Leap Day at Disneyland

[Ghoulish Delight]

I believe he's spending more time in the park(s?) today.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Some favorite moments from my brief 4 hour stint:

* 3AM Big Thunder
* Holding NA and BtD hostage
* Hugs, hugs, hugs
* Stellar Jungle Cruise skipper (Andrew/Jenny) who managed to match and surpass our manic energy
* Brilliant Storybook skipper David
* A moment I happened to witness outside of Small World at around 5AM when two people who apparently knew each other and were surprised to bump into each other embraced in sheer giddy joy
* An exhausted crowd of people summoning the last of their energy to leap and dance with the Pearly Band at 5:30
* Emerging from Peter Pan to find daylight
* Lineup of white-Mickey-gloved CMs saying goodbye/good morning as we exited, with pajama-robed characters waving from the train station.

Nights like that don't, and can't, happen enough.

[BarTopDancer]

That was so much fun! I actually left around 4 trying to beat the mass exodus and the line for the Toy Story bus was 45 minutes long. Went back in the park (10 minute line at the single turn style), met back up at Jungle Cruise. So glad I did.

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

* Stellar Jungle Cruise skipper (Andrew/Jenny) who managed to match and surpass our manic energy

Andrew/Jenny was amazing!

A/J - "That was a big explosion. Let's go closer!"
Us - "YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A/J - cracking up so hard he missed 3 jokes.

Facebook, Twitter and the overall data connection was jack and squat. We drained our phones looking for signal and spent over an hour hovered around the single outlet in Hungry Bear charging our phones. Next time we bring a power strip and multiple iPhone chargers. Much thanks to KS for allowing me to borrow her charger and to Moonie for letting me use his portable charger.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Nights like that don't, and can't, happen enough.

Well it sure seems like that, the last one having been 25 years ago. But on that occasion, it was the third overnight "in a row" ('85 - 30th birthday, '86 - opening of EO, '87 - opening of Star Tours) - and I gotta tell ya, it was wearing thin. I heard many people express that opinion who'd been to all three in as many years.

And there was some rowdy behavior in the Park, apparently, and they stopped having the overnights. Um, going by the mania of last night - I think something between Every Year and Once a Quarter Century is warranted.

*********************

Someone tweeted this morning that it was the best time at the Park since the 50th, and I happened to read that just as I was scanning some photos from the 50th into digital form (from the prints GD and CP were kind enough to give me) ... and I noticed an odd thing: The only couples, gay or straight*, in "our group" who are still together 6.5 years later are the ones who were married.

Hmmm.



*I'm not sure if Eric and Matthew are still together ... I lost track of them. If so, it proves gay couples are more durable than straight couples. If not, it proves only marriage can keep couples together - and we gay people want that!.

[keith - SuPeR K!]

I had a great time! I hung as late as I could, but around 2:30am at the carousel I decided I was just too exhausted and needed to get home to my comfy bed. I had a great Disney Day and spending time with you all was an absolute pleasure! So many great memories!!!

EPIC CINNAMON ROLL!!!!!!!

[madmonkeygirl]

Other than the cluster f**k of having to spend 46 minutes to find parking in the parking structure (yes it was basically a free for all to find your own parking spot) when we arrived at the worst time to try to get there. Somehow the traffic going down there as well as the traffic going home (how I hate CA freeways) we manage to get inside right before the park reaching capacity. Nothing will beat those early morning rides. Watching the sky change colors from dark to light and reaching the car as that bright ball of light was rising in the morning sky.

I manage a nap for a few hours enough to get me thru until an early bedtime tonight. I proved I can stay up past 24 hours BUT I am not young anymore. Sleep deprivation takes a toll on my body and mind and getting behind a wheel to drive when reflexes and attention is so low is not the most safe thing.

IF and that's a big IF tere is another Leap Day in 2016 I will eithe plan it better or skip it entirely. Been there done that...I ain't lookin back...

[BarTopDancer]

Some more favorite moments other than Andrew/Jenny

* Answering in whale after being asked "do you speak whale?" and making the Storybook skipper crack up.
* Random people joining random conversations and they all made sense.
* Random people helping us look for Chris when he was ahead of us. "wait. who is Chris and what does he look like?"
* Finding Erik as he randomly walked by the place Kevin and I were charging phones.
* being held hostage. That Stockholm Syndrome made me come back for the epic! Jungle Cruise ride.
* Telling Lisa Disneyland had closed and she could go back to work.
* Alice in Wonderland makes more sense the more tired you are
* Lobster bisque at Jolly Holly Edwardian Victorian in the 80s Bakery was delicious and I hope they start offering it. In a bread bowl.
*Constantly being shocked, in a good way at how many people were still in the park at 330am, 430am and 530am.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by keith - SuPeR K!

I had a great time! I hung as late as I could, but around 2:30am at the carousel I decided I was just too exhausted and needed to get home to my comfy bed. I had a great Disney Day and spending time with you all was an absolute pleasure! So many great memories!!!

EPIC CINNAMON ROLL!!!!!!!

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!

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

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

It's porcupine. In the 80's. Behind the train.

Why are there still so many people here!?!?
We can't use the secret AP knowledge. All the APs are here using the same information.
Darth Vader must have been controlling those CMs.
I will never look at those small world dolls the same again. They looked exhausted, beaten down and held against their will.

[Disneyphile]

Sounds like you all had fun! Yay for good times!

If there's a 2016 shindig, I'll totally take the time off to do the full run.