Desperate for Disneyland

I've been to Disneyland - The Anaheim Disneyland - at least 25 times. My grandparents took me every year until I was 12. After that, I designed my own pilgrimages accompanied by a variety of friends, hired extras, and those that caved: "okay, shut up. I'll go with you." I think I went by myself once. In summary, I acquired a bad habit of running away to Disneyland (so did Bridget Haverty - she has the best D-Land stories. Ever. Homage to B.)

For the grandparent trips, we traveled in an orange 1977 Westfalia poptop VW camper. Photo in green below:



Can't find an orange version online. I think the government outlawed them.

We never stayed at the Disneyland Hotel or even a Super 8, Econo Lodge or Peter Pan Inn. We camped. In Anaheim. At the local Disney-accessible KOA campground. For your 15.00 per night, you're assigned a slab of pavement to park on and a slightly rusted BBQ pit for your meat. Guests can BBQ between certain hours of the day and you're kindly asked to scrubbed down the pit before you leave. There's free laundry, a 24 hour soda machine, a cordoned off area for sex offenders, and a prison-grade playground for the youth. Children would burst out of vans as they checked in late at night. It was interesting. But at least you could see the Matterhorn.

Anywho, back to the present, I'm itching for D-land. Haven't been there in over 10 years. And I'm not talking about D-World. Stop telling me how great Disney WORLD is - that's directed at you Big D. D-World can suck it. D-World had more cash, a brand, and besides, poor Walt had already cashed in before it opened. D-Land started on nothing but grit determination and a desire to run down orange groves and walnut trees.

Anyway, I want to go back. Misho is ready. The Plan begins: Disneyland 2010.