Your Disneyland Origin Story

[JYMN P SULLIVAN]

What is your Disneyland Origin story?

I'm guessing that many of us on here LOVE Disneyland and I want to know why? What's your story? Does your story begin in the early days of your childhood? Are you a recent convert? What is your Disneyland Origin Story?

I know for many of us words can't capture the true essence of our story but do your best

My story begins with my first trip to Disneyland in 1988 at 15 yrs old. I came from an abusive home situation (father) and upon the blessed split of my parents my Mom and Aunt took my brother, sister and I to Disneyland. Although I had a wonderful time, I also was quite sad. Seeing "whole families" happy and together just hurt a bit. Throw on top of that me being a hopeless romantic and being way too shy to have a girlfriend. I viewed Disneyland as a reminder of what I didn't have thus ... Sad.

In 1995 I returned with two friends who were dating (now married) and had a blast but being with them also had a reminder attached that I was again alone and sad (don't worry this gets better and happy I promise).

Then In 2000 I returned yet again. This time with some including my best friend Tad (huge Disney fan and eventual employee) and my girlfriend and eventual wife. We actually had gone about 3 times between 2000 and 2004 and again I had a blast but I still felt sad. The reason being my wife was not family oriented and kind of GRUMPY about the experience and about "family" in general. Love is blond

Divorced (life lesson learned there), I returned with Tad and friends in the Summer of 2009. Again I had a blast but seeing couples and families happy and together I couldn't help but be yet again, sad.

Then a month later I met Leanna. She had a love for life and family and fun. We went to Disneyland in 2010 and had an amazing time. Filled with laughter love and that Disney Magic I found my match.

I realized on that trip that Disneyland was a reflection of what I had longed for in life ever since I was a child. True love and wonderful family. Being with Leanna in Disneyland was a literal dream come true. As Tom Bell says as he signs off from the Disneyland Podcast "Disneyland is best when shared".

If you would have said to me years ago that I would become a huge Disneyland fan I'd say you're crazy. Yet here I am.

Since that trip I've....
1. Proposed to Leanna on the Mark Twain in front of 30+ family and friends.
2. Surprised 10 young cousins with a surprise trip to Disneyland where I asked them to be in our wedding.
3. Surprised my Brother and his kids with a trip to Disneyland.
4. Am an annual passholder and die hard Grand Californian fan.
5. Took our (then) two month old to Disneyland for the first time in Nov.
2013.
6. Returning to the Grand Californian for a 6 day trip (our longest yet) in April.

The welcome home and "Disney way" has me hooked. Having a safe family atmosphere where I can be myself is what I was looking for my whole life really. But sharing it with my new family and friends old and new has made me a new life long fan.

What's your Disneyland origin story?

 

[Gisele]

I don't really have one. I simply enjoy visiting, well for the most part. I don't enjoy people breathing down my neck, or walking on my heals or toes or .... or.....

 

[seagodess]

I dont really have a big story. Growing up I always wanted to go to DL or WDW. However I was raised by a single mom who could hardly afford to pay the bills, let alone go on vacation. I finally went on my first trip for my honeymoon. DH and I had a blast. We went again for our DS's 5th birthday 2 years ago. We are now going again in 2 days. Since we are going a week after our anniversary, we are kind of considering it a anniversary trip even though thats not the way it was planned.

 

[Mickey Moustache]

Once upon a time way back in 1956 an 8 year old boy was asked by his mother, "Where would you like to go this summer, son?" Immediately the little boy replied, "DISNEYLAND!!!" And thus the adventure began.

I think you may have guessed that little boy was me. That first trip to Disneyland was magic. Even though we had little money to spend in the park being there made me rich beyond measure. Since that summer I've shared Disneyland 8 other times with family and friends and now my wife and I are planning number 10.

In May of this year we'll take our newly acquired Annual Passports and trek down from Northern California for a one week stay at our favorite theme park. Yes, I'll be taking that same little 8 year old boy with me so he may relive that first visit to Disneyland!

 

[crystal1313]

My first trip was when I was 3. I was with my parents and grandparents. I only remember bits and pieces of that trip. Whenever I couldn't sleep my mom would tell me to think of happy thoughts and I always thought of Disneyland. I went usually every year with my parents until I was a teenager. Sometimes we could only afford one night stay at the Alpine Inn (snow on the roof), so we would go to the parks all day until closing and my parents would drive back home to the SF bay area that night!

I went back again for grad night in 1998 and had a blast. When I met my future DH, he flew me down in November of 1998 to visit him at his job (he traveled and was working in Anaheim) and we went to DL together. It was so much fun and the first time I had seen the park at Xmas time. It was gorgeous! We went again the next year and took our niece for her first trip. Then we went again in 2001 for our honeymoon. It was 6 months after DCA opened. And it was my first time ever staying at a Disney hotel (PPH). We went countless times after that. Sometimes we would decide on a Friday night, get ujp super early Saturday and drive down to DL and stay until closing. Spend the night and drive home! This was obviously before we had kids. LOL

I went when I was 8 months pregnant in December 2007. We took our oldest DS when he was ten months old in December of 2008. We have gone every year since then at Xmas time. It's our tradition. In 2009 our youngest DS was 2 months and we all went again. We've had AP's for 2 years and have made numerous trips. I now tell my kids to think happy thoughts about DL when they cannot sleep. We all eagerly await our next trip to the parks. And my kids love DL as much as I do. And now I love DL even more to experience it through their eyes.