What are your "mini joys?"

[kristabelle13]

This made me giggle. I love how it's a very different "mini joy!"

It always is so welcome ;-) lol

 

[az4boys]

Being at the rope for rope drop and being the first ones on any ride. It happened a few years ago, our first trip with the whole family, when we were the first ones on Peter Pan. My kids still talk about it.

This trip with my DH, we headed towards IAJ and it was closed, so we went to pirates. We were not the first ones in line but when the CM asked us how many in our party we said 2 and asked if we could sit in the front. She told us we could wait until enough people showed up to fill a boat or we could have our own boat and ride on row 2. We chose our own boat! And we realized after loading that she put us on the very first boat of the day. The people ahead of us had already been loaded on the second boat. It is DH's favorite ride so it was awesome.

 

[Bud Ice]

- Artwork at Wonderground, OffThePage, Disneyana, World of Disney
- Chillin at the fireplace in GCH, Outdoor fireplace at DLH is cool too
- Christmas Carollers at GCH Big Christmas Tree
- Enjoying Starbucks, you can carry it everywhere at DLR
- Trader Sams
- Good Wifi hotspots

 

[SA-TX]

I know it's a ride and not technically a mini joy, but the POC is so special to me. I went to Disneyland with my family when I was seven years old and didn't go back for 29 years. I live in Texas and never gave it a thought until I decided to take my own kids. It was on that second trip that I felt like I had stepped out of a time machine, experiencing emotions I hadn't felt for almost 30 years. And all I could think about was the memory of my father, who would die 6 months after that first trip.

On the POC, when you hear that slow banjo and everything gets real quiet, I felt like he was right there sitting next to me. Then you enter that other world and you can't remember anything outside of it for as long you're there.

We've gone every year since. I've forgotten to get a dole whip, forgotten to get a picture in front of the castle, forgotten to ride Dumbo, shake hands with Mickey, and even forgotten to ride It's a Small World. But I've never forgotten to ride the POC. It's the only must because it's the only one that I can remember every second of that first experience, with my father sitting next to me, lost in the magic of Disney.

 

[DisneyMommy403]

I know it's a ride and not technically a mini joy, but the POC is so special to me. I went to Disneyland with my family when I was seven years old and didn't go back for 29 years. I live in Texas and never gave it a thought until I decided to take my own kids. It was on that second trip that I felt like I had stepped out of a time machine, experiencing emotions I hadn't felt for almost 30 years. And all I could think about was the memory of my father, who would die 6 months after that first trip.

On the POC, when you hear that slow banjo and everything gets real quiet, I felt like he was right there sitting next to me. Then you enter that other world and you can't remember anything outside of it for as long you're there.

We've gone every year since. I've forgotten to get a dole whip, forgotten to get a picture in front of the castle, forgotten to ride Dumbo, shake hands with Mickey, and even forgotten to ride It's a Small World. But I've never forgotten to ride the POC. It's the only must because it's the only one that I can remember every second of that first experience, with my father sitting next to me, lost in the magic of Disney.

That is a total mini-joy! It's personal, and magical. I just lost my Mom a month ago. She is the one who made me fall in love with Disneyland. I was raised in a town just 15 minutes away from the parks and she would take me all the time. As a baby, and my whole childhood - making sure I always got to ride Jingles on the carousel. I have so many photos of us at the parks. I have more memories of us there. This next trip was actually paid for by my mom, as a final gift before her sun set. She was originally going with us, we were planning it all when she was in good health. She was diagnosed with cancer in August, paid for the whole trip in September, and left us all on Oct 28th. Jingles will always remind me of my Mother, and that will be a stop for me this next trip... just like you had said - POTC didn't really impact you until your trip after your Dad... I know I'll get a very similar feeling when I ride Jingles in March.

 

[jeanico2000]

This next trip was actually paid for by my mom, as a final gift before her sun set.

OK, I literally wanted to bawl after reading this sentence! My mum passed away in 2011 and I still miss her terribly! I hope your trip is every bit as special as I'm sure she'd hoped it would be!

As for my 'mini joys': Storybook land canal boats at opening, when all the ducks are sleeping beside the little houses, and taking 'empty park' pictures at closing time, to name just a couple!

 

[RKKUNK]

Ok, SA-TX that is not a "mini-joy" that is a very big emotional joy! You made me tear up!

 

[DisneyMommy403]

OK, I literally wanted to bawl after reading this sentence! My mum passed away in 2011 and I still miss her terribly! I hope your trip is every bit as special as I'm sure she'd hoped it would be!

As for my 'mini joys': Storybook land canal boats at opening, when all the ducks are sleeping beside the little houses, and taking 'empty park' pictures at closing time, to name just a couple!

Thank You sweet jeanico! I'm hoping not too many closures cloud my skies when we're there. I'm sorry to hear about your mom as well. It's only been a month or so for me, and I'm trying my best to handle things with four kids and not have melt downs. Planning this trip meticulously sure helps! Disney vibes are always happy!

I've never seen the ducks sleeping beside the little houses! I'm going to try and see if I can. Ducks and Disney parks always give me the warm and fuzzies.

 

[koalagirl5]

My "mini joys" from this last trip:

Walking through the parks humming along with the Christmas music.

Riding the train and having people on IASW wave to us. I love seeing other people enjoying the Disney magic.

The Golden Horseshoe. I'd heard about it, and just happened to be near it when we discovered we were starving. Best decision that day. We got our food and sat down just in time to see them perform their version of A Christmas Carol. Hilarious!!

 

[momtotwolittleones]

I know it's a ride and not technically a mini joy, but the POC is so special to me. I went to Disneyland with my family when I was seven years old and didn't go back for 29 years. I live in Texas and never gave it a thought until I decided to take my own kids. It was on that second trip that I felt like I had stepped out of a time machine, experiencing emotions I hadn't felt for almost 30 years. And all I could think about was the memory of my father, who would die 6 months after that first trip.

On the POC, when you hear that slow banjo and everything gets real quiet, I felt like he was right there sitting next to me. Then you enter that other world and you can't remember anything outside of it for as long you're there.

We've gone every year since. I've forgotten to get a dole whip, forgotten to get a picture in front of the castle, forgotten to ride Dumbo, shake hands with Mickey, and even forgotten to ride It's a Small World. But I've never forgotten to ride the POC. It's the only must because it's the only one that I can remember every second of that first experience, with my father sitting next to me, lost in the magic of Disney.

I too have very special memories of my dad on POC. He hated theme parks, or any crowded places really, but loved Disneyland. My grandparents lived in Anaheim and we would visit once a year. We always had a strategy for the day, even back when there ticket books. Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and POC were his favorites, but my most vivid memories are of riding with him on POC. He loved that ride, and I was such a daddy's girl. It was such a special time for us. He is still alive, but lives in another country and we don't have a relationship anymore (it's complicated) so I still get a little emotional every time we are on that ride.

 

[pennym]

Lots of the things everyone else has said....and sitting on the bench on the little balcony on Main St and people watching from there, eating a Mickey waffle, the Pixie hollow show after dark, looking down into Splash Mountain from the train.....I'm sure there are lots more!