Stuck in the Happiest Place on Earth

22: The Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed 'Round the World

"Great plan." Skylar remarked peevishly.

"You didn't have a better one, or one at all." Andrew  pointed out, approaching the bobbing boat.

"Yeah." She sighed.

In little waves the water tunneled around the boat on both sides of it but didn't succeed in moving it anywhere. The 5 rowed boat was controlled by the mechanics under the water, that was the only thing that allowed it to stay in one spot.

The bright blue benches were in great contrast to the red exterior and both had been painted with a very glossy coat. Nevertheless the cheery little vessel was very inviting to most. To them it was just annoying.

Skylar was about to step into it when she turned to Andrew instead.

"I'm getting very strong de ja vu."

"Yes I know what you mean." He looked down at the boat reluctantly. "There's not much to do about it though."

"Why not? We can just walk right out the gates of the--" Skylar looked behind them and saw that there was no such place. "park."

It was as if nothing existed but the one attraction in front of them. There was no rest of the park, no rest of even Fantasyland. So, seeing this, they knew there was no choice in the matter.                                
Small World was the only option.

Both silently knowing this, they tepidly stepped into the boat and sat down heavily.

Without surprising either the boat began to slowly drift away from the white dock. It glided around a bend surrounded by grass on both sides of the water. On that grass were a series of hedges purposefully shaped like animals. One a horse bowing it's head, another a reindeer grazing in the grass it was made of and lastly a bear which stared directly at the boat with its leaves and hunched back.

Around another turn they had to say farewell to the white towers of the clock outlined in shimmering gold and enter the tunnel into the cheery ride.

Inside they were not in the real raging seas of the world but saw, at their side, little board waves shifting  back and forth as the mechanics moved them. Little flat boats teetered back and forth, one steered by a panda another by a cat with a pirate hat.

Completely different from their first experience on the attraction in this new land they were taken aback.

This was just the ride; Disneyland's slow, safe-for-children, sing-a-long, world of laughter, tears, hopes and fears.

As their boat passed more flat waves that had little orange fish stuck on them they came to this realization, this recognition that shattered the last thread that supported the pipe-dream of their purpose.

They were not helping to save the park.

Countering what the statue had said, this attraction was not alive and not real. They weren't really going to Africa, Europe or any place new. They were watching animatronic dolls sing and dance while the man-made current carried them slowly to the next room.

Unlike most children who would be crestfallen to break down on a ride or see two Mickeys at once and have the magic ruined, Andrew and Skylar were quite thrilled. Skipping a second trip to China and France was at this point a blessing.