As an Annual Passholder who works right across the street from the Disneyland Resort and goes into the Park at least once a week, this is a question that gets asked of me pretty regularly. And it’s understandable- if I was able to eat my Grandmommie’s Chocolate Pie after every meal, it might stop being a treat that I…okay that was a bad example- but I definitely get what people mean when they ask me!
I grew up here in Orange County, so Disneyland has always been a part of the landscape of my childhood. And I think that apart from having that magical feeling that lots of people associate with Disney, it also feels like a second family ‘home’ for me because we had so many special times there together; I remember one summer in particular, my parents splurged and got us all the Summer Evening Pass- we used to head over to the Parks after dinner almost every night to ride a few rides together and watch the fireworks. I take for granted sometimes that people might need a map to navigate around the Park and I cannot imagine not being able to conjur up the smell of Pirates of the Caribbean at any given moment!
So, for me- the answer to that question is a big, resounding Nope! Disneyland nevereverever gets old or boring or stale or uninteresting to me! From the minute I walk through the gates and under the arches, any stress or cynicism just sloughs off and before I know it I’m walking with a bounce in my step and feeling the welcome pressure of trying to decide whether I’m going to go right into Tomorrowland, straight ahead into Fantasyland, immediately left into Adventureland, or forward and left into Frontierland!
So now I’ll ask other Disneyland Annual Passholders- what about you? How often do you go? Does Disneyland ever seem to lose its magic or specialness?