Disneyland fan sets record for ‘most consecutive visits’ to the park

Iman Palm

2 years ago

Visitors pass through Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on April 30, 2021. A lawsuit claims Disneyland employees snickered at Joanne Aguilar, 66, a disabled woman struggling to get off a Jungle Cruise boat, before she fell and broke a leg on Aug. 22, 2021, leading to her death from an infection five months later. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

A Huntington Beach man’s love of Disneyland has earned him a spot in history with a feat that may never be matched.

Jeff Reitz was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for visiting Disneyland 2,995 days in a row.

The 50-year-old started his streak when he was unemployed in 2012. His daily park visits were only cut short when the resort shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeff Reitz vists Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland (Jeff Reitz)

Jeff Reitz stopping for a Walt Disney statue in Disney California Adventure. (Jeff Reitz)

Jeff Reitz poses with Aladdin Cinderella. (Jeff Reitz)

Jeff Reitz posing with Chewbacca on his 2,931st visit to Disneyland (Jeff Reitz)

Jeff Reitz poses with Aladdin at Disneyland. (Jeff Reitz)

Jeff Reitz visits a Valentine’s Day theme photo booth on his 2.967th park visit (Jeff Reitz)

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Reitz told Guinness World Records that the journey to become the record holder for most Disneyland visits started as a joke.

“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,” Reitz told the record book. “We decided to use Disneyland as a positive as we were out of work and had annual passes that had been gifted, so it was a source of free entertainment.”

The trips to Disneyland made Reitz a park celebrity in his own right once a reporter from the Orange County Register began logging Reitz’s journey on his 183^rd visit to the park.

“Then on 2012 July 1, halfway through the year, the Orange County Register reporter printed a story about making it to Day 183,” Reitz told the record book.

“Then the Associated Press picked up the story and it became real as I was contacted by newspapers and radio stations from around the globe asking for interviews.”

Reitz would document his visits to the park with check-ins on social media. In 2017, when he reached the 2,000th visit milestone, Disneyland gave him a gift basket and a certificate recognizing him as an honorary citizen.

With the Disney 100 celebration in full swing, Reitz plans to visit the park again soon.

“I have not set a return date yet, but now I think it would be really fun to return with my Guinness World Records title certificate to get pictures where I earned it — inside Disneyland,” Reitz said.