The Boring Trip: Day 2

Oh, Babylon - oh, Babylon we bid thee farewell...

Here we are looking out one last time from our 32nd floor window at Vegas below. It was a fun, quick stay but Don and I were excited to leave it behind and go to Disneyland!!! So, after re-lugging all our luggage back through the casino, filling the car up with gas, purchasing my much needed Diet Coke, and asking directions to the highway from the friendly sun-wrinkled, cigarette raspy-voiced gas attendant lady, "Sweetheart, you take a left at that light and you're there honey" - we were finally on our way!

Saved by the ipod...

After traveling for several hours and less than 15 minutes from our hotel Liberty declared, "I've had it! I want out!" (of course, in fewer more to-the-point words/sounds/screams...). So I grabbed the thing closest to me to entertain her - the ipod - I quickly put it on the farm animal noises and handed it to her... for the final minutes of our car trip we heard "moo" and Liberty's responding uncontrolled glee, then "baa" and more glee and so on...I managed to record some of the final gleeful moments here:

The Disney Grand Californian Hotel...

As the hotel came into view, we saw kids were walking around with Mickey balloons and valets were showing up to take our luggage I couldn't help myself, I screamed to let out my long-bottled excitement causing the girls to jump up and down in their seats in glee leaving only Don in a state of quiet decorum when the valet opened the door to the van...oops:)
The hotel is patterned after the old National Park Lodges and I was overwhelmed with a feeling of nostalgia as I walked into the lobby as it reminded me of the the Yellowstone Lodge...
This is the giant fireplace in the lobby...that the girls sat at the next day in kid sized rocking chairs to listen to bedtime stories from a park ranger storyteller...

Here are Autumn and Bizzie watching old Disney cartoons in the kid's corner of the lobby while we check in to the hotel...

The art of seeing it all...

Don and I were so grateful for this program RideMax it has a list of all the rides at California and Disneyland and lets you choose the rides you want to do that day and then makes an agenda on when to do what ride (it plans ride proximity's, line waiting time, when to run and get a Fast Pass for a ride later that day and breaks). The one day we didn't us it we walked around frustrated feeling like we were wasting time finding rides with the shortest lines... So, while the girls explored the room with it's bunk beds, shower curtains with Bambi & Thumper on them and the patio overlooking CALIFORNIA, Don got onto RideMax and planned the afternoon and evening rides and off we went!!!!!

We rode Pirates of Caribbean (I was grateful for purchasing sunglasses for the girls because Bizzie kept them on throughout the ride...helped her feel safe I guess...). The updated the ride in 2006 to include the cast from the movies but it still has that nostalgic smell of tar and water that I remembered and love!

Next we hit the Haunted Mansion (which still gives me the willies) then it was time for Splash Mountain! Here we are waiting in line (Don didn't have time to go but we got him on it later in the day so look for the video of his bravery!):

Dinner at the Blue Bayou...

This was delicious!!!! The atmosphere was cool, too. It was dark and felt like an evening on the bayou with the pirates of Caribbean water on the edge of the restaurant. Pricey, but well worth the money and by far the best tasting food of the trip (sushi in Vegas not included)! Here's a picture of the restaurant inside:

We went to Fantasyland next...the girls were wide eyed as they walked through the castle, we went on Snow White and the Carousal just taking it easy...

Then while everyone else lined up for the parade we went back to Splash Mountain so Don could have his moment of glory if you look closely you can see Don's tonsils as he goes down (autumn is squished in front of him).

We spent a moment in the Hundred Acre Woods and called it a night by going back to the Hotel and taking a dip in the pool before heading to our room for Disney Chocolates on our pillows and a special channel on the tv with Belle telling a bedtime story...

What a day!! I love time just with the family no cell phones, interruptions, or obligations just us having so much fun.