Thursday, June 3, 2010

Listen to the Land, Listen to the Innoventions Plaza Loop

One of the things I love most about Walt Disney World is the music from the parks. There are certain background tunes I can't get enough of, and attraction music that I find myself listening to over and over again in order to relive the rides from home. Each night before I go to sleep, I crank up (to a reasonable, nighttime, NYC apartment volume) Mouse World Radio and drift off to sleep while listening to my favorites. Sometimes at work, I slyly listen to my Disney-heavy iPod when no one else is around. Sometimes I do it when people are around, but they inevitably think I'm nuts for humming along to the Innoventions Plaza background music (infidels!). Let's delve into my most-listened-to, shall we? 
 
The aforementioned Innoventions Plaza background music is one of my favorites. It reminds me of Epcot at night because, for some reason, the music is more apparent when the sun has gone down. It also brings to mind flashes of glowing sidewalks, and the rushing sound of the nearby fountain. It's also the perfect length to listen to while in the shower, if you take really long showers! 
 
Probably, my most-listened to background music award would have to go to the Adventureland loop. I don't think any other music can put you in a better mood or take you to a better place than Adventureland. This is a relatively long loop that goes through a number of different moods and styles throughout. Those drums, man. Those drums are key. As soon as it starts, I'm on that bridge that enters Adventureland from the hub on my way to the Swiss Family Tree House. 

Seriously folks, there is no better way to start your day than to listen to the Main Street USA music when you first sit down at your desk. This is especially true if you start with the opening medley that you hear before rope drop in the morning. You will, no doubt, have that "ding, ding, ding went the trolly" portion stuck in your head all day but, that's not a bad thing. Doesn't it just make you want to be the mayor of Main Street? I know that's where my future goals are leading me.
 
Quite possibly the next happiest piece of music is the Inca Dance from Epcot's pre-Illuminations score. It is so up-beat and joyful that it is sure to result in a Disney mood when you are feeling otherwise. It's brief, so don't be afraid to listen more than once in a row. It can also be played right before or after the Flue Battle, which goes hand in hand as far as pre-Illuminations really happy bits of music go.  
As far as attraction music goes, the entire score of Splash Mountain is at the top of my list. Being one of my favorite attractions in any of the parks, I love to visit with B'rer Bear from afar when I'm home. I have no problem listening to this full attraction and will gladly listen from the beginning all the way through to the "ding ding" at the end. It just takes me to my laughing place, what can I say?

Though Spaceship Earth is not "music" per se, the Jeremy Irons version is my second most-listened-to attraction after Splash. It is just so comforting and soothing that I find myself listening on the subway or in the middle of the day at work. Nothing beats the music at the end, either. You know, the part of the ride where you used to recline and stare at three strands of neon? Ah, those were the days.

Certain extra special things, like Wishes for example, are just too sacred to listen to on a regular basis. Not to mention, I would certainly cry during my evening walk if Wishes was pumping through my ears. The music just brings up so many memories that it is really the next best thing to actually being in Disney World. It's a way of living it without actually being there. It's also a great way to remember the attractions that are no longer with us, ahem... Veggie Fruit Fruit. Oh, how I miss you Bonnie Appetite.