At the end of 2012 I came across an interesting post on the official Disney Parks blog: a couple visited Disneyland every single day in 2012. On December 31, Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh received special gifts personally from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs. It was a typical fancy Disney ceremony: as the two made their way down Main Street, Staggs was waiting for them to present their honors in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Their honors included being made honorary citizens of Disneyland, and a stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite, a luxury apartment off the New Orleans Square in Disneyland. The gift ensures Reitz and Mickesh will return to Disneyland at least once in 2013, though if I have to guess, I’d say the couple has many more visits planned.
Disney, of course, laps up stories like this: it’s exactly the kind of fanaticism it loves to encourage in its fans. Staggs was even quoted talking about the couple’s “dedication to the Disneyland Resort,” and I have to say, using the verb “dedication” in relation to a theme park raises my eyebrows, even though it’s totally accurate.
The thing that gets me the most about this story is how much smaller Disneyland is than Disney World. Although it’s still inconceivable to me to visit the Disney Parks every single day, at least I can kind of see it with Disney World: the place is huge, it has tons of special events; what I can’t fathom is having the money to spend at Disney every day, but I can almost believe finding something new to do at Disney World every day.
In contrast, Disneyland only has two parks to Disney World’s four, and although it has plenty of events, it has less than Disney World, due to the constant things going on at Epcot. It sort of reminds me of a couple I met at the Renaissance Faire once, who said they went to the Faire every other weekend for the entire season. I couldn’t comprehend that either, between the ticket price and the fact that the state Renaissance Faire is so small.
Thinking of the Faire couple, however, helps me understand Reitz and Mickesh a little more. The couple at the Faire didn’t come to see something new every week; they just liked the atmosphere. I’m sure the same could be sad for Reitz and Mickesh. The fact that they went to Disneyland every day also tells me that they live in the area, which means they save a lot of money on many of the usual Disney trip expenses: lodging and food.
With an annual pass, particularly one discounted for area residents, coming to Disneyland so often could be affordable. I have friends who went to college in the Orlando area, and they got Disney World annual passes. I know they didn’t have a lot of money, but if the passes were conceivable for college students, then they certainly are for adults like Reitz and Mickesh.
What do you think of the story? Are you jealous of Reitz and Mickesh, or do you think they’ve gone a little overboard?
*(The above image by Buchanan-Hermit is from the Wikimedia Commons and is as in the public domain).
