ORLANDO, FL
With a bevy of cheap flights sending Mennonites to Florida this week, residents of Disney World have been brushing up on their Plautdietsch, not to mention the theme park’s record-setting order of roll kuchen and watermelon.
“We purchased a copy of Jack Thiessen’s dictionary for every member of the Disney family,” said Disney spokesperson Daisy Dueck. “Mickey still doesn’t have the accent quite right, but he can say hello, goodbye, and order some borscht if he needs to.”
Mickey says learning Plautdietsch has been quite the challenge, but says it’s all worth it when he sees the smiling faces of those Reimer children.
“Kjikj e mol, een Reima!” said Mickey. “Wo jeitet die fondoage?”
The Reimer kids were very impressed, although their excitement was short lived as their interaction with Goofy was less than ideal.
“That Goofy doesn’t speak a lick of Low German,” said little Timmy Reimer. “All he does it smile and nod and pat you on the head.”
Nevertheless, Goofy says he’s been practicing his head patting technique in Mennonite church lobbies for decades.