Article about the magic of arriving at Disney...

[Desperad07]

Check out my blog post on the magical nostalgia of arriving at Disney World (and Disneyland), before you even step foot inside the gates of the parks.

http://www.disneysfolly.com/2009/07/mickey-mouse-watchtower-gateways-and.html

 

[agent86]

Check out my blog post on the magical nostalgia of arriving at Disney World (and Disneyland), before you even step foot inside the gates of the parks.

http://www.disneysfolly.com/2009/07/mickey-mouse-watchtower-gateways-and.html

Great article!! It's funny, but as much as I love DL, the magic of arriving there just doesn't compare to WDW. Although I grew up with DL and was in my 20's before I visited WDW for the first time, and one of my favorite memories of growing up with DL as a kid was this game our family would play. We would always took turns picking which ride to go on, and whoever was the first to spot the Matterhorn on the drive in got to pick first. That definitely was something that caused the magic to start happening before we even got there.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

At the Walt Disney World resort today, you know what to expect as the highway signs point you along your way. You crane your neck to see certain park icons or hotels looming over tall trees, whether it is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Spaceship Earth or the top of Typhoon Lagoon’s Mount Mayday. On certain roads, you are joined by monorail tracks sending guests to and fro Epcot. But when it was just the Magic Kingdom, the magic was very much a shrouded mystery, tucked far back on the property.

I first visited Walt Disney World in 1982 and was thus able to experience visiting the resort before its first wave of significant expansion. At that point, our first glimpse of the magic was the spires of Cinderella’s Castle and Space Mountain across Seven Seas Lagoon from our hotel, the Polynesian Resort. It was almost like we had actually visited a kingdom, relegated to our quarters within distant view of the castle, awaiting our trip to see the king. That king was Mickey Mouse and we were transported not by horse but by a futuristic monorail. Every step of the way unveiled more of the magic before you were fully immersed in it, walking down that monorail platform to the entrance way, perhaps catching your first glimpse of a character (in the days when they were allowed to roam free). The anxiousness of getting through the line and gate and underneath the railroad station.

YES. That is it exactly. One of the most amazing feelings in The World.:sohappy::sohappy:

 

[luvlifeinfl]

great article. I have never been to DL and have been told that I would be disappointed since a "World" is bigger than "Land". With that I think there is so much more to see & do in WDW.

 

[wdwmomof3]

Arriving at Disney World is exciting on its own. Seeing the signs and then finally going underneath the Welcome sign just puts a great big smile on my face. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world.

 

[foreverbelle]

Exactly the way I feel. Great article and so true. While I myself have never been to DL I always get that magical feeling when arriving there. There is just something about the place. Well done!

 

[Tinkyroo]

Great article - thanks for posting. Reading it I could really identify. I grew up in S.Fl and went to WDW all the time still every time we would get there I would say "I can't believe I'm here!" Everything was so magical to me. From the tram from the parking lot to the monorail, the rattling sound of the monorail window hatches, the cool morning air, sites, sounds and smells of Main Street.

I never thought I would ever see DL because I had never flown before until my honeymoon - I had just turned 22. Two years later in Feburary of 1998 DH had a conference in LA. We stayed in a hotel two blocks from the Santa Monica beach. One day, when DH was working, I took the rental car and drove to DL. Magically there was no traffic even though it was during rush hour on a week day! I got there with no problem at all. I was SO excited and down right gitty! I told all the CMs I came in contact with that I was from Fl and this was my first trip and I was so excited. They were all so excited for me. Anyway, it was a magical day that I will never forget and I am glad I grabed that chance to be there.

 

[worldfanatic]

We would always took turns picking which ride to go on, and whoever was the first to spot the Matterhorn on the drive in got to pick first. That definitely was something that caused the magic to start happening before we even got there.

My sister & I did the exact same thing. I always wanted to ride Space Mountain first, she wanted the Haunted Mansion.
Every summer, my parents would drive us down from the Bay area and I swear, we'd start looking for the Matterhorn as soon as we got through the grapevine. (some 50+ miles away) :lol:

 

[durangojim]

great article. I have never been to DL and have been told that I would be disappointed since a "World" is bigger than "Land". With that I think there is so much more to see & do in WDW.

I don't think that if you visited DL you would feel that way. Yes, there's definately more to do at WDW, but DL is a great park and resort in itself any many of the rides at DL are better than the WDW versions.

 

[durangojim]

Nice article, it's funny that the author brings up the drive in the rental car as part of the experience of arriving at DL. I can remember as a young child (we used to go to DL much more often than WDW before 1984) the drive down the BEE LINE expressway from Huntington Beach to Anaheim, and I can still remember the green roadsigns with a bee on them, I knew I'd be at the Happiest place on earth soon. Still makes me smile when thinking about that.