Marathon Weekend 2023

[softball chick]

SAFD: My favorite memory is from our first family trip back in 2008. We arrived, got settled at POFQ, and then headed over to MK. Right as we walked under the train station, the 3pm parade was reaching the end of Main Street. So we ran up to the top of the train station and managed to find a perfect spot to watch the parade from above - it was there that I got my first glimpse of the castle. To this day, we say that Mickey was throwing a parade for our family to celebrate that we had finally made it to WDW.

 

[KSellers88]

SAFD: My most memorable moment happened on our family trip when I was 10. My mom, dad and I were walking through Fantasyland when Chip and Dale came up behind us and one of them (sorry I can't tell them apart) picked me up and ran about 20 feet in front of my parents carrying me. I miss those days of characters just wandering randomly around the parks, but I also understand the need for them to be in designated areas.

All of my trips have been with my mom who is the biggest Disney lover. We were actually supposed to leave for our yearly trip with my 18 month old yesterday, but life got in the way so we won't make it there this year. We will be there in January though!

 

[MissLiss279]

SAFD: Chip and Dale came up behind us and one of them (sorry I can't tell them apart)

I was once told to remember that Chip has a chocolate chip nose - and I never forget anymore!

 

[camaker]

SAFD: My mom, dad and I were walking through Fantasyland when Chip and Dale came up behind us and one of them (sorry I can't tell them apart) picked me up and ran about 20 feet in front of my parents carrying me.

In addition to what @MissLiss279 said, there are a couple of other ways to tell them apart:

Chip: Brown nose and teeth in the middle of his mouth
Dale: Red nose and teeth on either side of his mouth with a gap in between.

 

[Kitty-chan]

SAFD: My favorite Disney Parks memory is from 2002, when my daughter was 5 years old. We were on a 2-week trip to Japan with my extended family. On the morning of the last full day of our vacation, I asked my daughter at breakfast if she'd like to go to Disneyland in Tokyo, which was a short train ride from our hotel. She nearly dropped her breakfast. Within about an hour we were through the main gates, and she was hugging her favorite character, Robin Hood, who just happened to be there with Friar Tuck, no line.

I've had many many happy Disney trips since then, but nothing has ever matched that moment.. She still remembers it, too.

 

[NYC_MW]

SAFD: (Parks-adjacent but my best mom-Disney memory) I was probably around 8. Growing up in SoCal, we had gone to Disneyland a bunch as a family (and I have many many fond memories), but that summer we were back for break after moving overseas the previous year or so. Don't remember why, but it was just my mom taking me and my sister. She hadn't driven since we left and somehow ended up with my uncle's minivan and was very freaked out. We must have had a blast at the park itself, but all I remember of that trip was yelling "Ball Rd! Katella Ave!" at my mom as she tried to get us to the park without incident. Come to think of it, that may have been the last time she drove...

 

[Sleepless Knight]

My husband's comment was something to the effect of "they will never enjoy this or remember this, what's the point".

Maybe not, but they absolutely will remember time spent with loved ones and that will make all the difference in the world. And they may remember things better than we think.

In 2018, I went with my sister's family to Disneyland. I took my then 16 month old nephew to meet Lightning McQueen because I knew he enjoyed it and because I hoped to create more fun for him than just sitting in his stroller while we waited for his parents and older brother to ride Radiator Springs Racers. Does he remember that? I don't know, but I have never forgotten his excitement when he realized who we were in line to see.

In 2019, I got to go back with that same nephew, now a bit over 2 years old. He was mostly into Cars and a little bit into Mickey Mouse. He wasn't intensely into Star Wars, but liked R2-D2. Every chance I could get when his parents were on a roller coaster with his older brother anywhere near Galaxy's Edge (and also not exactly near Galaxy's Edge), I would take him to Galaxy's Edge and push him around in his stroller, making up our own adventures in Star Wars since he could not go on the rides yet. I was just enjoying being in Galaxy's Edge even though I could not go on the rides. As he grew older, he started to love Star Wars probably because his older brother loved and because I, his uncle, love it. On the night I built my lightsaber, I also purchased nice toy lightsabers for fun photos with my nephews. My sister eventually succeeded in dragging me out of Galaxy's Edge and we went to Carsland. My nephew really wanted to show Lightning McQueen his new lightsaber. so we did.

One afternoon a few months later shortly before he turned 3, my sister texted me to tell me what he had been doing that day. After waking up from his nap, he played in his room for an hour or so. When he came out of his room, he told my sister that he had gone to Disneyland with Jack-Jack from The Incredibles. While there they went on two rides, Incredicoaster and the Matterhorn. Obviously, his imagination came up with those two ideas. But then he told my sister that he and Jack-Jack had gone to Galaxy's Edge and helped Rey hide from the stormtroopers. He was not making that one up because he had done it with me.

I don't know if he still specifically remembers the things he and I did in Galaxy's Edge or Carsland. Far more importantly, he knows that his uncle loves him and loves to be with him. And while he may not remember those moments, they are some of my very favorite memories. Including the ones outside Galaxy's Edge.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: This is maybe dark for this sub, but I was hospitalized for mental health reasons and afterward I went to stay with my mom in Florida for a little bit. She surprised me with tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I obviously love Disney. We got to meet Eeyore, our favorite character, together. It meant a lot to me for her to do that.

 

[eey777]

SAFD - I have lots of good memories of Disneyland with my parents (not a lot of trips, but they were filled with "core memory" type of days), but two of the most memorable moments (because my mum is a super klutz like me, and humour is one of our biggest family traits) were these (they probably weren't her favourites LOL):

1) In the Adventureland washrooms, she got locked in a stall and had to crawl out under the door (I was around 7 years old at the time and found it hilarious. When she got out, she did laugh about it, too).

2) Also in Adventureland, but many years later, she picked up a kaleidoscope or toy telescope at the gift shop, and tried it out. She put it down, and we discovered that someone had blacked the eyepiece as a prank, so she had a black eye - it was just like a cartoon came to life!!!
I freaked out (combination between laughing and OMG), as did the cast member (not laughing, but YIKES), but we went straight to that same washroom and luckily it washed right off. It was very funny once it came off.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Good Morning runDisney Allstars! It is time for SAFD. This week I bring a question that could bring controversy, *******, feelings of angst….

Question - Thinking of the “Mountain” rides in Disney World and DIsneyland, rank them in order of most to least favorite: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarves Mine Ride, Mattahorn and Expedition Everest. And then tell us why.

My answer -
1) Space Mountain
2) Big Thunder Mountain
3) Everest Expedtion
4) Mattahorn
5) Seven Dwarves Mine Ride
6) Splash Mountain

I really like roller coasters so I actually like Rockin Roller Coaster more than all these based on riding a coaster. But DL & DW are not places I would go to for coasters anyway. What the “Mountains” offer me are cool theming, a story, nostalgia and just plan fun. I do like the Space Mountain in Disneyland the most. And Splash Mountain is fun until I get wet, then I get grumpy!

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: I think for some of the mountains that are in both parks, you could rank them on their own. However since I haven’t been to DL in over 15 years I’m going to stick to the WDW versions.

1 - Splash
2 - BTMRR (at night)
3 - Everest
4 - Space
5 - Matterhorn
6 - Seven Dwarfs

I have always loved log rides (and don’t mind getting wet) and love the fact that you part of the ride is indoors and part is outdoors. The view of the park and the castle right before the drop is one of my favorite views in all WDW. I suspect it will stay at number 1 for me after the retheming as well. BTMRR at night during fireworks is an entirely different experience from the daytime ride. Seven dwarfs is last as I really don’t feel it’s that special and it’s pretty short. It’s the only mountain that is not a must do on every trip. I’ve been on it twice and would only do it again if it was a very short wait.

 

[HangWithMerida]

Question - Thinking of the “Mountain” rides in Disney World and DIsneyland, rank them in order of most to least favorite: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarves Mine Ride, Mattahorn and Expedition Everest. And then tell us why.

SAFD:

1. Everest
2. Big Thunder
3. Space Mountain
4. Mattahorn
5. Seven Dwarves
6. Splash Mountain

I also love roller coasters. While Disney in general is not a big coaster park, Everest is a quality ride. Theming, big drops, the backwards dark section. I love everything about it. It was really hard for me to choose between it and Big Thunder, which I just love as a ride. I agree that day and night are totally different experiences. Riding it at night is my favorite! I am most familiar with the WDW version but my favorite version I have ever ridden was Paris. It goes underground and out to this little island and was a longer ride. I also love all the Space Mountains, but again, Paris was my favorite version. Mattahorn is a nostalgia kind of ride. I had a hard time deciding the order of that and Seven Dwarves. I like the mine portions of Seven Dwarves and the rocking cars make for an interesting element but it is short and the wait is usually very long. I also get grumpy when I get wet. Unless it is a million degrees, I’m just not doing water rides. If I could do Splash without the drop, I would be cool with that.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD:
1) Everest
2) Space
3) Big Thunder
4) Splash
5) Seven Dwarves
6) Matterhorn (I’ve only been on this once, and I repeatedly cracked my elbow really hard on the edge of the car, so it kinda ruined the experience for me)

 

[eey777]

SAFD:
1) Big Thunder (DL slightly over WDW)
2) Seven Dwarfs
3) Space (DL)
4) Matterhorn
5) Expedition Everest
6) Space (WDW)
7) Splash (DL)

Big Thunder is my favourite - I always have to ride it multiple times. I slightly prefer the DL version, probably just because it is more familiar for me (way more DL trips).
I loved 7D and rode it multiple times during an after-hours event on our one WDW trip so far (me: "whee, let's go again!!" husband: "You go, I'm just going to enjoy sitting on a bench instead!") but is it really a mountain?!? (<- there's your controversy haha).
I really prefer the Space format in DL. I would probably rank EE ahead of Matterhorn if I had ridden EE more than once - I really liked it but don't think I can put it higher without more familiarity.
WDW Space had a negative experience for me too - husband bashed his knee and was grumpy for the ride (this repeatedly happened at WDW - bashed his knee on Test Track, too, and something else. He's only 6'2, but the seats don't seem to be built for him).
Splash ranked last b/c I don't like getting wet and always got soaked at the DL one. Haven't ridden WDW Splash.

 

[opusone]

SAFD: very different answers depending on order of best rides vs. order of nostalgia for me, so I will put both. To be clear, we love coasters and water rides, so we do all of them every time we go:

Order of best rides:
1) Expedition Everest
2) Seven Dwarfs
3) Space Mountain (DL)
4) Big Thunder Mountain
5) Splash Mountain
6) Space Mountain (WDW)
7) Matterhorn

Order of nostalgia:
1) Matterhorn
2) Space Mountain (WDW)
3) Splash Mountain
4) Big Thunder Mountain
5) Expedition Everest
6) Space Mountain (DL)
7) Seven Dwarfs

For nostalgia, it may seem a weird order, but it is basically the order that I experienced the rides in my life (#1-4 as a child, #5-7 as an adult with our children). I lived in SoCal in my early years, so Matterhorn was my first “big” coaster ride as a youngling. However, we moved away from SoCal before Space Mountain opened in DL; therefore, my first Space Mountain ride was at WDW as well as the next several rides on my nostalgia list. I actually didn’t get to ride Space Mountain at DL until a few years ago when we had a family trip out West.

 

[GreatLakes]

SAFD:

1. Space Mountain (Favorite Disney thrill ride)
2. Everest (Most thrilling of the WDW rides. I've ridden it with a working Yeti and it makes a huge difference)
3. Splash Mountain (Fun water ride and I loved the theme. I'm not sure the new theme will be as good and it will pull away a lot of the nostalgia for me)
4. Seven Dwarfs (Good ride but it's newness makes it lack nostalgia for me. I do need to ride it more often and it might move up a bit)
5. Big Thunder (Even though it is last I like the ride, I just like it least).

I've only been to DL once and Matterhorn was down at that time so I've never ridden it. I love coasters and had CP season passes for a few years when I had more time to go out there. None of the Disney coasters really hit that top notch of thrill ride for me but that is ok, that isn't why I go to Disney. I think all of the "mountains" are quality rides with Everest probably being the most thrilling. I gave Space top spot as much out of nostalgia as the ride itself. Space Mountain is my favorite MK "thrill" ride.

 

[1lilspark]

SAFD
1) Everest (even with the busted yeti)
2) Thunder (especially in back row)
3) Mine Train
4) Splash (can be flip flopped with Mine on an exceptionally hot day!!!)
5) Space (though if DL was my home park i was told I would be riding more than once every 10 years so I’ll pass more judgment in 2032 or if I ever get to California)
6) Matterhorn (like I said above I’ve never been to land … though if it weren’t for park passes I’d of ironically gone last Friday)

 

[WillRunForPizza]

SAFD in order of fun (Disney World only because I have never been to Disneyland):

1. Everest
2. Big Thunder
3. Space Mountain
4. Mine Train
5. Splash Mountain

I will say though, Splash Mountain was a big favorite when I was little - I just wanted to ride it over and over again.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

1. Splash-It has always been my favorite. It was the ride when I visited for the first time and it has always kept that level of excitement for me. I’m absolutely okay with the theme reimagining and very much looking forward to that work being done; but I’ll ride this version while Disney claims poverty and continues put things off.

2. Everest-I’m a big roller coaster person and absolutely love this ride. Theming of the queue is fun and the wait tends to be manageable.

3. Big Thunder Mountain-No complaints about this one either. Must ride every trip. Love spending time back in the corner of Frontierland when the waits on Splash and Big Thunder are decently short.

4. Seven Dwarfs-It’s alright. Ride is too short and the wait is always far too long. It’s a fine addition to the park but it’s sad that it continues to require such a time commitment.

5. Space Mountain-This hurts. It should be much closer to the top and definitely above 7DMT but I genuinely feel unsafe on it now. The building, queue, and ride seem like an afterthought. I think there is a tremendous opportunity to modernize this ride and make it worthy of its park icon status as a practical matter and not merely a nostalgic one.

No ranking: Matterhorn, any DL versions. Never been to DL so no frame of reference.

 

[Kerry1957]

SAFD:
1) Everest
2) Splash
3) Big Thunder
4) Space
5) Seven Dwarves
6) Matterhorn (never been on it)

Space used to be my favorite but it has become so jerky that I now skip it.