Thanksgiving 2002

Well, this post will technically hit the blog-o-sphere on Thanksgiving. 

The main purpose of this trip was to spend Thanksgiving with my wife's mom and her husband.  It was their idea (with little resistance from us) to go to Disneyland for the day. 

We got up bright and early the day after Thanksgiving (aka "Black Friday") and hit the highway.  We got to the park before lunch.

Once our tickets were purchased, we immediately headed to California Adventure.  Since the last time I had been to Disneyland in the 70's this part of Disneyland was a parking lot, we figured it was a good place to start.

We grabbed some lunch at the Taste Pilot's Grill. 

Then we wandered the parks for the entire day.  Fun was had by all.  It was a crisp November day and I don't remember it being very crowded.

We got to ride everything we wanted to get on and my mother-in-law's husband knows the parks like the back of his hand.

He knew how to get from point A to point B in the most efficient manner.  He also just knew where to be in order  to avoid crowds.  That is why we never seemed to have to wait long for anything.  If there was a wait, we took advantage of Fast Passes.  But, if my memory is correct, we really only used a Fast Pass for Soarin' and California Screamin'.

I do remember that a nice afternoon shower (combined with cooler temperature) drove a lot of people out of the park.

I also remember there was a lot of marketing for a movie about to be released called, Treasure Planet.

The best part of the trip was the fact that my first trip back into a Disney Theme Park, Walt's Park, was that it was decorated for Christmas.

I bet you are wondering why I'm recounting a trip to Disneyland from 5 years ago.

By this 4th Thursday in November in 2002, my wife and I had been married only 7 ½ months.  At this point, we had been married longer than we knew each other prior to getting engaged (it was 3 months from the time we met to the day we got married).  This was the first real trip we had taken....ever.

This particular Thanksgiving has a great significance in my fascination with Disney.  It was during this particular holiday that marked the first time I stepped foot in a Disney Theme Park since 1995.  It was the first time that I had been in a park since I had grown comfortable with the concept of a grown man loving Disney.  It was the first time since I moved out of my parents house...haha

This trip was the catalyst that began a process that lead to where I am now.  We have been back to a Disney Theme Park every year since. 

But, the most important thing this trip started was the start of our Disney Christmas Ornament collection

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving, Disneyland