Lounge of Tomorrow - Leap Day at Disneyland

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Good Morning - on my second cup of coffee, had a grand time last night - need to check our my pictures. Total Giddy Fun. Now what to do about breakfast

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke (Post 357653)

Good Morning - on my second cup of coffee, had a grand time last night - need to check our my pictures. Total Giddy Fun. Now what to do about breakfast

It's National Pig Day, this means bacon, of course!

Happy, happy heart. More later.

I was IMing a friend who works at Google in Irvine when he received the email with the menu for today in their cafeteria. "Bacon wrapped meatloaf" he tells me.

"I want to go to there" I tells him.

2 hours later, I go to there.

He didn't even mention...it's FREE bacon wrapped meatloaf. I hate him a little right now.

They did very little for the very first one, for the 25th birthday. But that's when I noticed a comradery and party atmosphere that I'd never experienced at Disneyland before, and very rarely since. As GD said, there was something about being at Disneyland in an other-worldly and unique state - and everyone was like best friends forever with everyone else. It was so bizarre and amazing.

I have to say, though, that if the Park weren't near deserted at 4 in the morning, I'm not sure what would make it seem otherworldly and unique. None of the other four overnights were anything like last night's in terms of crowds, from what I've heard - not even the 30th, which was the biggest ticket item of them all and had long entry lines and big crowds till after 3 am.

Being that I missed last night, I've been thinking a lot about that radtacular overnight in 1985. Twenty-seven years later and I'm beginning to think there will never be anything that spectacular at Disneyland ever again - well maybe for the 100th birthday, but I don't think I'll be around for that one. Le sigh.

Anyway, I'm sad I missed this one. But knowing friends were having a ball really put a smile on my face last night, even if I couldn't be there myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight (Post 357649)

BAH! Missed you by mere minutes. :(

Steve, I'm sure you would have been unimpressed with what little Disney "DID" to make it special. Some food, a few extra characters and music, and not much else. But when we were there, it didn't matter one bit. They "DID" just enough by providing a unique setting and an excuse. The people did the rest. Giddy party atmosphere ensued in droves. Even the completely unconscious chick being dragged around by paramedics had a huge smile on her face.

Whether it should be done again, or should have been done differently, or what frequency...I don't really care. If anything, all this proved is that you can't DO anything to create it. It's not about frequency, it's not about any special events or offerings or entertainment. It's about stumbling on the lucky combination of factors that make people feel like they're experiencing Disneyland in a unique and other-worldly state. So yeah, it's not surprising that the 3rd time around fell flat way back then. The first time is true uniqueness. The 2nd time loses the pure uniqueness of the first time, but that's replaced by the feeling of nostalgia for that first time, the giddiness of recalling your previous giddiness. By the third time, even that is not novel and it's just repetitive. So there's got to be something else to generate that out-of-the-ordinary mindset.

Wait. Where was I going with this? What time is it? Cranberries? A monkey poured coffee in my moots!

You nailed it with this post Greg. The event wasn't about what Disney did to make it special, it was about the people; the people I spent day/night/morning with as well as the others at the park.

Disney fell short on a couple of details, short-staffing being the key issue. One of the things that bugged me the most was the trash around the park, in the queues, etc. (but this is as much guests' responsibility as Disney's). I CAN'T fault Disney for the number of people who showed up though!

Overall, it was great!

One last detail: the number of people just standing around both in and around the hub after 6:00 a.m. this morning was amazing. I guess they just didn't want it to end :)

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Originally Posted by innerSpaceman (Post 357658)

I have to say, though, that if the Park weren't near deserted at 4 in the morning, I'm not sure what would make it seem otherworldly and unique.

1) Just the simple knowledge that it was 4AM. 2) Sleep deprivation. 3) (and something I forgot to include in my earlier list of highlights) The occasional glimpse of the usually unseen overnight maintenance workers squeezing in odd jobs as attractions were gradually shut down for the night/morning. The group squeal we all let out when we suddenly noticed that Autopia's lawn was being mowed was positively geektastic!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight (Post 357656)

And the open bar!

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Originally Posted by innerSpaceman (Post 357658)

Maybe never doing this before was the key. I don't think any of us have ever done an overnight in Disneyland before. It was a unique experience for us and frankly you just seem like a little black cloud raining on our headons about how much something you didn't even do probably sucked based upon the things you were reading on the internet. I'm glad that you say you are glad we were having fun. It was an absolute blast and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

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Originally Posted by Kevy Baby (Post 357659)

I CAN'T fault Disney for the number of people who showed up though!

The one thing Disney usually does right is crowd control. They have plenty of experience with insane crowds and parks at capacity. I can fault them for the short staffing of the busses to the unreasonable walking-distance Toy Story lot and crowd control outside the parks.

Luckily everyone we came across was just as shocked about how packed it was and in the same ecstatic just to be there mood that seemed to negate the entrance experience.