Editor's Report
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The Best Disneyland Ever
If you could transport yourself back in Disneyland time to any point in history, when would you go to? Perhaps the summer of 1967. Pirates of the Caribbean has just opened, the New Tomorrowland is here and New Orleans Square opened the previous year. Or maybe 1969 - all that plus the new Haunted Mansion. Or how about 1959? The very idea of a theme park is still new, yet Disneyland has just experienced its largest expansion yet with the addition of the Matterhorn, Monorail and Submarine Lagoon (not to mention the Fantasyland Autopia). Or try 1988. Star Tours opened the previous year and forever changed theme park attractions. Blast to the Past was the afternoon parade after which you could dance the night away at VideoPolis and finish things off with the classic Main Street Electrical Parade.
In this column I want to talk about the best Disneyland time I was able to experience. I became a regular Disneyland goer in 1995 - a hey day for the park. One of the greatest attractions of all time - the Indiana Jones Adventure - opened two months prior to the Memorial Day visit that changed my life. But as good a summer as that was, the next one was better - the summer of 1996.
Imagine a trip to Disneyland on June 23, 1996 - nine years ago today. At rope drop, like any sensible human being, you head to Space Mountain. And despite the fact the ride is now almost 20 years old, if feels brand new because of the new, synchronized Dick Dale soundtrack that was just added. Amazing!
After riding the rest of the mountain ranges which are as great as ever, you pick your spot on Main Street for the best daytime parade in Disneyland history, The Lion King Celebration. Being a Disneyland veteran you know the best spot is Town Square where, during the show stop, the entire parade surrounds you. You can see the pole climbers, the monkeys, the zebras and Simba himself all from your spot near the flag pole.
The summer of 1996 is the summer of entertainment, so your next stop is the Fantasyland Theater for the year old Spirit of Pocahontas show. While it's not as moving as Lion King nor as unique as your next stop, it does feature some great performances.
After it lets out you rush over to Disneyland's newest entertainment offering, The Festival of Fools. It takes park stage shows to a whole new level with its theater in the round. While it only ran for two years, it would become kind of a cult classic among Disneyland regulars.
Of course you have time for all the classics that have been around for years - Small World, Pirates, Mansion, the dark rides - and a stop in ToonTown. Then, as the sun begins to set, you prepare for the greatest nighttime parade in Disneyland history. The Main Street Electrical Parade is a truly a California classic and it's hard to imagine a "best" Disneyland time without it. However, there's no doubt it's lost some of its shine in the past few years and while it's nice to know it's there, it hasn't always been on the agenda. But today things are different. There's an electricity in the air (pardon the pun) as the classic celebrates its "glowing away" year. There are only a few months left in its 24 year run and the crowds to watch it humongous! Hard to believe you may never see it again.
Following the parade you gather on Main Street to watch Fantasy in the Sky then rush over to Frontierland for the second Fantasmic! Then, as the day's crowds finally thin out, you ride Indiana Jones over and over again - trying to see all the variations - until they finally kick you out of Disneyland. What a day!
The New Tomorrowland is still two years away and it promises to make Disneyland even better (you hope). And later in the summer, on the park's 41st birthday, Disney will announce the largest expansion in the Resort's history - Disney's California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the Grand Californian Hotel. But 2001 seems so far away, and who knows if it'll be any good anyway. And regardless, it's hard to imagine things can get much better than this.
Disneyland ... 1996 ... a summer to remember!
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-- Doobie Moseley
-- Posted June 23, 2005