I invited my then-girlfriend to spend the day with me on the Happiest Place on Earth, one in all her absolute favourite issues to do. What she didn’t know was that I had bought an engagement ring and acquired her father’s blessing. In my thoughts, our day at Disneyland was going to be an epic reminiscence and a defining milestone in our lives. And it was. It simply wasn’t fairly the way in which I Imagineered it!
Libby and I couldn’t have requested for a extra quintessential spring day in Southern California, with a vibrant electrical blue sky and comfortable heat sunshine. After posing for a photograph in entrance of the welcome backyard after which skipping hand in hand by the tunnel to Principal Road, U.S.A., Libby requested if we may cease at visitor companies to resume her annual go. A lot to her shock, I made a decision to get one too. She was (and nonetheless is) a Disneyland tremendous fan, nevertheless it was solely my second time within the theme park.
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In the meantime, a small platinum circle of valuable stones was quietly burning a gap within the coin pocket of my denims.
“Be cool,” I saved whispering to myself, summoning an Oscar-worthy efficiency to maintain from prematurely freely giving my life-altering shock.
Libby and I tried to make dinner reservations on the Blue Bayou Restaurant, nevertheless it was already booked up. (There went Plan A!) “Attempt strolling in round half-hour earlier than they shut,” we have been informed. “Generally they squeeze in a couple of additional individuals as tables are liberating up from the ultimate group of reserved company.”
As we joyously flitted from one attraction to the following, I used to be surreptitiously scanning for the very best place to pop the large query. Then it got here to me: Splash Mountain. In my thoughts, it will be the right setting to ask the love of my life to “make the leap!” (The journey, which opened in 1989 at Disneyland, will shut Might 30.)
I don’t know precisely how lengthy the wait line was (FastPass hadn’t but been launched), nevertheless it felt like an eternity between every step. As we inched nearer to the boarding space, I saved rehearsing my proposal in my head: “Libby, life could be like this journey — ups and downs, moments of vivid sunshine and darkish caves, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah days and briar patches, enjoyable stretches and scary surprises. However it doesn’t matter what life brings, let’s all the time journey collectively. Will you marry me?”
We lastly snuggled into our part of the enormous log and surged forward. Right here we go! However each time I tried to launch into my proposal, Libby would interrupt with a gleeful “Look!” or “How cute!” or “Sing alongside, honey!” or “Hey there, Br’er Bear!”
In regards to the third time I restarted my eloquent spiel, she stated, “Why so severe? Benefit from the journey, honey.” I took that as a cue to depart the ring in my pocket and watch for higher timing. (In hindsight, it’s a great factor I didn’t try to tug the ring out whereas on the journey — a log flume journey at that. If I had, it’s fairly probably that her engagement ring would have ended up someplace, like on the backside of the Discovering Nemo Submarine Voyage tank!.)
With Plans A and B foiled, I began to surprise if this present day was going to be the day in any case.
Per the recommendation we had acquired earlier, we made our method to the Blue Bayou a half-hour earlier than the restaurant was scheduled to shut. My coronary heart raced as I approached the host, nonetheless making an attempt to keep up a relaxed, cool, assured façade.
My want was granted. Fortunately, maybe divinely, the host was capable of seat us at a comfortable desk within the nook close to the water, below an enormous mossy tree, full with magical Disney fireflies flickering close by.
I couldn’t have organized a extra excellent setting! We loved a romantic dinner as a sluggish parade of boats from Pirates of Caribbean floated by. The restaurant began to empty out as different company completed up earlier than us, creating an sudden window of privateness.
Between dinner and dessert, I mustered all my braveness, obtained down on one knee in entrance of Libby’s chair and slipped the ring out of my coin pocket. However as I lifted it as much as current it to her, it caught the sting of the desk and dropped from my trembling fingers — and in a break up second, her ring disappeared into the shadows.
I panicked momentarily however rapidly regained my breath as my eyes caught a glint of sunshine and I found the ring had landed safely on my thigh, simply above my bent knee. Gulp! (Tremendous massive gulp!)
My coronary heart and thoughts have been relatively blurry — as have been hers. All eloquence gone, I began to stammer one thing semi-intelligible (which neither of us can keep in mind). Along with her face aglow and eyes welling up with tears, she joyously jumped in and rescued me from myself, interjecting with a powerful “Sure!”
We exited the Blue Bayou simply as Fantasmic!, the nightly live-action multimedia present that includes Mickey Mouse and mates, was about to start on the Rivers of America in entrance of Tom Sawyer Island.
Though an unlimited crowd had gathered, one way or the other a spot large enough for the 2 of us occurred to open up proper on the rail on the bridge over the road to Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a great vantage level. As I like to say, proper after we obtained engaged, tens of 1000’s of individuals from all around the world cheered, fireworks exploded, epic music crammed the air and goodness triumphed over evil. It was as if we have been dwelling in a private fairy story that picture-perfect Might night time in 1998.
Libby and I entered Disneyland that day as girlfriend and boyfriend, however we left as an engaged couple. We obtained married later that yr and we’ve been collectively ever since, dwelling our very personal fortunately ever after.
The writer is an expert public speaker, advertising/communications specialist, content material creator, management improvement guide and podcast host. He and his spouse dwell in Orange County, the place they’re elevating their two daughters. Discover him on-line at mojoe.studio.
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