Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Disneyland {Part 2}

So Tuesday morning was Magic Morning which means we, staying in a Disneyland hotel, get to go into the park an hour before the gates open for the public.  So we were all going to get up at 6am to be ready by 7am.  We didn't get to the park until about 8am.  I was so excited to go into the park and to show the kids what Disneyland is all about and they were taking SO LONG to get up and ready!
We finally got in and started walking down Mainstreet USA.  Arnold saw a castmember driving an old bus down the street and we hitched a ride to Cinderella's castle with him.
Aren't they just so cute?!
We needed to have a game plan of what we wanted to tackle on the first day and we knew we wanted to do all of Disneyland so we decided to start in the back at Toon Town.
On our way there, we rode the Teacups for our first ride, Shannon and Arnold didn't want to vomit that early in the morning so me and the 3 kids rode together and laughed and laughed.  As we were walking toward Toon Town, we ran into Peter Pan!  He was so perfect!  As he was talking to the kids, the monorail went by and honked it's horn.  Peter Pan plugged his nose and asked Elizabeth if that was her!  Then he said he didn't know girls did that.  Then he asked Noah was he was good at and Noah said baseball, then Peter Pan said he was good at everything.  Oh he was hilarious!
Arnold was so excited to be there with his kids!
Then we got into Toon Town!
Arnold & Noah on Roger Rabbit
So Cute!!
Arnold trying to get into Minnie's backyard!
Minnie Mouse!!
Minnie's house, so cute!
Mickey's House!
Mickey Mouse!
The ONLY picture Shannon wanted of her...with Mickey!
Ya need good walking shoes in the Happiest Place on Earth!
There were people climbing the Matterhorn every day.
Saw Pluto at the Big Thunder Mountain Jamboree

I am not a fan of roller coasters because of the big hills.  So Shannon told me as we were getting closer to Splash Mountain that I either had to go on that or Space Mountain.  So I had to choose between a huge hill that I know is coming up...or...being in complete darkness on a roller coaster.  I'll take Splash Mountain.  We got in line and I was silently freaking out on the inside.  I was shaking and couldn't concentrate on anything except for my impending heart attack and death.  DJ rode in the log in front of us with Shannon's friend and her son.  So we got in the log...no seat belts.  Just metal bars on the side of the seat to hold on to.  So we start going and then Shannon saw the big drop and didn't realize when we were walking by it that that is what it was.  So when she saw it, she felt so bad!  We start going up the hill and into the mountain and the little critters are singing Zippee Doo Dah and I'm officially freaking out...on the inside.  We go down the little hills inside the big mountain and then start our climb up the big hill and I usually have to hold onto my stomach going down those hills but then again, no seat belts so I have to keep both hands on the metal bars which have gotten wet on the previous hills.  Then we get to the top and there is a little bunny tied up in rope with a sign that says Turn Back Now or something like that and then the nose of the log tips over the top of that hill...and it's straight down!  I held on tight and it was over quick...and was fun!  I'm so glad I did it and that Shannon pushed me to face one of my fears.
Here's proof!  I'm the second pink shirt!
Then we met some of my favorite characters!
In the honeycomb on the Winnie ride
Tarzan's Treehouse
Practicing Tarzan's call
I love this kid!
Buzz Lightyear, so fun!
We walked back down to Main Street USA to get a spot for the parade, then Lu and I walked back to Tomorrow Land to get a pizza for dinner while we waited for the parade to start.  DJ wanted these Mickey glove hands since we got to the park and he loved this umbrella hat, you know just in case you need an umbrella hat.  He was cracking all of us up!
Then the parade started!
The Disneyland All-American College Band
Here come Mickey & Minnie!
Alladin
Then my VERY FAVORITE!
Little Mermaid
I used to watch this movie over and over when I was a little girl.  Now at 30 years old, I still watch that movie and sing all the songs.
I loved their costumes.
And then Ariel, she is perfection.
 Then the rest of the Princesses!
The Lion King
The Princess & The Frog
Peter Pan
 Tink
Mary Poppins & the Chimney Sweeps
We went shopping for a while after the parade.  In one of the stores they told Arnold about this deal where since they spent a certain amount of money on souvenirs, they could get a trading pin lanyard and a starter kit of pins for like $10 or something.  The told him and the kids how it worked and Arnold bought one.  They agreed it would be for the family but Noah got to wear it first.  They went and traded some of the pins with the cashier and thought it was really fun.  Then as the night got longer and we headed out of the park and over to Downtown Disney, Elizabeth and DJ wanted a lanyard of their own while we were in The World of Disney store.  So after the drama had subsided, Shannon let those two pick out a lanyard and let them each buy a cheap pin to trade later.
We walked past the Lego store.  Yep, those are all Legos.
We let the kids dance at the block party.  They were cracking us up!  They've got some awesome moves!
 Then Noah really wanted to go into the ESPN Zone and loved this display for Nolan Ryan.
We eventually made our way back to our hotel and crashed for the night.  I was so excited to do it all again the next morning.

1 comment:

Treesa Porter said...

So awesome that you took so many good photos! They will treasure them for their lifetime just like you have your aweful photos we took when you were little :)