When did you catch the magic?

I thought it'd be cool if everyone shared there experience of when they first captured the magic of Disneyland.  It's that feeling you get that is too hard to explain but leaves you addicted to the Happiest Place on Earth for life. 

For me I started going to Disneyland as a very young kid.  In those early days of my life we lived 45 minutes away, so we went ALOT. Or at least I thought we did.  I remember on every trip, that as we drove down the freeway my brothers and I would have our faces glued to the windows of the car so that we could capture the earliest possible glimpse of the Matterhorn. Our Disneyland adventure always inevitably started with one of us kids yelling,"There it is!".  So I know I felt the magic at a very early age.  We of course eventually moved away.  So the first time back after being so far away for so long is my most vivid memory of when I truly felt the magic.  The funny thing is I didn't even have to actually be in the park.

We had just begun the long drive home after visiting relatives.  It just so happened that our long trip meant we had to drive right through L.A..  So the conversation was struck up between my Mom and Dad as to whether or not we should stop off and spend a day at Disneyland.  I remember that it was late and I was dead tired.  All the kids, except for me, were asleep.  I knew that at a point on the freeway ahead of us that if we turned left we'd be headed to Disneyland and if we turned right we'd be headed home.  I held on with all that I had so that I could be awake for this very pivotal moment. I knew that if I could just stay awake until we made that turn, then I would know.  Only then could I sleep.   Well, when that point in the freeway came we turned left. A big old grin that no one saw came over my face.   A warmth of excitement swept over me and I drifted off to sleep.  The next thing I remember is being parked right outside the entrance to the Disneyland hotel and hearing my Dads futile attempt to convince my Mom that the room was too expensive.  I remember my mom in her calm "you are going to lose this argument" voice telling my Dad, "We are all tired, JUST GET THE ROOM."  This was the first time we ever stayed at the Disneyland hotel and for me this was the night that stands out in my memory when that wonderful Disney magic was swept over me like a warm blanket.  The next day in the park was just details.  Wonderful details.  I've been an addict ever since.   

Wow, it really is there isn’t it! What a great memory for you.
My first visit to Disneyland was many years ago. Although the pictures in my mind are vivid and happy ones it was a stressful time for me; family and in-laws, new to each other, trying to make impressions. E-Tickets and the like were the topic of the day.  None of us had seen anything quite like it although we had a great and exciting day the ‘Magic’ got lost in the shuffle.
We too lived quite a long way away and with job and family responsibilities a trip back to Disneyland just didn’t ever seem to come up.
Then came 2005! In the weeks leading up to the 50th celebration 3 of us spent weekends in Anaheim and had a blast. Now to the ‘Magic’
The night of July 16th/17th was spent in Disney’s California Adventure with many special family members. We sat on blankets, talked and sometimes dozed off for a few minutes in our place next to a garbage can that we smile at to this day when we pass it on our visits to DCA. We were in line to enter Disneyland for the celebration of a lifetime ‘The Happiest Homecoming on Earth’
A roped off pathway was strung between the two parks and those of us in Disney’s California Adventure, wearing our special 50th gold Mickey Ear Hats, walked the pathway toward the Main Gate. Thousands of people who had no chance of getting in the park filled the whole entry plaza and watched us walk through. The sounds of the crowd were deafening. The excitement built as we entered the park, we were directed around the flag pole and there it was Main Street USA beautifully decorated and completely lined by cast members cheering and ‘welcoming us home’ there was not a dry eye in the place, I don’t believe I have ever seen so many adults in total meltdown. Today, almost 3 years later, after moving to Southern California and after working on Main Street for the past 5 months the reaction is the same. The moment I stand at the top of Main Street and look down at the castle I get goose bumps all over and a lump in my throat. I think the ‘Magic’ will always be there for me.   

Re:  When Did You Catch the Magic?

This special "Magic" exists ONLY at Disneyland and it is in no other place on Earth.  Even Walt
Disney World in Florida cannot compete with the ORIGINAL when it comes to the "Magic."

First of all, we are grandparents that have had the wonderful opportunity to share some very special
moments with children and grandchildren at the Happiest (and most Magical) Place on Earth.  Our
first visit to Disneyland was in 1968 and while it was wonderful, I don't think we had yet captured
the concept of "The Magic".  As our children grew older we continued to all visit the park and it
just kept getting better and better.  It was probably "The Magic" and we hadn't grasped it yet.  We
even had wonderful times there with our teenagers.  Our kids met and married people who also love
Disneyland.  The grandchildren caught the "Magic" at birth I guess.  Then just as Main Street
Mama caught the "Magic" in 2005........so did all of our family.  While she had the wonderful
experience of being there on July 17, 2005, we made it in on July 18, 2005.  On July 17 we were
driving by the park out on Katella and we spotted a pair of those Gold Mickey Ears!   Perhaps that
was the first really "Magical" moment??  Maybe that was the first time we really "Caught the
Magic", but certainly not the last.  We have decided it takes special people to "Keep the Magic"
alive............those people are the wonderful Castmembers who make guests feel welcome and treat
them like family.   We have met many of these great people.  Some of them perhaps only a brief
encounter, but we remember them and their kind deed or just cheerfulness.  Other times
Castmembers who actually remember you from year to year!!!   That totally amazed us!!  Another
really nice touch in 2005 when they would swipe your ticket and say "Welcome Home" and call you
by name............well, how sweet is that?

We hope everyone who visits this special place on the planet can truly experience the true "Magic"
of what it is all about.  While each person's perspective is a little different, everyone can "Catch the
Magic" if they will look for it.  Not all of the "Magic" has to hit you over the head.   Some "Magical
Moments" can be very subtle.  Just keep your eyes open and we are guessing your "Magical
Moment" will probably involve a Castmember........................

   

 

It would have to be the summer of 2005. When i was younger I used to go about every other weekend but suddenly i stopped.  I hadn't been in a long time then got a pass in 2004 and went every now and then but then the summer of 2005 came and i had just graduated high school and went about once a week sometimes just for a couple hours and that was the time where i felt the magic of Disneyland. Sure you see some annoying people while there or somebody does something that ticks you off but just take it in that you're in a place created by a man who wanted to make magic and you will feel something and know you're in a different place.