Remembering Margaret Kerry the Real Life Tinker Bell

Remembering Margaret Kerry the Real Life Tinker Bell

I have some specific memories I want to share about Margaret Kerry and fun with her at Walt’s Barn. If you don’t know what Walt’s Barn is look out Walt’s Carolwood Barn. Simply put it is the small replica barn from Walt’s Hombly Hills home where he would work on his 1/8 scall backyard train. He also did a lot of the planning of Disneyland in that barn. It is the birthplace of W.E.D. now called WDI (Walt Disney Imagineering). I was volunteering for a special event at Walt’s Barn along with Margaret. We were giving a private tour. She would come do these as often as she could. I showed people around Walt’s Barn sharing stories about Walt, his love of trains and some of the special items in the barn. After the tour Margaret gave a special talk about her time working on Peter Pan as the live action model for Tinker Bell. She spoke about Walt and the animators she met there. She came and helped sweep up the barn, set up, gave her talk (and on other occasions than this one took over my part of talking about the barn because I passed out from heat.) and then she would help clean up and shut things down. She was just a regular volunteer.

At this time of this incident I was taking care of my sweet Mum-In-Love. She had Alzheimer's and could not be left alone for even 5 minutes. I could not find anybody to watch mum for me so brought her along with me. There were seats she could sit in and cold water to drink. It was a safe enclosed area and I did not have to worry about her. Then Margaret showed up. Sweet Margaret started talking to Mum. They shared stories of their faith in God, the husbands they loved and lost, childhood and family. While I took care of my responsibilities Margaret spent time with mum. Margaret befriended her, took care of her and kept her from wandering off. She allowed me to do something I loved doing, sharing stories about Walt the Man. Margaret knew that would give me peace, and she truly enjoyed spending the time with mum. 

Another much beloved memory I have of her is from the Los Angeles Live Steamer Ghost Train of 2017. This annual event was a crowd pleaser that packed out and was a great thing to do for Halloween. I arranged for a train to take the volunteers of Walt’s Barn (Located on the LALS Area in Griffith Park, Los Angeles) on a ride! This is a nighttime ride with lighting, animated figures, music, and special effects. Think of a walk through Haunted House but instead of walking you are riding on a 1/8 scale train at night! It was about a 20-minute ride! Margaret got the front seat and I fully expected her son to sit behind her, remember she was 86 at the time and this is a straddle type bench seat. You need good balance to ride and many, especially older people riding at night, just do not feel stable enough to do it. NOPE!! Margaret wanted me right behind her!! Look at the picture!! I’m a little person! My husband is right behind me and Margaret’s son is behind him! The rest of the Barn Crew is behind that. OFF WE GO!!! We roll out of the station past a huge, talking, animated haunted tree. Margaret giggled like a schoolgirl and said, “You don’t scare me one little bit!” Thus, the adventure began!! Through Grandma’s Potting Shed with a GIANT Audre II and pots of her hungry babies. Killer Clowns, Western Ghost Towns, simulated electrocution and a mine train spewing flame from its smoak stack! I nervus, no terrifed she would feel unsupported and worried about falling off and here she was making silly comments to the talking figures along the track! She would comment on the quality of the voiceover work and how good the actors that did it were. She loved the special effects and commented on them all. All the time I’m behind her thinking, “OMG!! If Tinker Bell falls off this train and gets hurt I’M DEAD!! Every single Tink fan in the world will hunt me down!!” I never had to worry. Margaret was rock steady the entire ride She held herself more like a 26 year old than a 86 year old! Not one little bobble or need for me to support her!! What childlike joy she had!! She loved every moment.

One more story. Margaret was about to publish her book “Tinker Bell Talks” and she was talking to me about it. (If you have not read it I highly recommend you do so.) We got talking about things we were doing outside of Walt’s Barn. I told her about a book I’d been writing for years. It is a Christmas book for families to read together at Christmas. She asked for a copy so I printed one for her. Margaret was a master storyteller. If you ever had the pleasure of hearing her speak you know what I mean. She liked my book and had one major comment. The book needed illustrations! I could not afford an illustrator nor could I draw myself. We had just finished giving a tour of the Barn. She pointed to the barn and said, “Where are we?” I told her, “Walt’s Barn.” At that she put her fists on her hips, tipped her head to the side in that all too familiar Tink with a Tude pose and gave me “The Look.” You know that one eye half closed, slight frown on the lips what you going to do about it look. She said, “If you can dream it, you can do it! Go draw those illustrations!” I did draw those illustrations, and the book should be out this Christmas! It is in the final editing faze. Took time to find a publisher I could afford. This was the woman who brought one of Disney’s most Iconic and beloved characters to life and danced her way into our hearts. She had the spirit, sass and just embodied the belief she could do anything she wanted, including flying if she really wanted to. She will always be missed but we need to remember that she has just gone on and we can still find her by following that 2nd Star to the Right and Straight onto Morning! We will find her there if we just have Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust. She left a pile of Pixie Dust wherever she went.

Here are some of the pictures I drew because Ms Tink told me to try! Well not just try, DO!!

Tinker Bell and Legend of the Neverbeast – Non Spoiler and Spoiler Review

Tinker Bell and Legend of the Neverbeast – Non Spoiler and Spoiler Review

Tinker Bell and the Neverbeast is the latest direct to video release in the series of Tinker Bell Pixie Hallow themed movies from the DisneyToon Studio. It was released March 3^rd, 2015.

In this movie the Fairies of Pixie hallow face the unknown. At the very beginning Fawn, an animal fairy shows she has a big hart but does not always make wise choices. Her heart leads her decisions and this often leads to danger.

This movie shows the importance of following your heart while still using your brain to make good choices. Other things it teaches is not judging others by how they act and look.

I think this is a very good movie for families. It has a good heart, wonderful animation and great acting.

Now for the spoilers. Stop here if you don’t want spoilers!

While the movie is called Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast the main Pixie is Fawn, not Tinker Bell.

Fawn saves and hides a baby hawk, the natural enemy of the fairies. As she is taking the hawk to be released the baby becomes afraid. It cries and adult hawks hear the sound and come to its rescue. They attack the fairies and a group of fairies called Scouts come and chase them off. Fawn is chastised for letting her heart lead her decisions.

Fawn tries to follow the rules and be responsible. She does not want to put Pixie Hallow at risk again. There are several opportunities for her to make mistakes but she resists and uses her head to control her heart.

A comet hits near Pixie Hallow. As it hits a roar is heard. Fawn wants to go and check out the animal that made the sound. She fights with herself trying to follow her head not her heart. She loses the fight and goes off to see what the creature who made the sound is. She finds a large vicious looking beast.

Gruff is the “Neverbeast”. Fawn is afraid of Gruff at first but she notices he has a thorn in his paw. Fawn follows him around until she is able to pull the thorn out. While following him around Fawn sees he is building towers. Gruff is taking rocks and spit to make the towers. Fawn takes to helping him and turning it into a game. This leads to a friendship between the two.

While Fawn is studying Gruff the Scouts are also trying to figure out what animal made the frightening roar. After looking Nyx, the leader of the Scouts comes to the conclusion that it is a monster that has come to destroy Pixie Hallow.

Fawn tries to take Gruff to the Queen to prove he is no threat. Instead she hears Nyx talking about how the comet had woken up a monster that would destroy Pixie Hallow. Instead of telling the Queen about Gruff she tries to hide him. As Gruff is trying to finish the last of four towers the Scouts trap him. The green clouds create lightning. Gruff accidently hurts Tink.

Gruff runs to the first three of the four towers and collects the lightning. He is changed. He starts to become the “monster” that the leader of the Scouts said he was. Fawn sees him attack Tink and helps Nyx and the Scouts catch him. Once Gruff is caught the lightning strikes. Things turn from bad to worse. Fawn realizes something is wrong. She sees Tink is ok. Tink tells her that Gruff saved her life. He actually knocked her over to keep her from being hit by a falling tree.

Fawn figures out that Gruff is not there to destroy Pixie Hallow he is there to save it! Is it too late? The flower pollen that the Scouts used has made it so Gruff can’t see. How can he do what he needs to do if he can’t see? Fawn realizes Gruff can see her glow. She guides him from one town to the next catching the lightening. As he is hit by lightning Gruff changes. He grows bat like wings and also horns. As they approach the last tower Nyx destroys the last tower!

Fawn realizes Gruff can’t collect the lightening without the towers! Lightning strikes all around starting fires and destroying Pixie Hallow. Lightning almost hits Nyx. Gruff saves her! Once again risking all to protect a fairy. Fawn strikes upon the idea to head straight into the heart of the clouds. She figures going straight to the source Gruff can get the lightning.

Fawn and Gruff fly up and Gruff does the job he was destined to do. Fawn and Gruff fall from the sky! Nyx leads the charge to catch them and break their fall. Gruff’s wings are burned to a crisp and his horns are charred stubs. They shrivel up and turn to dust. Fawn is laying unresponsive on the ground. The fairies have gathered around and are trying to help Fawn. They know there is nothing they can do. Gruff sees Fawn and crawls over and whimpers. A charge of electricity gathers around him and Fawn takes a little shock and starts to breathe!

For a short time Fawn and the other fairies enjoy Gruff being around. He helps and even protects the fairies. Soon Fawn notices Gruff is slowing down. Having read the Legends about the Neverbeast Fawn realizes he is about to go into hibernation. She realizes she will not see him again. She is sad that she will not see him but thankful for what he has done.

Pixie Hallow Holiday Make-Over for Periwinkle

Pixie Hallow Holiday Make-Over for Periwinkle

Tinker Bell’s sister, Periwinkle has come to visit Pixie Hallow in Disneyland! Periwinkle is a Winter Fairy so she has brought a touch of snow and winter touches to Pixie Hallow.

The first sign of winter and Periwinkle is the statue you see sitting on a branch covered with snow.

Then there are touches of snow on the Welcome Fairy’s sign and giant snowflakes hanging above that area.

Around the corner you go and there is Periwinkle herself to greet you!

After spending time with Periwinkle it is around another corner you go and there is Tinker Bell’s house and Tinker Bell may be there to greet you! Tinker Bell is in her Winter outfit right now to keep warm.

Periwinkle and Tink are not always there. Sometimes other fairy’s come out to say hi to the visitors of Pixie Hallow.

Think Tink

Tinker Tude

            Ok you can all guess I'm a Tinker Bell fan. The question is why Tinker Bell not one of the strong and beautiful princesses. The answer is simple.

            Snow White was gentle and kind. She believed in returning kindness for kindness and never taking without giving. She ran instead of fighting to protect herself. Cinderella, while a great example of a good attitude in a bad situation and a reminder to keep dreaming, sat and waited for things to happen. What did Cinderella "do" to make her dreams come true? Both princesses are like many of the Disney princesses, good examples of grace under pressure and kindness in return for cruelty. They are good examples for kindness and civil behavior. They are not the modern idea of a strong capable woman.

            I'm a little person. I'm 4 feet 9 inches tall. All of my life people have over looked and ignored me. As a child I was always told I could not do things. I was treated as if I was three to five years younger than I was throughout my entire youth. When time came to pick teams for sports I was not the last picked I was not picked at all. I married my wonderful Pan daMan at the age of 21. On our wedding night we went to a little motel as a stopover on the way to our big destination. The desk clerk refused to give us the room my husband booked four months before because he thought I was underage. He refused to accept my ID as real. It took a couple of hours and a threat to call the police to get our room. When I was in my 20's and 30's and I was in line at fast food places or at the bank I often had the cashier/teller call out to the person behind me, "Next" because they thought I was a child with the person behind me. I felt insulted, ignored and useless. I was angry at being over looked. I felt the only way to get anything done and make people "see me" was to get angry. This did not work well. I finally came upon the idea of "Thinking Tink."

            To be seen and get anything done I've had to be like Tink. Tink is caring, strong of spirit, forceful, fiercely loyal to a fault and when she feels wrong feisty. She refuses to be ignored. She will never allow people to just walk all over her.  A little person could have a worse example than Tink. When people overlook you simply say, "Excuse me I was next, thank you." Stand up without being mean or rude. If that does not work then get more forceful as needed.

            Tink stands up for herself and her friends. She shows her feelings, both good and bad; you always know where you stand with Tink. She is willing and able to do things for herself and her friends. When she can't do something on her own she rallies her friends to help.

            So if you have a child that is on the smallish side or you yourself are a little person you could do worse than Thinking Tink. Think, I can do things myself.  I can tell people when they over look me and I feel slighted (no need to be rude when doing so). I can be loyal and caring. I can ask for help when needed. I can defend myself when the time comes, I am not helpless. I can spread a little joy and Pixie Dust every day to those around me.