The Happiest Place on Earth

The real reason for the trip to CA-Disneyland!! It was fabulous and fun. We couldn't have picked a more perfect day. We didn't have to wait more than 5-15 minutes for anything. Partly because it wasn't a busy day and partly because we really exploited the fast pass system for all it was worth-it was great! We focused on kid rides as we have in the past but Samantha is tall enough for everything now so we also went on a lot of rides as well. We did almost everything and a few things we did twice!

Probably everyone know this but if not-did you know Disneyland does stroller passes where tall enough people can take turns on rides while others wait with little ones? First Samantha and I would go and then Tom would take a turn with her straight through to the end of the line. By getting fast passes for a busy ride (say...Space Mountain) then Samantha and I would skip to the head of the line, and then Tom would do the same with the stroller pass. It was great. We stayed all day until dinner. Then we left and put the kids to bed to come back and do some fun things without the kids! Here's our day in a nutshell:

Obligatory entering Disneyland photo

See Samantha's button she confiscated? That's my proof of being a volunteer to get the free admission!

First we went on Finding Nemo and then autotopia-Tommy's favorite (we went again later)! You can just see Samantha peeking her head out on the left.

Then the Buzz Lightyear ride, see my score-that's high for me :)

Then the rockets

Then Tom and I took turns with Samantha going on star tours (Samantha reported that this was her favorite). Tommy took this opportunity to sleep. Eliza took that opportunity to crumble crackers into his hair and then pick them out and eat them.

Then we took turns doing Splash mountain. Do you want to know something-I've never opened my eyes on Splash mountain. I'm kind of a scaredy cat. Tom took lots of pictures of sweet Eliza.

Winnie the Pooh ride (Eliza's favorite) twice and photo op

There was music blasting out of this honey pot-thus the jazzercise Eliza's engaging in.

Then Haunted Mansion, Pirate of the Caribbean, The Tarzan Treehouse (RIP Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse) Indiana Jones, and Jungle Cruise

Then finally on to Fantasy Land. If anyone at Disney cares what I think then I would tell them that kids' rides need fast passes too. There was no way I was going to wait 40 minutes for Peter Pan's Flight. My limit is 20 minutes. We did the Tea Cups, Carousel, and It's a Small World.

Nick and Katie were there too, but we did our separate things for most of the day. Nick hadn't been since he was 5-incomprehensible for someone as Disneyland spoiled as me!

Then we went on Space Mountain and left for dinner and the kids to bed. Tom and I came back to do Space Mountain again (Tom's favorite), Matterhorn and watch Captain EO (oh that was gloriously cheesy and horrible-I loved it!)

So I listed all my family's favorite-mine is Big Thunder Railroad which was closed but my real favorite....and this is ridiculous but I'll tell you anyway...It's Tiki Room.

In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki room all the birds sing words and the flowers croon

In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room!