Oh my, how do you choose your special place and why is it special? Karina of Murtagh’s Meadows is asking just that.

After thinking and thinking I realized a place that is so special to me that I want to return. Disneyland! Yes, Disneyland!! I just love that retreat into a world of fantasy and wonder. I even did a speech at my Toastmasters club on it. Let’s go back to the beginning of my fascination with Disneyland.

My introduction to this fantasy world was at age 15 1/2 in 1959. Mom and I had just moved to Los Angeles from the Bronx, NY. My aunt took me and my cousins to see this magical place. Now, just imagine my world had just been a few square blocks in the Bronx. I had no idea of what was beyond. We did get to the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens but that was about it. If Los Angeles gave me culture shock, just imagine what Disneyland did!

At that time, it was still new and much smaller, but I was on overwhelm and was hooked. As a mother, I took my boys out of school once a year to have fun at Disneyland. We got there when the park opened and left when they closed the gates.

My love for the park never changed. One sweet memory was when Richard and I went on our own in 2006–no kids. I had to see Mickey Mouse. My collection of Mickeys is a story for another blog. We stood on line outside Mickey’s house in Toon Town with all the other parents and kids. After what seemed forever, we got to Mickey. “Where’s the kid?” His helper called out. “Here I am,” I yelled. This is the result.

Later that year, I went to the park again with my oldest daughter-in-law and grandkids. This time we stayed at one of the Disney hotels. No waiting on line to have my picture taken with Mickey.

Christopher, Minnie and Madison
Anne, Mickey and Teresa

In 2010 my friends Sandy, Gloria and I went to Disneyland. It was a 2-day stay which was long enough for us. My interest in photography hadn’t taken hold yet but I did get one reflection with my point and shoot.

From left, me, Gloria and Sandy. I still have that T-shirt!

Now for the trip of a lifetime for a Disney fan–six days at Disney World in Orlando. In 2014, our kids were attending a trade show in Orlando for the family company. With Richard retired, he and I entertained the grandkids once the trade show started. I was armed with my D3100 and enjoyed taking pictures of the grands. It was a long time since I saw a Disney park through a child’s eyes.

Ryan and Oliva
Ryan, Anne and Olivia
Greg, Ryan, Olivia, Jessica and Anne
She wasn’t tall enough for the ride so she got a special treat.
The ride Olivia wasn’t tall enough for.
The grands and Mickey and Minnie.

While Disney World was unforgettable, Disneyland is still my favorite. I keep talking about going back, but I also keep getting older. The park is also getting more expensive! But, whether I get back there or not, Disneyland will always be my special place.

Thank you Karina for bringing me back at least in spirit. When you tell us about your special place, remember to link to Karina’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you. Next week Tina takes the lead with her Odds and Ends challenge.

If you would like to participate weekly in our Lens-Artists Challenge, we have easy to follow instructions. Just click this link and join us: https://photobyjohnbo.wordpress.com/about-lens-artists/

28 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Challenge #188: A Special Place”

  4. I love to hear about people’s passions and enthusiasms like this! It’s wonderful that you’ve been able to pass your own childhood love of Disneyland on to your children and grandchildren – and to retain that love yourself too 😀

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  5. Your post really made me smile this week Anne. It’s funny, my first Disney adventure was Disney World in FLA, which I adore. Even the drive to the front gate past the marvelous topiaries shaped like Disney characters was wonderful. But because I was there first, I was very disappointed in Disneyland because it is right there in the middle of a developed area so it doesn’t have the same lakes and tremendous expanse. That said, both are terrific and indeed very special! It’s sad that it’s become so outrageously expensive that it is out of reach for so many these days. A friend just took her 3 grand’s and their parents for 4 days – for the same price she could have flown to Tahiti for a week with her husband LOL. She said it was worth every penny 😊

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  6. Hi Anne

    What a fabulous special place – Disneyland! It was delightful to tag along on your walk down memory lane in words and photos. I have never been to Disneyland however I lived in Florida and for a while in my late 20s I went to Disney World every Thursday on my day off. Magic Kingdom for the win.

    (I will update my page to include you when I’m back at a real computer.)

    Belatedly, an offering for Lens Artists 188: A Special Place:

    https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2022/02/27/beautiful-great-blue-herons-peaceful-muse/

    Best, Babsje

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  8. Precious photos. Your sweet memories and photos bring the trips we made to Disney. Great choice, Anne. Btw, I love your t-shirt.
    I, too, was surprised by the price the last time we visited Disney.

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  9. Have I got a fix for you. One of my fellow vloggers on YouTube — Fresh Baked — is dedicated to producing Disneyland content … every day of every week … with a livestream at 7 pm (Pacific) on Thursday, and occasional livestreams from inside the park.

    But for today, I give you a very special treat — a 2.5 hour video of every ride at Disneyland. You can pause and take a break ,or if you have a favorite ride that you want to see, they are time stamped in the description box below the video. Enjoy.

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  10. Oh what a fun special place. You know the thing that is really noticeable about your photos is how everyone one is smiling. Fabulous choice – thank you for sharing.

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  11. Thank you for the wonderful memories, Anne! I have only been to EuroDisney in Paris – when the children were small. We had to leave after an hour or so, because my son got terrible frightened on one of the adventures there. he was only five or something. I understand it is very special to you!

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    1. You’re welcome Ann-Christine. When my youngest was about 4, we went to Disneyland. He started screaming when the elevator in the haunted mansion started moving. But we stayed until the parade was over in the evening.

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  13. Pingback: Lens-ArtistPC22-188-0228-A-Special-Place – WoollyMuses

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