50-year-old Disney admirer visits Disneyland for 2,995 days; sets Guinness World Record

A 50-year-old Disney admirer, Jeff Reitz, has been visiting the company’s world-famous theme park in Anaheim, California, daily for eight years, three months and 13 days, reported The Guardian. Interestingly, he has been extremely obsessed with the animation giant’s products despite being grown up. With his huge admiration for the Disney world, he recently earned himself an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for having made the most consecutive visits to Disneyland ever, officials said last week. When Reitz was informed of his record-breaking act, he was told the Los Angeles Times that he was " shocked", and added 'it was just wild how all this happened'.

Disneyland had earlier gifted him a basket and a certificate proclaiming him an honorary citizen of the park. He was also awarded a celebratory dinner and a special backpack as he continued extending his streak. After Guinness World Records (GWR) informed Reitz about the award, he began getting recognition from other guests – who would ask him for his autograph or to take a picture with them – and also started getting to know the park’s employees, or “cast members”. Reitz ultimately made it to Disneyland on 2,995 consecutive days prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic had forced the park to close for more than a year beginning March 14, 2020.

50-year-old Disney admirer sets Guinness World Record

During an interview with a US newspaper, Reitz shared that he has been unemployed since 2012 and began to visit Disneyland daily with an annual pass. This annual pass had been gifted to him so he could leave his house, exercise, and break up the monotony hunt for a job. The continuous visits encouraged him and he began going for 2 months straight. On his 60th day, Disneyland hosted a 24-hour event highlighting 2012 as a leap year, and he met a reporter who was covering the gathering, according to the Guinness World records official website. The reporter started contacting him on the social media posts that would be published by him. Eventually the scribe wrote an article about the Mickey Mouse aficionado that gained a lot of attention, reported The Guardian. 

After he got a job again, it was difficult for him to visit Disneyland for nearly 3,000 days in a row as it required immense planning. He had to plan the visit to Disneyland either early in the day, late at night, or on breaks from his job but he made sure that he visited the amusement park.

Reitz doesn’t hold an annual Disneyland pass any more, the Times reported, but he makes occasional visits. He told the Guinness world records site he already knew what he wanted to do the next time he got to go to the park, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Disney company’s founding this year.