Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1996 - 2005

Going Strong to the Finish

"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.

"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.  

Christmas Across the World 

I'll see you there for Christmas!

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.  

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.

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.  

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.   

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. 

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. 

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.  

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.

5o Years of fantastic fun!

Where's the dog?

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.

Here's to the next 50 years!

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:

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1955 - 1965

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1966 - 1975

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1977 - 1985

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1986 - 1995

Also check out the pins released as part of the 50th Anniversary, the Golden Vehicles that were '55 originals.

Look Out Disney We Have 50th Anniversary Pins

Look Out Disney We Have 50th Anniversary Pins Two

Thank you for taking your time to share my family's and my memories of fifty years of Disneyland travel.

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1976 - 1985

Let's Take a Look at the Magical Milestone Anniversary Pins.


Grab a Starbucks, it is now sold in Disney's California Adventure, and a  Ghirardelli chocolate, also now sold there, sit down and unzip that 50th Anniversary pin bag.  We need to continue looking at those Magical Milestone pins.  Fifty years of history at Disneyland is incredible. Luckily, I got to share many of those times.  When they released the Magical Milestone pins, I was drawn to the 1976 pin. 

Whose the leader of the pins?

It was a pin that not only represented a specific event at Disneyland; it was the greatest 4th of July event in our lifetime, the Bicentennial.  On July 4th, 1976, our country turned 200 years old.  This was celebrated across the country.  I was excited to witness the festivities that the Bicentennial would offer.  I could not afford to travel to Washington D.C., Boston, or any of the east coast cities that were the Cradle of Democracy.  Living on the west coast I figured the only place that would "do it up right" was Disneyland.  So I gathered my family, including my mother and made reservations for a stay at Disneyland.

Boy, I was right.  It was a glorious day.  Every 4th of July, guests entering Disneyland receives a US Flag lapel pin.  There were lot of guests too.  The park actually closed the gates off early. Yeah, it was crowded.  But it was a good crowded.  Happy guests brimming with patriotic pride.  Any way, if you are patriotic, you need to go to Main Street Town Square and witness the Retreat, the lowering of our flag.  However, on the 4th of July , It is a special event.  The ceremony, the band, the service members stepping forward, make people brim with pride.  It is so emotional.  Yeah, I cannot help but to discretely whip the tear that has leaked from my watering eye.  Fireworks are part of every 4th of July holiday.  The Bicentennial fireworks were awesome.  Crowds of people standing shoulder to shoulder as if at attention, eyes turned skyward, and ears filled with pariotic music.  I have seen many fireworks displays both at Disneyland and in other cities, but the Bicentennial Fireworks that year were incredible.  That makes the Magical Milestone pin one of the most special in my collection.

A July 4th for my age

As the movie says, "They cannot hear you scream in space."  But in Space Mountain, you'll feel like your in space and you'll hear screaming.  In 1977, with much fanfare, they opened a totally enclosed steel tubular roller coaster.  The opening on Memorial Day 1977 was yet again another retheming of Tomorrowland.  The opening ceremony included six Mercury astronauts.  As a youth of the sixties, I admired these original space pioneers.  The ride originally was in the dark. That freaked some people out.  Therefore, they added a little more lights.  This I found disturbing because you could now see the superstructure of the ride. Beams and cross beam bracing seem to jump out at you at the speed of the roller coaster.  When I went there in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary, Space Mountian reopened with a different track layout.  It has always been fun.  When my daughter was young, she wasn't into roller coasters.  But finally, she went for her first time.  She told someone that it was her first time and they gave her a button on which they wrote, "First time on Space Mountain."

Best attraction in our Galaxy

We love to ride the mountains at Disneyland.  The first mountain was the Matterhorn Bobsled ride.  Brought into service in 1959 the Matterhorn was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world.  The attraction has had additions to the storyline but in 1978 they added a permanent resident, the Abominable Snowman.  Whenever the bobsled passes by the Snowman he roars at you.  I always roar right back at him.  It was a small "plussing" but it added to the attraction.

That's where the Snowman from Monsters Inc. ened up.

Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and the next mountain to open was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  There was a previous Rainbow Cavern Mine Train attraction. It was a flat land mining train that shared the Living Desert with the stage coach, Conestoga Wagons, and the famous Pack Mules.  In 1979 that all changed, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened.  Using audioanimatronic animals and elements from the Living Desert and the Rainbow Caverns a new gold mining Boomtown of Rainbow Ridges was created.  My wife and I shared a ride on this mountain the first year it opened.  In Kingdom Keepers, the T-Rex comes to life and tries to attack Finn and Philbe.  We as a family love this mine train ride.  It is a perfect representation of an out of control train.  

I fell in love twice with my wife and the ride.

How quickly the years pass.  In 1980, Disneyland celebrated its 25th Anniversary.  There was a 25th Anniversary Parade and a Disney's Wonderful World television show.  There were no silver vehicles or anything astoundingly special about that landmark in time.  At least I cannot remember.  I didn't go for the July 17th anniversary that year.  The early 80's had an entirely different milestone.  Disneyland was expecting.  No not a new baby like Mrs. Jumbo's son Dumbo.  They were expecting the two hundred millionth guest.  That lucky person would receive a Golden Pass, it was 26-year-old Gert Schelvis of Santa Barbara, California. I hope she still enjoys it.  

Twenty five year love affair

I'm represented several times in that number.

Do you have any old Disneyland tickets with some of the old "A-E tickets" still attached?  I do.  Of coarse the unused tickets were mostly "A" tickets.  In October of 1955 the Disneyland ticket books were first sold to guests.  In those days they only had admission and "A-C" in the book.  "D and E" tickets were then sold in 1956 and 1959 respectively. The cost of that first ticket book was $2.50.  When they say a new attraction is an "E" ticket ride it was because that ride was the most thrilling. There were people who through their work got the opportunity to join the Magic Key Club and they did.  Both my mom and my family joined to receive lower cost tickets.  In 1982, the ticket books were retired.  Then the real Disney mission started, you had to try to ride every ride in a day.

Tickets to paradise

Ever miss a friend or go to their house and they are not home.  That is how I felt when Fantasyland was closed.  What once was a Renaissance themed festival was rebuilt into the European village setting the Walt Disney imagined when he first planned Disneyland.  The New Fantasyland has a Bavarian village appearance. The Sleeping Beauty Castle's drawbridge was raised and then ceremoniously lowed for this 1983 event.  A bronze plaque was placed with the words inscribed that Walt spoke on Opening Day 1955.

    

 "Fantasyland is dedicated to the young, and the young at heart and to all those who      believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams do come true."- Walt Disney.

So an old friend was back and they were at home.

The only Fantasyland my twins know.

"I want my, I want my, I want my MTV," older readers will remember when MTV showed music videos.  You don't?  Well, "Videos killed the radio stars."  It was the 80's and music and the young people were changing.  Not only was there sound and music there was sights and sounds.  In 1985 at night, the Fantasyland Theater turned into Videopolis. It was a dance club for a modern time.  These were seventy television monitors that showed music videos.  It wasn't like dancing the night away at the Tomorrowland Terrace but it was fun anyway.  

"Dancing the night away"

"Disneyland will never be completed.  It will continue to grow as long 

                      as there is imagination left in the world."—Walt Disney

In the next ten years because of Walt's Vision, we will see many new attractions, entertainment, mountains, and lands.  Disneyland is worth going back to not just for what they had in 1985, but the next ten years will bring major changes.  So dispose of that Starbuck's coffee cup properly, and wipe that little bit of chocolate out of the corner of your mouth, and meet me at Main Street and we will view 1986 - 1995.

Look Out Disneyland We Have 50th Anniverary Pins Two

Let's Visit the Golden Rides

I offered to send him this picture after he stepped in front

The Golden Rides at Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration were a reminder that there is continuity for all of us who ever visited the park.  Rides have come and gone but luckily some of the originals remain.  I am always amazed at some of the changes that have occurred.  Some of them are for the better and some aren't.  Some have worked and remained and some just faded away.  Does anyone miss the Rocket Rods.  Many of the attractions also received upgrades.  One of the original attractions that has changed over the years is the Jungle Cruise.  Scenes have been added.  There is a story that Walt Disney once overheard a mother telling her child that they didn't need to ride the Jungle Cruise again because they rode it last time.  This is said how he came up with the idea of plussing the attractions.  It is the subtle changes that keep the rides fresh.  Different animals where added over the years.

The Congo Queen

The cruise steams on multiple rivers in the World.  Elephants, tigers, even piranhas have been added.  Hippopotami have endured gunshots to scare them a way from the boat.  Then, the guns where holstered and now they have returned.  The new two story boat house to hold the waiting queue made it feel like you are readying for a cruise in a different era.  The steamers are named for the rivers they sail.  There has been many changes that plussed this attraction. The jokes that the Skipper tells even change depending on their personal style.  This can make every ride different.  However when we pass by Schweitzer Falls,  I wait for the classic joke of all time, "Look to your left and you'll see the backside of water.

We all drive a little Goofy

When I was a kid growing up in Southern California, there was a change that was occurring that actually brought the Future.  Therefore, this July 17, 1955 original has literally driven us into the Future.  Even before President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act, some of us were already driving on the highways of tomorrow.  The Tomorrowland Autopia gave us young drivers freedom to motor freely.  Too freely then perhaps because the cars weren't confined by the center block to control over steering.  The sightseeing over the years have been futuristic.  Driving along seeing the Monorail track looming overhead gave the ride a guarantee you were seeing the future.  The cars have been changed and the queue has been improved in 2000.  I am convinced that 90% of California Drivers leared to drive on the Autotopia.  Next time, you pull through a drive-thru at any fast food place look around and notice.  Does this causeway remind of something?  I bet you'll go, "It's the Autopia."

Grinning like a Cheshire Cat

In 1983, the New Fantasyland was introduced.  The architecture changed.  Gone was the tent-like  Renaissance festival look and the Black Forest Bavarian took over.  Some of the attractions were moved and updated but they remained loyal to the original Disney themeing.  When my brother and I visited Disneyland as children, we loved to ride the Mad Tea Party.  We loved to spin it as fast as we could.  That dizzy feeling was so cool as we walked away.  In those days, the cups only had a strap across the opening.  Now of course now there is a door.  Moving it over near Alice in Wonderland made a lot of sense.  It too has been plussed with party lanterns adding to the ambiance.

A ride for a Princess

There is one thing that is always thrilling, looking through Sleeping Beauty Castle and seeing the King Arthur Carousel.  The Carousel has been a constant in Fantsyland.  Walt Disney it is said had fond memories of the carousel at Griffiths Park. He scoured the country looking for carousel horses.  Most of them needed refurbishing.  But the attraction always has been beautiful. When my children were young, they both enjoyed the ride.  However as the years went by my son enjoyed it less.  Probably most boys do.  My little princess loves to ride it to this day.  She is not the only one I see a lot of teenage girls on one of those steeds riding like Mary Poppins and Bert.

If you arrive for Early Entry or a Magic Morning, you should go straight for Fantsyland and get in line for this attraction, Peter Pan's Flight.  The line for this ride can back up in a hurry, and why not.

I'm Flying

This ride allows you to sprinkle on your Fairy Dust and fly away from London and soar to Neverland like Peter Pan.  The movie Peter Pan came out in 1953 and was the first movie that I ever remember going to.  Boys love adventure and Peter Pan had it all.  He lived in a magical place, Neverland, with a gang of Lost Boys.  He has friends that are Indians, Mermaids, and a pixie named Tinker Bell.  He has sword fights with pirates that included their captain, Captain Hook.  He lost his hand to a Crocodile that loved the taste and pursued him after that looking for another hand out.  I have known a lot of grown men who are Peter Pans never wanting to grow up. We rode Peter Pan's Flight eight times before the Twins were able to secure a ride in the Golden Pirate Schooner.

Ride 'em Stitch

There is no more iconic Disney attraction than dumbo the Flying Elephant.  This ride outwardly recognizable. There are no other flying elephants around.  Dumbo was always cool because you got to operate him. If you wanted to go up and stay up you could. There use to be only eight Dumbos at one time now there are sixteen. They cannot put more Dumbos into service so the wait time can get long sometimes. But as the line moves and you near the front, you are watching and anticipating your turn. Then someone comes along and hands you a large black feather. The same kind of feather that gave Dumbo confidence he could fly. This Magic Feather is your ticket for your flight with Dumbo. I'm glad Stitch is enjoying his Dumbo ride. What about you Stitch fans?


The next attraction was from the Wind in the Willows.  It was a segment of a two part film called The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  

"Merrily, Merrily Now We Go Totally Perpendicular"

The Ichabod segment was shown yearly on or around Halloween because it was an adaption of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Everyone knows the story of Ichabod Crane.  It was a delightful story told by Bing Crosby.  However, I never really saw the Mr. Toad segment until it was released on video.  On the ride you drive recklessly much like Mr. Toad did.  You crash through everything in the house then continue out into public.  You then meet a train in a tunnel and you get to experience the heat when you land in Hell. While you are motoring along, you have the background music from the Mr Toad segment, "Totally Perpendicular."  We always ride this attraction early also. 


Lastly, we have the Storybook Land Canal Boats.  This is a voyage through a mini depictions of Disney films and shorts. 

Generally there is a pretty girl operating the Canal Boats

The "Lilliputian effect" viewing the miniatures as you sail along.  The other amazing thing about the attraction is the landscaping.  Bonsai styled trees are in place.  Everything is to perfect scale.  They use succulents to create a patterns and designs. You cruise though Monstro the Whale's Mouth from Pinocchio to reach Storybook Land.  Which canal boat did they refinish to be Golden?  It was the the Tinker Bell, of course.  
This brings us to the end of the Golden 50th Anniversary pins.  Disney knows how to celebrate.  They knew that everyone of would want to celebrate and remember his event. That is why this collection is so memorable.  Soon, we will investigate another set of pins hat was sold during the 50th Anniversary, the Magical Moments pins.  Thank you for reading and if you have a special pin request please leave me a comment.  See you soon in Disneyland.