Life in The Villages can be very strange, but it’s nothing compared to the Land of Oz.
At least that’s what Villager Mary Yankowski found out Saturday at “The Wizard of Oz” train ride in Tavares.
“I’ve always been a big fan of the movie because it’s a great lesson in life,” said Yankowski, who rode the Oz rails with seven other Villagers. “It teaches you about love, deceit, friendship and wanting to go home. Everyone wants to go home.”
Villager David O’Malley agreed.
“People in The Villages are in their 70s but still learning about courage, heart and what it means to be home,” he said.
It was O’Malley’s idea to round up his Villages’ pals Saturday and venture down to “The Wizard of Oz” train. They drove the 25-mile ride to Tavares’ Union Station, 305 East Ruby Street. The group also included: Dolores and Bill Capece, Dolores and Andy Mirolsky, Rose O’Malley and George Yankowski.
The train show lasts about two hours and takes travelers down the yellow brick road on the railroad tracks to Mount Dora. Passengers then get out and see a brief stage show before heading back to Tavares.
Along the way, passengers are joined by Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. Also included are an assortment of witches, munchkins, one monkey and a wizard. During the journey, those characters – from the beloved book by L. Frank Baum and famed 1939 movie with Judy Garland – appear in a real-life entertainment adventure.
The train runs every day except Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. On Saturdays, two additional runs are at 10:30 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. The last day for the event is June 24. For information, call 352-742-7200 or go to www.thefloridatrain.com.
“We had a lot of success with our Polar Express Christmas train ride so we decided to do ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” said Jake Cobb, coordinator of the event. The Polar Express train ride ran from November through December and was virtually sold out. It drew more than 48,000 people, Cobb said.
While “Oz” can’t match those numbers, the event is doing a steady business, Cobb said, adding: “And we get a lot of Villagers.”
Like Rose and David O’Malley.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “We were pleasantly surprised; it exceeded our expectations. You know how Villagers are – we like to get out and do things.”
Stephanie Wrightson works in a Villages’ bank and brought her daughter, Mackenzie, 6, to the train ride.
“I grew up with ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and Mackenzie loves it the same way I did,” Stephanie said. “The story never gets old.”
Mackenzie Wrightson was dressed just like Dorothy, wearing a blue-and-white-checkered dress with a white blouse. All that was missing was Toto.
“I like Dorothy,” she said.
But what about all those witches and monkeys? Isn’t it scary?
“It’s not scary, it’s fun,” the little girl said.
Katherine Riley, who plays the role of Dorothy, understands the attraction for children of all ages.
“The characters in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ are so pure,” she said. “They represent universal feelings we all have about friendship, love and home.”
Bob Wright, who plays the Wizard, agreed.
“This story stays with you all your life,” he said. “I was just a kid when I saw ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in a movie theater. I never forgot the lesson – there’s no place like home. And home isn’t just a house, it’s about being with the people you love and care about.”
Riley sees a lot of herself in Dorothy.
“Every character you play has to come from within,” she said. “Dorothy is a character who is wide-eyed, hopeful and seeking adventure. I can identify with those things.”
Wright also has a lot of the Wizard in himself.
“The Wizard is like a humbug and sometimes I’m like that,” he said. “He’s not a very good Wizard, but he’s a good man.”
Both of the actors treasure the roles.
“The best part is when you see a child smile,” Riley said.
Like Caityn Harris, who was dressed as Glinda, the good witch. Nate Little, 9, was just hanging out in the train station when the Mayor of Munchkin City showed up.
“I like Munchkins,” Nate said.
Ed Dobski is a grown-up kid who found himself crowned with a lion’s ears while riding the train.
“This is lots of fun; you never outgrow ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” said Dobski, wearing an “Oz” T-shirt.
Shane and Sherri Michael used to dress up as “Oz” characters on Halloween. “What’s not to like about ‘Oz?’” she asked. “It makes you feel like a kid forever.’”
David O’Malley took that sentiment from Emerald City back to The Villages. “We’re all kids at heart,” he said.
