#991 : Seeing your favorite character

There are literally hundreds of things to look forward to when you're heading to a Disney park. Seeing the castle at the end of Main Street, going on your favorite ride, getting a turkey leg and sharing it with your family. The list goes on and on.

For me, my favorite thing to look forward to is accidentally, without even trying, just running into your all time favorite character.

And no matter what anybody says, there's a character that at one point has had this euphoric effect on everyone on planet Earth.

Here's how it goes:

You're walking down Main Street U.S.A. and you're minding your own business. Maybe you're taking pictures or just taking in the delightful smells that pump through the air. Whatever you're doing, it's not until you're right in front of him/her, but before you know it, there they are.

In my life? It's Pluto. Ever since I was a little kid, I've always had this obsession with Mickey's dog. The sad story is that when I was a kid, I accidentally ran into Pluto at a Gazebo at Toontown and I remember running up to him arms wide open. However, Pluto had to "go get a dog treat", and as far as I knew? He was leaving me and didn't want to see me.

After that...I hated Pluto. I just had this chip on my shoulder for Pluto.

Then, jump about 7 years later, me and my friends are at Disneyland Sophomore year of high school and we turn the corner and there's Pluto. My friends flipped and all got in line to take a picture, but not me. I wasn't interested.

However...Pluto was definately interested in me. He approached me, even though I had stayed back, and it was as if he remembered me as a little Amber...because he put out his arms wide and took me in the best embrace I've ever had.

Ever since then...

I've been in love.

Every time I see Pluto, it's like I'm that little kid Amber who first saw Pluto at the Toontown Gazebo. I always want a picture with him. Who I am whenever I see Pluto makes me feel like a little kid again. 

And when you're a little kid? Being in love with a Disney character is something that you never, ever forget:

As a result of my ever growing love for Pluto, my niece Leila, inherited it:

Seeing your favorite character without even trying to is like finding money in your pants pocket.

It's like finding gold doubloons in your pocket.

It's absolutely not what you ever expected to find. 

Like Figment and Dreamfinder when you're just a little kid.

Or Clopin when you least expect it. Here's the story for this picture:

"Clopin has by far been my favorite character since Hunchback came out.  This photo was taken in 2001 when I was on my first college program.  I had heard he did meet and greets in the park- not just the show- but I had never been lucky enough to catch him.  When I saw Clopin walking towards the sorcerer's hat for a meet and greet- I screamed- yelled his name and RAN to him like a teenager who had just seen Justin Beiber.  That's pure elation on my face from being able to meet him.  I walked around all day talking about him- like I just met someone famous.  You just can't duplicate that."

AWESOME!