I go to DL a lot... more then I care to admit to... but.

It started out as bonding trips with my daughter. We go every Friday (most of the time) and then I started going with friends and I tend to spend time there by myself with a good book.

Lately I have been going with my friends or by myself. Yesterday, I went again just with my daughter. I had forgotten how amazing that park is through the eyes of a six year old.

Yesterday I took the time too watch her little face as we went on the rides and walked down Main Street and through shops. Disneyland may have some faults at times, especially when they try to cram their sponsors up our... you know.... however; yesterday, my daughter didn't see the advertising, she didn't care who paid for it, or how much any of it coasts, she was just in aw of this magnificent place that allows us to leave our burdens at the gate and just be ourselves... KIDS....

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have just been reminded of what Disneyland is really about. And that if you should forget, just go with a kid... and watch there faces.... look into their eyes. That is were Disney's magic lives and it sparkles brighter than any fireworks display that any imaginer could ever dream for us.

"But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong"

MadMadamMim (love your name by the way!), I don't think your opinion is wrong at all. I think you hit the nail right on the head!!
I'm sure no children adults would disagree, but for us who have children, or who enjoy taking children (relatives, etc) to the park know exactly how you feel.

I think you said it for a lot of us, very well.:D

I agree with Mad4mky....I don't think anyone could have said it any better :)

Sparky and I were at DL last night... we were walking down Main Street when she stop short. I looked over at her and her eyes got huge and this smile flash across her face, at which point she exclaimed,

"I didn't know Disneyland loved Christmas so much."

I was a little confused because she and I go every Friday after school, and she had already seen everything, so I simply replied,

"Yes honey they really go all out."

She says "I'll say, they even made the brooms look like candy canes"

I looked over at the CM that was sweeping up, and sure enough, the broom was a big candy cane.

Nothing gets by this one... I love going with her. :)

By the way: If anyone else has great "at the park with my (ie: your) kid"stories I would love to read about them. Children really can inspire the child with in us, and it is so nice to recapture that innocence once in a while.

I actually think I told Mim this one in person.....but anyway, when we were watching the parade of stars in Oct., on the last night we were there, Tarzan was on his float (yummy) and not Terk. Tarzan is her absolute favorite guy ever. (like mommy, like daughter?) I saw him coming about two blocks away. I also knew my Cassidy (stinkerbell) had only three pics left in her camera. In slo mo, I watched her take those three pics--click, click, click--one block before Tarzan got there. She took classic pictures too--Eeyore's butt, the backs of the Mushroom knees, etc. Anyway, she spots Eeyore, goes to rewind her camera and it won't stop rewinding because it's the end of the film. She looks around wildly for help (we're behind several people so she and Courtney can watch the parade from the curb) shaking the camera. There is desperation in her eyes. Sheer panic. I can see the words, "My camera is broken, my camera is broken, my camera is broken" coming from her lips. I tell you. I have never felt so helpless in my life. At that moment I would have done anything in my power to give that child one more picture on her camera. It absolutely broke the heart of anyone who witnessed this. My heart is in my throat just thinking about it. Thankfully, my Courtney gave up her camera so that stinkerbell could take her pictures, but it happened so incredibly slow in our eyes. We are total mush when it comes to stinkerbell. She's an original. Watching a child's heart break is so tragic! Especially at Disneyland. Of course, she also threw her "broken" camera out into the parade out of anger......this memory is not the best, just the most vivid.
The first time we took Courtney, she was two and a half and Cinderella spent so much time talking to her and made such a big deal. Then this same visit a CM spent literally hours one night becoming friends with her (I wrote about this on another thread).
On Cassidy's first trip, she kept kissing all the characters over and over and over and over and over. She was 22 months old and just couldn't control the love she felt for everyone. It was so pure!
On Chloe's first trip, at ten months, she wanted to sit next to us, or stand and hold onto the bar on all the rides she went on. No lap sitting for that girl. Oh, and how she loved the Electrical Parade music. She just bopped and bopped to the beat. So magical!
I love Disneyland.......

Yet another reason I love my little girl and Disney and Disney with my little girl!

Sparky girl and I were getting on Pirates of the Caribbean. She noticed some change on the seat started to frantically pick it up and then starts yelling ”excuse me, excuse me” to the people that had just got off. The woman turns and comes back and Sparky says “here you dropped some money”

I am just so proud of my little girl I start beaming.. but the story is not done. She turns and asked me if that was a good thing, and I said yes it was I had decided at the point I would get her something special when we get off the boat and also explained that we don’t do good deeds to get stuff but because it feels good in our heart but I was still going to get her something because I was just proud of her.

We enjoyed the ride and as we got off a CM called us over. She got down to Sparky’s level and said “some of the villagers thought what you did was very nice and they wanted to do something nice for you” They gave her Mini Mouse Ears with her name stitched on them.

:D

OK. I want a kid so I can go to disneyland with them and experience all this happines!!! Tick Toc Tick Toc.

Originally posted by HB Tigger Fan
OK. I want a kid so I can go to disneyland with them and experience all this happines!!! Tick Toc Tick Toc.

My clock is louder than yours.:(

Originally posted by Mad Madam Mim
Yet another reason I love my little girl and Disney and Disney with my little girl!

Sparky girl and I were getting on Pirates of the Caribbean. She noticed some change on the seat started to frantically pick it up and then starts yelling ”excuse me, excuse me” to the people that had just got off. The woman turns and comes back and Sparky says “here you dropped some money”

I am just so proud of my little girl I start beaming.. but the story is not done. She turns and asked me if that was a good thing, and I said yes it was I had decided at the point I would get her something special when we get off the boat and also explained that we don’t do good deeds to get stuff but because it feels good in our heart but I was still going to get her something because I was just proud of her.

We enjoyed the ride and as we got off a CM called us over. She got down to Sparky’s level and said “some of the villagers thought what you did was very nice and they wanted to do something nice for you” They gave her Mini Mouse Ears with her name stitched on them.

:D

Wow. Again, such a nice story. Most of the Castmembers at DLR are such gems. Where do they get such wonderful people? And wouldn't it be nice if people were to do that in our everyday lives? What a world this would be.
Disneyland is a magical place. I miss it already.:)

My 2nd neice was born at the beginning of October. My sis-in-law had a c-section, so was in the hospital for a week or so....

My brother took a couple of weeks off, but my sister-in-law wanted him there as much as possible.

I ended watching the 8 yr old for about a week. I had just started a new job so I couldn't take any time off. What I'd do was get a change of clothes from home then pick her up at the hospital and visit. Then we'd drive to my brother's place. In the morning I'd help her get
ready. I'd then have to drop her off at the hospital (My folks were out of town, I'd just started a new job and couldn't take time off:(

So that saturday (the saturday after HMH opened) I took her to Dland as a special treat. Just me (her Nino aka God-father) and her!

I told her that since this is Nightmare Before Christmas (she likes the movie), you have to wear black. I'd gotten her a little black t-shirt with a skeleton on it. We also took my black santa hat.

We went early and got there just after opening. Rode the ride. She was scared, but I talked to her and found she was afraid there would be more pop-ups (She likes the ride, but dislikes the pop-ups, I've never been a big fan of them either tho!)

I assured her that there we no added popups and that if she'd ride it just once more, we'd didn't have to ride it again. She agreed (Ok, there was the bribe of riding her favorite ride - Roger Rabbit and a toy.... I'm Nino, I'm obligated to spoil her!!!)

(My regret tho' is the toy she chose is those bouncy balls that play "It's a small world....".... UUURGGGHH!)

The second time she looooved the ride! We kept hopping off it, grabbing fast-passes, riding something else then returning when our passes came up....

Best time I ever had at the park...:D

We sang "Kidnap Mister Sandy Claws", I carried her on my shoulders. We did Tarzan and Sleeping Beauty. (She likes the story books on both of these walk-thrus)
Your basic joyous day...

(With the exception of being shoved around by some CM's who really embarrassed me due Disney's sliding scale of Character Pic standards...):(