Originally Posted By Aladdin D Nile I feel guilty about my role in hijacking DismayingObservation's topic, so I thought I would start it afresh. I don't have anything offbeat, but my favorite souvenir is a bicentennial keychain. It is a keyring connected to a medallion by a chain. The medallion is kind of antiqued brass with Mickey, Donald, and Pluto in a mock-up of the famous revolutionary bandaged fife player, drummer, and standard bearer. My mom got it on a trip to LA to visit my grandparents. I was a kid, so I was instructed to not play with it in order to preserve it's value. I still have it in the little plastic display box with the clear top. You know, with the two little offsetting knobs that click closed. I wonder if it is worth anything... Probably more value to me as a keepsake.
Originally Posted By tenesmus I'm not much of a collector of stuff. But I did find a Disneyland 30th Birthday Year Gift-Giver Extraordinaire ticket. I didn't win, and I was guest number 244,327,592.
Originally Posted By tenesmus I just thought of one more souvenier from Disneyland that most people don't get. My wife, she was working parades and characters when I met her in 1985.
Originally Posted By DismayingObservation Not your fault, Aladdin. Thanks for picking up the discussion. I reported the original thread to an admin, requesting it be deleted. It's still up, but it seems to be dead.
Originally Posted By monorailblue Some things are simply startling. And some Disneyland souvenirs are, too. I have old popcorn boxes--who keeps those?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I have a coin/token/dubloon thing that was given to us at the gates for one of Mickey's birthdays (I would guess 60th). I'm not sure if we were there on just the right day, or if they were doing it all year, but it's a pretty neat little souvenir from a trip that I was too young to actually remember. I also have all sorts of random goodies left over from the 50th. Between maps, napkins, and other little things, I think I have quite a collection going.
Originally Posted By MomluvsDisney A very precious item for me has been a bit of string with some red balloon attached. When I was very young (about five in 1976) I went to DL with my Mother and Grandfather. About half way through the day they bought me a Mickey Mouse balloon. I was so excited that I refused to allow them to tie the balloon to my wrist. As you can see what is coming, I managed to hold onto that balloon until we were leaving out on Main Street. In the square by the Firehouse I tripped and let go of the balloon. Well, I was heartbroken and my mother was scolding me for not allowing her to tie the balloon to my wrist. In the meantime, my grandfather had vanished. I was feeling so sorry for myself when along my grandfather came, and with him was none other then Mickey Mouse! And what do you suppose my grandfather had in his hand?? You guessed it. A beautiful new red balloon!! My mother snapped a picture of my grandfather, Mickey, the balloon and myself. He told me latter, when I was an adult, that he had felt that a completely happy day was better then having to be taught a lesson while at a happy place like Disneyland. So that is my unique Disney souvenir. A bit of string attached to a very precious memory. The balloon eventually popped and the only piece that made it through was the string still attached to the bottom piece of the balloon. My grandfather passed in 1996, but his memory and love for Disneyland live on for me in that piece of string as well as many other Disney memories. These sorts of memories are the ones I hope to one day give my DD as she grows up.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That's a great story. It really put me back in the right mood after spending too much time over in World Events. : )
Originally Posted By monorailblue (World Events--that's a Disneyland souvenir no one needs during an election year. This is my third presidential election on LaughingPlace. Whoa!) In a generous effort not to go off on any tangents (DO might be watching), I kept a rather smelly souvenir for a long time--my first pair of Disneyland, oxford style, polishable, rubber sole, defined heel, black, lace-up work shoes. I kept them for a very, very long time as a tangible piece of that first epoch of my Cast Member life.
Originally Posted By rockcow1 I have doubloons (sp?) that I got at the pirate shop from the machine that imprints them. Every year I would imprint who I was with and when it was. First trip with boyfriend. First trip with husband (that was boyfriend on previous piece of eight). Trip alone. Each trip that added a child. Every time we go I hope the machine will be back!
Originally Posted By 2PrincessMom I have one of those huge sitckers that have my name on it. We were on our way to a character breakfast at the Empress Lily (WDW) and as you checked in, they gave each child a sticker...about the size of a small soccer ball...with "Hi, my name is..." and a picture of Mickey. I remember that the sticker took up the entire front of my shirt that day.
Originally Posted By mickeymeg I have a bunch of plastic plates that desert was served on when we saw Fantasmic from the River side reserved seating area while we were there for the 50th. I thought they were way to fancy to be disposable so we wiped them off with napkins and took them home.
Originally Posted By rockcow1 Oh! I also have,I'll call it a mug, but it really kind of looks like a trophy with a handle. It's white glass with gold writing. It says Disneyland and "SUSIE" on it. My brother got it for me when he and my cousin went to Disneyland and would not take me. He is 10 years older than me, and I don't think he wanted his 8 year old sister tagging along. He bought it at what is now Star Trader. Remember when the one corner was all little glass figures and glass items with names on it. Well, I have had it now for 37 years. My brother is no longer with us and I always remember him when I see it!☺
Originally Posted By mouseymom My friend and her husband have a pretty great one. Their 12 year old daughter! She is 10 years younger than their others and they thought they were too old to have more kids. Surprise!
Originally Posted By disneyfn About 10 years ago I was following the trolley up Main st when the horse kicked up a chuck of Main st. I grab the 2 inch piece of asphalt and took it home. Yes I know it is just asphalt but I fondly know that it was once a piece of Main st USA and trod on by many people and characters.
Originally Posted By smd4 Does anyone collect pieces that aren't technically meant to be souvenirs (such as the asphalt disneyfn mentions)? --Costume pieces? --Signs/artwork? --Pieces of actual attractions? --SOPs?
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Does anyone collect pieces that aren't technically meant to be souvenirs...<< Perish the thought.
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin um...does taking a stash of napkins count? When my kids were little I would always grab a handful of napkins and put whatever we didn't use in my purse, in case of runny noses or spillage while we were away from home. So out of habit I still stash napkins from Dland in my purse and by the end of a two day trip I bring home a pretty large stack. Oh, and one time a set of S&P shakers from Big Thunder BBQ...
