For this week’s throwback thursday, we are starting all the way back in the 1960’s.
You see, my sister and I have been Disney fans since way back then. When I say Disney fans I’m referring to the parks, not the movies.
Here’s my sister, my brother and I at the entrance to Disneyland on what I believe was our first trip there. I’m not sure, but I think I look about 6 or so, which would make this 1969.
This photo came out of a stash of my dad’s slides that I had converted to digital. And no, my brother and I are not twins, but we are what some used to call “Irish twins” (which is now considered an offensive term so I apologize to any Irish people out there). Basically that means we are less than 12 months apart in age. My mom says that back in the early 60’s her doctor told her that she didn’t need birth control if she was breast feeding. Turns out that was not exactly accurate, as evidenced by my little brother. I enjoy periodically reminding both of my siblings that I am the only “planned child” in our family, my sister having been born a mere 10 months after my parents married.
But, I digress, back to Disney.
This is one of my favorite photos from my dad’s stash.
That is the back of my brother in the orange plaid shirt on the far left, and our babysitter standing on the other side of his horse. We don’t even know the other people in this shot, but I just love that woman in the pink dress with the classy shades and the up-do and her mad men trendy hubby. He could possibly give Don Draper a run for his money.
Here’s my sister Debbie on the carousel.
If you are a serious Disney nerd, you’ll know that the brown horses on the carousel date these photos to pre-1975. After that all of the horses were painted white.
Here’s my brother and my sister greeting Pinocchio. Extra credit to anyone who can tell exactly where they are in the park (and Debbie, I know you’ll know this).
Are you wondering why I seem to be missing from a few photos? The story is that I came down with the measles while we were there, so my mom left me out in our motor home in the parking lot on day two. Gasp! Can you even imagine doing something like that today? She claims she came out and checked on me frequently, but still. Holy cow! Times were definitely different back then. I’m fairly sure my parents could be arrested for that these days.
We continued to visit Disneyland all throughout my childhood. My mom had a friend who lived out in San Diego, so we would leave dad at home and she would load us kids into the motor home and drive out there nearly every summer. We loved it!
Once we moved to Florida in 1976 we started going to DisneyWorld regularly too.
My mom, sister and I have even been to Disneyland Paris. We gave up a trip to the Louvre in exchange for the Disney park back in 1998. Yeah, we’re that big of fans.
It really wasn’t a wise choice though. The crowds were absolutely ridiculous.
We spent most of the day waiting in lines. Now remember, we are Disney park experts, so we know lines. Be we waited more than 30 minutes in line just to use the bathroom at Disneyland Paris. Lines for the best rides were 3 hours or longer. Crazy! And I missed the Louvre for that! Although I understand they have lines too.
Here’s an insider tip on how to avoid crowds at Disney. Sign up for one of their tours. We did a behind the scenes type of tour of Disneyland in 2009 and were able to enter the park before the gates were actually open.
We couldn’t get any further than the castle, but it was still a great photo op.
It worked for us again in 2013 in DisneyWorld. Here’s my niece Kris with Main Street all to herself.
It’s almost a bit freaky to see the place this empty, right?
I have a little bit of a preference for Disneyland over DisneyWorld.
I like that it’s smaller. When we go there we stay at the Grand Californian and we can walk to the entrance of each park, no need for shuttle buses, ferries or monorails.
But in the end, we love any Disney park because even adults are allowed to be goofy and embrace their inner child.
We haven’t been to a Disney park since 2013 and we’re all starting to feel a bit of withdrawal. I’m not sure when we’ll make it back again, but until then, peace out Disney parks!
q is for quandie 
What a super fun post Linda! This is something I didn’t know about you but am not all that surprised. I grew up a mere 6-7 hours away from Disney Land, sometime closer, but you have been there more than me. I must say I am writing this while in San Diego. Maybe we will get to the zoo, maybe not. 😎
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My sis and I have always talked about what it would be like to live close enough to get a season pass and go all the time. Perhaps it destroys the ‘mystique’ or makes it too ordinary. But it would be fun to be able to just stop in for a morning, or an evening. Or just head over for the fireworks show. Enjoy San Diego! That’s a fun place too 😉
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I know I have told you several times in the past, but I just love your blog!! I probably don’t comment often enough, but I always love seeing that “Q” sitting in the inbox! Your Disney scrapbook is awesome! What great photos! Re the folding chair blog entry, I know it must have been painful to cut off that beautiful pillowcase trim, but the HIS and HERS chairs turned out perfectly! So, until next time, HI HO, HI HO, its off to work I go…!
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Your comment brought a smile to my face this morning Vicki, especially that last bit 😉 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave it!
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Your Dad’s slides are amazing! What a treasure. Love the family traditions that you continue! The measles story :)…that most definitely wouldn’t happen now, although the pendulum has swung too far the other way. We took two of our boys to Disney World when they were little. We stayed at a great condo off-site, swam all morning, did lunch and naps and then went to the parks. It was so relaxing and the kiddos weren’t overwhelmed. Of course we didn’t see as much, but it was worth it for the experience. The tour tip is a great one. The crowds in Paris looked insane! You girls always look like you’re having so much fun together!
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You definitely had the right idea. We always plan a break in our day too.
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I love this post. We went with our kids twice to Disney World and it was magical. Of course I loved Epcot just as much, even though I’m not a computer nerd. They have a lot of creative brains at Disney! I think your photos are great and, like you, I was especially drawn to the lady with the white sunglasses in the first photo. Imagine a dress all day at a theme park, wonder if she had on flats or heels?
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I wondered that about her too! I’m guessing kitten heel 😉
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Fun post! I have only been to Disneyland once when I was six. Since I grew up in Atlanta but my Dad grew up in Utah we went to Utah for summer vacations. Except one year we went to Disneyland in California. I understand your love of the place. When they called it the magic kingdom they were right. You are so fortunate to have all these memories recorded on film to enjoy. So in the lovely photo where Deb is sticking her tongue out is that your niece with her? Such fun photos. Loved this trip down memory lane with you.
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Yes, that is my dsughter, the niece.
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Such a fun Flashback – thanks for sharing your sweet photos and conjuring these memories! When I was very young I had a Golden Book about the building of Disneyland and always dreamed of visiting. My first trip to Disney World was as an adult with young children and I was completely surprised to have so much fun. As travellers, we love to get recommendations from others, so standing in line was a great place to strike up conversations with our linemates. Everyone has “the perfect” tip to pass on, and we learned the advantages of staying “on property.” Until you visit, you cannot fully understand the mesmerizing magical change on every member of the family. My daughters, now adults, still hint that they would drop everything to make another family trip. On the flight home, exhausted and a bit sunburned, we would always reflect that it was worth every dollar and the best family vacation ever!
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Oh my gosh! Is it ridiculous that I really want that Golden Book now? Great comment Kim!
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PS…too funny about being left in the motorhome! There are many things our parents did that would land them on the 10PM news now-a-days! And are you standing in the Sleeping Beauty Castle?
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Yes! Well, on the ‘drawbridge’ leading to the castle. Good one Kim!
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Love it and yes, I know exactly where we are standing in that picture. But I won’t give it away.
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Maybe I should have offered a prize to the first person that guessed 😉
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Great photos and memories. We took our two oldest to Disney World for five days and then took a second shorter trip with all three of our children. It’s a great experience. I love you and your sisters striped pants in the photo. Brings back memories.
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It’s highly likely that our mom sewed those pants for us. She sewed a lot of our clothes when we were kids and they were surprisingly trendy.
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…I have the same shot of my brother and I in front of MM at the entrance as well pre baby sister in 1963! I grew up about 20 minutes away from Disneyland and we could hear the evening fireworks at 10 pm. Spectacular as kids. We would always save the E tickets from our passport of tickets for the next Disneyland trip so we could go on the Matterhorn a few times….and remember singing ‘It’s a small world’ a few thousand time in your head after going on the ride. Eeeeck! Can hardly wait to take the up and coming grand baby so I can relive those memories. Thanks for the throwback today.
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Oh my gosh, I would have been so envious of you as a child! How fun! I always saved my E tickets for Pirates of the Caribbean 😉
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Well now…. as a girl of the San Fernando Valley, making my first visit to the Magic Kingdom in 1963, back when they had the whole Indian theme area, I know where you were standing and can’t tell a lie or my nose would grow. I’m Irish, and not insulted at the twins thing by the way. We would trek to Disney every year, the stories I have! The night before we would go I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. The night we came home I would imagine myself exploring all of it off the beaten path. And never once did we leave without fetching a big dill pickle out of the wooden barrel on our way out down Main Street.
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So fun seeing these pictures! I noticed the lady in the pink dress immediately. Have never been to DLand, but love DWorld! Took the boys once 2 years ago, hoping to go again in a few years?? I don’t know, it’s so darn expensive! Anyway, love the photos, such a bummer on the measles. Glad you’ve gotten to go back many times more to make up for it!
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