Disneyland is a place that is designed to evoke nostalgia, while also bringing guests new attractions and experiences. However, the thing that really seems to bring out the nostalgia in many fans isn’t any particular aspect of the park, but a feeling that comes from a particular type of experience. Many Disneyland fans feel that experience is what is truly a thing of the past.
A thread on Reddit recently went viral when one fan lamented the way things have changed at Disneyland. From significant price increases to major changes in procedures, there’s a feeling the park is a lot more crowded, and wallet-draining than it used to be. And because of that, people just can’t visit in the way they once did. As the initial post stated…
Not to brag but my now wife and I used to park at down town on a whim. Buy and snarf a beignet or a snack that I could validate parking. Then take the monorail right into the park no crazy lines. Kids today will never know.
It’s certainly true that these days it can be difficult to not find a significant line at Disneyland to do literally anything. And with the reservation system still in effect, simply visiting on a whim just isn’t an option. Walt Disney World recently announced an end to its reservation system starting in 2024, but Disneyland has yet to make a like announcement.
Different people responding to the thread are nostalgic for different eras in Disneyland Resort history. For some, the fact that Disney California Adventure wasn’t actually all that successful in its early years wasn’t a bug, it was a feature…
I miss the early 2000s when California adventure had just opened, and it was totally empty all the time. My wife and I had passes and we would go after work and walk on to any ride we wanted to.
The Reddit board where this was posted was for residents of Orange County, so we’re talking about people who are locals, and potentially very frequent visitors. Disneyland has been a regular hangout for young people for decades, though with the cost of Disneyland Magic Keys being what they are, that’s a lot harder to do than it was decades ago, as one fan remembered…
In high school in the late 90’s I would go to Disneyland with my friends. My mom graciously had bought me a 99.00 pass and I would go almost every Friday and we would watch the swing dancers dance in Carnation plaza and we would dance at the Tomorrowland Terrace when the band would rise and play disco music.
If you’re nostalgic for any era, there is probably a post that you can relate to. Some remember the days of Disneyland ticket books, which haven’t been around since the early 1970s. For me, the nostalgic time is Disney California Adventure about a decade ago, a place to hang out with friends, have a cocktail, see a band, and make a night of it…
DCA was the best around 10 years ago. We would go there on Fridays and grab drinks at the cove bar. No waits for cove bar or California screaming. We would then head over to watch the Aladdin show or the mad t party band. Those were the best of times
Disneyland has always been crowded but there’s certainly a feeling that it’s a lot worse now than it used to be. One of the suggestions is that the ride of YouTube and social media has made the park a magnet for content creators, and they’re the reason that Disneyland is so much busier than it used to be.
I miss when it wasn’t a social media magnet. Interest in the parks exploded with the rise of instagram and YouTube. I don’t have a problem with more people, but I do feel like Disney has fundamentally changed because of social media.
In the end, things will always change at Disneyland. People looking back on their experiences from years ago can’t do what they used to, but at the same time, there’s a new generation making new memories with things as they are now, who will likely look back on those years just as fondly when future changes make those identical experiences equally impossible.
