BarkerBird
Disney Day Dreamer
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
- Messages
- 216
First off, I’m “new” to these boards and the DIS, but not to DL. I’m in my 40’s and grew up, and still live in west Los Angeles. Growing up we’d go every year or so, and as a teenager I’d gone a few times including Grad Night. I met my wife now about 18 years ago. We discovered that we both liked DL, but hadn’t been an quite a few years, so one of our early dates was a trip to DL. So, when it came time to propose, now seventeen years ago, Disneyland was the place, and in front of the castle at dusk was the time. This was Saturday January 24, 1998. Anyway, the details of that DL Engagement are for another time.
Since then we’d been a few times, and only once spent a couple hours at CA Adventure. In the last couple of months of 2014 Disneyland somehow got on my mind and I couldn’t shake it. It had been four years since we had last been. I was spending way too much time surfing the web, looking at photos and video and everything I could find. Dug out books and park maps that I had (remember the really, REALY big ones?), and was just enjoying some Imagineering of my own, imagining all the great times, and our engagement that we’d had at DL. So, when I realized that this year the 24th fell on a Saturday, I told my wife, “I wanna go to Disneyland!” She was all for it and so we jumped on getting things set. This was early in January, so only a few weeks from the date. We booked a room at the Paradise Pier, let them know it was the 17th anniversary of our engagement, got “SoCal resident” tickets for DL and CA Adventure and were set!
We left the house by 6am that morning, we are only 45 min or so north of Anaheim, and arrived to drop off our bags at the hotel and make it over to DL for the hour early entrance. While checking in, the concierge got us setup with buttons that showed we were celebrating an anniversary.
I’ll let the photographs do most of the talking, but needless to say, we had a “magical” time at both DL and CA Adventure. The weather was unusually warm, and skies clear even for SoCal in January. Yes there were quite a few attractions closed for refirb / DL 60th prep, but it did not matter. Thankfully the castle had not yet been “tarped” so we where able to recreate our engagement photo from all those years ago.
Well, onto the photographs.
Arriving as the sun was rising
Our Hotel for the coming night, our room window second from the top!
Waiting at the turn-styles.
We're in! Waiting for the "Rope Drop"!
Early morning "selfie".
Some Tomorrow Land fun before the park officially opens.
I almost got it!
Thunder Mountain!
Maybe some day?
Jungle Cruise...
Haunted Mansion...
A mean Princess...
And a Yeti popping corn!
All aboard! All aboard! (I hope I know how to drive this thing!?!?!)
A new friend.
Waiting for the Mark Twain to arrive.
I’d never asked or tired but we where enjoying ourselves so much, and it must have shown, that we decided to ask the CM at the turn-style of the Mark Twain if we might be able to join the Captain in the Wheel House for this voyage. She was very nice, but said she thought there was training going on today but said she would ask. We saw her go talk with two or three other CM’s, and point back towards us. In moments a man wearing the river boat captains costume was walking towards us. We were IN! He told us to meet him on the top deck at the wheelhouse. Roger guided us in and carefully up the steep stairs, along the way pointing out where “Walt” had taken naps aboard the ship. Once on the bridge Roger introduced himself, explained the controls, and how we both would be blowing the steam whistle. He had us sign the visitor book, and gave us both “Mark Twain Pilots Licenses” certificates. Soon we were on our way on the Rivers of America. While sailing, Roger let us in on a little secret, today would be his last day piloting the Twain, and this would likely be his very last run of the day. He explained that he was retiring from Disneyland. We were so honored. Roger did say that his wife worked over at California Adventure and drove the Red Trolly cars. We told him that we’d be in CA Adventure the following day and would look for her.
Roger was so nice, not only to have us up in the wheel house, but to share his last day working at DL! He told us about his years working at the park and what it meant to him. As we were working our way down from the wheel house I let him know that we would be officially commending him at City Hall the moment we disembarked. He smiled and explained that that would make his day, his last day. He said that normally CM’s don’t discuss (and certainly not suggest that guests compliment them – and he wasn’t) compliments with guests, but he did tell us that he had nine, and that getting ten was a big deal. I shook his hand and told him he had his “ten”, and thanked him again for his years at DL and for our trip with him on his last voyage on the Rivers of America.
And we did, as soon as we got off the Mark Twain, we made our way to City Hall. We explained that the compliment was not for Roger allowing us to join him in the wheelhouse, it was for his genuine friendliness, obvious love for Disneyland, and for sharing a little about his life and time aboard the Mark Twain.
We only met Roger that one time, but I am sure Disneyland, the Mark Twain, and the Rivers of America will all miss him. To a guest, its people like Roger that really make Disneyland truly a magical place.
The Wheel House and Capt. Roger.
The view.
Our Pilot's Certificates!
Since then we’d been a few times, and only once spent a couple hours at CA Adventure. In the last couple of months of 2014 Disneyland somehow got on my mind and I couldn’t shake it. It had been four years since we had last been. I was spending way too much time surfing the web, looking at photos and video and everything I could find. Dug out books and park maps that I had (remember the really, REALY big ones?), and was just enjoying some Imagineering of my own, imagining all the great times, and our engagement that we’d had at DL. So, when I realized that this year the 24th fell on a Saturday, I told my wife, “I wanna go to Disneyland!” She was all for it and so we jumped on getting things set. This was early in January, so only a few weeks from the date. We booked a room at the Paradise Pier, let them know it was the 17th anniversary of our engagement, got “SoCal resident” tickets for DL and CA Adventure and were set!
We left the house by 6am that morning, we are only 45 min or so north of Anaheim, and arrived to drop off our bags at the hotel and make it over to DL for the hour early entrance. While checking in, the concierge got us setup with buttons that showed we were celebrating an anniversary.
I’ll let the photographs do most of the talking, but needless to say, we had a “magical” time at both DL and CA Adventure. The weather was unusually warm, and skies clear even for SoCal in January. Yes there were quite a few attractions closed for refirb / DL 60th prep, but it did not matter. Thankfully the castle had not yet been “tarped” so we where able to recreate our engagement photo from all those years ago.
Well, onto the photographs.
Arriving as the sun was rising
Our Hotel for the coming night, our room window second from the top!
Waiting at the turn-styles.
We're in! Waiting for the "Rope Drop"!
Early morning "selfie".
Some Tomorrow Land fun before the park officially opens.
I almost got it!
Thunder Mountain!
Maybe some day?
Jungle Cruise...
Haunted Mansion...
A mean Princess...
And a Yeti popping corn!
All aboard! All aboard! (I hope I know how to drive this thing!?!?!)
A new friend.
Waiting for the Mark Twain to arrive.
I’d never asked or tired but we where enjoying ourselves so much, and it must have shown, that we decided to ask the CM at the turn-style of the Mark Twain if we might be able to join the Captain in the Wheel House for this voyage. She was very nice, but said she thought there was training going on today but said she would ask. We saw her go talk with two or three other CM’s, and point back towards us. In moments a man wearing the river boat captains costume was walking towards us. We were IN! He told us to meet him on the top deck at the wheelhouse. Roger guided us in and carefully up the steep stairs, along the way pointing out where “Walt” had taken naps aboard the ship. Once on the bridge Roger introduced himself, explained the controls, and how we both would be blowing the steam whistle. He had us sign the visitor book, and gave us both “Mark Twain Pilots Licenses” certificates. Soon we were on our way on the Rivers of America. While sailing, Roger let us in on a little secret, today would be his last day piloting the Twain, and this would likely be his very last run of the day. He explained that he was retiring from Disneyland. We were so honored. Roger did say that his wife worked over at California Adventure and drove the Red Trolly cars. We told him that we’d be in CA Adventure the following day and would look for her.
Roger was so nice, not only to have us up in the wheel house, but to share his last day working at DL! He told us about his years working at the park and what it meant to him. As we were working our way down from the wheel house I let him know that we would be officially commending him at City Hall the moment we disembarked. He smiled and explained that that would make his day, his last day. He said that normally CM’s don’t discuss (and certainly not suggest that guests compliment them – and he wasn’t) compliments with guests, but he did tell us that he had nine, and that getting ten was a big deal. I shook his hand and told him he had his “ten”, and thanked him again for his years at DL and for our trip with him on his last voyage on the Rivers of America.
And we did, as soon as we got off the Mark Twain, we made our way to City Hall. We explained that the compliment was not for Roger allowing us to join him in the wheelhouse, it was for his genuine friendliness, obvious love for Disneyland, and for sharing a little about his life and time aboard the Mark Twain.
We only met Roger that one time, but I am sure Disneyland, the Mark Twain, and the Rivers of America will all miss him. To a guest, its people like Roger that really make Disneyland truly a magical place.
The Wheel House and Capt. Roger.
The view.
Our Pilot's Certificates!
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