[dznygrl]

Thought #2:

My favorite Disneyland moment of all time is from the time I took Ryan to DL for the first time! I insisted our first ride of the day be Splash Mountain...and even though he was scared spitless, Ryan went along with it...

There is nothing like that look on his face after we went down "the big hill". It was priceless! I have a picture, but sadly it's packed away in Alaska.

When I need something to make me smile, I think about that look. Because it said it all in one glance: "I am officially infected with Disney Magic!" That was all it took, and I knew he was completely hooked.

Boy did I need that, because I didn't have a single family member or friend who understood Disney the way I did! I think that just strengthened our bond by a million times over.

[dznygrl]

Thought #3:

This is a memory I'm not sure I've ever shared...

...but the first time Ryan and I moved to CA to work at Disneyland, we were homeless and practically starving for most of the summer. I was always mortified when someone offered to give me a ride home from work, and I had to tell them I lived in a motel...or a tent...or wherever we were at the moment.

But the Disney Magic is SO powerful, and it just hit me one night.

I remember sitting on a bench by the Main Street flagpole one evening, waiting for Ryan to finish working at the Emporium.

I had been upset for most of the day because we had no money for food, and were going to be sleeping in our car that night.

But as I sat there and gazed down at the castle, I was overwhelmed and started crying. I realized that I had been blessed, because I was living my dream. I was working at Disney, and I had a husband who was with me through everything. I don't think there are a whole lot of people who would have dropped everything they had to move to CA and be homeless, just so their wife could fulfill her childhood "dream"!

I was incredibly HAPPY at that moment. And suddenly I didn't care where we slept or what we ate! All it took was one look at the castle, and a whole new sense of purpose came back into my life.

[dznygrl]

Thought #4:

There is a reason the Enchanted Tiki Room is my favorite place in the entire world. And I guess it's because every time I am in there, I can PICTURE Walt delegating and describing his vision for the attraction. I feel like it's the one place that truly holds his "touch".

I love the fact that EVERY time I watch that show, I tear up. And no, I never care if anyone sees me.

Only true Disney nerds will ever feel the same way as I do, so that special "feeling" is like a little secret that we all hold!

[Peppertink]

Originally Posted by Cynsayshi

Truly, an awesome question. I read this last night and was thinking about all the possible answers while trying to sleep. Since I grew up in Orange County, and worked there twice, I have lots of good memories.
There's my first Disneyland memory - holding onto my younger brother's stroller while we watched the fireworks.
There's the time my youngest brother found a $20 bill at the grocery store. At the time, I think that covered admission for the whole family - of course, we still had to buy tickets to go on the rides. We used to have a drawer in which we kept leftover tickets from each trip.
There was the school trip for the Bicentennial. We had specific tickets for all the patriotic attractions - America Sings, America the Beautiful, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and I forget the other 2. One of the attractions was down, so our chaperone took us from America Sings over to Mission to Mars, since it was right next door. We found out later that some of the other chaperones had taken their kids on the Matterhorn. Boy, were we ticked!
Disneyland was a big-deal date location, too. No one had annual passports, so if a guy were to take you to Disneyland, you knew it was serious. Plus, Inner Space had a well-deserved reputation as a "make-out" ride. HM was good, too, but didn't have the same reputation.
But I think my favorite pre-employment memories were all involved with performing in the Candlelight Processional, which I did 5 times with my high school (yep, came back after I graduated as a ringer). That was when it was still held at the Main Street Train Station. The 1000-voice choir, made up of about 20-30 local choirs who auditioned hard for the opportunity, processed the entire parade route, from Small World to the train station, singing Christmas carols, then performed the 45 minute concert with a guest narrator. The herald trumpet players were on the top of the train station roof!
My first year, though, in 1978, was the best, even though we were rained out that year. It was pouring rain, but we had been rehearsing hard in the backlot anyway, in the hopes that the weather would clear. We'd been there since about 11 AM, and it was freezing cold. The rehearsal "hall" was just 2 adjacent carports off of Ball Street backstage. Cary Grant, the guest narrator that year, showed up in a limo at about 4 PM, dressed to kill in a very nice tux. He came with the report that the concert was cancelled due to the weather. But, he said, he'd like to go through the performance with us, anyway. He described in detail for us what had gone on the night before, then ran through the entire performance with us. He didn't have to do that, but the fact that he did showed what a classy man he was. So, while we were terribly disappointed, it was also a fantastic experience to sing for Cary Grant.

So, what does Disneyland mean to me? It means letting my imagination soar, and creating magical memories, no matter what, and it means home.

Wow! What a great response!
I too have many magical memories. Having grown up in O.C. we went a least twice a year when I was small. I think the two memories that make me smile most are my dad carrying my in his arms up Main St. USA and of me finally getting a cherished Mickey Mouse balloon at the end of the day...walking out with it proudly tied to my wrist(so it wouldn't fly away). I always had such a hard time deciding if I wanted red or blue...blue won out almost every time

[ingamba]

Kim, I don't know what to say. Your responses are truly moving, and embody what Disney really does mean to those of us who "get it".

[dznygrl]

Thought #5:

When I was 10 and my sister was 2, I let my mom dress us up in matching Lion King shorts outfits to go to Disneyland! That's how you know I would do anything to go to Disneyland!!

On that same trip, I wore a hideous neon visor, which Dale stole and put on top of his head. That's the year I decided I wanted to be a character helper.

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by ingamba

Kim, I don't know what to say. Your responses are truly moving, and embody what Disney really does mean to those of us who "get it".

I am glad you enjoy them...I feel like such a cornball , but this is one subject that means everything to me. So much of my life has revolved around these events and feelings. I would not be the same person today if it weren't for these memories!

(And I love sharing them with people I know will "get it"! )

[Emerson613]

Wow...
SO, I am a Jersey girl- South Jersey to be more specific. I have had a love for Mickey Mouse since before I can remember. If only my mom could remember who gave me my first Mickey I would shower them with thanks now as a mom myself!!! I had my first WDW world experience at 8years old. Goofy ate Breakfast with us and I actually thought he ONLY stopped to see me... Now THAT is magic! WDW again for our senior trip... Feeling the addiction coming on strong! Then, It happened!!! The year I graduated from Penn State, my sister moved to San Diego with her marine husband.... Sad?? - NO FREAKING WAY! Instant access to DisneyLand- where it all started, right!?! I went to visit her the very first chance I had-(took my best friend from elementary school with me) Best part about it- MY SISTER HATES IT! which makes going there with her even more fun! For example....She buys the mickey ice cream ONLY to bite his ears off... she finds no magic there (deep down she does but it's so fun to be there with a NON-disney lover...) but now even my DS5 knows that Aunt Pam goes with us because she loves them- but Hates Disney but doesn't want to get left out of any memories! Any who- we went to DisneyLand in late September- I'm talking 100 degrees ... and I made them go when it OPENED (8AM) and we left when it closed (2am that day)
We were dying but it was amazing. I fell in love with that park... POTC was amazing- and I just wanted to eat at that restaurant.. never checked to see what it was called- but Wow! What a park.
THEN, I went back each year with either My sister- who would go ONLY because she loves me... or with my mom and my sister.... then again with my brother and his 2 kids (Then 5 and 2) and it was like our family park! the last trip that I made there with my sister alone, i was 25- no BF and sad ... she tried to get me to buy the Minnie Mouse bride ears- we had a HUGE fight in the hat store in toon town- I mean BIG... I stomped out- left her there- I thought it was bad luck.. the whole 9 yards... She told me she put them back and we moved on.!!! Well, that was Nov. 26th 1997. On November 25th 1998 I was there again with MY SISTER and my boyfriend!!!!!!! My sister was so excited to go to Disney that trip- My BF had NEVER been.... so it was cool for me- but i didn't know why my sister wanted to go so badly- she even brought her video camera- that was a huge step- Well, back in Toon Town- in Mickey's house- My sister took off- I thought she left us out of boredom... but here she asked the CMs for a little extra time and private meeting with Mickey BECAUSE my BF said "what better place than your favorite place to ask you this... Will you Marry me!!!!" Will I???????????? Oh my god!My sister whips out the Minnie Ears... she DID buy them almost 1 year to the day and she remembered to bring them!!! I turned to Mickey and said THANK YOU for my ring!!!!!!! To Mickey- not to Bob... poor Bob! My sister was crying- I was crying--- Mickey was jumping all around- Man, what a great day! That is how it should start!!! it was just wonderful!

So, what does DisneyLand mean to me..... i just told you and boy do I mean it! (one more thing... when California adventure opened, i told my mom we had to get there for the opening celebrations! Now, I was married..... but my mom and I took off to go- (My sister did choose to stay home that time)... I was so excited to get there- we drove up- i was sick in the car the whole way- Sick the whole day actually- sick the rest of the week... Only to find out 2 weeks later thatI was pregnant and didn't know it- So, my 1st son was in the belly for his 1st trip- of course, with DS#2 I HAD to go to WDW pregnant so that his first trip was in the belly as well!)

Disney is a very big part of our family! We laugh a lot- my dad gets annoyed that I make the rum across a park- but i don't want anyone to miss anything that I think might make them happy!!! SO FUN!!!

sorry, was that too long!!! You asked a very loaded question! but I'm glad you did- I am loving my husband all over and missing my sister- who will crack up if she reads this! She isn't a mean person- she's just HONEST and she says one trip in 100 years is just enough. You have to love her!

[Emerson613]

oh- one last short note... I CRY every time I go- every time I see Mickey- every time I walk up Main street- every time my son goes up to a character and turns to tell us who it is as if we don't know- I cry when the parade goes by- It's totally touching there! Just so much Emotion!!!!!

[dznygrl]

Theresa, I don't blame Mickey for jumping all over the place at that moment! I would have given anything to be a character helper during a magic, life-changing moment like that! What a WONDERFUL story!!! Thank you for sharing it!

[Emerson613]

(I hope you didn't get bored - I looked back and that was LONG! sorry!)
I'm just so passionate abotu Disney!!!! I even try to convert those who outright say NO!!!!

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by Emerson613

(I hope you didn't get bored - I looked back and that was LONG! sorry!)
I'm just so passionate abotu Disney!!!! I even try to convert those who outright say NO!!!!

Heavens no, who could be bored? This is the stuff I live to read!!

[daisyd]

Cyn, what an awesome post! Welcome to MouseBuzz!

Theresa, I think it's awesome that you were proposed to in Mickey's house!

This thread was a great idea ingamba It's making me feel all sentimental and mushy.

[ingamba]

Thanks Theresa for your great response. It's for posts like this that I started this thread.

[ingamba]

Originally Posted by daisyd

This thread was a great idea ingamba It's making me feel all sentimental and mushy.

I knew you'd like it Daisy. You're one of the loyal band of true Disneyland fanatics here on MB.