Going Strong to the Finish
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| "Whose the leader of the club?" |
These Magical Milestone pins are special to me because my wife and I got to share their events with our twins. They were born in 1994 and they were taken to enjoy Disneyland when they were eighteen months. I mean enjoy. My wife and I were seasoned Disneyland veterans. We both went as children with our families. We both went there as independent adults and together as a couple without children. We have seen way too many families trying to drag their families to all the attractions, parades, and fireworks in a single day. We knew from the crying and screaming kids and the short tempered parents that the all-in-one-day trip was not enjoyable. We also noticed some children, whose parents were pushing to take photographs and were actually scared of a five foot Mickey Mouse. We knew to keep it slow and limit the pleasures Disneyland had to offer. Naps during the day and some pool time makes it restful for both children and parents. So down Memory Lane I go. I reach inside the old 50th Anniversary pin bag and pull out the last of the Magical Milestone pins from the years 1996 to 2005.
In 1996 the area behind Big Thunder Mountain was rethemed to become a stage show that coincided with the opening of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Quasimodo, the bell ringer of the cathedral, starred in the live action revue that involved acrobats and wire work. The show was called Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools. It featured the music and characters and was based on Topsy Turvy Day. In the song it was said to be the day of the Epiphany, "on the sixth of January." It was a good show but didn't last too long.
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| "Topsy Turvy everything is getting crazy" |
We all decorate for Christmas. It is the best way to brighten those long winter nights. In 1997, It's a Small World did its Christmas overlay. The outside brightly colored as if the whole facade was wrapped Christmas presents. In the inside the dolls are dressed in Christmas costumes and the different countries have their native greetings for Merry Christmas. Our family loves two things for sure, Disneyland and Christmas. Disneyland gives us both with the parade, decorations and the big tree on Main Street. Through the years they even added snow to the nighttime parade. I bet everyone has seen the It's a Small World decorated on the Disney Christmas Day Parade televised Christmas morning. Also every year they do a cut away to the front of It's a Small World on News Years Eve.
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Christmas Across the World
I'll see you there for Christmas!
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On May 22, 1998 the new Tomorrowland opened. The future always caught up with Tomorrowland before the disney people could alter the attractions to keep it fresh. I was there in 1967 for the opening of the then new Tomorrowland. It was a landmark event in my life, and in Time Machine Travelogue Four I traveled there to reminisce. The new 1998 Tomorrowland was, to me, a disaster. The 1900's Jules Verne and H.G Wells look didn't show me the promise of the future. People were waiting six hours in line to ride on the People Mover's replacement, the Rocket Rods. They were one thing for sure, noisy. The ride was short in the amount of time you were on it and it was similarly short in the amount of time it was in the park. Rocket Rods' future was short. I learned my lesson, wait a while you don't have to be the first to see new Disneyland features.
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| Sadly there is no more tomorrow there. |
Like Prince sang, "We are going to party like its 1999." Who would be a better party animal than a man who thought he was a gorilla. This swinger hung out with many other party animals. His world was rocked by the first girl to come along, Jane. His castaway parents much like the Swiss Family Robinson used items salvaged from there sinking ship to create a treetop home. A home that the leopard Sabor invaded and killed his parents. Tarzan was adopted by Kala a gorilla who lost her infant to the same leopard. The Swiss Family Tree House was revamped to tell the story of Tarzan. This is when I first noticed I was getting older. Trying to keep up with five year olds as they ran up the stairs.
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| Swinging into Adventureland |
In 2000, Disneyland turned forty-five years old. On July 17th, our family came for the birthday of Disneyland. They gave every guest adorable comical party hats. I still have the hats and will focus on those memorabilia items later. Because I also purchased the forth-fifth anniversary watch. Just wait till we do a blog post on Disney watches. There was a ceremony and a 45th Anniversary Parade. What made this the most special was it was the first Disneyland Birthday Party that my twins attended with my wife and me. By now they were Disneyland veterans. They understood both the importance to the Disney people and to their mom and dad. It was a glorious happy day.
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| It all started with a mouse. |
While we were there that summer riding the Disneyland Hotel tram back and forth form the Sierra Tower of the hotel to the Disneyland Main Gate. Over the years, this was one of my son's favorite rides. He loved waiting for the tram. He loved that there were no seat belts. The freedom was thrilling for him. I should have known then he was going to be a daredevil. On our journey on the tram there was a steel skeleton rising in the parking lot. That maze of I-beams was slowly becoming a new park. The thrill of seeing something new on the horizon just whetted our Disney loving appetite. This immense skeleton was destined to become California Adventure. In 2001, we made two visits to the now Disneyland Resort. Both times we stayed at the new Grand Californian Hotel. The first time was in May and the second time was for the California Adventure's First Christmas.
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| What can you do with a billion dollars? |
Ever worked all spring working the soil in your garden. Rototilling in manure to form a rich environment for your plants to grow. As John Hammond said in Jurassic Park, "Spared no expense." Then, you sweat and toil on your hands and knees to plant new plants. Well, you know the feeling that the Disney people had when they planted a new park, California Adventure. Imagine you wake up in the morning and find all your plants cut off at the root and dying. As I said before California Adventure was doomed because it was not thought out. Who came and destroyed all your plants? It was a cut worm. A bug destroyed your dream garden. The amusement park was suffering a similar loss of dream. What they planted was dying on the ground. What were they going to do? What was going to be their savior? Ironically, it was a group of insects. The bugs from A Bug's Life created a new land in California Adventure, Bug's Land. In 2001, this land's attractions were perfect for my seven year old twins. They especially liked the Tuck and Roll's bumper cars.
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| It's tough to be a bug |
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho."
I bet you guessed it. The 2003 Magical Milestone 50th Anniversary pin was Pirates of the Caribbean. No, not the attraction but the Jack Sparrow fueled movie. The movie not only brought box office success, it brought changes to Disneyland. Ol' Tom Sawyer was cast aside. His island was rethemed to become Pirates' Lair. There were new pirate items added to the island. Skeletons and treasure chests were hidden and revealed by visiting guests to the island. Now even Jack Sparrow stalked the island looking for booty. He tried to take my watch on one of our visits to the Pirate's Lair. Jack also was added to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. As you float though Port Royal, you can spy Jack in the scenes. So we all know how the song starts it is the last two verses I like best.
We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villains and knaves.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We're devils and black sheep, we're really bad eggs.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
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| Yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me. |
In 2004, we had annual passes to Disneyland. The previous summer we had an extended stay at the Disneyland Resort. Someone at the Main Gate upon entry told us that since we had stayed over a week the amount of each ticket can be put toward the amount of an annual pass. The amount we would have to pay was less than one days Park Hopper ticket. We jumped at the opportunity and headed to Main Street. At that time the old bank was the annual pass processing center. We all got our pictures taken for the new passes. We planned shorter weekend trips that year. Years before, when California Adventure opened, my son being a dare devil had to ride every attraction in the new park. The roller coaster, California Screamin' and the Maliboomer. Many people who have gone to any old amusement parks know this vertical lift and drop ride. This type of ride was not my cup of tea, but I rode it for my son. The ride took off straight up to a 180 feet then drops bounces you back down to Earth. We shot up and when we reached the top I looked over to my son and all the blood had drained from his face. He was as white as a ghost. I was worried he was going to pass out. This was a lock on the total dare devil. He hit ground and was ready to go again. Then came the 2004 addition to California Adventure, The Tower of Terror. It is similar to that Maliboomer but themed better. So here I went again, being lifted an dropped. We got into the cursed elevator and were bought roughly to the first scene that sets the storyline of those doomed elevator patrons of the 1930's. Then with a rumble, voom we were off. When we got to the top with me holding firmly to my seat, my son's right arm shot up in a triumphant fist pump. When we got the picture they supply as a memento for sale, almost everyone else was terrorized or screaming. Not my son he had a Cheshire Cat Grin and that emphatic fist.
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| Next time your here drop in |
Now comes the very special event, the Fifty Anniversary event, The Happiest Homecoming on Earth. I am happy to say, "We were there." In the blog post of April 6th, Time Machine Travelogue Eight. It was two things for sure crowded and rewarding. It cemented the love for Disney in my children. I am sure without a doubt they will be there for the 100th Anniversary. During this trip, I collected all the pins I could in this Magical Milestone pin release. There was also a couple of bonus pins that had Incorporated that lovable little monster 626, Stitch.
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5o Years of fantastic fun!
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| Where's the dog? |
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| Hey Frogs look at this little monster |
Going through the pins I discovered that there was a kick off pin. I failed to recognize this. So I am including it here at the end. Because it is a celebration of the Magical Milestone Pins. Over the months, we have taken a retrospective through the pins and the memories that corresponded to them. Who better to kick off a Disney event than Tinker Bell. She started the Wonderful World of Color television show, and soared through the air above Sleeping Beauty's Castle to bring forth the nightly fireworks spectacular.
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Here's to the next 50 years!
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For your convenience, I am including links to all the previous Magical Milestone posts. Disneyland started in 1955 and so did our reminiscences. So here they are in order:
Also check out the pins released as part of the 50th Anniversary, the Golden Vehicles that were '55 originals.
Thank you for taking your time to share my family's and my memories of fifty years of Disneyland travel.
