Disneyland

A few Fridays ago, my husband kik'd me (fancy text messaging) and said - Let's take the kids to Disneyland! Like, tonight!

I totally didn't believe him. Vacationing was out of the picture this summer since all our $ for that was spent on our poor Pico's vet bills. Plus, we had always talked about how tough taking two littles anywhere would be. But I play along and he is completely serious. He wants to leave for CA as soon as he gets off work. He's made arrangements for Myla. After doing some mad internet searching and cost analysis, we decide to hold off till the next weekend, if Lincoln gets the 8 hr request for Friday (doesn't it seem silly, he has to ask to only work 8 hours).

Monday - he kik's me "We're going to Disneyland!" I scramble around for the next few days, do a bunch of price comparisons with all the vacation/hotel sites. One offers a buffet, the other gets you into Disneyland an hour early. This one has 2 rooms, this one free parking. It's been years since we went to Disneyland. 6 to be exact (my ASU graduation trip). I don't remember tickets being sooo expensive!

In the end we booked through Disneyland Resorts, got a hotel across the street from the park so we could go back for naps and meals if need be, and 2-day Park Hopper tickets.

This is our first family vacation. I was overwhelmed. I had no idea what to pack. I always over pack anyway, but to do that for me and two littles! It literally took me all week. I could only do so much while the kids were awake (Gemma is easier but Calder is in his daredevil stage and attempted a mad dash down the stairs while I was getting suitcases out). Plus I wanted to keep up with my housework so we didn't have to come home to a sty.

And of course, both kids had to start coughing and get runny noses. Of course.

We did a Target run for snacks and stuff. I always laugh about how much junk we buy for road trips. Way more than we would eat if we were at home for the weekend.

Friday - I was a stress case. Lincoln wanted to leave as soon as he got off work (he was aiming for 2pm, which is unheard of for his job). So I had a lot to do. I loaded the kids up and Myla and her stuff to take her to Brandi and McKay's, who were nicely going to watch her for us. My van wouldn't start. Apparently we left the lights on inside when we were adjusting car seats the night before!

My 11 year old nephew has to show me how to jump start my car...

My mom decides to stay at my house for the weekend (my Nana was in the hospital) so luckily I didn't have to go to McKay's afterall (but thanks, guys!).

Linc is home before 2. We are out the door by 2:30. Seriously, must be a record. Only forgot 2 things - Linc's jacket and more importantly, our case of water. Had to buy more at every pit stop. Bummer.

The drive there is mostly uneventful. Gemma sang the same line of "Beauty and the Beast" over and over. All while holding her Belle doll. Calder had enough about 2 hours in. So I had to sit in the back. We pit-stopped in Blythe for a quick (and nasty) fast food dinner. After Blythe, we got stuck for an hour due to a semi truck on fire! No details. Looked bad though.

One more pit-stop outside of one those Palms towns. Then into Anaheim by 10:15. The hotel was nice. We were on the 8th floor and it was one of those ones that the doors open to a balcony straight down to the parking lot. The room was decorated in a Disney Princess theme which Gem just loved. Kids didn't want to go to bed and we had to wait on the hotel crib. So it was a late night. I think I only slept 3 hours. Gem got the comfy king bed with Linc while I was on the not at all comfy pull out bed with Calder.

Off to Disneyland bright and early. We had passes to early admission for Toontown so we headed there first. I actually got a little teary eyed seeing how excited Gem was. She met Minnie Mouse first and almost hyperventilated! Apparently the cool thing for kids is an autograph book for the characters to sign. We fell for it and spent the $20 for the book and matching pen. But Gem loved handing it over and we made sure we got pictures to go with it. We also got the kids their mouse ears. Which of course, Gem refused to wear.

She rode a coaster with Daddy then met Mickey and Minnie again. Then I took her on the teacups and we all rode Dumbo. Linc and I haven't been on these rides in years so it was a whole different side of Disneyland. They waited in line for the Princess meet and greet but it wasn't moving and we had lunch plans with Ariel. Fantasyland completely caters to little girls and their fairy tale dreams. Gem fit right in in her Belle dress I bought at Target for a third the price as the ones at the park.

We headed over to the California Adventureland. We had lunch at Ariel's Grotto where you get to meet Ariel and have pictures done. Then the princesses come around and visit. It was a little pricey but it boasted a four course meal with steak and lobster for me and Linc. You walk down a staircase to Ariel. Gem practically tackled her. Then at lunch Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White came by. Sleeping Beauty was the nicest.

Then naptime.

Back to the park by 4. We stumbled upon a Minnie performance with the Fly Girls. Gem loved it. We did "a bug's land" and they rode the ladybugs. Then we all rode the "chew chew" train. We waited in a 45 minute line for a Toy Story ride which was nothing like I thought it would be, but Linc and I liked it. Gem was not happy about the wait. I was not happy about her wait either. We attempted the giant Mickey Ferris Wheel but neither one of us are big on heights and when the line didn't move like it alleged, we booked it to a nearby restaurant. Pizza solves a lot.

Back to the main park, where we just missed the Main Street Parade. It was starting to get cold so we took advantage of the Baby Center at the end of Main. They have changing stations, little toilets, high chairs, hot water, nursing rooms. Pretty cool. Linc changed Calder into warmer clothes while I took Gem potty (side note - she made it in chonies the whole time with no accidents!). The toilet barely went to my calf and she looked at it, then at me with a face like, you've gotta be kidding. She had to practically squat to get on it.

We all shared a churro with Gem eating the majority. Small World was next. I remember being terrified of it as a little kid. Those puppets gave me nightmares. But they seem to be revamped and have actual Disney characters in there. It was pretty cute and both kids enjoyed it. Every time we would leave a ride, Gem would say "More!" We tried to find the Pooh characters but apparently most are not in the park after 5pm. Everyone was starting to bunker down for the light shows so we got stuck being herded around like cattle. We only had one stroller with Gem in it and Calder was strapped to me in the Ergo. It was tough maneuvering but we managed. We attempted Tomorrowland but that place is a madhouse.

We took the kids on Pirates of the Carribean (no wait during the light shows). We kept telling Gem it was all pretend so she wouldn't be too scared. A woman in front of us was texting on her cellphone for several minutes in the dark ride so it was super annoying and I was real close to strangling her. Then once again we were herded around during the fireworks show so we couldn't see a darn thing. You literally have to camp out for hours if you want a spot to stand for the show.

We stopped for ice cream at Main Street, then darted across traffic for a nice comfy bench on a porch. Did a little people watching while Calder got to stretch his legs. I think that was the hardest part. He wanted to move around more but was either in the stroller or on me. Poor Gem was in her Pooh harness or carried by Linc. Occasionally she was in the stroller. But we didn't want her to get lost and Calder would have been trampled. He almost was more than once.

We checked out the souvenir shops but everyone else in the park was trying to do the same. Linc found the shirt he wanted and we vowed to come back for it the next day when it wasn't so crazy.

The kids fell asleep on the way back to the hotel, which is what I was hoping for. We just took off Gem's shoes and laid her in the pull out bed. Calder, of course, popped right up and thought it was play time. We cleaned him up and fed him his last bottle, hoping he would crash but nope. So we got ready for bed and turned out all the lights. He fussed for a little while, but then he slept in my arms for the whole night. He hasn't done that in forever, but he also weighs almost 25lbs now so it was pretty uncomfortable.

Sunday morning I woke up before the rest of them so I could shower and start organizing our stuff. We had to check out by noon so I wanted to make it as easy as possible. A little after 6, Gemma popped up, looked around, and said, "Gemma waked up... in this bed!" She was a little startled that she fell asleep at Disneyland and woke up somewhere else. Calder woke up on the wrong side of the bed and just whined and fussed all morning.

We managed to get to the park by 8. It was so nice. We saw Donald and Pluto and Minnie again. Mickey was with Goofy and the chipmunks were out. The lines were real short and we hit several rides in a row with hardly a wait - Pooh, Circus Train, Storybookland boats, and the carousel. We attempted Tomorrowland again to see the wait for the Star Wars ride but that place was a nightmare. Couldn't even get close.

We picked up some shirts and dolls for the kids. Then headed back to the hotel to load up and let the kids snooze. We decided to not go back to the parks and just venture down the Downtown Disney District. I remember going there a few years back and it seemed to have tons of stuff to do. We ate lunch there at La Brea Bakery (overpriced and overcooked). Found Calder a Hulk Bear at Build a Bear (we call him the Hulk because he isn't very fun when he is angry). Gemma had fun dancing to the music and we checked out a few stores. It wasn't as exciting as I remembered.

Then we loaded up for the trip home. I napped for a little bit while Linc drove. Eventually I had to sit in the back for Calder's bottle. We stopped in Lovekin(?) at the Flying J for a quick bite and potty break. Gemma chugged a chocolate milk so I knew we were going to have to stop again. We did. But it was because Calder stunk up the car. I made Gemma use the little plastic potty which concerned her greatly. She said she wanted a big toilet, but I pointed out to the desert and said this is all we got. She relented.

We were home by 9. Unloading always stinks. I still have clothes to put away but at least it is all washed.

All in all the trip was good. I really hope Gemma remembers some of it. Honestly I don't think we will attempt another for several more years.

 

             
 

 

      

    

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 














sorry for the wild display of pictures - they look one way in "compose" and a totally different way in the post