How many people were older on their first visit to DL?

[Boingonut]

My first trip to Disneyland was in 1999 while on a road trip with my friends. At the time I was 19 years old. I did not know anything really about the park other then it had a castle and there were people dressed up like Mickey Mouse . When we parked our car I could see DCA and I thought that the Screeming and the other things in DCA were part of Disneyland! But when we went into Disneyland I was blown away by the detail and I loved everything, I repeat EVERYTHING! I could not see any problems with the place it was amazing. Sometimes now I wish I could get that back since I have become very good at seeing the little problems in the park now. But on that first trip I can say it was like I really was seeing the place through the eyes of a child.

When I was a kid my family never even thought of going to Disneyland, L.A. was too big and full of crime and we never had enough money to go on trips like going to Disneyland. So I never even really thought of it as a kid. My mom was the same way, she had wanted to go since she grew up in the 50's and saw the Disneyland TV show and has some cousins that had gone but it was just out of the question for her. After my first trip with my friends in which I only spent one day at the park I knew I had to come back for more. I saved up and later that year I took my mom with me. She was in her 50's her first time but she had the same child like view of the place I did!

My family would go on lots of other trips over the years. But about two years ago when I was thinking about going to film school we learned from the CM's in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln about CalArts and how it was Walt Disney's idea. I allready knew a bit about the school since my favorite filmmaker Tim Burton had went there. But learning that Walt had thought of it I knew that it would be great place to go to school since it came from the same mind that built Disneyland. And so I got into CalArts and moved to SoCal last fall, and of couse bought my AP the day after I got here.

So for me Disneyland is not a place to remember childhood memorys but a place that helped me make my adult dreams come true! I was wondering if there is anyone else that fell in love with the park at an older age too since I would love to here your storys!

[Cousin Orville]

I was 5. I felt cheated that I wasn't able to experience the park as a newborn, baking in the sun and seeing it all as blurry colors.

[SCUBAbe]

My parents started taking me when I was 8 months old. They took me on haunted mansion...appareantly it terrified me. i didin't cry, but I had this look like I was about to on my face. Of course my parents didn't notice until people walking behind them started saying, 'that poor baby." My parenats were not overly concerned. they just said, 'i guess she didn't like that." and went on their way. The only early memories of DL I have is being really bored and hating all the lines. I did enjoy the piarate ship though and dumbo, but I really hated waiting in line to ride them. I have more memories of the misery of the lines than I do of the rides from when I was young...LOL

[The Mad Hatter]

I was 5. I felt cheated that I wasn't able to experience the park as a newborn, baking in the sun and seeing it all as blurry colors.

lol...that's the truth.

I was 7 my first time. Even then I don't remember a whole lot from my first trip.

[Disneymike]

My first time was at age 4 waaaaaay back in 1964 - Flying Saucers ruled!

[Deogge's Mom]

My first trip to DL I was 38. I do have an excuse though, until that time I lived in the south and was too far away. I just always thought it was another theme park. When I stepped though the gates the first time I was hooked and wondering way it took me so long to get there.

[Malibu Minion]

I was 6 years old and I all can remember is the MSEP and Small World. Then 12 years later my friend & I flew down for 3 day vacation.

[figment1986]

hmmm... DL.... hmmm.... i belive i was 11 or 12 when i first went to Disney Land...

I was 3 or 4 when I first went to WDW....

[Dr. Earkid]

I remember going when I was 6 and being scared too death of the big head characters. Have you seen the pics of the character's they had in the 60-70's? They were really freaky lookin'. Then mom and dad wanting to take a pic and are yelling, "get closer to the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf", and I'm thinkin' NO WAY.

[DisneyParkFan]

My first trip to DL I was 38. I do have an excuse though, until that time I lived in the south and was too far away. I just always thought it was another theme park. When I stepped though the gates the first time I was hooked and wondering way it took me so long to get there.

Okay I tie with you Deogge's Mom! I was 38 my first time to DL! My excuse is that I grew up in the Midwest (and I am still there) and became a school teacher (not a lot of cash there). I loved DL my first and only time there. I found it to be more intimate than WDW, although I have been back there lots of times (it's closer). I am looking forward to returning to DL this summer!

[AnotherPixie]

I was 3 when my family first took me. I can recall things about that trip that scare my mom, it put that much of an impression on me. I am very grateful that I got to go there as I was going up!

[Rose Red]

I love all these 6 and 8 year old being mad they didn't get to go when they were younger LOL I would have killed to go before I did

The first time I went was in 2000 on a high school trip my senior year. We were doing the magic music days so I only got ride a few rides as I had to go to this performance and this lecture and so forth.

[CinderellaPrincess]

I don't remember much of my first trip. I was only 3 years old and it was 1980. Living only an hour from the park we went quite a bit. From what my parents have told me thought I was a happy little girl the whole day. Everything was amazing and although the characters scared me, I lasted thru the day and talked about it all the way home!
I do remember trips from childhood though that still bring back happy memories. I still remember a trip when my dad took me on Star Tours over and over after it had recently opened while my mom and sister rode PeopleMover because they didn't like it. It was very late and the park was about to close. Mom and sis were tired and wanted to go home and were waiting for us at the exit of the ride. My dad grabbed my arm and whispered "watch this" in my ear. He ran me back to the front of the ride to go on it again and we both laughed soo hard. Mom was annoyed because my sis was little and getting ready to crash. There was nobody in line so it only took a few minutes to get thru it again but I still look back at that night and smile.
That's when I knew that I had gained my love of Disneyland not only from many treasured visits to the park but also from my parents who loved it just as much as I did.

[ilvdland]

I was 21 the first time I went, and it was only for 10 hours. I had no idea what I was about to experience, I just knew I was soooo excited. I remember getting teary-eyed driving up to the entrance (it was 1992). I remember waiting by the tour bus getting teary again, watching the fireworks from outside the gates. Or maybe I just heard them. It was a long time ago. I didn't go back until 1996, and I have been obsessed ever since!!!!!!!!!!

[Boingonut]

invdland that is how I was, I had no idea about the place then it was like...wow that place was amazing!

[RonNYC]

It was 1997 and I was 26 on my first (and only) trip to Disneyland. I was touring with "Toy Story on Ice" at the time and we were playing Anaheim over Christmas week. A terrible time to experience Disneyland, but my only chance!

I L O V E D it! I spent one whole day there and was only able to experience a few attractions due to the crowds and lines of many hours. That was OK with me, though. I very much enjoy the design of the parks and I loved just soaking up the atmosphere. It had been 12 years since I'd been to Magic Kingdom at WDW and I was hungry to see the original. The park felt quaint to me, yet I loved that it was so compact with so much to see packed in there. I started my day in Adventureland so by nightfall I'd be in Tomorrowland.

I also remember enjoying how every now and then you'd feel pockets of Disneyland's history. It was a nice mix of modern Disney and vintage Disney. I'll never forget the Sleeping Beauty Castle's walk-thru. I loved that and felt like I'd been transported back to the 50s! I also remember feeling like I'd discovered something. I was the only person in the walk-thru at the time, and if I remember correctly, the door to enter the dioramas was a bit off to the side and a bit off the beaten path.

I'm hopeful that I'll get back to Disneyland sometime '06 to see part of its 50th Anniversary. The photos and articles about Disneyland's refurb for this event are amazing. I'm very much looking forward to seeing it again.

[TinkPink]

I am one of those people who grew up going. I have had countless annual passes, and I worked there for awhile. I have been there probably close to a thousand times and every one always thought I would get bored with it and the magic would go away. But I never did and Disneyland is more magical to me today than ever. Now that I live in Minnesota, I am more homesick for Disneyland than anything else back home. And we are taking our first trip back since moving this week and we are taking our almost 3 year old son this Friday!! I am so excited!!

[HMMaid2001]

I was like 2 years old..and I remembered I was wearing overalls, and getting lost by the planters near the Plaza Pavilion!

[dsnylndmom]

I went for the first time when I was 5 and went annually after that. But, one of my bestest bestest bestest friends went for the first time in 2003 on DL's birthday, with me . She grew up going to WDW so we shared a love of Disney and since her birthday is DL's birthday we arranged it for her 30th birthday. It was also the first time me met IRL, we'd been online friends since we were both pg with our now 6 year olds! It was such a wonderful wonderful trip! The topper was we got to go to Club 33 while we were there and celebrate her birthday!! It was sooo awesome! She fell in love with DL and came back last year at almost the same time(a week later)and will be there this year for DL's 50th with me. :love:

[Retlaw Yensid]

I was about one when I first went then it was a yearly trip with my mother and grandparents(sometimes) in March untill 1996 or so.