By Staff Writer Tighe Ratcliffe.
On Saturday March 2, the UMass Dartmouth SAIL Office invited students to come to the main auditorium for a free double feature of two Disney princess movies. The films were The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Frog. The movies weren’t the only free thing either, there were plenty of free snacks to go around too.
SAIL does many events here on campus; their goals are providing social, educational, and leadership opportunities, while at the same time they focus on empowering students, developing a strong campus community, and instilling UMass Dartmouth pride to all involved.
For every different event that SAIL does here on campus, there’s always something new in the works being developed. Like for instance, the Disney Double Feature. Students were encouraged to wear their pajamas and come and just relax before the hectic week of midterms come along.
When asked if this event would become a regular one, one of the SAIL representatives said: “It depends on how it goes. If it’s a good response, and a lot of people go to a certain event, chances are we’ll do that same event again.”
In regards to why the late night, pajama party, Disney setting, they went on to say, “I believe it was one of the other girls who planned it…suggested that we do something chill, something that people could just come and eat popcorn, watch movies and relax.”
The students who did end up coming took full advantage of the dimly lit auditorium as classic Disney songs came from the speakers while waiting for the movies to start. Some even started to sing along with certain songs.
First, everyone was whisked away “Under the Sea” with The Little Mermaid. This is the classic tale of half-fish girl falls in love with full human boy, full human boy falls in the water and nearly drowns, half-fish girl rescues him and sings him a shanty, full human boy falls in love with her voice, half-fish girl sells her voice for some new legs. We’re all well familiar with this cherished movie, so no need to go into detail.
The second feature of the night was the last of the hand-drawn Disney Princess movies, The Princess and the Frog.
Not only is it the last of a long line of cherished hand drawn films, but it also focused on probably one of the most relatable Disney princesses.
Tiana is a hard working young African American lady growing up in New Orleans during the early part of the 1900’s. She does everything she can to make her and her fathers dream come true.
She’s “Almost There,” until things happen around her as she is flung into the Bayou with a frog who is really a prince, a musically inclined alligator, and a star-struck fire-fly, all so she can become human again and open her restaurant.
The wonderful thing about Disney films is that they can bring people together. There’s a feeling of shared nostalgia we all get when we watch their movies. The great thing about the SAIL office is that they have the resources to give students that nostalgic feeling of seeing a hand drawn Disney movie on the big screen, in the comfort of your pajamas.
With any luck, SAIL will be doing one of these Disney Pajama double features again really soon, because who doesn’t need a night where you get to watch your favorite childhood movies on a big screen, all comfy in pajamas.