The Happiest Place

I love Disneyland. It's just such a departure from the daily rat race, so clean and so friendly. It's a real escape.

As a kid, my family would go to Disneyland about once a year. At that time, you still had to buy ticket books and "E" tickets are the high value ones, used at the best rides in the park. You also got a little book, detailing all the rides and which tickets they required. Since you only had maybe 5 "E" tickets, you had to choose carefully or else buy add'l tickets. I loved that little book. After we went home, I would read that book for days and days, reliving the rides and going over my memories of our day at Disneyland. Just wonderful.

Nowadays it's a "one price for the whole park" entrance fee, which makes things a lot easier, but somehow that "E" ticket magic makes me wistful.

Rides have changed over the years, as I'm sure most people know. Now they must be faster, higher, more thrilling. Before, it was more about the charm, I think. I remember the GE "Carousel of Progress". Man, I loved the ride. After all these years, I can still sing the song "It's a great big beautiful tomorrow". (Guess I'm officially a geek now. My amateur status is gone.) The old Skyway ride was fun, but my dad would never go on it. He was afraid of heights, so he would watch us board the little car in Tomorrowland and then we'd watch him jog through park to meet us at the other station in Fantasyland. I can still see him running in his little white tennis shorts.

We always used to eat our dinners at Carnation, which was at the end of Main Street as you see the entrances to Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. We'd have hamburgers and possible fries, but always ended with a HUGE ice cream cone, filled with delicious Carnation ice cream. The venue is still there, but it's not Carnation anymore. Too bad ... I loved those ice cream cones.

My mom used to love the Main Street Electrical Parade. Back in the day, that was just so spectacular! Lights lights everywhere, on floats, on costumes, on dresses, on tiaras. So much fun to watch. I wish they still had that parade.

C and I went down to Disneyland a few years ago. It was his first time and I hadn't been there in at least 5 years. We really had a fabulous time. We stayed at the Grand Californian hotel and spent 2 days at Disneyland and one day at California's Adventure, the other theme park owned by Disney. It was brilliant. We'd like to do it again or maybe even ... dare I say it? Go to Disneyworld in Florida. That would be some planning, though, to go when it's not humid. We both loathe humidity.

Fond memories, courtesy of Walt Disney and Co. Thanks!