A Family Day at Disneyland About This Page:

[snoozy]

Well as of today we have 10 days to our Disneyland trip Here is another story from my childhood that I promised awhile back. This story is more or less a combination of many day trips to DL. Living in the LA area DL was somewhere we went often, usually 3-4 times a year and even more if we had relatives visiting

My parents were great for taking us places and would always make a big adventure out of where ever it was we went Weekend road trips were the norm. A lot of times dad would just shout, "everyone in the car right now". So, off we go in the yellow Chevy station wagon, yeah, I know, very 60's "Where are we going dad", we would ask. "Oh were just taking a drive, no where special", he would say. Well we could always guess where we might be heading by which freeway he would take and in what direction. After awhile though dad eventually caught on and stopped taking the feeway to throw us off. This time we were on the GoldenState/Santa Ana Freeway heading south. Ok, so, we have several choices here Could we be going to Knott's Berry Farm always a very choice. Or we could even be going farther south to San Jaun Capistrano but, its not time for the swallws to return. May-be its San Diego and the zoo, the zoo is way . But, oh please, please, please, let it be Disneyland.

Then to our excitement we get off the freeway and there it is, big and snowy, the Matterhorn. To this day I get that same feeling of excitement when we get off the freeway. Of course by now we are all screaming, singing and jumping around in the car (its the 60's no seat belts). We are at the entrance we can't stand it anymore, "you are the greatest parents in the whole wide world", we yell. Mom says, "settle down now or we can turn aroung and go home". Dead silence hits the station wagon. The parking lot is huge but we did good and got there early so we can park fairly close. Now fairly close to a little girl is the longest walk in the world, it seems like miles "Ok who's turn is it to remember the parking area letter", dad says. As my younger sister and I are jumping up and down saying "me, me, me,". Brother says, "don't even look at me". Big sis who is way to mature for anything says, "don't look at me either, I always have to do everything". So its between me and the baby, oh she's already "I never get to, pick me, daddy, pick me". So of course the baby gets picked this time.

Finally the "Happiest Place On Earth" dad pays for admission and buys the tickets books and each one of us gets our own. This book was like getting treasure. sometimes mom and dad had extra cash and would buy a couple of extra ticket books so we could go on some of the rides twice. That was always a big treat. Isn't nice that you can now go on all the rides as many times as you want. This was always a wish we had as kids and would always vocalize it every time we went to DL, and guess what, wishes do come true at DL

The train at Main Street was usually the first stop, once around the park so we could get a feel for what we were in the mood for. Pass MS station one more time to head to NOS to do HM and Pirates. these were mom's favorite rides, especially Pirates, she loved the first big drop. The CM's at the HM always put on a great show. Actually all of the CM's in those days played the part where ever they were working. Next we would head over to the Indian Village (Critter Country now), I use to love watching the dancers. But the Indian village had to go, not PC. After the show our parents would let us go over to Tom Sawyer's Island without them, oh yeah, very to be without the parents. It was just me, the baby, and brother, big sis of course was way to mature and stayed with mom and dad. Now we would head over to the shooting gallery. This was always a big contest between me and brother. I've always been a better shot then him, even to this day. He would always get mad and of course he would blame it on the gun he was using, yeah right Heading out of Frontierland and on over to Adventureland its time to sit down and take in another show. The Tiki Room, dad's favorite. He would always laugh so hard and jab us with his elbows and point at the tiki gods and would make these funny faces and make the same sounds they would Ok its time for the Jungle Cruise, this ride is the same as it always has been right down to the corny jokes the CM's tell you. In those days though they use to fire off a few shots from a pistol to scare the hippos. Well they got rid of that for awhile not PC enough but, I've heard they have brought it back again just recently. So by this time we are getting really we always ate cheep at DL, even in those days food was very $$$. Fantasyland next and we would do every ride in this land. I won't do the Tea Cups though sicky icky. And of course again big sis is way to mature for several of the rides in this land but, she would always go on them. We still to this day tease her about her being to mature, she gets all and tries to deny it. On to the Skyway, the only way to head over to Tomarrowland, to bad there is no more Skyway When I was about 5 we went on the Rocket Ship to the Moon, I thought we were really going to the moon. I was so scared I the whole time holding onto my daddy's arm, he had to carry me out when it was over I was so upset. I never did go on that ride again. Well its time to go get in front of the Castle and find a spot to watch the fireworks. Waiting for Tinkerbell to make her flight was always agonizing for us, it seemed like it took forever. finally she flies and the show begins and its absolutely spectacular. Our last leg of the adventure would be Main Steet, mom and big sis would do some shopping, the rest of us would usually hit the Penny Arcade and candy shop.

Well its getting late and the park is closing so its time to go, everyone is exhausted. Its time to head to the parking lot. Ok baby sis where did we park the car. Great, it figures she's in dad's arems. Ok, she is never being parking lot monitor again. It always seemed like the same old story in the parking lot, it never failed we would always lose the car. Big sis and brother would go in opposite directions from the rest of us so we could have a wider range to look for the car. Every now and then you could hear one say, "its over here", then the other on would say, "you are so lame, you haven't got a clue, its over here". Eventually we would find it and dad would tell us all to shut up and go to until we got home because he was tired and didn't want to hear it anymore.

I'm so excited, I can see the Matterhorn in my mind right now. We will be staying at the DL Hotel for 7 magical nights I'm worst then the kids all I can do at this point is think of Disneyland.