It's Genetic! 1985-2012 2012 November day 3 3/23

[PixiDustDears]

I've never done a trip report so please bear with me. My addiction with Disney began early and I blame it entirely on my Aunt and Uncle. When I was around 7 they took my Great Aunt (Madena) and Great Grandma to Disneyland. This would have been about 1985 I think. They had a blast! Now 5 generations later (Great Granny, Great Aunt, Aunt, Me, My Children) Disney is a family tradition!

Table of Contents:

2009
Pics from 1986
1991/1992
Intoduction and New Years Eve 2006
A family reunion 2009
A silly sleepover and Morning Madness!
Princesses and I end up back in jail
Wrap up and goodbyes

2010
2010 Begins in Hollywood!
Alphabet Fun
Poor Tink
I'm Wishing...+DCA
Toon Town pt 1
Toon Town pt 2 (just pics)
DCA and Day 3

2011-Halloween Time!

Day 1 Trick or Treat!
Day 2- A day in DCA pt 1
Day 2/3 WOC and the start of a day of firsts
2011 Photo wrap up

Thanksgiving 2012

An AP Surprise!
Its the Mickey and Friends Tram
Day 2...sorta lol
Day 3 Splash!

Here are some pictures from their first trip that started it all. It's fun to look at these old pictures of the park. It's also interesting to compare picture quality as the years go by as well!

Granny and Dean in front of the Haunted Mansion


Granny and Uncle David


Uncle David, Dean and Granny meeting Pinocchio and Giddeon


Granny with her favorite guy: Donald!


After their trip they brought me my very first pair of ears! (With my cousin)



My Great Aunt had so much fun that she wanted to go again. This time she wanted to take me, my Aunt Cindy, and my cousin Gary. My cousin and I saved cans for over a year for our spending money. My Great Aunt who was a seamstress sewed us new clothes for the trip. We were all set.

[deejdigsdis]

I LOVE old Disneyland pictures!! Thank you for sharing!

My parents recently had their first Disneyland trip home movie footage (from 1964) put on DVD and we watched it over the July 4th weekend. So fun to see how things have changed/remained the same.

[PixiDustDears]

I don't remember much of our first trip to Disney. The pictures have October of 86 on the back of these. The area around the park was so different at that time. There was no Downtown Disney, no California Adventure. It seemed the bus just pulled right up to the front gate (probably not but compared to now...)

My first time at Disneyland!


Photo in front of the flowers.


One of the first characters we saw was Pluto. I remember my Aunt Cindy reminding my cousin that the characters couldn't talk. Pluto shook his head at her and then barked at my cousin!



Here are a few more pictures from that trip.

[Belle Ella]

I'm along for the ride!

Originally Posted by PixiDustDears

Uncle David, Dean and Granny meeting Pinocchio and Goodfellow(?)

And that would be Pinocchio and Giddeon!

[skiingfast]

These photos are an awesome prologue. I'm wonder if a younger me is in the background of any of your shots. Love how much is the changed and how much has remain the same.

[JH87]

I LOVE the old photos!!!!
I am staying tuned for this TR.

[PixiDustDears]

Originally Posted by deejdigsdis

I LOVE old Disneyland pictures!! Thank you for sharing!

My parents recently had their first Disneyland trip home movie footage (from 1964) put on DVD and we watched it over the July 4th weekend. So fun to see how things have changed/remained the same.

That must have been very interesting to watch!

Originally Posted by Belle Ella

I'm along for the ride!



And that would be Pinocchio and Giddeon!

Thanks for helping me with Giddeon! I haven't seen him around in a while. Maybe Halloween??

Originally Posted by skiingfast

These photos are an awesome prologue. I'm wonder if a younger me is in the background of any of your shots. Love how much is the changed and how much has remain the same.

Thanks! Everything around Disney is so different but when you walk down Main Street it seems as if nothing has changed!

Originally Posted by JH87

I LOVE the old photos!!!!
I am staying tuned for this TR.

Thanks! I have a few more to share.

Ok so a few more old photos and then times get a little more current. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'm really new to this.

[PixiDustDears]

It wasn't long after our first trip that we began planning our second trip. Again my Great Aunt made us matching shirts. I wish I had a picture of one set. They were day glow stripes!! You could see us coming a mile away. The characters would pretend to shield their eyes when we walked up. Or maybe they weren't pretending!

You can see us all matching here with Minnie



And Mickey



And here I am with Pluto



I only have one picture from my next trip. It was 1992 and our 8th grade class went to Disney for a graduation trip. I was 12 and completely on my own. The bus left the school around 10 and drove all night. Arrived at the park for opening. We were able to go where we wanted and do whatever without checking in with anyone. The only rule was to be back at the bus before the park closed. I wanted to ride splash mountain at night with a friend. We ran like crazy to get out of the park, almost couldn't find our bus, and made it back with only seconds to spare. Being 12 pictures were not that important to me. Here is the one picture I have from there.

This must be as they were building Toon Town. These little scenes were in front of the walls.



Before high school my parents moved to Arkansas. No Disney for 4 years. I moved back to California after I turned 18. Sometime in 97 my Great Aunt took me on one last trip to Disney. I lost her a year later and still have very fond memories of those trips.

Up Next: No Disney for almost 10 years! So we decided our first family trip should be New Years Eve. What were we thinking??

[skiingfast]

Originally Posted by PixiDustDears

I was 12 and completely on my own. The bus left the school around 10 and drove all night.

Lucky you, I got to go to Lagoon. A small amusment park north of SLC.

[PixiDustDears]

Originally Posted by skiingfast

Lucky you, I got to go to Lagoon. A small amusment park north of SLC.

It was fun but I have to wonder what my parents were thinking. I guess because my kids are still rather young but I can't picture putting my preteen on a bus and letting them go to Disney without more adult supervision. Honestly I don't remember seeing one teacher the whole day. Then again I wonder about a few different things that my parents did back then.

[kylie71]

I'm following! I had that t-shirt with Mickey, with the red sleaves!! Very cool. Love your pics!
Can't wait for more!

[PixiDustDears]

Well now that I'm caught up to more current times I guess it's time I really introduce myself.

My name is Amanda. I've been a Disney fan since I was a kid (as I'm sure you've noticed by now.) I work as an Independent Living Skills instructor with developmentally delayed adults. I love my job and the freedom it gives me to set my own schedule.

Jeff is my husband and we've been married for 7 years. It was a real quick courtship, engagement, marriage and then onto family. We had our first child almost exactly one year after we met. He tolerates my Disney obsession well so I think he's a keeper.

Brenden is 6, almost 7. He's my tall (4 1/2 feet) little boy. Brenden has some delays and experiences some sensory issues. He has trouble with things like fireworks and had an extreme meltdown one year when watching Fantasmic. But he loves almost all other things Disney. His favorite ride would be Autopia and I know he's going to be in heaven when Cars Land opens.

Sophia is 5 and about to start Kindergarten. She is my tomboy princess. She loves to dress up and then go play in the dirt. She loves all things Fantasy Land and must see either Princesses of Fairies on every trip.

Here is a picture of all of us on our last trip back in 2010.



Our first trip to Disney was new years eve in 2006. Ds was 2 and Dd was 9 months. I'm the first to admit that we didn't plan this trip very well...or at all really. Jeff said hey lets take a trip to Disney! I agreed and we found a cheap hotel on line. We bought one day one park tickets at the gate. We knew nothing about Disney really. We didn't find out you could leave and not have to repay to park. This made for a very long day!!

The hotel was nice and after being lost for a few hours (late at night) it was nice to finally lay down.



The next day (new years eve!) we were off to Disney! Our very first ride was the Jungle Cruise. Ds was not very sure about what was going on. Dd was just happy about everything.





Pooh was another fun experience.




Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Ds was NOT a fan)


and It's a Small World



Throughout the day both kids took turns napping in the stroller. Even then Ds was big for his age but somehow he found a way to get comfortable.



The park was really crowded that day. We decided to call it a night around 10 I think. We weren't really interested in ringing in the new year at Disney with 2 small children. What we didn't count on was people waiting for the fireworks. (Remember not planning? Bad idea!!) It took us about an hour to get from the castle to the gate. We were directed one way and then another. It didn't help that we were going against the flow of traffic. It seemed we were the only ones wanting to leave. Once out we were ready to head back to the hotel. All in all it was a good trip but things were so much easier the next time we went. By then I had found the Dis!!

First pair of Ears!!!





Next: A family reunion with lots of firsts!

[reyasmommy]

That picture with your DD wearing her first pair of ears is soooo cute. What an adorable smile she has. My DD is about to start Kindergarten this too. ((which I can't believe)) and is also a tomboy/girlie girl. ((I LOVE it))

Love all of your old Disney Pictures, they're great!

[skiingfast]

This is going to be so exciting when going so much more informed!

[deejdigsdis]

Wonderful pictures!

Wow... your 8th grade trip sounds like it was quite the adventure. That's crazy that there wasn't more adult supervision.

Looking forward to more.