Share Your favorite Disneyland memory of 2008

[fairykin]

On the last day of the year 2008, why don't we make a post that shares your favorite memories made at Disneyland in 2008.

I bet there is going to be some special ones. Share the Disney Magic in 2008 Memories.

For me... it would have to be..
1. Watching my mother ride the teacups with her great granddaughter, and not being able to tell which ones was having the best time, as they were both just *so* Happy to share that magical moment together.
2. Watching my 6 year old granddaughter pick at flower at the hotel then carry it through Disneyland for over 3 hours til she got to give it to Snow White. Then having Snow White tell her that she was going to put it in some water to see if it would grow!
3. Watching my Mother and Father in Law gaze up at the Castle all aglow in christmas lights and seeing the awe in their faces, and for that one moment...none of the stress strain and worry of the Alzhemiers disease that thiefs my mother in law's life away..... was simply gone. All that was on both of their faces.... was that pure childlike awe of christmas at Disneyland.
4. Watching our only grandson steer the Columbia in his captain hook outfit...it was a little boys dream come true!
5. I'll never forget hearing our youngest granddaughters voice as she turned to see Mulan...and ran into Mulan's arms saying.."Mulan, i wub ewe!"

So many magical moments... i can't wait to read some of Yours.

Happy New Year to each of You and May You and Your family be blessed with love, happiness, shelter and prosperity in the new year.

 

[rszdtrvl]

The bestest moment was just being able to go to Disneyland as a family for the first time!

The look of awe on my son's face throughout the whole trip.

And the wonderful feeling, knowing that we were in the most magical place, where the real world does not exist - only the Disney world.

Can't wait to go back and experience the magic again!!

 

[Sherry E]

Hmmmm.....That is a tough one, Fairykin! This is one of those hard, thought-provoking questions like when someone just recently asked me who was the ONE and only person, living or dead, that I would want to have dinner with. I could think of lots of people I would invite to a dinner party, but had a hard time with picking just one person!!!

It's sort of the same thing with DLR. It brings so much overall joy and fun and happiness to me when I go, and when I plan to go, and when I do my Trip Report and include pictures after I have come back from a trip... It is hard to pinpoint specific things/moments for me because I don't have kids and I tend to just go to DLR with jaded, seasoned adults who love DLR but not as much as I do!! This sounds rather anticlimactic, but while I continue to think of single moments of joy or bliss at DLR to name for you, I can say that after being on DISboards for a full year and looking at all the great photos, my old hobby and passion for photography (which has been supressed for a long time) is starting to resurface. So on this last trip to DLR that I made a couple of weekends ago (TR link below in my signature), I really enjoyed just kind of roaming around and taking photos, whether they were any good or not. I just liked experimenting and getting back into the swing of things. I want to get back there so badly so I can take more pictures!!

I'll keep thinking of single moments, though. It is so hard for me to separate an overall great DLR experience into different little memories and things so soon. I can certainly think of some great individual DLR memories from trips to DLR years ago, but 2008 is still sort of an amalgamation of good DLR memories for me!

 

[jasy]

For me it was walking through the gates with my DH and watching the big grin on his face as I skipped down mainstreet, I think it was then he realized how much Disney means to me. It was his first trip to DL.

The amazement and look on his face once he realized that yes, he can `fit`on all the rides (DH is 6`6``) and having him drag me around saying `can we go on screamin again`

Can`t wait to go back in a few weeks!!!

 

[fairykin]

rszdtrvl..... oh i'm so happy for you that your family got to go to Disneyland for the first time in 2008!!! May you have many more trips filled with special memories. Heyyyyyyy... i see you will be going in a couple months.. we will just miss each other.

SherryE.... i understand what you mean.. our family had some special trips to Disneyland in 2008..it *Was* a Great Year!

jasy... How cute is that!!! I Love that...Disneyland does bring out the child in you...and isn't that a great thing in a world of responsibility. I see you will be going back to Disneyland soon..have a safe trip and make lots of happy memories.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Getting Luis Gonzales' (former and beloved D-Back) autograph on my Dream Mickey Ears!

 

[justkeepswimmin]

Watching my mom learn how to use her electric scooter in DL.

The back story is she was initially against getting one despite her poor health but after coming to these boards and getting some wonderful advice, I was able to convince her. That scooter was such a godsend for all of us and now my girls have beautiful memories of being at our favorite place on earth with one of the people they love the most.

 

[Sherry E]

SherryE.... i understand what you mean.. our family had some special trips to Disneyland in 2008..it *Was* a Great Year!

I know you all had fun! I was looking at your TR a little while back and it did seem as though you guys had a great time!!! Apparently, my black and white DLR photographic endeavors (shown in my TR) were well-received, which is great, but now I feel if I do that again on another trip, it will be redundant!! Oh well, it is never tiring or boring (to me) to look at everyone's DLR photos, no matter how many times we have seen the same things and taken pictures of the same subjects, is it? I love looking at everyone's photos and reading all the Trip Reports! It is always great to hear the good and bad of people's DLR trips!! And it is always great to see different people's perspectives and unique takes on different DLR sites through their photos!! Plus, it keeps the DLR spirit alive in between trips!!

 

[kkmcan]

OMG! This is seriously hard to decide. I"ve got 2.

Having a blast at Goofy's Kitchen watching my kids get so excited to see and hug the characters even though they are 11 and now 9. See you are never too old!

All 4 of us screaming and laughing as we rode Toy Story Mania for the first time! We had so much fun and felt like little kids.

Okay now there's a third memory- relaxing at Whitewater Snacks and watching the new kitties and their mom as we ate.

It's the simple things that stick out in my mind.

Oh and here's another one- being at the front of the rope drop, racing for Finding Nemo (even though my dh thought I was crazy), getting on the second sub out with no wait!

There are just so many good memories!

 

[Sherry E]

You know, I have to steal from KKmcan...Of course, Goofy's Kitchen is part of every DLR trip for me - it has become a tradition - so nothing but good times and good food there for me! But what I will steal from Kkmcan is riding Toy Story Midway Mania for the first time. You know that feeling of not knowing what to expect from a ride beforehand, and getting on it only to find out it is a dud or not worth your time? That is always bad. That was NOT the case with TSMM! That was, for me, such a feeling of satisfaction after hearing about the hideous lines (which move very fast anyway) and hearing the hype. I was afraid it wouldn't be that good. But it is that good! I was so thrilled and elated to come off of TSMM - even though my friend beat me badly with her score - and realize how much fun it is, saying, "Yessssss! That is one of the best rides ever! Let's go on it again, right away!" Definitely one of my all-time favorites and one of the best Disney rides overall!

 

[fairykin]

disneyfaninaz....how kewl is that!! not only a special memory but a keepsake with the autograph on your mickey ears!

justkeepswimmin.... wow. what a great story.. how special to think that words someone wrote on Disboard opened Disneyland up to Your mother with the use of scooter. May you and your beautiful daughter have many more trips to Disneyland with your mother.

SherryE... i just found your trip report!!! i love how you have been friends for so long and have so many pictures and memories at Disneyland throughout the years.

kkmcan..... aaaaahhhHA..caught ya finding more and more disney memories! The one about resting at whitewater snacks {don't they have the BEST nachos!!!} and watching the kittens and mother cat.. that was so sweet.. i think it's little things like that people don't "get" until they've experienced it.

Hhmmmm... we haven't gone on Toystory Mania... i'm going to put that on our list for the next trip! Thanks for the recommendation on it.

 

[bigpuma]

That's easy for me as well. Taking my kids to Disneyland for the first time ever. My 3 y/o son getting into our hotel room at PPH and immediately looking out at DCA and asking to go on the Roller Coaster. So much for taking a nap first.

 

[goofycathy]

I really havent told anyone this, but my daughter was finally given the go ahead by her cardiologist so this was her first trip (november) I remember thinking for years that she would never be able to go! My favorite memory was the look on her face, continuously for 5 days. I am so glad we were finally able to go, after 3 open heart surgeries!

YAY!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

SherryE... i just found your trip report!!! i love how you have been friends for so long and have so many pictures and memories at Disneyland throughout the years.

Hhmmmm... we haven't gone on Toystory Mania... i'm going to put that on our list for the next trip! Thanks for the recommendation on it.

I have to remember to eat at Whitewater Snacks. I wanted to try one new place this past trip so I chose Taste Pilots Grill, but I want to eventually get to WWS and Steakhouse 55 because I have heard so many good things about the food.

You haven't been on Toy Story Mania yet? Oh goodness! We have to get you on that ride! It is addictive! The thing for me with games is that I have really bad hand-eye coordination, which affects a lot of things. So I am terrible at many games like air hockey or other similar things. On TSMM, it seems to be set up in such a way where even I can play and improve my score with each game! I may be getting beaten badly by other people, but I see improvement in my score, and I have actually beaten a couple of folks, which is a miracle! As long as I can see improvement in my scores over time, then I am inspired to keep riding it!! It is easy to hit targets and things for those of who have bad visual-motor skills!!!

Yes, I do tend to hang on to friends for a long, long time, through good and bad! So there have been many Disneyland trips over the years with different combinations of people - some were successful, some not so much - and lots of pictures and memories to go along with each trip. In fact, after I get my PhotoPass CD and add some of this past DLR trip's PP pictures to my Trip Report, I will then probably go back and start adding older pictures again, like I did right before I started this latest installment. I find it is always interesting to see others' photos of DLR from past trips because you can tell by the backgrounds and things that the scenery and landscape have changed, so I like sharing my older pictures for that same reason. People have noticed that even the characters' costumes have changed!

 

[fairykin]

bigpuma... what a little man! he wanted to go on the roller coaster.. how cute .... i can just see it... him looking out the window at PPH.. and seeing DCA..wowowowowow... i wonder what his little mind was thinking.

goofycathy... aaawww.. you made tears come to my eyes. What a beautiful story! May your daughter continue to have good health and her little heart grow stronger each day.

SherryE... whitewater snacks has delicious beef nachos.. on our october trip we ordered them to go and took them back to the hotel to enjoy. i bookmarked your trip report to read this afternoon.. it looks great

 

[Sherry E]

SherryE... whitewater snacks has delicious beef nachos.. on our october trip we ordered them to go and took them back to the hotel to enjoy. i bookmarked your trip report to read this afternoon.. it looks great

I have got to try WWS on the next DLR trip. Even the pictures of their chicken and turkey sandwiches look great! l See, a place like that would be great to do if I were on a solo DLR trip, because my friends tend to prefer the table service restaurants, i.e., Carnation, Wine Country Trattoria, Rainforest Cafe, etc. Those are good and I enjoy them too, but I really liked Taste Pilots Grill and I want to try WWS as well as the breakfast bowl at the Pacific Wharf Cafe...all counter service places! So that sounds like a good excuse for me to go back to DLR on a solo trip!!

I look forward to having you join us over on my TR thread, Fairykin! I have been reading along with yours (I have to agree with other people that the pictures with Mulan are great!), but I should post something so that I can subscribe and get the latest details! That is what happens - I read through all the trip reports and enjoy 95% of them, but don't get to post or forget to post to ensure I am subscribed! Then, when I try to go back and find the TR later, either the title has changed or it has somehow disappeared, so I have to make sure I post at least a little or other emoticon in all the TR's I am keeping up with so I can stay informed! As I said, I just love looking at other people's pictures, no matter if we all have pictures of the same subjects 100 times over. I dont mind - I like them all, big pictures, small pictures, etc. And I love to read about the different experiences people have at places we all have been to, or learn about little details and nuances that I hadn't noticed before!!!

 

[bigpuma]

bigpuma... what a little man! he wanted to go on the roller coaster.. how cute .... i can just see it... him looking out the window at PPH.. and seeing DCA..wowowowowow... i wonder what his little mind was thinking.

We took him on the go coaster first, but on the last day he did go on the Matterhorn with me. I must have asked him 10 times if he was sure he wanted to go. He did great but at the end he said "I didn't like that." I guess it was a bit too much for him but overall he had a great time.

 

[pixiewings71]

Wow, what a GREAT thread idea....I just have so darn many. We went 7 times in 08 and each time it was magical for a different reason.

Let's see, winning a Magical Moment to sit up front to watch Billy Hill, they are so funny and we just love them. Sitting up front was especially funny, and then DD(then)8 found a special Hidden Mickey all by herself!! That was exciting for her, very exciting!

Watching the girls see the holiday fireworks and the "snow" for the first time. That brought tears to my eyes, it was truly magical for me.

Having DBF tell me he loves me by the Wishing Well.....and then finding out the BFF's DFi proposed there!

Watching the excitement in DD12s face after she's made a "successful pin trade" whether from a CM or a trader, she gets so excited when she gets something she reallllly wants or needs. LOL Along the same lines, watching DD(then)7(now)9 pin trading for the first few times. She was sooooooo shy when we started the pin thing in 07, she always wanted me to ask the CM's for pins but she finally came out of her shell and now she's asking for her own. That was a joy to see!

And you know, every memory I have is a pretty happy memory. It's where we learned to be a family more than anywhere else. My DBF is not the bioDad to my girls (their bioDad lives in Long Beach and they never see him unless we contact him when WE are going for our vacations) and it was hard for the first few years, these past few that we've been going to DL so much have really bonded us as a family. I think that's probably the BEST memory that I have.

 

[IASWAM]

First and foremost I have to say that getting to go to DL at all in 2008 is a huge blessing. But one of my favorite moments at DL in 2008 is from my ride on the Malliboomer. None of my family wanted to ride, so I planned on going on it by myself. My DD11 was worried for me, so at the last minute she decided to ride with me (to keep me safe, I suppose ). I could tell she was very nervous, but she was going to stick it out no matter what. Once we took of she screamed all the way up, and cried all the way down, but she survived! After a few minutes on the ground, we had a good laugh about it, and everything was back to normal. There are many great memories my family and I have thanks to DL, but her "self sacrifice" to keep me safe is something I will always remember and cherish.

My DD11 and I on the Maliboomer:

 

[pixiewings71]

LOL too funny!! On our last trip we walked DD9 over to by the Maliboomer (the CM there usually has pins). We measured her because we always did, well this time she was tall enough. By thatmuch but she was tall enough!!! The CM asked her if she wanted to ride and she said "no", but as we walked away she kept looking back. Now, the whole year we had AP's so we had been there aLOT, (14 trips, most of them small weekend trips) and we had always talked about how we would "never ride the Maliboomer". Well, DBF told her "J, I will ride it with you if you want to do it" she stopped, turned around and said "I thought you said you never wanted to do it?" slowly.......and he said "if you want to do it and are not doing it because you'll be riding alone (DD12 said NO WAY LOL) I will go with you" so they did it......twice in a row and then again before we left. LOL They LOVED it!!!!! That's another great memory I have!

I thought of another one too, we went with my BFF and her (then) DBF (now DFi) and it was his first trip......that was a ton of fun. We introduced them to pin trading and gave them a few pins to start off with. That whole trip was a lot of fun.