Monday, January 16, 2006

Annual Passport for Disneyland

Disneyland Annual PassportI suppose if you live in Orange County, there's a good chance you hold, or once held, an annual passport to Disneyland.

In the early 1990's, my wife and I bought annual passports. We would go out for dinner on a Friday or Saturday night, and then cap it off with a evening visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.

What really made this convenient was that the cost of parking was included in the pass. We'd go to Disneyland two or three times a month.

We didn't do a whole lot during these evening visits. We'd start by jumping on board the Disneyland Railway there at the Main Street station, and usually rode a couple times around the park. Then we'd jump off at Tomorrowland Station and head over to the People Mover for a ride.

During the Summer months we'd try to time things perfectly so that we could ride the Skyway and watch the fireworks from up there.

And that was probably all the rides we'd take. We often perused the wares at some of the shops, and then relax on the bench on Main Street at the photography shop. We'd stay there until closing just watching the people go by.

We bought annual passports three years in a row, and then the whole experience just started to get old, and that was that.

5 comments:

  1. Our company issued "Magic Kingdom Club Cards" to be used for a discount.

    I DO remember when Disneyland was giving away a "car-a-day" for quite some time. A "local" who had bought an Annual Passport, sometimes took their lunch hour at Disneyland. Going through the Gate one day, it was announced they had just won a Buick(?). Not bad for the price of the Annual Passport!!

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  2. I worked at Disneyland during the grand opening, and for 2 months after before returning to the university.
    I remember the "Rat Pack" ariving in a caddilac convertable with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter _______?(JFK's brother in law)& 1 or 2 others I don't remember. That first day was for invited celebrities only.

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  3. My family always had annual passes until we moved to Sacramento. We all preferred California Adventure because it was a lot less walking and always a little less crowded.

    We too would go a few times a month. Sometimes just for a meal and a walk.

    I truly miss the Magic Kingdom...

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  4. OC Cinedome Theatre - Do you recall the Cindeome Theatres over in Orange ? Those circle buildings coming out of the ground are now gone. Rumor had it as I was growing up that rats as big as cats could be heard on the wodden floors. I saw a lot of great movies there - Bed Knob and Broom Sticks, Willy Wonka, Christine. The Cinedome was truly a movier goers experience!

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  5. I remember the old annual passports, too! When my brother and I were very young, my Mom took a few years off to take care of us. So, every weekday morning, she packed a picknic lunch and we would go to disneyland. She would stroll us around Fantasy land, usually take us on a ride or two, then we would have a picnic and go home. I'm 21 now so, that must have been about 18-19 years ago. I still remember those trips!

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