Retrospective: Stitch’s Golden Ticket on a Hot Air Balloon

Today, I, Wrangler Scorch, was looking through the Stitch files, and found a lot of photos we haven’t shared. The following story was a very special moment in Stitch’s Adventure Club history.

During the Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary (now we are currently in it’s 55th year), the Stitch’s Adventure Club had a tip about the 50th anniversary hot air Balloon, Mickey with Golden Ears, being in different cities throughout the country. The adventure club had been on the Inaugural Panama Canal Cruise on the Magic (we have not shared that yet) and also been at Disneyland on July 17th. We had to follow the final “golden” opportunity. This was a press only event, but Stitch’s Adventure Club, was not a press organization, and actually didn’t even have a blog at the time. We were just a fan club. Through a little faith, trust, pixie dust and Disney magic (only current and former Cast Members truly know how this works), we appeared in Albuquerque, New Mexico, (Home of the Hot Air Balloon Festival) and Stitch used his golden opportunity to fly on the 50th DLR Hot Air Balloon, piloted by the first Disney female balloon pilot, Laurie Spencer and her husband Scott Spencer.
During the split two day event, Stitch got to meet the pilots, the ground crew, Mickey and Minnie and the 50th Anniversary Disneyland Ambassadors, while also meeting some new local friends.
We took a couple hundred pictures of the big day, but they wouldn’t all fit on Stitch’s Balloon Board of Fame. He rotates them . ;)Thanks to everyone involved in this awesome experience. It was the first time Wrangler Scorch had been around a hot air balloon and it was extremely exciting to see the balloon inflated and deflated. It was also special because it was Mickey (although it would have been better if it was Stitch). Stitch had a great time too, getting to ride the special 50th Golden Ears Mouse Balloon.

Please remember, we at the Stitch’s Adventure Club, have never had an insider connection to help us and currently get these opportunities just because we are simply the best at what we do; sharing and creating Disney Magic for all. Some people have inquired about insider connections, and we have not been privy. But if someone has an insider connection with Disney, a celebrity, or unique opportunity, that would be interesting for Stitch to partake in, we are all Ears (pun intended).
Some think we are crazy, but we are having fun creating our magical experiences for people of all ages.