Thursday June 8, 2023

We left home at 9:00 a.m. on our ninth trip to Dayton Ohio to participate in Dayton Disneyana hosted every year by the Dayton chapter of the Disneyana Fan Club.

This year they are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the event.

We had a quick bite of lunch near Buffalo (Chick-fil-A of course) and arrived in Erie Pennsylvania at 4:00.  We did a bit of shopping before checking in at Springhill Suites by Marriott.

There was a Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen right next door to the hotel, it seemed so convenient that we couldn't resist!

Friday June 9, 2023

Friday morning we were back on the road early and pulled into the Hope Hotel, located on the grounds of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, at 2:00 p.m.

After checking in we headed toward the ballroom in search of playmates.

Anita and some of her committee.

The ballroom was full of vendors who were busy setting up for Saturday morning.

Carol often helps one of the vendors set up their display, but this year they were almost finished when we arrived so instead she just browsed around the room looking for treasure to buy on Saturday.

We had an early dinner at Packy's Restaurant so we could take part in the paddle auction which began at 6:30.

Everyone can buy one or more numbered paddles.  There were more

than 100 prizes and a random paddle number was drawn for each prize.

If your number was drawn, you were the winner!

Our friend Carrie was delighted with her win!

After the auction Carol adjourned to the pin trading room.

Saturday June 10, 2023

Carol once again bought early-bird tickets for the two of us.  There are only 100 of them sold fort $40.00 each, the same as two single day tickets.. They cover all the weekend events but the big advantage is that the 100 early-birds can shop for 90 minutes on Saturday morning before the doors open to the public at 10:00 a.m.

Carol makes good use of this time and by 10:00 a.m. she has usually bought about 80% of her purchases and spent about 150% of her budget!

I spent the morning lugging Carol's new treasures back to the room!

After 10:00 she spent some more time pin trading.  We met for lunch at Packy's and in the afternoon I enjoyed a few of the seminars.

Dayton Disneyana President Lucy with Disney Imagineers Eli Erlandson and Peggie Fariss.

Eli Erlandson was the creative spark behind the book 'Women of Walt Disney Imagineering'

She and Peggie Fariss along with 10 other women, all retired

Imagineers describe their varied Disney careers in the book

After dinner it was time for the live auction, or as Anita describes it, the 'Lively Auction'

Anita always does a great job keeping it lively and entertaining!

This is one of three Mickey wreaths I made and donated for the auction.

Joe is the Executive Director of Pirate Packs and he donated

several unique pieces he crafts using recycled wood.

They were hot sellers at the 'lively auction'

These prints of scenes from the Haunted Mansion were very popular.

The bidding was frantic!

Sunday June 11, 2023

We enjoyed breakfast at Packy's Restaurant with some of our fellow Canadians and when the Marketplace opened for the day at 10:00 a.m. Carol took another trip up and down the aisles looking for fresh treasure.

She even found a few trinkets she just had to buy!

Then we tracked down our hosts and thanked them for another wonderful weekend before we pulled out for the long drive home at 11:00 a.m.

Peggie Fariss spoke on Sunday afternoon about her 50 years with Disney.  I would have loved to stay to hear her, but by the time she started we were well on our way home.

Her story is unique among the Imagineers who contributed to the book.  She has no specialty and no formal education in any typical engineering or entertainment regimen.  She started her Disney career as soon as she graduated high school and worked for several years as a ride operator.  If you rode the Matterhorn Bobsleds fifty years ago it may have been Peggie who sent you down the row to your car.

When she retired she was responsible for the entire Imagineering team who designed and built Walt Disney Studios in Paris.  I'm sure she told some interesting stories and I hope our paths cross again so I can hear them!

This is the booty that Carol brought home.

This Lady and the Tramp Model Sheet is her favourite find.

It's a Limited Edition of 500 and one recently sold on E-Bay

for $900.00.  Carol got a much better deal than that.