# Belated "Thank You" to Cruella (5 years later)



## Prince_Hawkins

Since I'm a new member to these boards, I didn't have the chance to post this right after it happened.

February 2014, at Disneyland...

I was wearing a Navajo print scarf to which I'd pinned three 9" plush Disney characters.

Draped over my left shoulder was a mini-Cruella and a mini-Fauna.

Draped over my right shoulder was a mini-Maleficent and a mini-FairyGodmother.

Yes, I walked around the park all day with these dangling from my shoulders.

So we'd gone to City Hall at the beginning of the day to find out where all the characters whom I wanted to meet were scheduled to be.  We tracked down Cruella, who was mingling with guests on Main Street.

Unfortunately, just as we arrived, a CM (probably her handler/escort) was announcing that Cruella had to leave for a short break.

So I murmured to my friend, who was with me...
*"Aw, I guess I'll just have to meet her some other time..."*

I said this in a low voice, not wanting to intrude into the personal space of the guests whom were already being entertained by Ms. DeVil.

But then, even though we were like a good 10-12 feet away from where Cruella was already talking with a family (that included two pre-teen children), she suddenly noticed me out of the corner of her eye, from a distance.

Although the CM had clearly announced that it was time for her break, Cruella called out:
*"Wait, a minute!!!..."*

And then she made a beeline straight for me, sauntering away from the family whom she was currently entertaining...

As she strode over to me, Cruella reached out and fingered my mini-Cruella plush toy, and crowed:
*"That is a lovely doll!  Where did you get that?"*

I start to answer:
*"Well, I..."*

Then she interrupts me, pointing at the Fauna doll that's dangling alongside the Cruella doll, and demanded to know:
"*Why am 'I' next to *HER*????"*

I try to answer, holding in my laughter:
*"Oh, you don't like Fauna?"*

And Cruella scoffs:
*"She's a BUG!!!!"*

Then, I said to her:
*"Hey, Cruella -- earlier today, I was over in Fantasy Land, chatting with Lady Tremaine..."*

(which was clearly a lie, since the Tremaines rarely ever appear at Disneyland Anaheim)

To which Cruella prodded me:
*"Yes...???"*

I continued...
*"...and do you want to know what she told me about you?"*

Cruella, as her eyes light up, eagerly:
*"How I'm gorgeous, and an absolutely lovely person?"*

Me:
*"No.  She told me that your coat is made of FAKE dalmatian fur!"*

Cruella:
*"What?!  How dare you say that!!!"*

Me:
*"No, I just thought you'd want to know that she's spreading lies about you."*

Cruella:
*"You are a nasty, impudent young man!"*

Me:
*"I wasn't the one who said it.  Don't shoot the messenger, Cruella."*

Cruella:
*"What a horrible thing to say about someone!  Has no one ever taught you manners?"*

Me:
*"It wasn't me!  It was Lady Tremaine who said it!"*

Cruella:
*"Well...she doesn't know what she's talking about!  She's UGLY!"*

[Cruella turns around and begins to flounce away from me]

Me:
*"Well I'll tell her you said that."*

[glancing back at me over her shoulder, Cruella responds with a little bit of a twinkle in her eye, slightly "breaking character"] 
*"Yes, you tell her I said that."*

Meanwhile, everybody around me -- my friend, the other guests, some random CMs, are CRACKING UP.

My only regret was that neither of us had a camera-phone handy to record this interaction and put it on YouTube.  Some more of our friends (who actually DID have camera-phones) were supposed to be there with us...but their lazy hides didn't show up at the park until hours later.

Still, an extremely memorable experience...can't wait to finally visit the Florida park and meet more characters!


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