It’s that time of year again: you never know what to wear because the weather is all over the place, the Shamrock Shake is all over the TV, and all of a sudden everyone you know is a little bit Irish. Yes, it’s mid-March, which means it’s time to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day! Now, while you wouldn’t guess it from my last name (Gramlich is pretty heavily German), I do have some family ties to the Emerald Isle. So since I’m at least somewhat Irish, I do partake in some of the American Saint Patrick’s Day traditions like boiled ham and cabbage, “Oh Danny Boy,” and a few pints of everyone’s favorite stout (and a nice appetizer in it’s own right), Guinness. Since I have three young children and I’m a somewhat responsible adult these days, I will quietly be celebrating at home this year, but I recently had a thought: who would make a good Saint Patrick’s Day buddy? Of course, my mind went immediately to Disney, so here are WDW’s Best Audio-Animatronics To Hang Out With On St. Patrick’s Day!
John Wayne from The Great Movie Ride – The Duke was the first one that popped into my head when thinking about the best Saint Patrick’s Day wingman. Actually, let’s be honest, I would be the wingman. Okay, let’s be even more honest, I’m not cool enough to be the wingman to John Wayne (even in an audio-animatronic form!) If you have ever seen the movie The Quiet Man, then you know exactly why John Wayne would be the perfect animatronic to hang out with on the most Irish of holidays! If you haven’t seen it, the movie takes place in Ireland and also stars Maureen O’Hara (at her Maureen O’hara-est). It’s exactly what you think it would be: John Wayne is an American who moves to Ireland and falls for Maureen O’Hara, there are some pints consumed, some punches thrown in pubs, and everyone ends up fairly happy in the end! If you haven’t seen it, well, we can’t be friends any longer. Okay, we can be friends, but you should still watch the movie!
Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean – I have to admit, I’ve always secretly wished I could be a pirate. Not the pillaging, fighting, looting kind, but the high seas, swashbuckling, looking for adventure kind. Or, maybe I just really enjoy drinking rum on a boat, I don’t know. But I think Captain Jack Sparrow would be an absolute blast to go hang out with on Saint Patrick’s Day. I don’t think his accent is Irish, but it’s close enough, right? He’s got the drinking part down, he knows how to tell a great story, he’s extremely funny, and he’ll really bring the party wherever he goes. Plus, if any kind of shenanigans break out in a pub, he carries a sword and a gun with one shot left in it, so no one is going to mess around with him!
Monk from Spaceship Earth – Everyone who has experienced Epcot’s iconic Spaceship Earth will remember the monk who is supposed to be working and writing, but is instead sleeping on the job. That’s not the monk I’m talking about. I’d like to hang out with one of the ones who are awake and actually doing the job they’re supposed to be doing! Now you may be asking yourself why I’d want to hang out with a monk on Saint Patrick’s Day. Here’s why: I’m a bit of a talker. Once I get going, it’s hard for me to slow down. I’m guessing that these monks are ones that have taken a vow of silence, so my monk friend is going to have to sit and listen to everything I have to say! He wouldn’t just get up and walk away, he’s a man of God and wouldn’t want to be rude! Plus, monks have been known to brew some pretty awesome beer (Chimay, anyone?), so he’d be a real asset to have out on one of the biggest party days of the year!
C-3PO from Star Tours: The Adventures Continue – Admittedly, C-3PO is a bit of a worrier and complainer, so you may think he’d be the opposite of a great Saint Patrick’s Day buddy, but let me tell you why that’s not true. Here’s the thing, C-3PO is a protocol droid, so his main mission is to take care of you and help you out. If you’re out at an Irish pub somewhere in the city, just ask him to get you your favorite adult beverage and he’s right on top of it! I’m not saying to abuse the privilege, but if it’s the guy’s job to help you out, why not? Plus, he’s fluent in over seven million forms of communication! If you meet people who don’t speak your language he can translate everything they say with no problem. And the communication doesn’t stop at foreign languages; he also can speak the languages of computers, smartphones, other droids, you name it. So if you somehow lose your iPhone and need to get an Uber for your ride home, he can totally do that since I’m assuming he has WiFi!
Trader Sam from The Jungle Cruise – Yes, he is a headhunter who lives in the jungle. He may or may not have hurt people pretty badly and/or shrunk their heads, but I think as long as you stay on his good side, you’ll probably be just fine! Here’s the thing: Trader Sam has his own bar at Disney’s Polynesian Resort! Who would you rather hang out with on Saint Patrick’s Day: the Wicked Witch from The Great Movie Ride (and The Wizard of Oz), who will probably act up and start shooting fire at people, or Trader Sam, who owns his own bar and might (but probably won’t) get upset and shrink someone’s head? That’s what I thought! On Saint Patrick’s Day, even though the Wicked Witch is green, you’d still pick Trader Sam! The man put together a pretty awesome establishment and I’m sure he’d have some fantastic stories to tell while sitting at the bar and enjoying one of his famous cocktails. And you know that rule about having to wear a shirt in Disney’s bars and restaurants? I’ll bet that one doesn’t apply to Trader Sam himself (and I sure hope no cast member would lose their heads and ask him to cover up!)
There are so many great audio-animatronic characters to choose from, and my little list of five here barely scratches the surface! I didn’t even mention James Cagney (who knew how to have a great time even during Prohibition), Sonny Eclipse (a Sinatra-like lounge singer who’s always having a good time), or Mark Twain (who once said “never refuse to take a drink – under any circumstances.” Who wouldn’t want to spend Saint Patrick’s Day with that guy?) I hope you enjoyed reading this silly list as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Thank you for reading and please enjoy the rest of your stay here at Ear To There Travel!
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