Just like we dreamed it...

As my four readers know, I have a ‘thing’ for Disney theme park music. There is something happy, cheerful and yes, cheesy about these songs and I find myself always searching out recordings so that I can add them to my MP3 player and feel like I’m in a Disney park even though I’m at work.

Another reason I like these songs is because, unlike the more mainstream scores and soundtracks, theme park music is a little bit more obscure. In the old days (read: pre-Internet) one would have to travel to the theme park in question to purchase the music for it. Sometimes it wasn’t even available to purchase for years!

These days it’s a little easier to find these CDs with the help of Internet sites and of course, eBay. Disney has also started releasing more and more of their park music so it is getting a little easier to own these songs but I feel that these songs still remain relatively obscure and of interest mainly to Disney geeks like me.

So we’ve established I have lots and lots of CDs with Disney theme park music and most of these songs are in my MP3 player, which plays them shuffled. So whenever I listen to the music I get pleasant surprises with songs I’d forgotten I had, or I suddenly re-discover an old favourite. Other times I suddenly listen, really listen, to the lyrics and find them enchanting in a way I’d never really noticed before or a particular arrangement suddenly becomes memorable for whatever reason. The end result is that I’m always discovering ‘new’ Disney music, even though sometimes I’ve owned that track for years!

The most recent example is “Just like we dreamed it” which is one of my newest purchases. It is parade music for Disneyland Paris and although I liked it straight away, I listened to it closely during one of my long runs and the lyrics were so magical:

Come a little closer
Turn another page in the story of what's waiting for you
Step into the wonder...
Of everything you've pictured, as it comes into view
Just like we...just like we... Just like we dreamed it!

Once upon a time used to be long, long ago
Used to be far, far away
Look how far we've come today

Once upon a time is suddenly right here and now
Right before our eyes
This happy ending's just beginning and much to my surprise

It's just like we dreamed it
As far as I can see
It's just like we dreamed it
As good as good can be
And I know it's so much better
'Cause we dreamed it up together
Just like we dreamed it, to life, magically

Happily ever now I'll know how far dreams can go
Nothing's too far, far away
'Cause we've got faith that makes our day
In my heart I know anything's possible here, anything at all
Whatever we believe in happens, no matter big or small

I've imagined being here like this so many times before

Reaching out to take your hand as the butterflies in me soar
Dancing with you under the Sun and underneath every star
We've made a wish and believed and believed ...
And voilà! Here we are!

Original Lyrics © Disney.

I guess this spoke to me because I’ve been training so hard for the WDW marathon and I’ve of course imagined it so many times before, believed and believed and all of a sudden here it is! Other runners will probably have Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) or something similar in their music players to give them an extra boost.

I think I will be cheesy and definitely include “Just like we dreamed it” in my playlist.