My first Visit: How the magic was revealed!

It all started back in 1991........

I was 13 years old, living in Australia (still do) and carrying on with my life at High school.

I can't remember how the news was broken to me but my grand parents, who had come back from their first trip to Disneyland the year before, decided that I'd love it so much that they would take me there.

Who could refuse! It was every child's dream to go to Disneyland! I had no idea what was there or what it was like but I knew I wanted to go there. I guess that's a good example of marketing working.

As I was growing up, I never thought I'd go to Disneyland. It was so far away and I heard it cost soooo much to get there and so I had not even considered getting there.

Well I can't remember the preparation or months before. I'm sure I was excited but  I had no idea how excited I should of been because I had no idea of what was there!

Well we got there, after a 12 or so hour flight from Melbourne, My grand parents, mother and myself. We stayed in a motel just next to Disneyland (where everyone should stay). We walked in that night to the front gates and it was different to I had expected. I thought there would be a castle at the entrance, remember I had never even seen a park map of Disneyland before which I now know like the back of my hand!

I saw the floral Mickey face through the gates and heard the music going. I wasn't even in there but could feel the 'magic' flowing out through the gaps of the turnstiles.

I don't remember how I sleep that night, again probably better than I should have as I really had no idea what tomorrow would reveal to me.

Tomorrow turned up, after my donut filled continental breakfast (what a great idea I thought being a kid) we headed in.

It was a warm Autumn (Fall) day and after walking through the huge car park to get to the gates we reached the turn styles where the crowds had built up considerably.

Before I knew it, I was in! 'So here I am in Disneyland' I couldn't believe it. I had to be the luckiest boy in the world....along with the other probably 20,000 boys there that day too of course.

After all these years of it as an imposable dream here I was. It was exciting. I hadn't even entered Main Street yet!

My mother had read up on Disneyland and planed on what rides were going to be best. We were off to Splash Mountain first. Sounded cool. I had been on a couple of log rides in Australia and I liked them.

Due to my mothers back problems she didn't come with me  and nor did my grand mother, it was just my Grand father and I.

Well after a 'long' queue (it was backed to the bubbler out near the front already) we made it to the docking area. 'This was going to be fun' I thought. I still had no Idea what Disneyland was really all about.

We were off. up the first little incline, around we went up again and drifted along. I noticed the scenery of the ride and the props were so well done. Looked heaps more professional than previous log rides I'd been on. And that music, didn't know what it was but it was so happy and made the quiet drifting so pleasant. We came to a drop of what seems like about 10 feet. "that was pretty cool. There is usually only one drop in a ride like this" I thought "but so far we have had........oh my goodness!!!!!!"..... This is when Disneyland hit me! We just entered the 'Rabbit Burrow' and the room was filled with song and animated characters everywhere. WOW! I'd never seen anything like it! oh look at that, look over there, look at that wow. 'nothing in here but bees?" "wooooh hoooooo!" Look at the bee's, the jumping water, oh oh what's going on? oooooooo here we go, up up up up click click click, aughhhhhhhhhhh splash!!!!........

I didn't believe what I had just experienced. What a show. That was so cool, how'd they do all that.

Oh wow THERE'S MORE! Around past the paddle steamer we went and it finished off the story and the end of a perfect ride.

Well my life after getting off splash mountain has never been the same. I got my own copy of 'Song of the South' in 2000, the movie the rides based on. I can tell you that every time I go to Disneyland, I leaving wanting to return again even more than before I visited!

I now have an identity problem!

If you have never been to Disneyland or couldn't figure out what it is that makes it so good? Take a look at my 'What makes Disneyland so magical' page.