Disneyland is definitely an experience that many a Los Angeleno has loved or endured. During my childhood, I’m sure that I went every three or four years. I remember loving the rides, especially Space Mountain. I remember playing games to cut lines and cheat crowds. I remember dehydrating in the midst of a summer heat, guzzling $5 sodas and devouring too many fries and churros. I remember going on Space Mountain so many times in a row that I felt like I was still on the ride even hours afterwards. Ah, the tolerance of youth! The ability to not get nauseated on moving rides! The strength of the teenage stomach!

My last foray to the Magic Kingdom was about six years ago. California Adventure had just opened, I had a friend who had free tickets that hopped parks and I didn’t have to pay for parking. Over those six or so years, I’d never felt a drive to go back to Disneyland. I guess I believed that I had outgrown this amusement park of legend. But there I was, on Saturday, back. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about feeling overwhelmed by the crowds, strollers, noise and general Disneylandishness of the entire place.

Surprise #1, I found the whole day rather calming.

Surprise # 2, Disneyland has jumped on the healthy-living bandwagon and now has numerous fresh fruit stands in conjunction with the fries, churros, chips, hotdogs, fried chicken, nachos, etc., stands.

Surprise #3 California Adventure is still dull. It is the lackluster younger sibling of Disneyland. I guess as a Californian, I just can’t be wowed by a park that says it will take me for a journey over Camarillo. But I will admit that Soarin Over California, the ride, is a good way to remind tourists and natives that our great state has some great vistas. Otherwise, after the rollercoaster and Hollywood Tower, we hopped over to Disneyland.

Surprise #4 I think the strollers and babies have multiplied by a gazillion.

Surprise #5 Maybe it was because we had a friend in a wheelchair (due to a twisted ankle), but I noticed more people in wheelchairs than ever. Half seemed to be young teenagers who had busted a limb somehow or were faking. The other half seemed to be adults who were obese or had complications with walking because of obesity. I noticed a handful of people who seemed to have a natural disability.

And etc.

What really stood out to me on this trip was that I saw the park so much differently as an adult rather than as a teenager or child. I can see why kids love this place. I can see why they’re dazzled by characters, princess dresses, rides that deify pirates and firework shows that announce in the melodious voice of Julie Andrews that dreams really do come true. But as an adult, I felt a very mellow interest. I didn’t mind being in Disneyland; in fact, I enjoyed myself. But i felt no touch of magic. No serving of fantasy. I saw the stitches that held the place together — the marketeers that came up with the slogans, the CEOs that pondered on new merchandise, the janitors that kept the bathrooms clean, the castmembers that kept their smiles on…..it felt so synthetic. The entire experience was an experience in a box–jumping from Tomorrowland to Adventureland and back to Frontierland. The entire park is a postcard for a greater more vibrant entity like California Adventure is for California. I was reminded of people who spend an entire great event or happening or occurrence or performance taping the program with their video cameras. They never seem to watch the spectacle with their real eyes.

The next day, I walked to my local market and wandered the stalls, buying produce. I bought two pears, a handful of fresh apples and some heirloom tomatoes. I stopped by the herb stall, then I wandered over to the omelet truck and ordered a fresh crepe. When it was done, I took it over to a handful of picnic tables set up under a tree shedding its leaves. Different groups of people were squished on red-checkered cloth-covered tables and I squeezed myself among them. While eating, I listened to a conversation between a husband and wife. She was taking about botany and a book that she was reading–it described how to encourage all kinds of plants to grow and produce fruit.

Taking a bite of my omelet, covered in spicy, spicy sauce, I smiled. There was no need to make yearly pilgrimages to the Magic Kingdom, not when it existed in my backyard.