Disneyland

Holy Moley did we have a FULL day at Disneyland yesterday...

Nana had come down earlier in the week to spend some quality time with the kids and celebrate their birthdays. Nana showered them with attention (and gifts) leading up to a couple days in Anaheim and a visit to Disneyland. We got to our favorite low-budget hotel, the posh Howard Johnson's, and checked in early Friday morning. We then headed over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and grub.



Nana had promised the kids each a present; for Katie a Build a Bear, and for Andy a Lego set from the Lego store. Both kids were fully excited by this and were literally jumping up and down throughout the experience. Andy walked around open mouthed until he finally settled on a new Star Wars Hoth Rebel Base Lego Set.



Katie was heart-struck as she brought a pink bunny to life, scrubbed her clean, and (in true Katie fashion) spent a good 30 minutes just picking out the clothes.




We then headed to Paradise Cafe for some lunch. We sat next to a big gorilla that wailed and grunted regularly as we chowed down on a variety of stuff. We finished the meal with a birthday land-slide sundae that everyone devoured. Yummy.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel and suddenly Nana, Jen and I were all feeling serious rumbly tummies. Yes something was hidden in that Paradise Cafe food and I don't want to know what it was. I won't gross you out with the details, but needless to say, we all spent a good amount of time in the bathroom, followed by some naps!

Once that ordeal was over, we were feeling much better and decided to head to the pool for a little dip. The kids were showing off their stuff and really having a great time in the kiddie pool and the fountain play area. Katie was bombing people with her Cannon Balls, and Andy was trying in vain to plug the fountains from shooting water. In one of these plugging attempts, the water totally stopped (as it does randomly on each of them.) Andy then bent over to look in the hole to see what had happened, and with perfect slapstick timing, the fountain turns back on and just royally beans him right int he face, full stream. I was surprised at his recovery, a quick Curly-style face wipe and he was back in action.




The next morning we got up early and left for the park just before 8:00am. I was pumped on coffee and driving everyone batty as I was practically running, zooming the stroller, and setting an impossible pace right out of the gate. We rode Star Tours first. Andy was in shock as we walked in. He had never seen anything like it. Life size C-3P0 was talking to him... We had to drag him through the queue. He squealed the whole time, calling out each character as he saw them. For those of you who may not know, Mr. Andrew is a serious Star Wars fanatic.

We then hit Buzz Light Year's Astro Blasters. Nana and Mommy were shootin' it up!



Then we treaded further into Tomorrow Land and jumped on Autotopia. The kids really had a great time driving their own cars. It was a pretty bumpy ride with the level of experience at the wheels, but we managed to avoid any disasters.



We then decided to hit the new Nemo ride. I was concerned that the line would be long (keep in mind that it is only 9am at this point) but the line was already TWO HOURS LONG!!! Well, forget that! Too bad, wanted to see the new subs in action, but we weren't about to sacrifice that much of our day.

So we decided to hit Space Mountain. We were a bit concerned about this one as we knew it was fast and scary, but against better judgement, we decided to go in. Andrew is now 40.5" tall, a full half-inch over the required height for most of these big rides. Well, we sure broke him in on a doozy. The ride was soooo flipping out of control scary fast, pitch black, LOUD, and we must have been pulling 3Gs half the time. All I can recall is Andy sitting next to me, screaming crying yelling, "TOO WOBBOWY DADDY, TOO WOBBOWY!" (Too Wobbly) His little head was whipping around like a teather-ball so badly that I had to use every part of my body to try and hold in him place. I was really concerned. Nana had the same concerns, as she was using a Micheal Jordan-style dunk grip on Katie's head from behind the seat, trying to keep her little dome in place as we whipped through the ride. Jen was yelling, "It's all going to be OK, this is fun, WEEEE!" in a totally non-convincing tone through the ride. his is one where the picture tells a thousand words, check out or Disney-Photo of the experience to see each persons role in the ordeal. Needless to say, we won't be going on Space Mountain again for quite a few years.



After the terror train, we headed to Fantasyland, and Andy rode Dumbo with me, while Katie and Jen did the carousel. Andy is sitting on my lap right now saying, "I like Dumbo daddy!" (I'm talking to him as I type.) We did Pinocchio, the Story-Train, and the Castle before heading back to Tomorrowland to try and catch the new Star Wars Jedi Training Academy show.

Talk about your unexpected surprises. The Jedi show was an action packed experience, and Andy got to get up-close and personal with Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Stormtroopers, and Jedis! It was really pretty cool. He was too little to get chosen to come on stage a fight Darth, but he sure jumped up and down trying to get picked!

We then headed to the Princess Fantasy Faire and Katie got to have her time, getting autographs and signings with Sleeping Beauty, Pocahontas, and Snow White. We also watched the Princess Ball show, where Katie got to practice her courtesy and dancing. While waiting in line for the signings, Katie made some new friends. She did this so often throughout the trip, that one group actually referred to her as "The Ambassador of Disneyland." She would tell people what rides were best, offer to show them pictures, correct them on any mis-information.




We had a few snacks, rested up and then rode It's a Small World. It never ceased to amaze me how that ride, which can be so repetitive, can have such a powerful effect on the kids. They really loved it. After Small World, we trekked across to Frontierland, and got on Pirates of the Caribbean. Then the Disneyland Railroad, then Tom Sawyer's Island. After exploring a few caves, we settled down and listened to a cool folk band "The Bootstrap Pirates", followed by the new Jack Sparrow show. By this time, Andy was beat. He told me "I'm going to take a nap daddy" and promptly went to sleep in my lap in the hot sun.

We finished the show and rode the ferry back across, put Andy in the stroller, and Nana, Katie and me headed to Splash Mountain to cool off. Our Fast Passes were rockin as we waited for less than 10 minutes to get on. The ride was great. The final plunge was fearsome, and Katie was screaming as she lead the log in the front seat. When we emerged from the tidal-wave at the bottom, Katie was drenched from her shoulders to her head (that's all that sticks up from the log for her!) I tell ya, the grin on her face after that ride was ear to ear. I think nana was just glad it was all over...



We then rode Winnie the Pooh, got a fly-by from Eeore and started to head out of the park. We were so tired at this point and it was nearing five o'clock. We stopped for a fun show at the Tiki Room, which was nice and air conditioned. Then we did some shopping for souvenirs. Katie picked out some princess stuff, and Andy got himself a new Darth Vader costume which I have GOT to post a picture of (compliments of Nana.) He looks so great in it that he was getting people stopping and giggling at him from that point on. When he was choosing the outfit, I asked him, "Don't you want to be a Jedi?", he just looked at me seriously and said, "No daddy, I want to be Darth Vader." Again, I'm a little worried about his obsession with the dark side of the force...



As we were walking out, Nana scored some awesome seats on Main Street and we decided to hang-in for the Parade of Dreams. It was a good call and a great way to end the day. We got to see all the characters and wrap up an action packed day at the park.



Later Andy and I played some Legos while I struggled to maintain consciousness. For some reason we stayed up late enough to watch the fireworks, which we get a great view of from our hotel -- we can even hear the music from the park as they boom overhead. Andy, who had never seen fireworks before was entranced.



Ahh the Magic of Disneyland.

Now stick a fork in me, I'm done.