Since I was officially with Disneyland for so long (1976 - 1991), and now continue to work on various projects with the Park, I have more favorite memories than we actually have room for here. However, four favorite memories do stand out:

My first dates back to July 17, 1980, when Disneyland was celebrating its 25th Silver Anniversary. Everything about that day was special. Virtually everyone who was there on opening day was in attendance. The Park was brimming with guests on a sunny, hot day, not unlike opening day twenty-five years earlier. All the Cast Members were just bursting with pride because both the Guests and the Cast Members took the day very personally. I distinctly remember the reception the 25th Anniversary Parade received from the Guests - - simply tremendous. And I had never seen an audience of press people ever give one of "The Kids of the Kingdom" shows a standing ovation before, yet that afternoon, show after show, the audience stood and applauded each performance of "Disneyland is Your Land." To this day I am very proud to have been a part of that special celebration.

Another fond memory I have is of meeting and becoming friends with Legendary Disney Imagineer Herb Ryman. Herbie and I met while filming an interstitial for The Disney Channel. We became good friends and he would come to the Park often and participate in any of our TV or radio remotes. It was always special to walk the Park with Herbie, the man who helped design it (including Sleeping Beauty Castle). He was a very special man and I would just soak-up every word as he relayed stories of working on the Park. I know that although he helped "imagineer" virtually every Disney Theme Park up to Disneyland Paris, I have a feeling that he held Disneyland most near and dear. When we produced the interstitial the best shot we took was one of Herbie walking along the side of the Castle, under a canopy of cherry tree blossoms at dusk, ironically enough, right near where his little Christmas tree now resides.

My Disneyland memories would not be complete without including Disney Legend Marc Davis. I enjoyed many happy occasions with Marc and Alice Davis times at the Park. Those were all special times, and now with Marc's recent passing, all the more precious. Among the many visits and special events, one moment rises above all others. I was working for Walt Disney Art Classics in 1996 and we were collaborating with Disneyland on a Celebration of Animation Art at the Main Street Opera House.

To kick-off the exhibition (again on July 17), we invited Marc, John Hench and Ward Kimball to participate in an opening day parade and ceremony. At the conclusion of the parade, each of our special guests were asked to speak at the opening ceremony. As Marc approached the podium, hat and cane in hand, a thunderous applause arose from the audience. With his familiar impish grin and a twinkle in his eye Marc said "you know I don't get to come to the Park as often anymore and sometimes I have to be dragged down here by my heels, but it is tremendously wonderful to be here -- it's just marvelous." Marc continued "I look out over this audience and I see many familiar faces, but I also see the faces of many of my Imagineering colleagues, who, unfortunately, are no longer with us . . . and that's a little disturbing . . . but, gee, they left something really wonderful behind." Every time I recall Marc standing there I can't help to think of his genuine warmth and humbleness . . . especially since he too "left something really wonderful behind."

My last memory is very personal to me and probably most important. Over the past 45 years Disneyland has become a part of our collective consciousness as a society -- it is a common bond that virtually all of us share. The name is recognized in almost every corner of the globe and to those of us who have worked there, and for most Guests, it is a common denominator we hold very dear. Disneyland is special because we have so many positive emotions and experiences tied to it (not unlike childhood memories of special holidays, family celebrations, etc.). For me personally, Disneyland will always occupy a special piece of real estate in my heart because it is where I met my wife and also where I met some of my closest and dearest friends.

I didn't get to Disneyland until 1985 when I was 20 years old but I made sure that didn't happen when my children were born. Buster my son was in DL on his 4th day and people were pretty appalled by it. But he never got sick and he seemed very happy and relatively normal despite that.

After watching the original Mickey Mouse Club and Wonderful World of Color for several years, I couldn't wait to visit Disneyland. In 1963, at age 11, we finally took a family vacation to visit my grandparents in Bellflower, which included that dream come true. I was tired and impatient after driving two days from Texas but as we entered the Anaheim area at sunset, it was well worth the wait. I spotted the Matterhorn on my left as we drove down the freeway. The sky was red, purple and pink and the mountain looked enormous against that beautiful back drop. Then, all of a sudden, fireworks began to burst into the sky. I was so overwhelmed, I cried! This first look at the Disneyland that I adored only increased my desire to see it close up in the next few days. And my love affair with all things Disney has never ended. I now own Magical Memories Travel Planning, a home based business specializing in Disney Destinations!

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I have always loved Disneyland since my family took it's annual trips when I was young. My most special memory, though, was on May 14, 1996. I just graduated college, and my boyfriend and myself went to Disneyland as a celebration.

We spent the whole day trying to do things that we had never done before. One of those things was to visit the art gallery on top of the Pirates of the Carribean. Inside the front door was a model of the castle that was incredibly detailed. We both were so happy that we found this "hidden place".

That evening we made a point to stay for the Electrical Parade because we knew it would be shut down soon and it would probably be the last time we would ever see it. The parade route was packed, so my boyfriend led me to a spot on the drawbridge by the castle to watch it. In the middle of the parade, he starts to tell me how much he loves me and wants to have a future with me, etc. I told him that I loved him too, but inside I'm thinking, "Doesn't he know how important this parade is?" All of a sudden, I realized that he was down on one knee in front of me with an engagement ring in his hand, proposing. I was shocked, but managed to say yes. He told me that when we were looking at the model of the castle earlier that day, he had picked where he wanted to propose to me. Afterwards as we were leaving, I was so embarrased because I was so determined to be "sentimental" about the Electrical Parade, that I almost missed being proposed to!

Since then we have been married, and every time we go to Disneyland, we make sure to visit "our spot" at the castle, so that we can relive that wonderful day.