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lofosho
05-23-2007, 01:15 PM
Another nostalgia thread!

When was your first visit to Disneyland. What do you remember?

Going to Disneyland is one of my first memories. I was three years old, and my Dad took me by myself, just for the day. We flew in very early in the morning, and flew back the next. I remember my first time on all of the fantasyland rides, Im pretty sure I made my dad stand in line for dumbo 7 or 8times...

DianeM
05-23-2007, 01:28 PM
My first visit, I was just shy of 2 years old. I don't remember it, but my mother tells me that when we left after a long day I was crying "More Disneyland! More Disneyland!". I remember a lot of visits when I was young, but we visited every year so they kind of blur together.


Another nostalgia thread!

When was your first visit to Disneyland. What do you remember?
..

MermaidHair
05-23-2007, 01:39 PM
I was 3 or 4. We may have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel but I remember seeing the big old DLH sign. I also remember the plane flight down on PSA. My sister and I loved the orange stir sticks that came with the drinks and we went up and down the aisle collecting them from the other passengers.

Other than that, the rest of my memories are from the photos my folks took. It was a long time ago...

SANDYMARIE
05-23-2007, 01:51 PM
It was 1978 and I was 18 and on my Honeymoon!! :) I had no idea what to expect. I was thinking more along the lines of carnival rides!:rolleyes: Since then I can't get enough of it! Disneyland that is. I hear the snickers!! :D

TTFN

UsBurchs
05-23-2007, 02:15 PM
My first trip to Disneyland was actually in 2001. (I went to WDW at age 16 in 1990 - but Disneyland at age 27.) At the time, my husband's step-sister was about 12 and we took her with us. Since she has juvenile diabetes, they gave her a special pass so we didn't have to wait in line in the sun (which would overheat her insulin pump). They no longer give out passes unless you have a much more severe need. Anyway, it was great. We had a blast and one of my most magical memories was buying a stuffed Mickey (which my parents wouldn't let me get at WDW) and held him while watching the fireworks, right in front of the castle. My eyes welled up, my husband smiled and my little sister just giggled and patted my knee. She knows how much I love the magic of Disney.

My other favorite memory from that visit was while waiting for the Electric Light parade at DCA. There were two young ladies from Japan next to us and I heard them chatting in Japanese and then looking worried. They kept looking around and then asked us "toilet?" Apparently they both needed to go but were worried about loosing thier spot. I said we'd save their place (with a lot of hand motions) and they smiled, bowed a bit and ran off to take care of matters. A few minutes later, they were back with tons of thank yous. After the parade, they shook our hands and thanked us over and over again. One of the girls noticed I had a pin lanyard and handed me a pin. I offered to trade, but she refused. Later, in the light, I got to look at my gift. A pin from the Tokyo Disney Electic Light Parade. Something I will treasure forever. I was so happy to have made some friends that evening. It truely was one of those "magical moments" that only Disney provides.

Jimmy
05-23-2007, 02:58 PM
I was 3 and I remember walking holding my mom and dads hand down main street. We were there for 5 days and this is really my only memory

I took my kids back in 05 and it was great they were 7 and 9 I think they will remember it all, especially how excited their dad was :fez:

backsthepack
05-23-2007, 03:00 PM
The first trip I actually remember was when I was 4. I remember the Disneyland hotel, the patio our room had especially. I remember when we checked in the room hadn't been cleaned yet and someone had actually puked on the floor. Needless to say they got us another room quickly. I remember getting on the monorail to get into Disneyland.

I remember hating POTC because of the drops. That is the only ride I can recall from that trip (that I rode, though we rode everything of course). I remember watching my big brother ride the cars.

I remember my sister and I posing with Mickey in front of the flowers as you walk in the gate.

The cool thing about this? I was 4 years old and 7 months to the day. I took my son when he was 4 years old and 7 months to the day. So I have photos of both him and I with Mickey at the exact same age.

avalosn
05-23-2007, 03:03 PM
My fist visit to DL, I was about 1 and 1/2 so I don't remember too much from the actual visit. But as far as my first memories, I have two early ones that are relatively clear.

The first was picking out a Snow White coloring book in the Emporium (which I swear, I thought was the greatest toy store ever created by man).

The second memory is walking to our car through the old parking lot where DCA is now, while my dad carried my younger sister and I carried those old school Mickey Mouse balloons (without the clear bubble around them). And the whole time thinking, I don't want to go home and how come I have to walk and Val (my sister) doesn't??????? :fez:

bloodnswash
05-23-2007, 03:44 PM
My first DL visit was when I was about 4 years old....1972. I remember POTC and Haunted Mansion. My mom told me that the Haunted Mansion was a model home. Boy, did I do a lot of screaming on that ride, lol. Right after that we went on Small World and I was still screaming my head off :)

I also remember my mom stopping at night time telling me and my sisters that she wanted to pretend she was in another line (I don't know where we were heading to). A few minutes later Tinker Belle was flying right above us :)

awdfan
05-23-2007, 03:49 PM
My very first trip, I have no memories of as I was in a stroller and not walking. But according to my mom, I stood up in the stroller for the entire day because I was so excited and wanted to look at everything going on. She'd push me down, I'd sit, then I'd pop right back up.

One of my first memories is a few years later, I was too scared to go on POTC with everyone, so my mom sat with me outside of the ride and we waited for the rest of our party. The entire time I felt soooooo guilty for making her miss the ride, especially since she talked it up so much trying to get me excited to go on it.

mistofviolets
05-23-2007, 03:57 PM
I was 3. I remember waiting in line for Small World; going on Pirates (it was so nice and cool in there! I remember sneaking a touch of the water to see if it was real.); and riding the parking tram on the way out. My balloon flew away. :( LOL. (I was heartbroken, and the adults annoyed that we'd spent the day at Disneyland and I was sniffling over a silly balloon.) They probably should have *tied* it to my wrist. :rolleyes:

PanFan
05-23-2007, 04:04 PM
I think it was going on Pirates and ducking down below the bow of the boat during the battle scene because I was scared the bombs would hit me. I must have only been 3 or so because I don't remember my sister being there.

JadaB
05-23-2007, 04:26 PM
My first trip was when I was 5. My parents took us when we each turned 5 (As the oldest I lucked out, there are 3 of us, My brother is 5 years younger, sister is 10 years younger)

The things I mostly remember is meeting some characters, the Main Street Electrical Parade, and Pirates being the only ride that didn't scare me (I'm not sure how that works LOL)

I love reading everyone else's memories!!

emmah
05-23-2007, 05:57 PM
My earliest DL memory is from my 10th birthday trip which was also my first trip to the USA and thus to DLR. The visit got off to a rocky start with total food-culture-shock. We were staying at the DLH and that first morning, dealing with jetlag and my first ever hotel visit, we were confronted by room service delivering a plate of danish for breakfast (kiwi kids have weetbix or cornflakes for breakfast , and I had never even seen a danish before). I had a melt down and we had to get in a taxi and visit the biggest supermarket any of us had ever seen, where we couldn't find anything that looked anything like weetbix, and where there were about 30 different kinds of milk (at home milk came in a glass bottle with a silver cap, period). anyway, we finally found something i agreed to eat (i can't remember what) and got to the park. I can remember getting my first pair of ears embroidered, but i can't remember anything else til the end of a long long day. I was sitting at the tomorrowland terrace restaurant, waiting for my hotdog. finally my aunt arrived with the tray, and put this thing down in front of me and i can just remember feeling totally betrayed and defeated. in nz, a hotdog is a battered sausage on a stick, dipped in tomato sauce. you get them at fish and chip shops, and as we hardly ever ate anything that wasn't home-cooked, they were a rare and special treat. i can remember sitting there looking forward to it, and then all of a sudden i was staring down the face of this long skinny pale thing (which did not look anything like a sausage) in some sort of long skinny bread roll with onions and covered in something yellow. i remember all these conflicting feelings and then looking up at the faces of my family and everyone bursting into laughter at my horror.

well, it was a long time ago, and i was very young, and very provincial. you'll be glad to know i have travelled extensively and outgrown my childish fears. but i still don't think american hotdogs look like food.:p

Tisha
05-23-2007, 06:01 PM
I've always lived here in Southern California and so I went many times when I was young. I really can't remember the first time, but the first memory I have of Disneyland is being there with my family, my aunt, uncle and cousins, and my grandparents, and all of us planning to go on the skyway. Aww I miss that ride.

IdahoMike
05-23-2007, 06:02 PM
I first went in 1979 at age 8. My 2 memories are being in line for Space Mountain, and it ran out to about where Astro Orbitor is now, and the 2nd memory is ending up with the seatbelt around my neck after riding the Matterhorn!

Foodie
05-23-2007, 07:26 PM
I was 15 my first time to D-Land. I was too cool for everything back home but somehow D-Land made my inner child come back to life. I fell in love with the IASW ride and it's been my favorite ever since.

-Foodie :D

simnia
05-23-2007, 07:40 PM
My very first trips to Disneyland were when I was so young that I had only fragments of memories of rides. For years my sister and I would have to keep asking our mother, "Where was that place we went where we flew over a town at night?" and the answer would always come back: "Disneyland, on the Peter Pan ride." I also remember being so frightened of the alligators on the Jungle Cruise that I refused to sit down. With that bad experience it's a wonder that the Jungle Cruise later became one of my top favorite attractions, but it did!

with_5
05-23-2007, 07:44 PM
I think I was around 8 years old. The one thing that really stands out about it was my cousins and I taking my great grandma on the Matterhorn. I think that was the last ride she rode the entire trip.

Monte Cristo
05-23-2007, 08:05 PM
I have posted this before, so if any of you have read it, my apologies. It just so happens to be one of my favorite recent memories and I share it whenever I have the opportunity, because I think my story is pretty unique.

Why?

Because up until my first trip to Disneyland over 3 years ago at age 30, I was an unabashed DISNEY HATER!

That's right - growing up and into adulthood, I LOATHED Disney and everything about it. Didn't watch the movies, never even entertained the idea of visiting the themeparks, couldn't even stand Mickey Mouse! :eek:

So what changed, you ask? Well, I'll tell you...

In 1998 I met my then girlfriend (now wife). I lived on the east coast (NYC), she was a transplant from Northern CA. When we first met, I was aware that she and her family were HUUUUUGE Disneyland fanatics. She kept trying to get me to go, but I refused each time. One January we flew out to visit her family and she tried again to get me to go. But I agreed to go to southern CA - but only for universal STudios. I wouldn't budge. I made it pretty clear to her that I'd be up for just about anything EXCEPT a trip to "the DUMBEST place on Earth" (yeah, I was a jerk :().

So in 2000 we decide to move out to Northern CA. I managed to continue to rebuff attempts to get me to the Magic Kingdom, and did a pretty good job of it too.

Now flash ahead to November of 2003. I was completely distracted by a project I was working on when my wife tells me that she, her mom, and her sis wanted to make a trip down to Disneyland, as they haven't been there in a while. She asked me if I'd like to come along. Again, I wasn't really paying attention so I just said "yes".

Uh oh. What had I done? I thought in a small panic.

So flash ahead again to the night before we were to leave for DL. I desperately didn't want to go. I even tried to start a fight with my wife just so I wouldn't have to take the trip! No dice. She wasn't taking the bait. SO come around 3am that morning, I dutifully wake up with her and trudge into our car so we can pick up her mom and sis, and be on our way. I'd made a decision that while I was convinced I wasn't going to enjoy myself, I wouldn't ruin it for anyone else, so no matter how much I "knew" I would hate the park, I'd keep it to myself.

So off we went. We got to our hotel, freshened up, and headed off to the park.

Now a quick note about me before I progress: I absolutely ADORE Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year, and I am almost fanatical in every aspect of it. We decorate the whole home, I use Christmas ringtones for all the phones, etc, etc.

Why do I bring this up? Because imagine to my great surprise and delight, as we pulled began walking towards the park, that I saw the first inklings that Disneyland was decorated for the holidays. My spirits lifted immediately. I figured even if I can't stand DL, at least I'll have Christmas stuff to look at.

So we get our tickets run through the machine, and head towards the overpass with the famous "Here you leave today..." sign. I will tell you I was immediately struck by that sentiment. It really did begin to stir something in me. I wasn't prepared, however, for my first step into Main Street.

Again, I had never been to any Disney park, and I had no idea what it was. I thought it was just another stupid themepark, just with Mickey Mouse balloons everywhere.

How wrong I was.

Main Street took my breath away. I couldn't believe how immersive it was. I had actually stepped out into a LAND. Not just a themepark. I was taken aback. Not to mention, the decorations were beautiful. Just imagine walking out onto Main Street for the first time ever, all decked out for Christmas, with holiday music blaring.

I immediately began to surrender.

And as the day progressed, and I rode more rides, I was more and more blown away. I was falling in love with the place. What finally sealed the deal was Haunted Mansion Holiday. It was amazing. I must have gotten on it at least 15 times that first trip.

For the next three days, I was mesmerized and had one of the best times of my life. It was just fantastic and completely unexpected.

When we got back, I immediately booked our next trip a few months later. And ever since that first trip, I have made a holiday trip to Disneyland a tradition in our family.

The best part? My wife never once said "I told you so." ;)

SANDYMARIE
05-23-2007, 08:44 PM
I have posted this before, so if any of you have read it, my apologies. It just so happens to be one of my favorite recent memories and I share it whenever I have the opportunity, because I think my story is pretty unique.

Why?

Because up until my first trip to Disneyland over 3 years ago at age 30, I was an unabashed DISNEY HATER!

That's right - growing up and into adulthood, I LOATHED Disney and everything about it. Didn't watch the movies, never even entertained the idea of visiting the themeparks, couldn't even stand Mickey Mouse! :eek:

So what changed, you ask? Well, I'll tell you...

In 1998 I met my then girlfriend (now wife). I lived on the east coast (NYC), she was a transplant from Northern CA. When we first met, I was aware that she and her family were HUUUUUGE Disneyland fanatics. She kept trying to get me to go, but I refused each time. One January we flew out to visit her family and she tried again to get me to go. But I agreed to go to southern CA - but only for universal STudios. I wouldn't budge. I made it pretty clear to her that I'd be up for just about anything EXCEPT a trip to "the DUMBEST place on Earth" (yeah, I was a jerk :().

So in 2000 we decide to move out to Northern CA. I managed to continue to rebuff attempts to get me to the Magic Kingdom, and did a pretty good job of it too.

Now flash ahead to November of 2003. I was completely distracted by a project I was working on when my wife tells me that she, her mom, and her sis wanted to make a trip down to Disneyland, as they haven't been there in a while. She asked me if I'd like to come along. Again, I wasn't really paying attention so I just said "yes".

Uh oh. What had I done? I thought in a small panic.

So flash ahead again to the night before we were to leave for DL. I desperately didn't want to go. I even tried to start a fight with my wife just so I wouldn't have to take the trip! No dice. She wasn't taking the bait. SO come around 3am that morning, I dutifully wake up with her and trudge into our car so we can pick up her mom and sis, and be on our way. I'd made a decision that while I was convinced I wasn't going to enjoy myself, I wouldn't ruin it for anyone else, so no matter how much I "knew" I would hate the park, I'd keep it to myself.

So off we went. We got to our hotel, freshened up, and headed off to the park.

Now a quick note about me before I progress: I absolutely ADORE Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year, and I am almost fanatical in every aspect of it. We decorate the whole home, I use Christmas ringtones for all the phones, etc, etc.

Why do I bring this up? Because imagine to my great surprise and delight, as we pulled began walking towards the park, that I saw the first inklings that Disneyland was decorated for the holidays. My spirits lifted immediately. I figured even if I can't stand DL, at least I'll have Christmas stuff to look at.

So we get our tickets run through the machine, and head towards the overpass with the famous "Here you leave today..." sign. I will tell you I was immediately struck by that sentiment. It really did begin to stir something in me. I wasn't prepared, however, for my first step into Main Street.

Again, I had never been to any Disney park, and I had no idea what it was. I thought it was just another stupid themepark, just with Mickey Mouse balloons everywhere.

How wrong I was.

Main Street took my breath away. I couldn't believe how immersive it was. I had actually stepped out into a LAND. Not just a themepark. I was taken aback. Not to mention, the decorations were beautiful. Just imagine walking out onto Main Street for the first time ever, all decked out for Christmas, with holiday music blaring.

I immediately began to surrender.

And as the day progressed, and I rode more rides, I was more and more blown away. I was falling in love with the place. What finally sealed the deal was Haunted Mansion Holiday. It was amazing. I must have gotten on it at least 15 times that first trip.

For the next three days, I was mesmerized and had one of the best times of my life. It was just fantastic and completely unexpected.

When we got back, I immediately booked our next trip a few months later. And ever since that first trip, I have made a holiday trip to Disneyland a tradition in our family.

The best part? My wife never once said "I told you so." ;)


WOW! What a story, and it all began with a MOUSE! :)

lofosho
05-24-2007, 06:19 AM
What an awesome story Monte Cristo!!:D

I've enjoyed reading all of these...

Pat-n-Eil
05-24-2007, 06:57 AM
Born and raised in the Sacramento Area and my folks weren't keen on big vacations and such - but I do remember it was 1974 and I was 10 years old. My folks picked me up at school and told me I was in for a big surprise.

They told me we were going to visit my Aunt, Uncle & Cousins down in Lake Havasu City Arizona. They didn't tell me we were stopping at Disneyland on the way.

What I remember most was:
Staying in a motel across from Disneyland (don't remember which one) and we purchased some kind of magic nickle trick from the magic shoppe and we spent time figuring that trick out.

The only other vivid memory I have of Disneyland from that trip was being in an attraction called .. I think.. "The Incredible Shrinking Machine" or something similar to that. With a big eyeball looking at me from the other end of a microscope. It seems I remember the Carousel of Progress too..

It would be another 8 years before I got back to DL for grad night in high school.

oregontraveler
05-24-2007, 07:28 AM
I was 6. We drove down from Oregon, the car overheated on the way down and spent an afternoon in some lady's yard while it cooled off. On a tight budget, ate breakfast bars alot in a cheap motel. My dad bought me Mickey Mouse ears, which I promptly lost. Finally got a second pair later in the trip.
I always get teased about wanting to ride IASW over and over. I remember the ticket books, riding down Main Street and getting my picture taken with Brer Brer.

wabby1
05-24-2007, 08:36 AM
I was 13, and we first visited the park in 1972. I bought a huge wall map of the park which remained on my bedroom wall until I felt I outgrew it....and then disgarded it. BIG MISTAKE. Fortunately, I found the exact same map on Ebay last year and immediately bid and won it. It now hangs in our house.

Anyway, I loved Disneyland the first time out. We ate at this ship that is no longer there that was located by the Dumbo attraction. First time I ever remember having clam chowder.

And as usual, the highlights of that first trip for me was the Matterhorn, Pirates, and the Haunted Mansion. The good ol' E ticket attractions!