Building anticipation or a Blank Slate?

[HopLow1968]

So I'm taking my DGF for her first ever visit to DL. She is very much a kid at heart and I have no doubt she will love it. However, she grew up very poor and never really entertained the idea that she would be able to go. Thus, she actually knows very little about DL. She knows there is a Castle and some rides look a little scary. At this point she is most excited about Heimlich's Chew Chew Train (I know, I know - but she likes Heimlich and looked over my shoulder while I was on the DL site).

I'm doing all the planning and I used to have an AP back in the 90s.

I'm trying to decide whether I want to do things before we go, to educate her about the park, as well as build excitement. Or if I want to say nothing and let her experience the park as a blank slate.

We have 5 day Hopper, in October, with Mickey's Halloween Party on a Friday

I'm sure this crowd (more than most) can see the magic possibilities in both ideas.

Right now I'm leaning towards a comprimise of doing various things to build anticipation, but then on the first day literally walk to the center esplanade and tell her "no itenerary, no reservations, no schedule - today we go where your nose leads us. Let's go discover Disneyland!"

Don't worry, I've got lots of reservations and whatnot for the other days.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think she's already excited. I would let her experience things as a blank slate, and explain as you go along. Sometimes preconceptions cloud our actual experience. I've taken people who had no idea what to expect, and it was so much fun sharing the park with them.

You are going to have such a fun time!

 

[Canuck16]

Right now I'm leaning towards a comprimise of doing various things to build anticipation, but then on the first day literally walk to the center esplanade and tell her "no itenerary, no reservations, no schedule - today we go where your nose leads us. Let's go discover Disneyland!"

This

Go explore and experience the magic and have fun with no plan or itinerary......

 

[chickapin parterre]

...............some rides look a little scary.......

What does that mean or how did you find that out

I planned a trip for a friend who had never been on a state fair ride or a theme park because her father was paranoid about ride failure and catastrophe events. Splash mountain was not a successful adventure for her at Disneyland.

 

[HopLow1968]

...............some rides look a little scary.......

What does that mean or how did you find that out

I planned a trip for a friend who had never been on a state fair ride or a theme park because her father was paranoid about ride failure and catastrophe events. Splash mountain was not a successful adventure for her at Disneyland.

That statement is based on her perception. I know that her perception is somewhat shaped by her confusing DL rides with other Southern California theme parks (Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry, etc), video clips that include California Screaming and/or Tower of Terror, plus just a general fear that I'm going to drag on her terrifying roller coasters.

I do hope to get her on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, BTMRR, and possibly the Matterhorn. I'm not even going to try to get her on CS or Tower of Terror.

 

[chickapin parterre]

The first adult I invited to Disneyland loved 1800 architecture and always wondered what it would be like to re-visit. so main street was a great start , we rode every vehicle and she was beaming from ear to ear..." so this what it could have very well been like" and then we were off to Mark Twain.

Then on another trip a young man who worked with my son and I was invited. Very poor and fractured foster home life as a child. He loved the fireworks and night lights, because that is how he lived, in the night. Attractions didn't phase him much, but night time, that was grand.

So two suggestions. Why not just jump on the train after explaining the tunnel greetings, the music, the flowers, the isolation from the outside.

Or, at the castle hub, pick a card, any card.....astronaut, animal photographer, pirate, fly an elephant, Duloc, play in a larger than life video game.

 

[HopLow1968]

Why not just jump on the train after explaining the tunnel greetings, the music, the flowers, the isolation from the outside.

I'm curious to see where her nose leds us. It was always my understanding that Disneyland was designed to draw and guide the first time visitor. For most of us on the board even the shape of the park is well-known to us. We use the train to circle around the perimeter to get to a specific spot, we use the monorail to plop us in Tomorrowland for early admission (or we used to at any rate), Rope Drops, plotting routes designed to race to FP kiosks, etc.
All of it designed to maximize our attraction fun, but its also all "tricks and tips" to get around the design of the park.

I'm going to be fascinated to watch how she is drawn in and what is (to her) the natural flow of the park.

The only reason I'm not doing this for the whole trip is I want to make sure that she doesn't get frustrated by high crowds,long lines, and poor viewing spots.

I'm hoping to include enough "build up" that there is a nice mix of "hey, there's THAT thing I've been looking forward to!" and "omg, look what I've found!" - the perfect mix of satisfied recognition and delighted surprise.

 

[chickapin parterre]

I will wait in anticipation for your trip report. Your observations of how the trip "OMG" might soften me about adventures inside the resort. Experiments are always fun with new folks. In 2016 my wife is traveling with me to Disneyland for our first time together in the resort. The conversation now is ...." we will have quiet table meals, we will look at flower beds, we will watch performances".....but in the back of my mind ....."but what about all the missed fastpasses?"

 

[corinne76]

Seems as though you've decided to keep the education to a minimum and see where it leads. I just wanted to add, that's pretty much what we did last visit.
I hadn't been to DL in over 15 years, DH and the kids have never been. So in essence, I was a newbie again. I knew I wanted to ride some old faves (PP will always be my favorite ride) and see some new things, but other than that, I hadn't discovered this board and we winged it. I was magical and I had no complaints at all. Everything was awesome.

We are going again this year in October and while I feel more prepared, the more I research the more things I want to do, the fuller the schedule gets and Iwonder, will I have that feeling of "I missed this and this!" that I wouldn't otherwise have if I didn't read and read about it. Does that make sense? Sure we missed things last year, but out of sight out of mind right?

Edit: I want to add, there is something wonderful about entering DL for the first time, without having your brain filled with tidbits and idiosyncrasies about the park. Kind of like being a kid again and just letting the DL magic wash over you.

 

[ADLFAN]

I suggest brushing up on your Disney MOVIES before the trip, especially ones like Dumbo, which I didn't realize was linked to the Casey Jr. Circus Train until a few weeks ago when we re-watched it in preparation for our trip. And The Little Mermaid, Pirates Of The Carribean, Cars, Aladdin, Star Wars, Bug'sLife, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio, Indiana Jones, and my favorite: any and all princess movies!! Then when you get to the parks, she can feel like the movie and it's characters came to life and appreciate all the awesome details Disneyland is famous for! Take lots of pictures!!