What to do when the magic leaves...

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

Oops, perhaps I went on too much. Better get back to work now.

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

What is really interesting is if you ask my children what their favorite park in the world is? They will tell you Legoland Windsor. And although I like the place, I am very sad as a Disneyland fan.

Their park count:

Disneyland
DCA
Knott's Berry Farm
Seaworld
Legoland San Diego
San Diego Zoo
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Disney Hollywood Studios
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester
Alton Towers
Drayton Manor
Gulliverland
Woburn Safari Park
Whipsnade Zoo
Legoland Windsor
Chessington World of Adventures
Beaulea Manor
Parc Asterix
Disneyland Paris
Walt Disney Studios Paris

As well as numerous cities, museums, historical and national parks.

 

Originally Posted By crazycroc

Dave,
I liked that post.
Thank you.

Your pal,
The Kinder, Gentler, CrazyCroc

 

Originally Posted By Blufusion05

Take them to Ceder Point in Ohio. Fun place without all of the Disney hoopla.. And Go to Washington DC after that for a few days.

 

Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt

"Oops, perhaps I went on too much. Better get back to work now."

LOL!

 

Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance

If you still have a job after writing all of that, I want your job.

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

Well I am the boss, though I did write it at about 7am.

 

Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance

In that case, I want you to hire me on.

 

Originally Posted By Terminus

That was actually a very interesting read. Thanks for typing all that out.

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

Thanks Terminus. Disney used to be very important to me, for decades. I suppose like all idols, when they fall, it can hit you hard. Hence some of my quips at times.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

"Mon 1/10/2011 6:09a Take them to Ceder Point in Ohio. Fun place without all of the Disney hoopla"

If rollercoasters float your boat...

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

Agreed. while they have their place, I am a theme park fan, much more than an amusement park fan.

 

Originally Posted By Yookeroo

"MYOB."

No. If you don't want people to comment, you probably shouldn't post publicly.

 

Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt

This may be a public forum, however my response in post 122 was specifically directed at Mickeymouseclub, not you.

 

Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance

Davewasbaloo, what the heck does your name mean anyway?

 

Originally Posted By friendofdd

I’ve always enjoyed the magic and have never really understood when folks talk of losing it. Oh, I understand an aversion to it being extremely crowded. I understand the unhappiness involved in dealing with rude people. And I understand feeling one hasn’t received good value for money. But those things are not exclusive to theme parks.

Those posts by my friend DWB suddenly brought the whole matter into perspective for me. I have never had the same expectations as the great majority of LP posters. What I have to say in this post will, in all probability, not be helpful to you, but it helps me understand my satisfaction with DL. I have lower expectations, and always have.

As a lad, I visited Knott’s Berry Farm once a year. It was basically the “Ghost Town” area. Thoroughly enjoyable, but not greatly missed if we should miss the annual trip. My first theme park.

Other than that, it was just the “Long Beach Pike” amusement park. Basically like a carnival mid-way and a very cool wooden roller coaster..

At age 16, I went to DL in October, 1955. It was absolutely wonderful and I started making trips twice a year from my home which was about a three hour drive away. As I think about it, My memories are more about the people I was with than the attractions. If one were on a budget, the need to buy tickets for each attraction prevented one from having all the E-tickets desired.. For a geek like me, inviting a pretty girl to go to DL was far superior in getting a date than an invitation to the movies. So, between limited money and sharing time with a nice date, I probably concentrated more on “atmosphere” than I did attractions.

I have seen DL through the eyes of my children and my grandchildren, but I never got to see it as a child. Sometimes I feel as if I missed something. Especially when you speak of your childhood recollections.

For many years I would take our family on an annual trip to DL and we would do the “commando rush” to get as much as possible in during the visit. But even then, I always felt the pull of “atmosphere” and would pause to enjoy it as often as I could.

DW and I have been pass holders since 1986. It is a wonderful privilege and gives us many opportunities to spend time in our comfortable “home town”. A happy place that is always magical to us. Last Friday night was typical of our frequent visits: We arrived about 3:30, listened to three full sets at the coke corner piano, had dinner, did some shopping, took some photos and went home about 7:15. We spent time on Main St and in Frontier Land. Other visits will see us going to different sections of the park.

Well, for us elderly folks (I just turned 72 recently), such activity is greatly desired. I do not wish premature aging on you, but can’t help feeling that your expectations will change as time passes and you will find greater satisfaction.

 

Originally Posted By friendofdd

BTW, I can speak only of DL. For it is that park I love. I go to DCA and enjoy it, but would not miss it if it were not there. In the seventies, I went to Magic Mountain as a friend’s guest, but, otherwise have never gone to any theme or amusement parks. Have never even had the urge when driving right past them. But that is just me and DW. The rest of our family do much of that.

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

Nicely put DD.

And fwiw, it's pretty darned cool that you've been a "resident" of that wonderful park since it opened! Were you able to stop by on the 50th anniversary of the place?

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

Which begs the question, since you have literally "seen it all", which attraction/area/shop/restaurant from long ago Disneyland would you say you enjoyed the most, for those of us unlucky enough to have missed it???

 

Originally Posted By friendofdd

>>>Nicely put DD.<<<

Thanks, X.

I did drop in during the 50th celebration. Even managed to attend a dinner and awards show with a large group of axe murderers. Fell in love with them.

I'll need to give some thought as to what things I enjoyed the most in the early years and get back to you.