke while Jack looked up at his mom concerned as he leaned against her for protection. Monica wrapped her arm around his shoulder
They passed by a tree with a large animatronic snake tangled in the branches, Allison pointed at it as she acted surprised. "A giant python! Don't worry guys, pythons are very friendly creatures, they can develop quite a crush on you, but you don't want to get wrapped up in that."
Chandler laughed harder than anyone else on the boat while Monica was laughing at her husband's amusement. "It wasn't that funny" she chuckled, resting her hand on the back of his neck just to play with his hair.
"I thought it was hilarious," he admitted.
They continued along with the river passing by a campsite overrun by gorillas, then past more plants and trees. "Now this here is the Nile river. It can go on for Niles and Niles and Niles and well, if you don't believe me then you're in…"
"de-Nile!" a few of the guests who have ridden this ride more than a few times shouted with the skipper in front of them.
"Okay, that one was a little better," Monica laughed.
They approached a rocky area with different animatronic animals as the skipper started to point them out. "Coming up on your left is the African belt, home to a huge array of animals such as zebras, giraffes, gazelles and upon those rocks, you'll see a pride of lions protecting that sleeping zebra."
Both of the twins sat up straighter to see the lions and Jack looked over at his father, "they're eating it."
Before he could respond Allison said, "don't worry folks, he's just dead…tired. We're going to let him rest in peace." Chandler had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing at her jokes too hard. Jack watched him confused, not understanding the jokes before just shaking his head and looking out at the next scene. Five animatronic men were stuck up on a pole with an angry rhinoceros underneath trying to get them down with his horn while a gaggle of hyenas surrounded them laughing.
The riverboat went by crocodiles, waterfalls, a crashed plane, and hunters. Each scene was filled with bad jokes that Chandler always laughed at more than anyone else. They circled back around to the waterfall again this time going under it, "this is the moment you've all been waiting for. The eighth wonder of the world, the backside of water!" Allison and a few passengers shouted together as they started to clap so the twins clapped with them. "Folks, don't try to look at the backside of water at home, you'll hit your head on the faucet. Don't ask me how I know, I just do." The audience chuckled at the joke.
After going through a temple with a few animals they approached an elephant pool with multiple elephant animatronics around in the water. "Now we're approaching the Indian elephant pool, feel free to take pictures because they all have their trunks on."
Erica giggled, "I get it!"
"I don't" Jack mumbled.
"Their noses are trunks and people need swimming trunks to swim," she giggled again.
"Ooh," Jack smiled. "That's funny."
They approached the dock again and the skipper stopped the boat at the unloading area, "I'm really bad at goodbyes so I'm going to tell you what my parents told me when I turned eighteen. Allison, I love you, but the free ride is over so get out. Seriously get out of my boat so I can do this all over again."
Chandler followed Monica and Jack off of the boat with Erica next to him as they walked out. "That was my favorite ride so far."
"Because of the stupid jokes?" Monica guessed.
"You know me so well," he smiled.
As they walked through Adventureland, passing a few attractions the twins had no interest in, Erica watched her feet with each step she took. "Daddy, my feet hurt," she pouted.
He picked her up immediately, letting her piggyback ride on his back, "well that's not good." he said, holding Erica's legs to keep her up while she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Monica glanced at him, biting her tongue for now as she read the map for stores. "We did all the rides they wanted to do, I want to go to the shops on Main Street and find something for everyone. Then we can get dinner before the fireworks show. "
"Sounds good to me. Preferably a restaurant we can sit inside. Air conditioning sounds like heaven right now." The family walked back to Main Street, going into one of the large stores they passed by the same morning. While Monica did her shopping, Chandler stayed with the twins looking at the toy side of the store. By the time Monica was done getting something for everyone back home, Jack had found a Mickey plush that was practically as big as he was and Erica found a Rapunzel doll that matched her Eugune Barbie. Both of them practically begged for their toys until Chandler eventually caved.
Connected to the shops was a small hot dog restaurant where they decided to have dinner. Chandler was able to get a table inside with much difficulty, but to him, it was worth it just to sit in the air conditioning. "How was everyone's first day in Disney World?" Chandler asked around the table while Monica brought over the hot dogs, french fries, and mandarin oranges for the kids.
"Best day ever!" Erica smiled.
"I liked the mountain roller coaster. We went like up and then down and then in a circle and then all around the rocks!" Jack moved his arms around as the roller coaster did. "And Splash Mountain when we went up and then down into the briar patch and we got all wet! My shirt is still wet" he pointed out.
While they ate their dinner, each of them talked about their favorite parts of what they've done. This was something they did at home every day, going around the table to share parts of their day. Neither Chandler nor Monica knew how it started but it became an unspoken routine. Out of all the experiences they had today, listening to the twins talk about their favorite moments was becoming Monica's.
Once they finished eating, they still had a bit of time before the fireworks show and Chandler found a confectionery shop on the corner of Main Street. The twins looked around at all of the sweets, going to the glass to watch the cast members make Mickey candy apples and Mickey rice Krispie treats. "I want all of them." He stood on his toes to watch as the cast member put two marshmallows on an apple before dipping it in caramel.
"I want that one" Erica pointed to one of the treats covered in M&M candy.
The cast member looked up at the twins and smiled as she waved at them. "Which one do you want?" She asked Erica for clarification.
Erica stepped back against her father's legs. "Can I have the one with M&Ms?" she asked softly.
The cast member picked up the rice Krispy Erica was pointing at and put it inside a small paper bag, handing it to Monica over the glass before looking at Jack. "And which one would you like?"
Jack looked at all of the options trying to pick something, "may I please have this one?" He pointed to one of the apples covered in caramel, chocolate, and red sprinkles on the bottom to look like Mickey's shorts.
She grabbed a bigger paper bag and put the apple inside it, handing it over to Monica again. "Can I get you anything else?"
"I'll have a rice Krispie treat" Chandler chimed in looking at Monica, "maybe two. One for her. I like the ones that look like Mickey pumpkins, how'd you get the cereal to be orange like that?"
"Magic," she chuckled softly, bagging the treats and handing them over to him. "Check-out is over on your left."
"Everyone say thank you," Monica said, moving towards the registrar.
"Thank you!" The twins and Chandler said in unison as they walked with her. Once they checked out, they walked down the sidewalk, all eating their new treats as they looked for a good spot for the fireworks. A crowd was already forming for the show and Chandler picked Erica up again, keeping her on his hip while walking towards the castle. Monica held on to Jack's hand, weaving through the crowd until Chandler stopped near the front of the castle. "Perfect spot," he smiled.
After a few minutes of waiting the lights around them went dark and the castle lit up pink. The crowd started to cheer as the music faded in. A child started to sing as fireworks went off behind the castle, "Starlight, star bright, First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might Have the wish I wish tonight. We'll make a wish, and do as dreamers do." Fireworks lit up the sky in different colors as the voice of Jiminy Cricket spoke, "Pretty, huh? I'll bet a lot of you folks don't believe that about a wish coming true do ya? Well, I didn't either. Course, I'm just a cricket, but let me tell you what made me change my mind. You see, the most fantastic, magical things can happen, and it all starts with a wish!"
Erica tapped Chandler on the shoulder quickly. "Daddy it's Tinker Bell!" She pointed to the fairy that was flying in the sky over the crowd.
"Oh, wow that's amazing," he said, impressed as the fireworks continued to go off. The color of the castle changed as different Disney characters told their wishes and the music was built. Chandler looked between his kids, watching them look at the sky in pure awe.
"You know, any wish is possible. All it takes is a little courage to set it free! A wish is a powerful thing especially when it comes from the heart" said Jiminy Cricket.
Chandler smiled at the look on their faces before looking at Monica who looked like she was crying. He gently nudged her and whispered in her ear, "you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm just glad we came here" she said, trying to wipe her tears off her cheeks.
He wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer, kissing her as literal fireworks went off above them. When Chandler pulled away from her, leaned his forehead against hers, "I love you."
Monica smiled and gently kissed his cheek, "I love you too." She laid her head down on his shoulder as they watched the fireworks together. The show ended with a finale of multiple fireworks going off of different colors as the music eventually faded. The castle glowed in front of them as the crowd started to exit the park slowly like cattle.
By the time they got to the exit, Erica had fallen asleep on Chandler's shoulder and Jack was slugging next to Monica trying to stay awake. "Momma, I'm tired," he whined.
"I know sweetheart, we're almost to the hotel." Monica caved against her own rules and picked up Jack to carry him back. It was only a short walk compared to the wait for the buses and monorail. When they got back to the room, both of the twins were asleep. She worked with Chandler to get the kids in their pajamas and into bed.
Chandler changed his clothes before he flopped down onto their bed with a sigh, "I'm so exhausted."
"Me too." she smiled as she climbed into bed next to him and smoothed his hair down. "Did you have fun today at least?"
"Of course," he shifted to face her. "Did you? You were the one crying during the fireworks" he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body into his.
Monica sighed, burying her face in his chest. "It's stupid" she muttered. "It's just, you know my parents always looked for anything to criticize. They made me feel awful about practically everything. I don't know, coming here and seeing them being encouraged to follow their hearts, they looked so inspired. It makes me think we're doing something right."
"I hope we are. Either way, you're not like your parents. Tomorrow is a new day though so that could change." Chandler chuckled when Monica hit his shoulder, pushing him away. "I'm kidding, you're the perfect mother."
"We make a pretty good team. You need to give yourself credit sometimes." Monica rested her head on his chest, "we'll see what happens tomorrow."