What are your Disneyland Traditions?

[happysmyly]

As I'm planning this trip - I have been remembering a few of our DLR traditions and was curious about other people's traditions...

For example - we usually stay across the street and so the kids always run 'the green cone slalom'... I have pics of each kid doing this from as soon as they are able to run--and they do it on the way in and out of the park.

Another - all the girls in our group wear glow in the dark fingernail polish--it's very fun on the dark rides--and is a great distraction if a little one is a little scared.

We always get the chili in a bowl and watch Billy Hill & the Hillbillies.

We always step on the bronze dot in the castle (and yes, I know the lengthy debates on what it 'really' represents--and I don't care--it's a tradition )

We always get a dole whip to eat while watching the Tiki Room--and we sing along in the show

We love to be on Main Street for the flag ceremony.

Those are a few of mine--what are some of yours?
Thanks for sharing your traditions--maybe someone reading this will choose to add yours to theirs...

 

[PinkBudgie]

We don't have that many but one is we always have a waffle cone for lunch or dinner once or twice. We used to go to the one on Main Street, but now prefer the one in DCA. Note sure if it will survive all the changes though. May have to go back to Main Street.

 

[disneynerd420]

I knew I had disneyland traditions, but I never really realized I did them. They were just an automatic response while being at the parks.

1. Before I leave the parks to go home to Arizona, I take one last round trip on the DL RR.

2.. I try to eat as many churros as possible! They just taste better at the DLR.

3. I try to ride the HM as late as possible and recite the narrative with the ghost host. (I know this annoys the bejeebus out of some people... I'm sorry. I do it quietly.)

4. I am a little ashamed at this next one, however... the first thing I do when I get to DL is skip merrily down Main St. towards my first destination. (Usually Space Mt.)

5. I always try to find something that I haven't done, seen or eaten each time I go.

I know I have more traditions, but these are the only ones that come to mind right now. I hope this helped


P.S. This is my first post! I'm a long time lurker though.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

One tradition is getting a Gibson Girl ice cream cone at closing and sitting on the curb to people watch.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

I knew I had disneyland traditions, but I never really realized I did them. They were just an automatic response while being at the parks.

1. Before I leave the parks to go home to Arizona, I take one last round trip on the DL RR.

2.. I try to eat as many churros as possible! They just taste better at the DLR.

3. I try to ride the HM as late as possible and recite the narrative with the ghost host. (I know this annoys the bejeebus out of some people... I'm sorry. I do it quietly.)

4. I am a little ashamed at this next one, however... the first thing I do when I get to DL is skip merrily down Main St. towards my first destination. (Usually Space Mt.)

5. I always try to find something that I haven't done, seen or eaten each time I go.

I know I have more traditions, but these are the only ones that come to mind right now. I hope this helped


P.S. This is my first post! I'm a long time lurker though.

Great list Disneynerd!!!! Now doesn't everyone do #4? hehehehe I know I have....I am even guilty of doing it on day 3 and 4 too. LOL Isn't that just the best feeling?
Hope you jump on in and post more!

 

[Escape2Disney]

We have a few traditions - some starting long before we arrive!

Pre-Trip Traditions

• The planning for almost every trip begins sometime between January and February (don't know why, it just does!)
• On Mother's Day, the kids fix me breakfast in bed and we watch a video of a trip we took in 1998
• We read (and re-read) all of the DL menus for MONTHS, but still make reservations at the SAME RESTAURANTS
• We make a schedule for each day (though we rarely follow it very well when we arrive)

On Our Trip

• We go to Gibson Girl at least once every trip
• We ride Pirates at least once a day
• We spend a couple of hours at Innoventions (my youngest daughter loves it in there - nice and quiet)
• We search for Goofy in Toontown (we ran into him accidentially one year and got to spend a lot of 1-1 time with him - the kids hope for a repeat performance)
• We go to the Animation Academy most every day

WOW - after reading the list, I guess we are creatures of habit, aren't we??

 

[disneynerd420]

Great list Disneynerd!!!! Now doesn't everyone do #4? hehehehe I know I have....I am even guilty of doing it on day 3 and 4 too. LOL Isn't that just the best feeling?

It is an awesome feeling, I usually feel like I am about to explode because I am just so excited!

 

[radiatorsprings]

My boyfriend and I started our new tradition last trip: riding Space Mtn first thing in the morning to wake us up (we are not morning people!)

 

[AmericanItGirl]

I have 2.

-Ride Haunted Mansion after Fantasmic and try to be the first in the elevator group on the doom buggies (that's where I really employ my speed walking skills) so that I can pretend occasionally that I'm the only one on the ride (adds to the creepy factor). I enjoy screaming as soon as the skeleton is shown dangling from the rafters (and occasionally shouting "Ouch!" when the bones "hit the floor" ), which some people claim is as annoying as reciting the Ghost Host spiel.

-Ride the Jungle Cruse last. Jokes are raunchier and the jungle is more realistic.

This is more of a habit than a tradition, but whenever they play the instrumental version of "I Could Love A Million Girls" on Main Street, I sing along quietly because I get a kick out of the fact that the lyrics aren't the most Disney friendly and yet they're playing the music where everyone can hear.

 

[PrincessYessenia]

My boyfriend and I started our new tradition last trip: riding Space Mtn first thing in the morning to wake us up (we are not morning people!)

My tradition is to ride Space Mountain first, too!

But another thing I do every time is ride Space Mountain first, then go to BTMRR, then back to tomorrowland, then Fantasy Land,and then I do whatever I want in any order! Idk why I go in that particular order, but I've been doing it since I was a little girl! It's subconscious, really

 

[Rosedovenluv]

When we first arrive we walk slowly down main street.

Then once we hit Tomorrowland, first ride is Space Mountain

Around lunch time a Dole Whip and a ride around the park on the train

At night a nice cup of hot chocolate and a mickey cookie and light shopping

 

[goodvibrations]

DL railroad first ride(we are honorary dorks)

pineapple spears and tiki room show

ben-yays at new orleans cafe

corndogs corndogs corndogs

being a native atlantan and since they are no longer avalaible in oregon we MUST have chik-fil-a while in so-cal

and on the way home pea soup andersen's in santa nella

 

[LuLusApple]

We have a couple or are they superstitions? LOL

1. We read the sign over the tunnel must read
And enter under the right tunnel.
2. We ride pirates and are "baptized" by the Disney water. Sounds weird but started 20 something years ago.
3. We ride pirates until we hear the fat pirate of the 3 with the donkey and his ahhhhhh
Ahhhhhh ahhhhh ahhhhh little solo in the song and look at each other knowingly.
4. We eat crab cakes at BB.
5. We find our brick on the last day and take a photo with all our feet touching it.
6. We get the picture in front of the mickey floral landscape on the last day and everyone says bye-bye Disneyland until we meet again
7. We watch Matterhorn for as long as we can in the rearview mirror. Shed a little tear, not tradition but just always happens.
That sounds like a lot but we get it done LOL

 

[Kayla's Mom]

For example - we usually stay across the street and so the kids always run 'the green cone slalom'... I have pics of each kid doing this from as soon as they are able to run--and they do it on the way in and out of the park.

My girls do the same thing!
We also always get ice cream at Gibson Girl at the end of the night.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

I have been remembering a few of our DLR traditions and was curious about other people's traditions...

* We always ride the DLRR around at least once, to see the "red dinosaur" (my eldest DD's memory of DL is the "red dinosaur").

* We always do a breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen (this is as much for my wife as it is for my kids!)

* We always do Soarin' over California.

* (new one) We always do TS Midway Madness.

* We always get 1 new trading pin per person per day. (an expensive and HEAVY hobby that was my fault for instigating!)

* (new one) we always get face painting on DD for the twins

 

[Husker Mickey]

We ride Indie, pirates, BTMR, SM, once a day at DL.
We ride Soarin' once a day also.
As for food, we eat at White Water Snacks & Taste Pilot's Grill at least once a trip.

 

[disneyland89]

The first thing I always do as soon as I step foot inside DL is walk as fast as I can towards Space Mountain, dragging everyone behind me. It just HAS to be done first!

 

[Captain Redbeard]

My families tradition is to have a grand slam at dennys across the street before going over for rope drop!!!! It started because the first time we went to DL dennys was having there free grand slam promo after the super bowl and we didnt even know it till we ordered!!! So now...it has stuck!!!

 

[Corpsebride]

The first thing we do is go to MH and get coffees (save the receipt, free coffee later!) and then ride the MTRB.
The other thing we always do is go to Auroras castle, stand under the entrance and slow dance to Jiminy Cricket singing " When you wish upon a star".
We always look in the Le Bat en Rouge . Dfi always likes to complain ( in a friendly manner) that there isnt enough Sally stuff in the shop.
We go to the Poohs Corner and I get 3 chocolate covered sugar free pretzels. Since I dont eat sugar anymore, I swear , that is a saving grace at DL, that they have sugar free stuff. Or else I would lose my mind!! But as an aside to that, since I stopped eating sugar on Dec 28, I have lost 20 lbs. No joke. I havent changed my diet in any other way or worked out a lick. Pretty cool!
The other thing we always do at DL is go eat at Rancho Del Zocolo.
I love Disneyland!

 

[happysmyly]

Thank you so much for sharing your traditions!! How fun to read these--I hope others jump in with theirs as well...
The reason why I started this was to find new stuff... before finding the disboards - I hardly ever plan a trip to DLR--been so many times we just go with the flow--but this time I'm trying to find all kinds of things we haven't done before and got some great ideas here that I can't wait to try. Thank you again!!!

I try to ride the HM as late as possible and recite the narrative with the ghost host. (I know this annoys the bejeebus out of some people... I'm sorry. I do it quietly.)

I always try to find something that I haven't done, seen or eaten each time I go.

P.S. This is my first post! I'm a long time lurker though.

So glad that you came out of lurkdome to tell us your traditions!! I smiled--we always look at each other and repeat "ghost host".

One tradition is getting a Gibson Girl ice cream cone at closing and sitting on the curb to people watch.

I do the same thing but it's with a Dole Whip or Hot Chocolate (depending on weather) and park myself somewhere on main street.

We have a few traditions - some starting long before we arrive!
[*]The planning for almost every trip begins sometime between January and February (don't know why, it just does!)

[*]We go to the Animation Academy most every day

I am usually planning or trying to talk someone into a trip in January too... must be the whole winter thing where I am... in need of a bit of Southern Cali warmth

Ride Haunted Mansion - I enjoy screaming as soon as the skeleton is shown dangling from the rafters (and occasionally shouting "Ouch!" when the bones "hit the floor" ), which some people claim is as annoying as reciting the Ghost Host spiel.

-Ride the Jungle Cruse last. Jokes are raunchier and the jungle is more realistic.

We always scream with the skeleton--but that's too fun with the 'ouch'... I'll have to try that :rotfl2

When we first arrive we walk slowly down main street.

I love the leisurely walk down main street... and when we get their early enough before rope drop - it's wonderful. I love looking at the windows and the ones above with the names on them.

pineapple spears and tiki room show

I always get the Dole Whip--but I think this time I am going to try a pineapple spear instead... well - maybe along with

1.We read the sign over the tunnel must read
And enter under the right tunnel...
3. We ride pirates until we hear the fat pirate of the 3 with the donkey and his ahhhhhh Ahhhhhh ahhhhh ahhhhh little solo in the song and look at each other knowingly...
7. We watch Matterhorn for as long as we can in the rearview mirror. Shed a little tear, not tradition but just always happens.

I love that sign over the entryway--makes me smile to think about it... maybe I ought to get a good picture of it and print it out for my desk... hmmm thanks for the idea
Too funny with riding POTC until you hear that... we always sing along with the song as soon as it starts in the ride and keep going right on through... it was one of the first songs my nephew (now 11) knew--though his words didn't always match the 'real' ones
We watch for the Matterhorn on the way there and as we leave...

My girls do the same thing!
We also always get ice cream at Gibson Girl at the end of the night.

Our treat for the end of the night is usually a chunk of that marvelous fudge--nummy!

As for food, we eat at White Water Snacks & Taste Pilot's Grill at least once a trip.

White Water Snacks is one of my new things that I am planning on trying this time. Do you get those nachos that everyone talks about here?

The other thing we always do is go to Auroras castle, stand under the entrance and slow dance to Jiminy Cricket singing " When you wish upon a star".

We go to the Poohs Corner and I get 3 chocolate covered sugar free pretzels. Since I dont eat sugar anymore, I swear , that is a saving grace at DL, that they have sugar free stuff. Or else I would lose my mind!! But as an aside to that, since I stopped eating sugar on Dec 28, I have lost 20 lbs. No joke. I havent changed my diet in any other way or worked out a lick. Pretty cool! I love Disneyland!

Love the dancing idea--this trip is with my mom and nephew--so not so much this time--but am going to file this away--don't know if DH would do it at the entranceway - but perhaps over by the Snow White fountain... hmmm.

Thanks for letting me know of the sugar free stuff--mom is diabetic so we'll be heading there for her to get some treats too. And major congrats on the weight loss!!! Way to go!

Goodness - what fun that was to read everyone's stuff--seems like most people here head to Space Mtn first--great tradition! Thanks again for sharing! Have a fabulously disney day!