Do you remember your last visit to DL?

[WonkaKid]

Mine was on Wednesday, March 11, just a few days before the park closed. We rope-dropped and were among the first on PP. I also did reasonably well on Buzz and then had to leave in the early afternoon to get some writing done. It didn’t occur to me then that it would be my last rope drop for quite some time. I expected I’d be back again on the following Sunday.

Even when DL reopens, it’ll be a while until rope drop returns. It’ll definitely be strange to set foot in the park once again knowing that at least six months have passed since my last visit. I expected to be back in just a few days. So much will have changed by then. I suppose this reminds me to never take life for granted. Nothing is guaranteed and things can change in a second. Appreciate what we have when we have it (not that I didn’t or don’t).

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

My last time at Disneyland was August 24 right after D23 Expo. I had had a great time at the Expo and had a few hours to kill before I had to leave for my flight home. I enjoyed a ride on the train, Big Thunder, Buzz, and just some wandering around the park. I was looking forward to returning this summer but we all know what happened with that. I'm hoping for July 2021 or Thanksgiving 2021.

 

[nikkislaght]

Ours was Feb 5th to the 12th,. It was to celebrate my husbands 60th and our 15sth birthdays. We knew it would also be my husbands last trip. I wasnt going to reply to your post, but you said " I suppose this reminds me to never take life for granted. Nothing is guaranteed and things can change in a second. Appreciate what we have when we have it (not that I didn’t or don’t) " and I cant agree with you more. My husband was a Navy vet and in 2016 was diagnosed with ALS. We have been going to DL for about 11 yrs and he was end stage ALS. He asked to go to DL one more time.. So with the help of family , friends, the ALS Association of Orange county , a local hospice organization , The Gleason Foundation and Disney themselves we made it work.. He has the best time.. and died 2 weeks after we arrived home. We were going to go to WDW but that trip would have taken it all out of him. we are up in WA. so it was easier to jump a plane for couple of hours instead of an all day trek . As you said 'Life is short" so my son and I are planning to go to WDW next year and wish on a star for him there...

 

[darph nader]

It's been 11 (maybe 12) years ago.

 

[YayforMickey]

March 1, 2020. It was the last day of a last minute trip with my daughter to celebrate her college acceptance and upcoming graduation. It was the most magical day we have ever had at Disneyland. We even got to be the "pilots" of the Mark Twain. Looking back, I am so glad that I decided to drop everything and take her. Her senior trip with her friends ended up being canceled. That was the bright spot of our year.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

God Bless you, Nikkislaght! Thank you for sharing with us.

My last DL visit was May, 2019. A fun memory from that trip was Goofy! I had brought with me a candy cane shaped pen. I asked Goofy to sign a postcard. He pretended to take a bite out of the candy cane! He was such fun. I sent in a CM compliment. I had planned to go this Spring for the Easter egg hunt and then (to have gotten the SoCal the 3 day special ticket) to have gone again in May. Now, God-willing, I hope my Dad and I will be able to visit together by 2023 at the latest. I won't be returning until things are back to (I pray a kinder) normal. I look forward at that time to meeting up with some fellow Disers and also attending Candlelight.

Thanks for a positive memory thread, Wonkakid.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes I do. It was also my first solo trip to Disneyland. In was Mid-May 2016.

It was also a birthday trip so on my birthday I had a late lunch at Carthay Circle, then treated myself to the dessert viewing of WoC.

 

[Winnowill]

Mine was our Girls Trip 2018 - the weekend before the 4th of July that year. My BFF and her daughter, and me and mine. It was the last time my daughter was really interested in meeting some of the characters, and Oswald (her favorite) was still meeting. We had an amazing time with him - he must have spent ten minutes with my daughter and her friend. We moms also had a really fun interaction with Dr Facilier. The only dark spot in that trip was the World of Color outage (we had reservations for the Dessert Party, which we replaced with the DLH Afternoon Tea when it was clear that WOC would not open for our trip), but that wasn't a huge issue. We had five-day hoppers, and all four of us Disneybounded every day (sometimes twice - we changed during our afternoon break some days). It was awesome. A great time to remember. Hoping to get back over New Year's this year - this is our fourth attempt to get there this year.

 

[Kittyblue]

I was just looking at pics. The last day of our last trip was September 2, 2018. I got some great pics of the kids with Red. She walked with them and chatted while she signed my youngest kid's autograph book. I was going to return the fall of 2019 but decided to put it off until summer 2020. Clearly that was a bad idea.

 

[Indiana Scott]

Ours was Feb 5th to the 12th,. It was to celebrate my husbands 60th and our 15sth birthdays. We knew it would also be my husbands last trip. I wasnt going to reply to your post, but you said " I suppose this reminds me to never take life for granted. Nothing is guaranteed and things can change in a second. Appreciate what we have when we have it (not that I didn’t or don’t) " and I cant agree with you more. My husband was a Navy vet and in 2016 was diagnosed with ALS. We have been going to DL for about 11 yrs and he was end stage ALS. He asked to go to DL one more time.. So with the help of family , friends, the ALS Association of Orange county , a local hospice organization , The Gleason Foundation and Disney themselves we made it work.. He has the best time.. and died 2 weeks after we arrived home. We were going to go to WDW but that trip would have taken it all out of him. we are up in WA. so it was easier to jump a plane for couple of hours instead of an all day trek . As you said 'Life is short" so my son and I are planning to go to WDW next year and wish on a star for him there...

This really hit home for me and I am so sorry for your loss. I read your post to my DW and I had difficulty getting through it.
I keep telling my wife that we should travel more and simply enjoy life. I also tell her you just never know when our health will suddenly fail and frankly, it scares me. We're very fortunate that we're healthy for now.
As for me, I'll be 60 next month.

 

[BGinCali]

I went on March 13th - arrived closer to 11am vs my usual rope drop, still got a ROTR BG! It was gloomy and rainy, a day I normally would have skipped. My boss knew I was moving to the east coast, so told me to take the day off work & get in one last visit.

It was a different day but filled with great memories and favorite rides, all the way to midnight. I’ll never forget how hard it was saying goodbye, not wanting to exit the gates. Forever grateful, especially as I never would have imagined DL being closed for this long.

 

[sweetpeama]

My last visit was March 24, 1995 and my visit before that was on December 23, 1987. I can't wait until I have the funds to be able to afford to return some day and see so many new things.

 

[Geemo]

My last trip was with my DGD-23 and her BFF for a week the first of March 2020. I had been watching the news and worried about Covid-19 even before we hopped our flight from PDX March 7th. So I packed Covid-19 gear for each of us.... N-95 masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes. My husband thought I was crazy. The girls chuckled at my Covid-OCD'ness.

I was glad the girls had their own room for this trip. Each evening, while they closed the parks, I'd go back to the room and watch the news. Covid was not sounding good. I'd call my husband and we'd talk about the what if's.....

The three of us had a FABULOUS week, torrential rain and all. Made lots of new memories.
At each hand washing stop, the girls would smile and nod to each other as they humored me. I am not normally a germaphobe, we live in the country with lots of dirt and germs. We made it through the week chapped hands and all.

On Thursday, March 12th we were in the lobby heading to SNA when we heard the news. Disneyland would be closing that weekend, because of Covid-19. The girls now realized the severity of the situation.

I have been an AP holder for many years and fly down every couple of months. I was fortunate to have a trip to DLR with all of my grandkids this past year. DGD-15, DGS-17 a week right after Thanksgiving 2019. DGS-25 and girlfriend in December 2019. Birthday trip in Feburary 2020.... And the Covid Finally Trip in March 2020.

Due to being in the retirement age group, it's going to be awhile before I can make my usual DLR trips.

We look forward to future trips, ALL the grandkids are true Disney Fans, like me!!

Geemo

 

[DLgal]

Yep. March 7. We ate at some of the Food and Wine festival booths, did our favorite rides, and ended with a selfie on Casey Jr. It was a beautiful, but chilly day...I had a zip up hoodie on all day.

 

[gerilyne]

Ours was the week the parked closed. We originally had a trip planned for Sun thru Thurs but I had extended it to Saturday. We had the most lovely time early in the week even with rain. Got to ride ROTR (which was the whole reason for us going in March when we had just been in Aug). We were in the parks when the learned Friday was the last day the parks would be opened. I remember walking through the parks in the rain Fridau evening looking for last minute rides and souvenirs. Our last ride was Little Mermaid before we went back to the GCH. We woke up Saturday and asked for a late checkout since our ride to the airport wasn't till early evening. We had a room overlooking DCA and the monorail track. It was so weird having no music coming from the park except the distant strains of contemporary radio. It was so surreal and everyone seemed to be in sort of a haze. It was so somber but so full of love and kindness at the same time.

I am so thankful that that little voice that told me not to wait to go back. I feel so lucky to have been there that week.

 

[wingednike]

I do, it was August 20th of last year.

I had already given up my pass by then and thought the Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary event earlier in the month would have been my last trip. I had a ticket for Oogie Boogie lined up but that's DCA and, well you said DL

My brother and his family were coming to visit the week of the D23 Expo. I had asked if they wanted to go to Disneyland with the kids (both were now old enough to remember the trip). At first they said no, but I told them I got a decent deal for the Twilight tickets, so we went on the 20th (which was my brother's birthday). We didn't have a lot of time but the kids had a blast. They loved Small World, were terrified by (the drop) in Pirates, and were slightly sad that Mansion was closed when we stopped by. We ran into a a close relative (he and his son used to go weekly and I had just told my brother there was a good chance we would see him) and spent the rest of our time together. We didn't ride on much after meeting our cousin, but he did show off parts of SWGE. We had dinner and watched the parade. I really miss just being able to soak up the atmosphere of DL. I really want to bring the kids to see Radiator Springs. The nephew loves "MiKween".

 

[superme80]

October 2019. We went for our 12th Anniversary. It was our first trip without the kids. It was fun and relaxing. I bought overpriced leggings, DH got a lightsaber, we did the Halloween Party, and we spent way too much at Starbucks. It was the perfect trip. I'm so glad we went.

 

[BadPinkTink]

My last day was Tuesday 2 July 2019 You can read my trip report here https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...any-firsts-mixed-with-old-favourites.3758518/

Like everyone I never thought that I would not be able to to travel whenever and where ever I wanted to. But you know what, over the last 10 years I'm so glad that I did go every year. I fell in love with Disney parks back on a family visit to Walt Disney World in 1992. Back then I just felt this pull to the parks, but I knew my family just saw it as a one and done holiday. I vowed back then, that someday I would come back to Disney, and be in the parks on my own and do things how I wanted. I first went to Disneyland California in 2010 with my friends and I knew I had found my "home". The next few years I still went to Disney with my friends but while I had a great time I just wanted to be free in the parks, free to get there as early as I wanted to free to go on rides multiple times in a row, free to eat in other resturantrants. 2014 was my first time solo in Disneyland, everyone thought I was crazy. Why would you go to Disneyland on your own. But it was amazing and finally my wish from 1992 came true. I was free to just enjoy Disneyland, without having to look after anyone, or go on rides because others wanted to. So year after year I went back, loving the parks more and more each time, finding my favorite places and things to do.

Now I have no regrets, I can look back and say I did it. Other Irish people look at me now and think oh I wish I went to Disneyland when it was possible but we just kept saying maybe next year.

I can't wait to come back, and just be part of that happy place again. It will be like coming home, back to a place I know so well, back to my happy place.

 

[nikkislaght]

This really hit home for me and I am so sorry for your loss. I read your post to my DW and I had difficulty getting through it.
I keep telling my wife that we should travel more and simply enjoy life. I also tell her you just never know when our health will suddenly fail and frankly, it scares me. We're very fortunate that we're healthy for now.
As for me, I'll be 60 next month.

People questioned my sanity taking my husband that far advanced. But to us Disney truly is our happy place , and Magic did happen, We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel , a first for us in all the times we had been before, and they messed up our reservation.. My sister had flown in from Australia and arrived before we even left WA and she sorted it all out, they made good and put us in the Mickey Mouse Penthouse.. and considering all the equipment we needed it worked out for us.. We wanted to be able to look back at my husbands last few years and truly say he lived with ALS.. in Feb of 2019 we flew to Australia to visit my family and , did day trips up to Canada to visit family. In the quiet months we stayed home and enjoyed family time. I have sweet memories of the last 4 yrs rather than the horror of what ALS does to people. I hope you and your wife will be able to travel more when Covid takes its leave.. heres to some Mickey Magic coming your way .

 

[monkeypat83]

My last trip was supposed to be March of 2019 to celebrate being done with my first trimester of pregnancy and take pregnancy announcement pictures but my last trip was actually July 2019 at 30 weeks pregnant with my daughter. Some friends were flying down (only an hour flight) and said come along and I was feeling fine and healthy so I booked refundable plane tickets and thought hey as long as the weather isn't going to be 100 degrees I should be fine to go. I am glad I did because while I knew I wasn't going to again for a while due to having an infant (prior to pregnancy I had an annual pass off and on for about 10 years) I didn't expect it to be too much more than a year or so before I went again. I took it slow when I needed to and my friends went off to do the non-pregnancy friendly rides while I either rested or absorbed the atmosphere. I got to see Batuu and I even got stuck on Mr. Toad and had to be evacuated separately from everyone else because of where the cars stopped there was a doorway my belly wouldn't fit through. I had a trip planned for this October alone (first nights away from baby girl) and another trip planned in November to take my daughter for the first time along with a trip in the spring (to justify buying an annual pass) but it looks like only the spring trip has a possibility of happening.