To-do this weekend: Disneyland’s 55th
This morning I read that temperatures in Fresno for Saturday and Sunday will be 106 and 105, respectively. What better time to get out of town? And what better place to go than Disneyland, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary Saturday (and more importantly, celebrating with temperatures in the low 80s).
Regular readers know I love me some Disneyland, so, while I won’t be able to make the trip south this weekend, I’ll still mark the milestone by listening to music from the park and flipping through old, red-hued photos of Young Heather on the People Mover, outside of America Sings, and in the lobby of the Country Bears Jamboree — all attractions that didn’t survive to see the 55th.
Speaking of not surviving, this weekend is also your next-to-last chance to visit the original Star Tours, which will shut down July 26th for a total overhaul. Time to say goodbye to Captain Rex, the Pee Wee Herman-voiced flying droid, and that lady from the pre-boarding video with the swoopy side ponytail.
So, fellow Disneyland geeks, anyone headed to the park this weekend? Or, if you’re in the same boat as me, who’s going to sit in their heavily air-conditioned homes and mourn the attractions of Yesterland?
Responses to "To-do this weekend: Disneyland’s 55th"
I share a birthday with Disneyland, July 17th! I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go on the day of! I’m very disappointed that I will miss the event! We’re both celebrating milestone years… their 55th and my 25th!
Someday….
Happy upcoming birthday!
Disneyland should do a permanent promotion for July 17th birthday-havers: Free admission on your birthday for life, and a complimentary Dole Whip with a candle in it.
RIP Star Tours. You better be bad ass when you return!
If you click the link in the post that reads “original Star Tours,” it’s a video that someone made of the ride. It’s pretty good.
At least we’ll always have YouTube.
Is that what the park guides are going to look like for this weekend? I would go alone just for that!!!
Yep. Cool, huh?
Here’s some other stuff happening this weekend: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/a-look-at-the-55th-anniversary-festivities/
And I read a rumor that at some point, 55 costumed characters are going to gather in front of the castle to “sing” Happy Birthday. Not sure if this one is true, though.
Oh the People Mover! I had my first kiss on the People Mover when I was in 7th grade during a band/colorguard trip! The kiss was gross but I will remember that rider forever.
HMac, there are tons of Fresnans who have worked or are working at Disneyland. It’d be fun to hear stories from them…and heck, the longtime voice of Mickey (who just passed away, unfortunately) and Minnie are from Fresno.
I remember when the lines were 3 hours long for Star Tours, and then the next year I went to Disney World and there were hardly any lines at all for Star Tours cuz EPCOT had just opened and for Florida, Star Tours was passe.
I love that 55 years later Disneyland is NOT passe, but it is a bummer to walk around and see the differences…the local teens taking advantage of free ride passes and dissing the staff, the staff not being as constantly cheery as they used to be, and the unfortunate tales of Disney ride malfunctions over the last ten years.
Still, it’s a place of magic and perceived perfection and it’s still awesome to watch little kid’s faces light up and glow for the day, just before puking all over their parents cuz two Dole Whips are just too many…
My daughter would love that cause she’s July 17 too!!!
But then again, she’s totally against the Misogyny of Disneyland so she may not.
And yes, those are her words.
I had to go and birth the Gloria Steinhem of Fresno County.
i am soooo there!
I am at the 55th now. At 4:15 by the train station, everyone who wanted to came and sang Happy Birthday. When it was over characters and cast members came out and danced. The noon ceremony was there too. That was the formal birthday with the President of Disneyland and others giving speeches. At the end a childrens choir sang and they released doves. Much more low key then the 50th but still cool.
You’re so lucky to be there! Hope it isn’t too hot or too crowded.
The crowds and weather were manageable. Big thumbs up for Wonderful World of color. Tanya, I have an extra park map that I could mail to you if you want it. That was the cover. By the end of the day they had run out of them but I grabbed a stack early on.