For many people, Disneyland is truly the happiest place on Earth. For Jeff Reitz though, the park means much more to him that after he claimed a Guinness World Record for attending the legendary theme park for a whopping, 2,995 days straight!
Talk about a superfan! The 50-year-old Reitz laid claim to the record after visiting Disneyland every day for more than 8 straight years from 2012 to 2020. His streak came to end though during the park's pandemic closure. Speaking of his incredible record, Reitz said:
It started as a joke between friends when Disneyland announced they were giving an "Extra Disney Day" when they announced the Leap Day 24-hour event in 2012.
Over the course of his long-running string of park visits, Reitz became a recognized figure to both cast members and visitors alike. He also built a huge Instagram following of fans who followed his journey virtually. Reitz would say:
I would usually take a walk around the park. I enjoy photography so I was always watching for images to capture that I could post to share. Some days I would go on lots of attractions and other times I might focus my attention on a single section of the park.
Reitz lists Mr. Toad's Wild Ride among his favorites to enjoy during his visits.
Since the pandemic though, Reitz has not been nearly as regular a visitor. He cites the new park restrictions that require reservations making it unappealing.
The idea of having to make a reservation, that right there was a big downer. I’d go over there after work and you know, maybe grab a bite to eat, you know, enjoy some rides, or shows… It was nice being able to just pop in at will.
However, to celebrate his achievement, Disney presented him with a gift basket as well as an Honorary Citizenship.
Since breaking the record, Reitz now spends more time taking trips away from the park with his girlfriend, Karen Bell. He says:
We have time to go take those overnight trips, weekend trips, go to concerts and whatever, wherever. It doesn’t have to be within a day’s drive of Disney, so that ‘normal life,’ that’s something we can do.
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