Marathon Weekend 2023

[azrivest]

Reading all of this, I am less and less sure that I want to see Disney these years. I miss it but do not want to tint my memories. I haven’t been since running Dopey 2020. Is it just pandemic blues speaking? Or too much online reading?

We are flying home from PW2022 today. The magic is still there and we had an amazing trip. The biggest turnoff this week was the crowds, they are too much.

I won't be doing much park time for MW 2023, only one or two days for medal pics.

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD

Good Morning runDisney All-Stars! For this week‘s question I am asking you to share one of your earliest DIsney Parks memories and why this stands out in your mind.

My answer:
I was gifted my love/obsession with Disney from my family. I have been going to the parks since I was a little kid. So I associate the parks with my my parents and then my own family. A strong memory I have is of sitting on Main Street in Disneyland with my mom eating an ice cream sundae and waiting for the parade; it was the Main Street Electrical Parade. I loved the parade and it has always been my favourite if for nothing else than the nostalgia. I hear a revamped version is coming to Disneyland and am excited to see it this summer when we visit. I hope everyone has a good week and am excited to hear about your memories!

 

[DisneyParrothead]

SAFD: my first memory is my first trip to Disneyland. I was almost five, and we did a character breakfast that had many different characters. Of course I was over stimulated and could barely eat anything. Mr Smee came over and tried to get me to eat . I apparently that didn’t work.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: I was about 9 on my first Disney World trip, and I can remember skipping down Main Street with my cousin and our grandparents.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD

Good Morning runDisney All-Stars! For this week‘s question I am asking you to share one of your earliest DIsney Parks memories and why this stands out in your mind.

My earliest memory of disney was trying to get on Space Mountain. I was right on the edge and all I wanted to do was get on it. So I had my mom measure me all the time, practicing how tall could make myself. I tried on all my different shoes to see which ones made me taller. I did everything could within the rules. I was determined to get on. Then the big day came..... and I made it on, I was sooo happy!!! I just never been on an inside roller coaster before, I felt like I was really in space. It was the coolest ride ever to me!! Still is my fav ride to this day. Loove Space Mountain.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: My grandparents lived on the west coast of Florida when WDW opened, and my grandfather had some connection to get us into the Contemporary that first year. I was less than 2 years old my first visit (1972), so I don't remember that, but I do recall snippets of a trip when I was maybe 4 years old. Pirates was still pretty new, and we waited in a really long line to ride it. I was one of those kids who liked scary things, so I was loving it, until we got to the drop. When that boat in front of us disappeared and I heard people scream, I WAS OUTTA THERE! I literally tried to crawl out of the boat! Thankfully, I was between adults and did not succeed, and I calmed down enough to enjoy the rest of the ride and want to go again. But to this day my family loves to tell that story.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

Ohh also this morning we booked our airplane tickets. We are using points so wanted to get super saver for my seat. But we are buying my mom seats and we were afraid airplane costs will be going up soon since gas prices are going up cause the Russia's war.
Flying Friday and heading back Monday.

 

[Neon Cactus]

SAFD: I grew up an hour from Disneyland and one of my first memories is going on a cold day. My parents made me and my siblings wear stocking caps. And Captain Hook kept pulling my hat down over my eyes.
And my family swears, even when all of our tickets were used up, I would still complain when we left the park before closing. That hasn’t changed!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: I first went to Disney before I was even 1 year old. The story my parents like to tell about that trip is that I LOVED the Pirates ride (still do) so they would ride it over and over with me. I apparently lost my shoe in the ride but a CM found it for us.
For a long time I thought I took my first steps at Disney but recently learned that was actually my sister. So disappointing.
As for actual memories, mine are mostly associated with being scared lol. I remember closing my eyes on the Haunted Mansion and having my parents tell me when we got to the ballroom because I liked that part. I also remember being SO nervous to ride RNRC but then absolutely loving it. I was one of those children who would cry hysterically in line before coasters… sorry, dad. Anyway, turns out I have anxiety disorder! Should have surprised no one.

Here are some cute photos of my Disney childhood:


My outfit in the photo with Eeyore is iconic. The fanny pack, the autograph book, the trucker hat… it needs to be recreated lol. Also, Eeyore forever

 

[DIS-OH]

SAFD: 1974…family drove from Ohio, stayed at Contemporary, I was 10. (I’m on the left)

Met Minnie at the spot where, 36 years later, I’d run thru the castle for the first time!

 

[kirstie101]

SAFD last week: I’m still deciding btwn Goofy and Dopey. It’s probably Goofy. It sounds like my sister is strongly considering joining me and I think she’s thinking Goofy. But if she wants to do Dopey then I’ll do it with her. I have a room at Pop for the whole week.

SAFD: I think I was in 3rd grade our first trip to Disneyland. I remember the bus from the hotel to the parks. I remember my parents decided to stay an extra day and we had to find a new hotel that had vacancy that last night. In the park I remember characters and taking pictures with them. I remember riding BTMRR with my Dad and us both loving it.

 

[accm]

SAFD: My first vivid memory from visiting the parks was from my first trip, when I turned 5.
It was Thanksgiving, so I kept asking my parents to buy me a turkey leg, and they kept pushing it off. Well, they didn’t sell turkey legs year round back then, so when they finally agreed to buy me the thing, they were no longer being sold. I have yet to let my parents live that one down.
I also remember the first time I saw snow on Main Street. As someone from Brazil, it was my first time seeing snow, and it was so magical. 5 year old me had no idea it was fake

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: I was 5 or 6 when we went to Disney World for the first time in the late 70s. I don't remember much except riding Space Mountain with my Mom freaking out because she couldn't really see me and in the old style cars (it was more of a bench without dividers) she thought I was slipping from her grip on me. I also remember being in awe as the monorail went through the Contemporary (and some things never change I guess).

 

[accm]

SAFD: I was 5 or 6 when we went to Disney World for the first time in the late 70s. I don't remember much except riding Space Mountain with my Mom freaking out because she couldn't really see me and in the old style cars (it was more of a bench without dividers) she thought I was slipping from her grip on me. I also remember being in awe as the monorail went through the Contemporary (and some things never change I guess).

Oh, this too. To this day, my biggest Disney dream is to stay in a theme park view room in the Contemporary. We're DVC members, and I think this might be the only room I'd be willing to pay cash for.

 

[pluto377]

SAFD: Mine is technically a resort memory... I was about 7 (mid 80s) and we were staying at the Polynesian. We got a room facing the monorail tracks and I remember just staring out the window and keeping a record of every monorail that passed. I kept a tally the whole week we were there.

On a different trip when I was 4 or 5 (early 80s) I remember having dinner on the Empress Lily and falling asleep in the corner on the floor. I ended up missing the flaming pineapple I had been looking forward to seeing. Also at that dinner (I don't remember this, but my family talks about it) the couple next to us kept exclaiming "Oh, this is such elegant dining!" It became a long standing joke in my family any time we went out to eat.

 

[azrivest]

SAFD: I only remember one thing from my first trip at 4, hiding my face in my dad's lap on BTMR. To this day tho it's still my fave ride at MK

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

I’ve got a couple of memories from my two trips as a kid. My sister, brother and I are all 20 months apart (Sister is the oldest, I’m the middle and brother is the youngest) and my parents waited until my brother was old enough to do most things. We went in 1991 and 1993 when I was 9 and 11. They kind of blend together so I had to check dates to see if my recollection made sense.

The first time we went none of us were thrill riders yet. I honestly don’t remember riding anything. I’m sure we did, I just don’t remember it. The main thing I do remember is that my parents had us go to one of the digital staged photo places. The particular scene they picked was my sister dining with Mickey and Minnie and my brother and I being the waiters. I don’t remember why I was in a bad mood, it may have been wanting a different scene or it could have been some other perceived slight, but I steadfastly refused to smile or even remotely play along. I wish I could find the photo, it is absolutely hilarious in hindsight, but it featured my brother and sister very much playing along and me looking like I was about to go on a murderous rampage. My parents were, obviously and justifiably, not very happy with me. We did get a full family Pirates photo on the same trip that was much better.

Our second trip was right after Splash Mountain opened. It was the only thing we were focused on. If we went on no other rides I don’t think it would have mattered. On our day at MK we waited in a long line in the morning and finally got on. We all immediately deemed it the greatest ride in history, nay, the greatest thing in the history. Because of the line we had very little hope of going again. But later in the day, the skies opened and all our dreams came true. I don’t remember all of the specifics but, essentially, it began raining in the afternoon and the park cleared out. Or, at least, everyone stopped lining up for a water ride outside of three maniac siblings who rode Splash Mountain about 8 times in the course of an hour or two (we were walking on every time, so it was just the ride time and the time it took to run back through the queue as limiting factors).

 

[NYC_MW]

SAFD:
More of a park-adjacent memory, but I always fondly remember the Disneyland 35th anniversary special (hosted by Tony Danza). We had it recorded on VHS and I watched it so many times growing up, it was the best.

Adding to the classic Disney photos, this must have been from right around that time


ETA: found it on youtube and rewatched--not as great 30 years later, though Woody and his ghost dream girl still evoke a smile

 

[kristenabelle]

SAFD: My earliest memory of anything is snow on my face on Main Street USA, from when I was 3 years old. Years later (I'm 33 now), I thought I must've remembered wrong but my mom told me it was all true - we were there, and it was "snowing." Our family has created such strong moments and memories there, and I'm so grateful for that.

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: I grew up going to Disneyland, and I have so many memories! We always got there at opening and went straight for the Matterhorn - and I remember riding the sky buckets that went through the Matterhorn and I would try to hear the Yeti. I would get the guide map and check off all the rides we had done over the course of the day too. My dad would always let me pick one stuffed animal to get each trip, and I still have most of them today.
My love for Disney was definitely instilled on me from a young age by my dad - he and I would do epic Disneyland days from opening to close! I would never make it today - my dad was a trooper!