July 17, 2005-July 17,2009

[SrcrMkyLvr]

Hi everyone. Since Disneyland's anniversary date comes closer and closer, I wanted to ask something. *I do apologize if there is a thread about this already*

Who was there on July 17, 2005? What was your experience like? What time did you get there? Anything memorable? Who did you see? Did you get the exclusive "I was there -- July 17, 2005" pin?

Well here's my story:
My parents and I woke up at 2:30am and walked to the transportation plaza near harbor blvd. We got there at 3am and waited about 2-3 more hours to get to the front of the line where we were escorted to the DCA entrance. I remember we were tired so we took a little nap in the plaza area, but what we didnt know was that we were supposed to meet up with our "wristband group." So, we packed it up and went to GRR then to Paradise pier where we met up with our yellow wristband group (I think it was yellow...maybe pink or orange) just barely. Then we were escorted between barriers over into Disneyland. I remember seeing all of the hundreds of people lined up at the park's gates and hearing from someone that the lines went all the way to the monorail station in DTD.

I remember getting our golden hats and walking into the park grinning from ear to ear. We hurridly raced over to the Rivers of America where a line was already forming half way across the river. We each got a voucher and my dad went to MS to film the festivities going on at SBC. While all of this was happening, my mom and I waited in a 8hr line to get into the Big Thunder Ranch area. It went by fast though because we met a mother-daughter couple where the mother was at DL on opening day in 1955 and met Walt Disney.

From there, we said goodbye to them and started shopping. We were able to get 3 I was there pins because we had 3 vouchers, 3 mugs, 3 tshirts, 3 walt pins, and 2 boyer mickey dollars. It was all really fun. All I remember after that is that we met up with my dad and went to the firehouse where I got a picture with timon and then we headed to DCA to finish up the day.

In the end, we ended up with about 10 or 12 July 17, 2005 mickey ear hats and a day's worth of memories.


SO, WHAT'S YOUR STORY??

[The_Goofster]

Well from what I remember my story for that day went like this:
I had been to Disneyland on July, 17 a few times before but knew I HAD to be there July 17, 2005. My sister and I walked over to the transportation center and arrived around 1 or 1:30am. We mad our place in line and slowly started making friends with people around us. I remember one guy was a cast member who had worked that day then came over and got straight in line after he got off.

I then remember them starting to move the lines and check everyones tickets and give them wristbands. I can't remember my color I just remember we ended up way over in Paradise Pier by Screamin. And even though it was early and you could tell that some people didn't get a lot of sleep (like myself) everyone was so excited to be there. When it was finally time to go into Disneyland we got our special maps for the day and our golden ears and made our way toward the castle.

Im not a huge pin collector so there was no waiting all day to get a pin for me. But we did get a close spot for the ceremony and got everything on tape. Our parents met up with us after the ceremony and we spent the rest of the day in the park just kind of walking around and soaking it all in. I did buy a shirt, mug, and walt pin though.

[Barbaraann]

Last year, about this time, I did a thread about my very first trip to Disneyland, which was coincidentally for the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland. I have linked that report here for anyone, who may like to take a look.

Remember It All Started With A Mouse - A Tale of July 17, 2005

[junglecskipper]

Thats cool.

[SrcrMkyLvr]

Last year, about this time, I did a thread about my very first trip to Disneyland, which was coincidentally for the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland. I have linked that report here for anyone, who may like to take a look.

Remember It All Started With A Mouse - A Tale of July 17, 2005

Awesome. You got the "I was there" pin too! cool. It's one of my favorite in my collection.

[OCBear]

I remember going on July 17, 2005 and the security line was like 4 hours long. So me and my friend decided to go to the OC Fair instead. Later in the afternoon our other friends called us and told us there was no line anymore, so we left the fair and came back to Disneyland just to go in and get our Golden Ears and 1955 maps! I think we just left after that since it was so crowded!