goreesha
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2009
- Messages
- 120
Okay, strap yourselves in for a long story.
I grew up in Disneyland. My parents are both originally from Southern California, and both of my grandfathers helped build Disneyland. My mother's father was a pipe fitter who worked with a crew on Main Street. My father's father was in construction and helped build some of the original rides, including Flight to the Moon. I was born in 1973, and we always went to Disneyland at least once during the summer and once around Christmas time.
When my family moved to Dallas in 1978, we still managed to fit in one Disneyland visit per year when we would visit the grandparents. I have vivid memories of walking down Main Street, back to the parking lot, at midnight in a sea of people, totally, thoroughly and completely exhausted. I can also remember lying in bed that night at my grandparents house, closing my eyes, and still feeling like I was on a ride, moving around. It was the highlight of the entire year.
My grandparents lived in La Habra Heights and from their back porch, on a clear, unsmoggy day, you had a view all the way to Catalina Island. But what was more remarkable to me as a child was that on a clear night you could see the fireworks at Disneyland from there!
Anyway, all of that eventually changed when both sets of grandparents moved away from California, to live with family in Arkansas (mom's parents) or to move into a retirement home in Oklahoma, (dad's parents). My last trip to Disneyland was in 1994 when my brother was stationed at Camp Pendleton for Boot Camp.
Since then, I have been to Walt Disney World five times, most recently last January, but I have not stepped foot in Disneyland. However, at last, all of that is about to change! I have a friend who lives in Hawaii, and next summer, he will be coming to Anaheim for some kind of gaming convention, and I have agreed to bring the family and meet up with him. However, instead of going to the gaming convention, the family and I will be spending our days at Disneyland. I am so excited I might need to wear a Depends undergarment!
(okay, maybe that was uncalled for 
)
Anyway, I did have a few questions. Obviously I have seen none of California Adventure, so that will all be new. But at Disneyland park, what are the major new attractions or updates since 1994 that I will want to be sure not to miss? I have read about them, of course, but I wanted opinions, as a long absent Disneyland fanatic, what is the stuff I will want to zip right to and check out? Also, when we've stayed at WDW, we always stay on property in a moderate resort. I imagine at Disneyland we will be at a Good Neighbor hotel. Are there good ones in a moderate price range that any of you have stayed at and liked?
By the way, if you read all of this, thanks!
I grew up in Disneyland. My parents are both originally from Southern California, and both of my grandfathers helped build Disneyland. My mother's father was a pipe fitter who worked with a crew on Main Street. My father's father was in construction and helped build some of the original rides, including Flight to the Moon. I was born in 1973, and we always went to Disneyland at least once during the summer and once around Christmas time.
When my family moved to Dallas in 1978, we still managed to fit in one Disneyland visit per year when we would visit the grandparents. I have vivid memories of walking down Main Street, back to the parking lot, at midnight in a sea of people, totally, thoroughly and completely exhausted. I can also remember lying in bed that night at my grandparents house, closing my eyes, and still feeling like I was on a ride, moving around. It was the highlight of the entire year.
My grandparents lived in La Habra Heights and from their back porch, on a clear, unsmoggy day, you had a view all the way to Catalina Island. But what was more remarkable to me as a child was that on a clear night you could see the fireworks at Disneyland from there!
Anyway, all of that eventually changed when both sets of grandparents moved away from California, to live with family in Arkansas (mom's parents) or to move into a retirement home in Oklahoma, (dad's parents). My last trip to Disneyland was in 1994 when my brother was stationed at Camp Pendleton for Boot Camp.
Since then, I have been to Walt Disney World five times, most recently last January, but I have not stepped foot in Disneyland. However, at last, all of that is about to change! I have a friend who lives in Hawaii, and next summer, he will be coming to Anaheim for some kind of gaming convention, and I have agreed to bring the family and meet up with him. However, instead of going to the gaming convention, the family and I will be spending our days at Disneyland. I am so excited I might need to wear a Depends undergarment!
(okay, maybe that was uncalled for ) Anyway, I did have a few questions. Obviously I have seen none of California Adventure, so that will all be new. But at Disneyland park, what are the major new attractions or updates since 1994 that I will want to be sure not to miss? I have read about them, of course, but I wanted opinions, as a long absent Disneyland fanatic, what is the stuff I will want to zip right to and check out? Also, when we've stayed at WDW, we always stay on property in a moderate resort. I imagine at Disneyland we will be at a Good Neighbor hotel. Are there good ones in a moderate price range that any of you have stayed at and liked?
By the way, if you read all of this, thanks!
