So, I was sitting here, getting ready to write a review of Adventure Time, when I noticed something. Mark was sitting on the couch, with his bear puppet, who was wearing a pirate hat. Both Mark and the bear were watching Mad Men. Now, I have no idea what inspired Mark to pick up the bear, but I know it inspired me to write about what is probably the best souvenir we have ever bought.
Last October, we were visiting Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando with my family. It was our last night on property, and we ate at the Whispering Canyon Cafe which is located in the Wilderness Lodge. After our meal, we decided to kick around the gift shop, which is when Mark found him...the bear puppet.
He is a decent size, sitting well over twelve inches tall. He has a hole in the back of his head so you can control his mouth. His paws sport hidden Mickeys, which denote him as a decidedly Disney souvenir. Mark starts playing with the bear, and I pretty much expected him to leave it when it was time to go. Well, that's not the case. Mark falls in love with this puppet, and when he realizes it is only $20, he tries to convince me we should buy it.
Out of context, $20 for a stuffed bear puppet is probably a bit steep. When you realize it is a Disney souvenir, bought in one of their own gift shops, that also happens to be a puppet, the value becomes apparent. Needless to say, we walked out of the store heavy one bear puppet. We didn't need a bag because Mark wanted to play with it.
Mark spent the boat ride over to the Magic Kingdom bonding with his new toy. The bear evolved a personality and characteristics. For example, he loves to gnaw on his one paw when nothing is going on. He also found his voice. We got some weird looks that night, but Mark was having fun. He was making me laugh, and if we ever have kids, they'll be well entertained.
The next morning, we only had a couple hours before we had to head home. We split the party*, with Mark, Ryan, Christy, Casey, and I going to the Magic Kingdom, while my parents went to Epcot. At this point, you should realize that the bear accompanied us.
I realize that Mark imbues the bear with personality, hence magnifying its intrinsic value, but a less well done bear would not have worked. It was a perfect find. That morning, Mark had the bear in character, and I will always look back fondly upon it. While waiting to see the Enchanted Tiki Birds, Mark and his bear made a friend. Some little boy was just delighted with the bear and didn't want to leave Mark's side.** Not only did Mark entertain me, he also made some little kid's day a bit brighter, all while just having fun himself.
Upon returning home, most souvenirs are forgotten. The bear continues to make random appearances though. Mark dressed up as an animal wrangler for work one day, bringing the bear along. When our friends visited, Mark entertained Gui with the bear, and as I mentioned earlier, the bear will randomly watch tv with us. I know Mark does it to entertain me, but he doesn't make a spectacle out of it.
If you find yourself visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and you're anywhere near the Wilderness Lodge, stop in and see if they still have that bear puppet. While the bear is only as charming as he is because of Mark, it is still a great Disney souvenir at a great price. It's a high quality toy, and if you or your kids have any imagination, the bear will be loved.
*Don't worry; we didn't fight a werewolf.
**Before you get all weird and dirty, the kid's parents were right there. It was completely innocent, you internet weirdo.
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