|
Cast: Me (Jaime, 24), DH (Dan, 27), DD (Alex, 2)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004
DH and I decided to go to Disneyland a few months early. We woke up at 8:30, plenty of time to get to the main entrance and buy tickets before the 10am opening.
We purchased the Southern CA 2-fer: 2 days, 2 parks for the price of 1. We entered Disneyland park at 9:30-ish, and headed to Town Hall to make PS for Blue Bayou. We got a 1:30 time, then headed to the Main Street Train Station for the first trip to Toon Town.
The train left at 10:05, and we made our way to Toon Town. As we were getting off the train, we saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto right at the entrance to Toon Town! I was thrilled that we wouldn't have to go into TT and go through M&M's houses. We took pics with M&M and Goofy individually. Alex wasn't interested in Pluto by the time we got to him. We decided to head over to IASM. We walked right through and got a boat to ourself. Alex wasn't overly thrilled, but I think she enjoyed it. She saw the Mermaids and kept saying "Ariel! Ariel!"
After IASM, we headed to Tomorrowland. We passed by the Matterhorn, and Alex stopped dead in her tracks! "RIDE!" So, we checked her height, and she was BARELY 35"!! Dan took her on, and she was smiling when I took their pic at the end.
After the Matterhorn, DH suggested I take Alex on Autopia while he checked out the arcade next to Space Mountain. Alex and I walked half way up the walkway, then turned around. There were SO many people in line AND backed up in the cars, I didn't think it'd be worth it. So we headed over to the arcade at SM. DH was riding in that race car simulator. Men and their toys ;)
After Tomorrowland, we headed to Ariel's Grotto. Alex has been into The Little Mermaid, as well as dolphins and whales (since going to Sea World). At first, she didn't want to get in line, but I had DH wait while I took her around to show her what we were waiting for. I said "Look Alex! It's Ariel!" She wanted to run up right then and give her a hug LOL. A little girl sitting there watching everyone else said "That's not the real Ariel. It's just a girl in a costume". I told her "SHE doesn't know that!" and walked away. UGH...kids these days! We waited and Alex got her pic taken with Ariel (we ended up buying it later). Ariel kept telling Alex "You're so pretty! I love you!" LOL...they had a pretty extensive conversation about dolphins, too. (remember, Alex is 2!!!)
After visiting Ariel, we headed over to Adventureland to ride the Jungle Cruise. Again, we walked on, but had a full boat. The spiel was somewhat new, and I laughed. But I like those corney jokes LOL.
After the JC, we went on Pirates. First time being on it since seeing the movie. Alex had no reservations about getting on, but the "just a girl in a costume" girl was SCREAMING not to get on. I was secretly glad, too. I just didn't want her near my daughter, runing the magic, KWIM? We went down the first flume, and we got considerably wet. Not soaked, but enough for Alex to wipe her face on my shirt LOL...after the second one, she put my arm around her and said "No more wet" LOL. Poor kid. After Pirates, we headed to Haunted Mansion. Again, no reservations from my kid LOL. She sat in my lap the whole ride, as DH and I aren't little people, and that was the only way we'd all fit in the buggy. During the stretch room, DH picked her up, and covered her eyes and ears, because we didn't want to startle her. She's brave, but hates lightning.
After Haunted Mansion, it was still only 11:30, so we headed into Critter Country. We used the restrooms and headed to Winnie-the-Pooh. I loved that ride!!! :) I caught one Hidden Mickey, and was so proud of myself that I told the cast member at the end. She said there were two! So I told Alex we'd be riding again after our nap later that afternoon. After the ride, we bounced in line to see the characters. The first was Tigger. The second was Eeyore. The third was Pooh. Alex has never been afraid of the characters (this is her 2nd Disney trip, the first to DCA when she was 9 months), and for that, I'm grateful.
By the time we finished with Pooh and the gang, it was almost 1. We decided to head over to Blue Bayou to see if they could seat us early. We got there, and the prices on the menu were outrageous!!! So we decided to bypass Blue Bayou and ate at the French Market. Alex and I got kids meals, and DH got the French Dip. He said it wasn't that great. More like "Mystery Meat" then Roast Beef.
After lunch, we headed back to the hotel. We were staying at the Tropicana Inn & Suites, across from the walkway on Harbor Blvd. We all fell right asleep, and Alex and I woke up at 4:30 to head back. DH had a headache, so he stayed and slept a bit more.
When we got back to DL, we saw Belle, Snow White, and Cinderella in the main entrance. Cindy left by the time we got through the gates, but Alex got a pic with Belle and Snow White. We walked on to Main Street, and saw Aladin and Jasmine. Alex wasn't too sure about them, though. She's never seen the movie or TV series, though, so I attribute her shyness to that. Then we saw Dale by the Bank of Main Street. All by himself. So Alex got to chat with him for a while and take a pic.
We headed into Fantasyland, and waited our longest wait all day: 10 minutes for Peter Pan's Flight. She wasn't all that impressed, but she couldn't see over the sides of the ship, either LOL. After Peter Pan, we started walking nowhere in particular. Just taking in the sites. I stopped at a little kiosk thingy and bought Alex a flashlight, since it was getting dark. Then we headed to the Mad Hatter (Hatmosphere in Tomorrowland was closed when we went earlier) to get Mickey Ears. Well, she didn't want Mickey Ears. She chose instead, a Minnie Mouse baseball cap with sunglasses on the bill. $17!!!!! Oh well, she's worth it! LOL
We walked back through the castle to Frontierland to head to Critter COuntry to visit Pooh again. We saw that the Sailing Ship Columbia was getting read to leave again, and since I've never been on it, we decided to take it for a spin. Well, as we were waiting, it started raining. We had been lucky all day. The forcast the night before said heavy rain all day. So we rode the Columbia, and Alex only noticed the puppy on the log LOL..she was busy eating Skittles.
After Columbia, we headed to Pooh Corner so I could buy her a poncho. She was wearing a jacket, but I wasn't sure how water proof it was. Later that night, turned out it was more water proof than mine LOL. Anyway, we went into Pooh Corner and she saw an Eeyore on the counter. The gal let her hug it while I was buying the poncho. I tried putting the poncho on her, and she flipped out! She started crying and yelling "No" to me. The gals behind the counter came out and
started talking to her, calming her down, letting her hug Eeyore, one girl gave her a Mickey sucker. They finally were just talking quietly and she finally let me put the poncho in her backpack. She got some stickers, and was very happy by then. We walked over to the Pooh ride and she rode in complete silence, sucking on her Mickey sucker. After Pooh, Dh called and said he was on his way to DTD to meet us for dinner. It was about 7-ish, and the park closed at 8, so I figured we were done. We headed to Main Street to take a look at the photos we had taken during the day. On the way, I bought myself a souvenier mug with hot chocolate. I ended up with 3 or 4 sips. Alex finished the rest LOL. We bought the Ariel photo, then headed to Tomorrowland to hop on the monorail.
We got off at DTD, then went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. Again, we had the kids meals (pizza for Alex and me) and Dan had some chicken strips (best I've ever had) and a burger. Yummy! I love RFC.
After RFC, we went to Build-a-Bear. Alex picked out "Nikki's Bear" a bear that supports families with children with cancer. I thought it was fitting since my SIL died of cancer in November. She wasn't a child, but still. It touched my heart :) Dan put his own voice saying goodnight to Alex, since he lives in Northern CA and we live in Southern CA right now, due to his job. She played it ALL night! :)
After BAB, we had to walk back to the hotel. In the rain. By then, it was more than a sprinkle. DH didn't think to drive and park in the DTD parking lot. He didn't even wear a jacket. He did bring an umbrella, which he used to cover the bear LOL. We were all soaked, but Alex was dry from the waist up. He jacket kept her warm and dry.
We slept so good that night. :) And had magical Mickey dreams. Alex woke up the next morning asking to see Mickey again, but she's going to have to wait a couple weeks. Our 2nd days are good until 3/25.
The best part: Seeing Alex's face with each new character and her making her bear.
The worst part: The "lady in a costume" kid and Alex's breakdown in Pooh Corner.
BTW, all my stroller questions went out the window. For the first part of the day, I pushed and she walked. For the second, I didn't even bring it. She walked ALL DAY. She's a trooper that one!
|
