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Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto all shared in the excitement of the Lightning's Stanley Cup win.
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Journal 5: Stanley
meets Mickey
By Kevin Shea | Special to NHL.com
July 3, 2004
Dave Andreychuk is still trying to shake 'It's a Small World After All' out of his head! The Stanley Cup visited Walt Disney World June 12 in the company of Andreychuk, the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and his family as they visited the world-famous theme park -- just 75 miles away from Tampa -- for a parade down Main Street USA in honor of the Stanley Cup champion Lightning. After opening Disneyland in Southern California in 1955, Walt Disney made a decision that would ultimately impact on millions of people around the world. He decided to construct a theme park near Orlando, Fla., that would expand on the dreams he had realized with Disneyland. The Disney brothers, Walt and Roy, bought up 27,000 acres of swampland and began to create what would become the premier entertainment facility in the world. Sadly, Walt never got the opportunity to see his dream realized. He died in December 1966; five years before the grand opening of Walt Disney World on Oct. 1, 1971. The original location has since grown to 30,500 acres -- about forty-seven square miles -- and it is here that the Stanley Cup was honored with its own special celebration. The affair was originally scheduled for the day before, but it was postponed for a day in deference to the funeral of Ronald Reagan. Andreychuk, his wife, Sue, and kids, Taylor, Caci and Brooke, took the Stanley Cup to Downtown Disney, arriving by 9 a.m. At 10, sporting Mickey Mouse ears where a hockey helmet usually sits, Andreychuk and his family were the grand marshals in the parade that began at Splash Mountain and curled throughout Walt Disney World. As the vehicles were readying for the parade, Brer Rabbit was plunging down Chick-a-pin Hill with Brer Fox and Brer Bear in close pursuit on Splash Mountain. Minnie and Mickey Mouse joined the entourage along with Pluto. Just like the Cup keepers who handle the Stanley Cup, Mickey and Minnie always wear white gloves, although it's likely more cartoon coincidence than hockey etiquette. Moments later, Goofy lumbered by, attired in his hockey gear, and was thrilled to get his picture taken with the Stanley Cup. When the photographer shouted, 'Say cheese,' Mickey Mouse was especially excited. With that, his hockey-playing pal gave a -- you'll excuse the reference -- goofy chuckle. There was a massive turnout on an extremely hot day for the Stanley Cup parade at Walt Disney World. One of the organizers mentioned it being one of the best turnouts ever for an athlete. That statement carries a lot of weight, considering Tiger Woods, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are among those who have been guests of honor at Walt Disney World parades. As the Andreychuk family waved from an antique car, cannons shot streamers of Lightning blue, black and silver into the sky, making the event even more festive. A Tampa Bay Lightning Zamboni lumbered along the parade route behind the celebrants. The crowd clapped and cheered and had a brilliant time.  | |
Dave Andreychuk was a big-time celebrity at Disney World as he showcased the Stanley Cup.
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Then, Andreychuk and his family were taken through Magic Kingdom and got a chance to go on several of the amazing rides -- Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Swiss Family Treehouse, Country Bear Jamboree and, of course, It's a Small World. It had already been an eventful afternoon for Stanley, riding with Dave Andreychuk and his family in the Walt Disney World parade down Main Street USA. From Downtown Disney, the Stanley Cup was driven to the North Tampa home of forward Tim Taylor at 4 p.m. Taylor, who had previously earned a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in 1996-97, is very much enjoying the fruits of being a Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He and his wife, Jodi, and their children, Brittany and Wyatt, sat with the Stanley Cup in their home and marveled at its opulence. Although this wasn't Taylor's official day with the Cup, he relished the opportunity to spend a little additional time in the presence of hockey's Holy Grail. Taylor took the terrific trophy to Hunter's Green Country Club, a private 18-hole golf course in Tampa. Andreychuk arrived there just as a local television station was airing a news item about the Stanley Cup at Walt Disney World. The golfers teased Andreychuck without mercy about his Mickey Mouse lid. Taylor and Andreychuk were joined by several of their Lightning teammates, including Jassen Cullimore, Freddie Modin, Stan Neckar, Brad Richards, Cory Stillman, Darryl Sydor and Martin St. Louis. Also joining Taylor and his Tampa teammates at the tee was Tim's brother, Chris -- who spent the better part of last season with the Buffalo Sabres. Tim and Chris married sisters; Tim married Jodi and Chris married Jodi's sister, Lisa. The members of Hunter's Green also got the opportunity to get photos taken with the Stanley Cup. While they were at the course, Taylor glanced over and noticed an alligator in a pond on the golf course. Locals told Tim that a gator sighting was not unusual, but to a boy from Stratford, Ontario, an alligator on the golf course means run away. The Lightning players returned to Taylor's home at dinner time. While a few of the boys were playing Golden Tee video game golf and the rest were enjoying a casual array of sandwiches and pizza, a familiar voice cut through the clatter. "Congratulations boys! Feels good to be a champion, doesn't it?" When they looked up, the Lightning were face-to-face with baseball star Wade Boggs, who was sporting the World Series championship ring he earned as a member of the 1996 New York Yankees.  | |
Tampa native and former baseball player Wade Boggs held the Cup high above his head at Tim Taylor's house.
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Although he established himself with the Boston Red Sox and won a ring with the Yankees, Boggs played two seasons in Tampa Bay, concluding his career with the Devil Rays in 1999. "You know what boys," Boggs continued. "The Lightning's Stanley Cup win has put hockey on the map in Florida!" The Lightning sat around into the evening and got a chance to really discuss their victory. Richards admitted that all the hoopla around the Lightning's Stanley Cup win didn't fully sink in until he attended the NHL Awards in Toronto two days earlier. "When I heard each of the presenters and trophy winners congratulate Tampa Bay, then I fully realized, 'Hey, we really did it!' We won the Stanley Cup!'" Andreychuk spoke about how he could feel the team getting closer to hockey's Holy Grail. "When I signed (as a free agent) with Tampa Bay in 2001, I was excited because I'd be getting extra ice time and could maybe help out some of the young players they were bringing in," he said. "But after the first year, you could feel something. Something was brewing here. Then last season, I knew we had the elements of a winner. Now here we are -- the Stanley Cup champions!" Some of the Lightning played golf at midnight, using fluorescent balls. When Richards wasn't playing lightning-fast riffs on air guitar, he was hugging the Stanley Cup. And when Richards would go back to approximating solos from guitar gods, Andreychuk was busy hoisting the Cup over his head with a grin as wide as the Gulf of Mexico. In casual conversation, the Lightning discussed preliminary plans for the Stanley Cup. "Man, I am so excited to take the Cup home to Sweden," said Modin. Richards replied, "I know! For me, taking the Stanley Cup to (Prince Edward Island) will be incredible. It'll be great for the province -- maybe then people will remember that PEI has produced more than just potatoes!"
Taylor shouted, "Yeah Brad, they produced Anne of Green Gables, too!" Next time in the Stanley Cup journal, join us for a courtside seat at a Detroit Pistons' game.
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