Cinmon Toast & Tacos
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2011
- Messages
- 46
I used to live in Orange County and headed over to Disneyland as often as possible with my pass. Then I moved and we havent been back since. These are the things that really hit me when I went back.
Smells:
Disneyland has a unique, unmistakable smell to it. Id forgotten its a mix of chlorine, candy, popcorn, LA air, and I dont know what else. But when youre standing in the hub and you take a deep breath, there it is Disneyland smell. Aaaaaah, breathe it in! I didnt realize it existed or how much I missed it until I was standing there taking pictures of my family in front of the pumpkins and it suddenly just hit me. It just suddenly felt like home.
Main Street:
The fall decorations change it up a bit, but its still there, especially if you close your eyes and listen. The music, the clop-clop-clop of the horses feet, the whistle of the train, and the sound of hundreds of excited voices all combine and you know youre on Main Street, Disneyland. I mustve gone into the Emporium 4 or 5 extra times, just to go in. We got silhouettes of the kids, which now hold a place of honor in our living room. We watched a parade, met some characters, and basically just breathed in the Disneyland experience.
The Grown-Up Difference:
I really felt it one night when we left the kids and grandparents in the hotel and headed back over at around 9 pm. Disneyland is very different when you experience it as a college kid vs bringing your kids and family. Its amazing with kids you get to see things from a different perspective, and they are SO excited about everything. But when I walked in at night with only my sister and one of my best friends, a huge wave of nostalgia washed over me. The Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain, Splash when you go on them with friends you just have fun. We were flying around a curve on Thunder Mountain, and it sounded the same, felt the same, and smelled the same as when I had last ridden it. Suddenly I was 20 again. Woo hoo!
When I went on Indiana Jones with my son I was more interested in pointing things out to him, cushioning him when it got rough, and watching him to see his reactions to things. (Look at the snake!! See it? Of course he saw it, its huge.
My Mom-side just couldnt help it.)
So, yes, there was a big difference, but that doesnt mean to say one experience was better than the other. I count myself hugely lucky to have been able to take my kids and show them the place I love. And also hugely lucky that I got a few hours to go play without them!
Rides:
Star Tours was different, but the same. I love the new look but I'm so glad they kept C3-PO and R2 in the line-up area. Jungle River finally got some new jokes, but the dry humor is still there! I did miss the hippo ears joke a bit, even though we always groaned over it way back when. Peter Pan was as sweet as always, especially with my baby sitting next to me. And I was so glad to hear the old "Cinnamon Toast & Tacos, Pour Some More" when exiting the Matterhorn!!
Fantasmic:
I love this show! It was my biggest must do for the trip. Weve been home a week and I still have it playing in my head, and I still cant narrow down my favorite part. I really love the end, though, where you get to see so many characters on the ship. We waved like crazy and we had so much fun. I cant help but wonder if that was the last time Ill ever see it, though its been around for almost 20 years now, hasnt it?
And I just LOVED that we got to hear the Remember Dreams Come True Fireworks while we were waiting for Fantasmic! I was sitting there squealing with happiness listening to the bits from the old Electric Light Parade, Haunted Mansion, etc. It was the last night the fireworks were shown, or I would have made a point of watching them from the castle at another time.
Characters:
Ok, maybe its because this is the first time Ive gone with kids, but I dont remember seeing so many characters before. From my first trip in 1994 Ive got Mickey, Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore and thats it! The characters we saw this time were great . If you add in our character breakfast plus two days in California Adventure, we got Minnie in three different personalities, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Cinderellas stepmother and step sisters, Alice, Tinkerbell, Aurora, Jessie, Woody, Buzz, Sully, Handy Manny, Phineas & Ferb (dance party), Captain Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, and of course Mickey. Most of the time we didnt even look for them, we just stumbled across them while moving around the park the kids were thrilled. We also saw (but couldnt get to) the Queen of Hearts and Donald. Rapunzel wouldve made the line up complete but no way we were going to stand in that line! It was 60+ minutes everytime we checked it. Next time!
I got the biggest kick out of Cinderellas stepmother and step sisters. It looked like they were on the way to the meet and greet, and they did an amazing job. SM was in front, holding her dress high, scolding her daughters, nose in the air, with a perfect haughty demeanor. One of the girls (Anastasia??) was stomping after her, whining about something. The other one (Drusilla?) was sulking after them. Awesome! They totally nailed it.
There ya go...my flashback to the Disneyland days of old. I had fun looking back and even more fun forming lots of new memories!
Smells:
Disneyland has a unique, unmistakable smell to it. Id forgotten its a mix of chlorine, candy, popcorn, LA air, and I dont know what else. But when youre standing in the hub and you take a deep breath, there it is Disneyland smell. Aaaaaah, breathe it in! I didnt realize it existed or how much I missed it until I was standing there taking pictures of my family in front of the pumpkins and it suddenly just hit me. It just suddenly felt like home.
Main Street:
The fall decorations change it up a bit, but its still there, especially if you close your eyes and listen. The music, the clop-clop-clop of the horses feet, the whistle of the train, and the sound of hundreds of excited voices all combine and you know youre on Main Street, Disneyland. I mustve gone into the Emporium 4 or 5 extra times, just to go in. We got silhouettes of the kids, which now hold a place of honor in our living room. We watched a parade, met some characters, and basically just breathed in the Disneyland experience.
The Grown-Up Difference:
I really felt it one night when we left the kids and grandparents in the hotel and headed back over at around 9 pm. Disneyland is very different when you experience it as a college kid vs bringing your kids and family. Its amazing with kids you get to see things from a different perspective, and they are SO excited about everything. But when I walked in at night with only my sister and one of my best friends, a huge wave of nostalgia washed over me. The Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain, Splash when you go on them with friends you just have fun. We were flying around a curve on Thunder Mountain, and it sounded the same, felt the same, and smelled the same as when I had last ridden it. Suddenly I was 20 again. Woo hoo!
When I went on Indiana Jones with my son I was more interested in pointing things out to him, cushioning him when it got rough, and watching him to see his reactions to things. (Look at the snake!! See it? Of course he saw it, its huge.
My Mom-side just couldnt help it.) So, yes, there was a big difference, but that doesnt mean to say one experience was better than the other. I count myself hugely lucky to have been able to take my kids and show them the place I love. And also hugely lucky that I got a few hours to go play without them!
Rides:
Star Tours was different, but the same. I love the new look but I'm so glad they kept C3-PO and R2 in the line-up area. Jungle River finally got some new jokes, but the dry humor is still there! I did miss the hippo ears joke a bit, even though we always groaned over it way back when. Peter Pan was as sweet as always, especially with my baby sitting next to me. And I was so glad to hear the old "Cinnamon Toast & Tacos, Pour Some More" when exiting the Matterhorn!!
Fantasmic:
I love this show! It was my biggest must do for the trip. Weve been home a week and I still have it playing in my head, and I still cant narrow down my favorite part. I really love the end, though, where you get to see so many characters on the ship. We waved like crazy and we had so much fun. I cant help but wonder if that was the last time Ill ever see it, though its been around for almost 20 years now, hasnt it?
And I just LOVED that we got to hear the Remember Dreams Come True Fireworks while we were waiting for Fantasmic! I was sitting there squealing with happiness listening to the bits from the old Electric Light Parade, Haunted Mansion, etc. It was the last night the fireworks were shown, or I would have made a point of watching them from the castle at another time.
Characters:
Ok, maybe its because this is the first time Ive gone with kids, but I dont remember seeing so many characters before. From my first trip in 1994 Ive got Mickey, Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore and thats it! The characters we saw this time were great . If you add in our character breakfast plus two days in California Adventure, we got Minnie in three different personalities, Goofy, Chip, Dale, Cinderellas stepmother and step sisters, Alice, Tinkerbell, Aurora, Jessie, Woody, Buzz, Sully, Handy Manny, Phineas & Ferb (dance party), Captain Hook, Eeyore, Tigger, and of course Mickey. Most of the time we didnt even look for them, we just stumbled across them while moving around the park the kids were thrilled. We also saw (but couldnt get to) the Queen of Hearts and Donald. Rapunzel wouldve made the line up complete but no way we were going to stand in that line! It was 60+ minutes everytime we checked it. Next time!
I got the biggest kick out of Cinderellas stepmother and step sisters. It looked like they were on the way to the meet and greet, and they did an amazing job. SM was in front, holding her dress high, scolding her daughters, nose in the air, with a perfect haughty demeanor. One of the girls (Anastasia??) was stomping after her, whining about something. The other one (Drusilla?) was sulking after them. Awesome! They totally nailed it.
There ya go...my flashback to the Disneyland days of old. I had fun looking back and even more fun forming lots of new memories!
I havn't yet had the pleasure of having kids of my own but I went to disney parks a lot as a child and now as an adult its amazing how it is the same, but different. I think you appreciate so much more of the little things as an adult, I love to just take a moment to sit and soak in the magic 
