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View Full Version : Your very own Disneyland traditions...



fjhuerta
09-29-2004, 07:55 PM
I have a couple...

(First of all - I've been to the park maybe 5 or 6 times, tops. It's still my favourite place in all the world).

* Read the plaque below the train at the entrance to DL "Here you leave today..."... and truly believe it. I always do this with my friends whenever we visit. The moment we get into Main Street, the outside world becomes a fantasy, and Disneyland IS reality.

* Dine at the Blue Bayou.

* Sit down, relax, and talk about life in the small patio at the Disney Gallery.

* Cry at least once (without anyone watching me... hey, don't look at me that way!!!).

* Take a group picture with a cast member doing funny stuff. Last time, we took a picture with the Little Mermaid posing as a soccer team.

What about you?

SCUBAbe
09-29-2004, 08:02 PM
oddly enough even though we go alot we have no traditions. When it becomes apparent to me that we are doing the same things on every visit I make a point to change it up and do different things. I hate being in a rut. Thats probably why I dislike the holidays so much. It's always the same thing every year....it's also probably why I hate working ...same thing everyday...LOL...so, in areas of my life that I can have more control over I really try to keep things different...:)...by the way, we were going to DL alot so we are now taking a break...LOL...my next trip will be for MA....then I won't go back until december..:)

Earkid
09-29-2004, 08:03 PM
OMG I thought I was the only goober that cried at Disneyland. I usually tear up at night (when no one can see me) while waiting in line at a ride and I realize just how much I love being where I am. I also tear up while on Soarin' when we fly over the aircraft carrier!!

rentayenta
09-29-2004, 08:13 PM
I have been visiting DL for 35 years. For 24 of those I lived, at most, 30 minutes away. I will tell about traditions that I do since being married and having kids.

We always wait for the afternoon parade with a new balloon and a treat; iced mochas for DH and I; cocoa and cookies or ice cream for the kids.

We have popcorn while waiting in line for the IASW.

At least one meal at the Pizza Port.

We take our picture in front of the Mickey flowers.

Pics in front of the castle.

We always do a character meal.

For some reason the kids and I always seem to skip down Main Street.

We all buy a new hat or visor.

Have to watch the MSEP.

We ride in the front row in POTC at least once.

Matterhorn at night at least once.

We hit the World of Disney, like everyone else, after the park closes and spend way too much money. The girls always get a new peignoir set and I always buy the 20 pack of coffee(s).

sediment
09-29-2004, 08:22 PM
We do whatever the kids want to do. That's the tradition. Invariably, we split up.

LilmissTinkerbell
09-29-2004, 08:32 PM
I always wear the mickey ears my BF bought me on our 1st anniversay (AWWW, so cute you could puke, right?)

I awlays eat a churro

The BF always gets an ice cream at the Gibson Girl

Anytime I see a princess, I always take a picture, no matter how many other pictures with them I have

So, if you see a brunette chick eating a churro, posing with a princess, and wearing mickey ears that say "kitten", say hi!

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
09-29-2004, 09:20 PM
I cry too. The fireworks and Fantasmic usually get me going. I always cry the last day of our trip, as we are leaving. DH thinks I am nuts! I am! :D

Get silohuettes (spelling?) of my kids on their first visit. I am STILL sick I forgot to do this in May for my little guy.

Buy my kids mouse ears on their first trip, at the Mad Hatter. They both have them ready to go in November.

Get ice cream at the Main Street Cone Shop.

My kids each get one stuffed character and a shirt at each visit. They get other things too, but those are musts.

Mint Julep

Picture in front of Mickey flowers in front of park.

I Heart Disneyland!
09-29-2004, 10:48 PM
So happy to hear that I too am not the only last day at DL crier!!! (ha) And, certainly not the only one to cry being there!

We always start at POTC. We always eat Bengal BBQ. We always get corndogs from the red truck at the end of Main Street, on the Tomorrowland side of the end of Main Street. We always have churros! We always eat at Blue Bayou, mostly for the atmosphere...and sit by the water always! We love to get the HUGE slushy drinks in Toontown. I try to ride EVERY ride at least once each trip. The GOOD ones (for us, BTM, Splash Mtn. Space Mtn, POTC, Matterhorn) many, many times! We always have a burger and fries for one meal. We always enjoy breakfast on Main Street. We love to shop a LOT! I see a common theme here....we like to EAT a lot when we're there! haha! :cool:

Just listing this makes me want to transport myself there NOW!!!!! :D

nintendestined
09-29-2004, 10:56 PM
I ALWAYS must go on The Haunted Mansion AT LEAST once. It is a MUST. :D
Non-attraction-wise... The only thing I do everytime is visit the Petrifide Tree by the Rivers of America. I don't understand why myself... maybe it's just an 'old' friend I never really knew, lol. :p

MrVor
09-30-2004, 01:32 AM
Let's see....I clock in. After that, everything is a blur. :cool:

SoCalDude
09-30-2004, 01:56 AM
We get on the train and head over to NOS to ride POTC.. if we do not our daughter is not a happy person, lol. But that has become the one thing in the same order every time.

And I think after riding in the front of the monorail on our last visit that may become another. There are other rides we must go on - autopia, small world, matterhorn.

oh ya - and hit the Lego store (despite us going to Legoland numerous times every month) :rolleyes:

Mickey_Freak
09-30-2004, 05:41 AM
O.K not one of you mentiona that you have to eat a giant pickle!!! Thats a must when you go. I loved it when the pickles where in the great big wood barrels. They tasted better then :-)

I am also a crier. I cry as soon as I read the sign. Here you leave...

I love that place :-) 40 days till I am there with me new son he will be 8 months old and this is his first trip!!! I have waited all my life to take my kids there. I just can't wait.

Anyone take there young ones to D-land?? If so any suggestions??

S

dlandnut
09-30-2004, 06:20 AM
For our first "attraction", we always go as a group to Pirates of the Carribbean and all sing "yo ho" together (kind of corny, I know).

We eat mickey mouse pancakes at Riverbelle Terrace.

We eat at the Blue Bayou, preferably by the water.

We ride the train completely around the park, just to hear "Your Attention Please".

We eat the corndogs at CA (they are sooooo good).

Stay at DH or GC.

We always eat at the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach. :)

Susan L
09-30-2004, 06:59 AM
When I was a kid growing up in LA and my family would go to DL we always had the same route around the park that we would take. The only time is would change is if the relatives would come for a visit.

Now a days we live in No. CA and only get to DL once a year. So I guess our tradition would be. We usually arrive around 2pm after driving 11 hours. Rest for a little in the hotel and then do dinner. I always get hopper tickets for the amount of nights for me and the kids. Hubby is usually to tired from driving all day so after dinner he usually goes back to the room. Me and the kids go over to DL and take a tour and may-be go on a few rides. Then we are usually back to the room about 9 or so and if we are lucky this time around we should be able to see the fireworks from our room. 22 days left to go and we will be at the Happiest Place On Earth.

tlovesdis
09-30-2004, 07:24 AM
I always cry when I see the castle for the first time!

We always eat at the Blue Bayou.

I have to take my picture with Mickey!

AliciasMom
09-30-2004, 07:41 AM
A tradition that I just started for my daughter is collecting Minnie Mouse items. She gets one Minnie Mouse item per trip. So far she has a Minnie t-shirt, two Minnie Plush toys, and Minnie ears.

Ferris
09-30-2004, 09:32 AM
My friends and I had a couple of traditions. We would always go to Space Mountain first thing, and we would always take a picture in front of a different spot at Big Thunder. It's been tough to keep those traditions going lately with the closures, so I am trying to start a new one: hot cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate from the bakery during the fireworks. If you've never tried it on a cold winter night, I highly recommend it. Just the thing to warm your belly and your heart! :)

Opus1guy
09-30-2004, 11:34 AM
I have this funny tradition of always leaving with less money than I came in with. :)

disneyperson
09-30-2004, 12:28 PM
I cry too, usually the first time is when we first enter the gates and see Mickey's head in flowers, and I'm just so darn glad to be there! I also cry when the spotlight hits Steamboat Willy during Fantasmic, and when I hear the opening welcome lines of the Electrical Parade and see the Blue fairy coming down the street (this is after I get over my disgruntlement of having to be in DCA to see it)
Our traditions? I've taken a photo of my daughter by one of the draft horses every visit since she was in a stroller. There are many little things we do during the rides that would take too much space to put down and are so in-jokey as to make no sense to anyone else. Some things we do is to move our hands in time with the shadow claw on the clock in HM and we always say, "what's all this then?" everytime we see a policeman on Mr.Toad. (an homage to Monty Python) We always yell "ow!" when we get hit by air darts on Indie. We always make time to people watch(always amusing) and listen to Rod Miller. We take dorky photos of each other standing next to odd things like signs, facade details, and trash cans.We love our traditions, that's part of the reason DL is so special to us. It's how we've made DL "ours".

I Heart Disneyland!
09-30-2004, 01:36 PM
[QUOTE=Mickey_Freak]O.K not one of you mentiona that you have to eat a giant pickle!!! Thats a must when you go. I loved it when the pickles where in the great big wood barrels. They tasted better then :-)

THE PICKLES! I FORGOT WE EAT THE PICKLES TOO!!! Oh man, can't wait to get there next year!!!!! :D

fjhuerta
10-01-2004, 10:52 AM
I forgot two more!

* We always take a group picture in front of the Walt Disney / Mickey Mouse statue.

* We always take a picture with our favourite Disney character next to the statue.

* We always stand up or around the center plaque in front of the castle (When you wish upon a star...)

I guess we just miss the simple times of childhood.

mystycalchyk
10-01-2004, 10:58 AM
We always

watch Billy Hill and hillbillies

Get an ice cream from the Gibson girl and eat it while in line for The Jungle Cruise

Get a churro in NOS

watch MSEP (and yes, I get weepy everytme)

On NYE we are in the same spot every year, at the front end of the hub in the center in front of the castle

pisces
10-01-2004, 11:04 AM
There's a fine line between tears of joy......and upset!

I might have interpreted all the crying to be because of the long lines and crowds.

I'm glad I was wrong.

kisroo
10-01-2004, 11:14 AM
*Arrive early every morning...leave midday for a nap.
*Goofy's Kitchen
*Splash is our first ride. Always.
*Singing to Splash~even Mr kisroo has started doing this!
*Blue Bayou waterside lunch
*A frozen banana
*Buying at least 1 ride or "Disney" photographer picture (last time, it was the Tower of Terror)
*When we can't stay onsite, we always stay in the Candy Cane (even this last time when we had a 2 night promotional stay at a different hotel, we moved to the Candy Cane for the the other 4 days ;) )
*Pause to look up at the railroad station and say "hello" to DL when we enter on our first day and turn to look at the railroad and say "see you soon" when exiting on our last day.
:geek: ~kisroo:)

disneyperson
10-01-2004, 11:24 AM
Oh yeah, at the end of the night, we always stand at the top of mainstreet and say good-night and thankyou to the park. (it was weird when there was no castle to look at). Interestingly enough, I never cry at this point. I've always had a wonderful time and know I'll be back as soon as I can.