We have said this several times the past few days...A month ago we were at Disneyland. Wow, time is flying by. We miss, so much, our beloved Disneyland. Each night, and sometimes during a lull in our day, the kids cry and whimper how much they miss Disneyland. They really, truly loved it. They are forever changed by it. To my chagrin, every car ride is a roller coaster ride now, and every tall building is the Hollywood Tower of Terror waiting to be struck by "electric". The kids beg to watch videos of other people's magical vacations found on Vimeo and You Tube...and I remember not so long ago when I would show them these very videos and tell them, "You are going to be there soon, this is Disneyland." They would wander away from the TV, unimpressed. Our memories are just as sweet and I am savoring each one.
I loved every single minute of our trip. I was beaming and I wore mouse ears. I woke up every morning at 4 am to get ready and get the kids up sweetly and dress them to have mickey mouse waffles and run to the park early. I loved the sunshine, even though it was blazing hot. I loved the smells, the music, the laughter and the lines of people - they were always friendly and also having a wonderful time. We laughed so much, and we learned so much about our family. And, as I finally felt like a mom, in charge of my kids on a monumental vacation...I also got to feel like a kid again. I wore those mouse ears happily...the old school ones....not the new funky ones that light up or glitter. Mouse ears. Happy mamma.
We got to enter the parks early because of staying at the Grand. We got to ride the newest rides in Cars Land without waiting for hours. Radiator Springs Racers was our first big ride with the kids on our first morning in California Adventure Park. It was absolutely amazing with detail and emotion tied to the movie itself. Greta and Derek rode in the front seat of the car and Jack and I were in the back. The ride took us through scenic winding roads and through the story of Cars with all the characters and finally on a race...and it proved to be so fast and scared the living daylights out of poor little Jack. He was absolutely terrified and I felt absolutely terrible! I tortured my child! At Disneyland! (and I wasn't the only parent with this honor...or duty...) So, we spent the rest of our days and evenings choosing with care what ride Jack could handle. He loved Peter Pan's flight. He avoided Snow White's Scary Adventures. Loved Dumbo, the Carousel, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride...and as Jack put each day behind him he became a little braver. By our last day there, he even loved Pirates of the Caribbean. (But it took some convincing.) And, Greta...well...she deserves her own post. The girl is a daredevil.
Greta girl rode everything she could as she stretched her neck up tall to gain the needed inches to pass. She would be completely terrorized but profess her love for the ride and gain absolute bragging rights. She rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad as many times in a row as Jack was patient enough to let her. (Meanwhile he would pose with goats in the petting zoo...and they really do pose for pictures at Disneyland.) Greta would, by the finish of our last night there, have bragging rights to conquering the many drops of the Hollywood Tower of Terror. She did it, my brave, brave girl. And, I know her secret because when I rode Goofy's Flight School, she told me to pray to God on the hills! PRAY MAMMA! PRAY TO GOD!
We loved every single thing to love at Disney. The fireworks - I cried when I saw Tinkerbell flying. (I don't know why, exactly.) I cried going onto Star Tours...I remember riding this with my dad, and I thought of him with so much love as we rode and scared the living crap out of Jack again. We loved our Pineapple whip and the Tikki Room, the Jungle Cruise and the Haunted Mansion....Where our children made some special friends.
The highlight of our visit, to me, was when we met Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack approached Jack first and they talked about our house. Jack Skellington was asking questions leading our Jack to talk about our house being haunted or our cat being black. He asked him, "Do you have a dog?" "No." "Do you have a cat?" "Yes." "Is your cat black?" "Yes...No." "Do you cross her path?" "No, she stay inside." Then he went to get Sally and we waited to meet her as well. Jack and Sally talked to our kids for over 20 minutes! Sally declared that she and Greta were sisters and Jack and Jack were brothers. My little ones were amazed and felt so special! The next day, walking past, Sally saw Greta and Jack and called out, "MY SISTER!" She ran to the kids with Jack and they hugged and walked, holding hands, Greta and Jack through the French Quarter back to "the door to Halloween Town". They kissed them and loved them and I hope they never forget! I know I won't. These are the things that make Disneyland such a special trip to make. There are moments that make harsh reality really disappear. Thank you, Walt Disney.
