Dapper Day!

 Fall Dapper Day - November 12, 2023

When the date for Fall Dapper Day was announced I was so excited!  The second weekend of November is always on my list of dates for potential Disney trips because it is around our wedding anniversary. 😀  Also, Disney has been scheduling that weekend for the start of their holidays. (Decorations, food, merch, etc.)  So if we're able to go it's usually a two-fer (anniversary and holidays).  For this year I would say three (anniversary, holidays, and Dapper Day), but there is so much more! 

Let me start with our anniversary.  This one makes #11.  When I was young I didn't really think about it because my parents never made a big deal about their anniversary.  However, after the last two years and both of us losing our parents, I've realized that each year is really a milestone and deserves to be celebrated!  (If only to cheer us both on in a "look what we made it through" kind of way.)  We both like to take at least a weekend getaway for our anniversary if we can.  For me, it reinforces "us", gives us a chance to relax and just be us, and do stuff together.  And yes, we are that couple!  We will match clothes whether it be t-shirts, kilts, Hawaiian shirts, or a suit for him and a dress for me.  We also have matching accessories!  I happen to love the fact that my husband WANTS to dress up with me and be that matching couple.  I could go on and on, but...

Let's move on to the Disney Holidays!  Disneyland tries to be inclusive of all the celebrations that happen near the end of the year.  Whether it's Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, etc. (just off the top of my head) you're able to find a little something to represent what you believe in/enjoy.  The Festival of the Holidays at California Adventure is so much fun!   The decorations in Cars Land are my favorite.  The imagination that went/goes into that area is so creative!  Then there's the food.  They don't put out the menu items until about two weeks before opening, but I pour over them and make notes the first chance I get.  I usually have my/our 8 tasting pass items (or more) chosen that very first day!  Because we share all the dishes, I discuss everything with my husband.  Thankfully we like/dislike most of the same things so that makes it really easy to choose.  The merch for the food festival is actually kept to a minimum (yes, I'm as surprised as you are) which is not a bad thing really.  Too many choices can be overwhelming and this way we can concentrate on the food.

This is going to be our very first ever Dapper Day!  This year marks the 11th year technically - since Disneyland was closed for both spring and fall of 2020.  I don't remember exactly when I first heard about it, but I've been wanting to go and be a part of it ever since.  It just hasn't coincided with any trips we planned to take, until now!  I have a theater background (from my youth) but have always loved "playing dress up".  I met my husband at a Renaissance Faire.  Can't get much more "playing dress up" than that!  It doesn't hurt that not long after we met I realized that my figure was really suited for 1950's fashions.  So for the past 10 years or so I have been gathering a new wardrobe.  It is by no means complete, but it has been fun!  I believe it was for the 60th anniversary, guests were encouraged to dress in 50's style to spend the day in Disneyland (July 17th, of course).  If I'm not mistaken, that was the year the D23 Expo was in August and we were there exactly a month later.  We found the clothes we wore at a thrift store and we were off and running!  Ever since then, we have spent almost every day of every trip Disney bounding/cosplay/matching and now we get to add Dapper!  I purchased our Dapper Day Expo tix the first day they were available.  More to come...

And last but definitely not least, I found out that Jim Shore is going to be at Disneyland - this same weekend!  For those who don't know, Jim Shore designs figurines.  His designs include Disney characters, Peanuts, Christmas (Santas, snowmen, etc.) woodland creatures, etc.  Our collection is split between Disney and Christmas.  We have many signed pieces as we have been fortunate enough to meet him in person several times.  Such a nice person!  Anyway, I keep an eye on his calendar and he will usually make trips to Disney World and Disneyland with his family in December.  But this year's trip coincides with ours!  I am very excited to see him again and find out what figurines they will be selling this year.  I find it hard to choose between the individual characters and the groups.  If he does a signing at each park maybe I won't have to choose!

Well, I think that's enough for today.  It is Labor Day weekend and we plan to have a bit of fun and doing a little shopping as well.  I will put up an update after we solidify our clothing choices and any other bits I can think of. 😎