So mid January we packed the Prius to the brim, just two weeks shy of the kids turning three, and headed to Disneyland for a long weekend. It truly was the happiest place on earth. For four days. With two, "free" non-three year olds. What was especially magical, I believe, was that the kids had no idea what they were in store for. "Sure, we're going to Mickey and Minnie's house", whatever mom. But seeing life sized Mickey and friends, riding Dumbo, Cinderella's castle, and sailing in Peter Pans pirate ship through Neverland blew. their. minds. The overpriced magic was worth every penny.
Now I tell the kids that we can "talk about" going to Disney again when they're five. Since just about weekly since we have been back its "Mom, tomorrow I'm going to Disneyland"...."that's where the Dumbo ride is, mom. Not here. At Disneyland." We'll talk about it when you're five, kids.
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| Goofy was the first guy we met at the resort, meeting us for dinner the night we got in. Kids verrrrry shy. |
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| First Minnie Mouse siting! |
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| Will star struck. |
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| Ada and Pluto. Dinner time magic. |
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This was going on for like five minutes.
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| And as magic would have it, we got to meet Cinderella our first night in too. Ada was so brave, used her big girl voice to chat with her, gave her a hug, and posed with a princess smile for the camera. |
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| Short strolls from hotel to park monorail = awesome to parents of two, non-three year olds. Our first morning in. |
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| Kids not sure what to expect. But pretty dope that our first train ride we got to sit in the front with the conductor! |
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| They quickly figured it out though and were enchanted with the rides, especially Peter Pan. Definite favorite. Although blurry, I love the exact, twin look they're both wearing as the ride starts out. This is even about the tenth time they were on the ride. Magic. |
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| Did amazingly well waiting in lines. |
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| Every time we got to a lull in the day or anywhere near the vicinity of this retched ride, James would yell "hey kids! Want to find the mad hatter ride and make mama dizzy?!" To which there was an abundant "YEAH!" from everyone but me.... |
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| Mad hatter traumatic brain injury. |
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| Ada squealing with glee as dad yells "turn the wheel! Faster, faster! Make mama dizzy!" |
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| Will just as in on the action. |
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| A small world snuggle. |
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| Ada was so brave getting a special VIP meeting with Mickey Mouse in Downtown Disney. She walked right up to him, gave him a hug, and gave some smiles. Will stayed so bashful and star struck, couldn't even high five him the first day. Something else that was very cool was getting an impromptu visit with Minnie Mouse in her Downtown Disney house. Usually, once in the park, there are lines to meet the characters like there are with the rides, but we got lucky with a lull in the crowd and stumbled upon Minnie in her play house (even she and her security guard looked a bit surprised"). She was super cool though, and stuck around a while and played with Ada and Will in her kitchen. When other people started filtering in, she was quickly whisked away back to her stand behind the line. |
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| The funniest moment I have EVER had with Ada however, was during this race car ride. What's it called again? Go-carts on a track? She literally squealed with glee the ENTIRE time, clanging all around the track like a crazy woman. Every time she'd spin out of control, she yell "I got it, I got it", take the wheel back, and do it all over again. I was a giggling fool with this one. |
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| "I got it, I got it".... LOL! |
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| "Can I have the car keys, daddy???" |
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| Waiting for the parade. I remember doing this as a kid. Magic. |
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| Round two meal with Mickey and the gang. This was probably the best time we had a Disney. It was a Monday morning, our last day at the park. We had yet to see Daisy, Will's most favorite "Mickey guy", so James had researched "best Daisy sitings" and brunch at the furthest resort from the park was recommended. It was a magic home run. We were like two of the four or five kids in the whole joint. There was no one there. We ended up just hanging out there for a couple hours, dancing, playing, and running around with the whole Mickey crew. The kids had a blast. Mickey Mouse pancakes to boot! |
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Ada and Mickey were best buds by the time we left.
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| Will for the most part kept his distance, being oh-so start struck with the whole scene. He was so obviously interested and ecstatic to be near everyone, but just couldn't bring himself to interact. I was so, bursty happy then when Mickey finally at one point just reached out a grabbed Will and give him a big hug. Will then sat with him like this for a long time, and was clearly very happy. |
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| It really helped open Will up, but this was still the closest "bye bye" we got from Will that morning. His hi-five was so quick, I couldn't catch it! |
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| Ah! And there she was! This was our first Daisy encounter. Will was so enamored, he couldn't even look at her! |
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| No, really. |
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| But check it! This Daisy Duck was so amazing with him, after learning that she was Will's most favorite guy in the whole world, she sat with him like this forEVER. Just playing peek-a-boo, or just plain got ignored. She was an angel duck that day, she was. |
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| Ada was dishing out hugs and BFFs with everyone in the joint by the end. |
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| Getting closer. |
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| The money shot! Will kept looking at this picture for the rest of our time there. |
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| Then we rode some pirate ships, pirate rides, and Peter Pan ships pretty much the whole day. |
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| Only one temper tantrum! Its back there. |
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| Then this happened. And I melted into a magic blob. |
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| Look at these guys. |
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| And by the time we got to our third meal with Mickey and friends, we were pros. Its like the guys were all there to see Ada and Will. This pic is for Chip. Cuz he's Chip. |
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| Ada and Will each got to pick out a special toy from Disney, the last hour, of the last day in the park for being such big kids. Ada choose a baby Minnie doll and Will choose a bubble machine. Had absolutely nothing to do with Disney. He, however, felt very strongly about showing it to Minnie and getting a picture with the bubble machine and Minnie. She was a great sport, even wrote him a letter saying that "blowing bubbles is her favorite toy. Love, Minnie Mouse". It's framed on their bedside table now. Will, at the end, was very brave and made lots of friends. |
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| Reading to Minnie and Daisy after a long day of magic. |
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| We hit the beach for lunch on our way out of town, just cuz we could, and we live in the desert. So there's the Pacific Ocean, even if we don't see it again this year. |
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| Beach bum even in her winter cap and coat! |
