Our first day at Disneyland, we used our Magic Morning. Since the park opened at 8 am, this meant that Magic Morning started at 7 am. In order to take full advantage of our time, we showed up at the bag check around 6:20 am. We were the first people in line! A nice cast member came over and chatted with us about where we were from and what was going on at Disneyland. He even went and got birthday badges for the two birthday boys.
Waiting to go into the park.
When the park opened, we headed straight back to see Anna and Elsa. Since we were the second group in line, we were able to head right in. We saw Elsa who was really nice. Unfortunately Anna was sleeping in.
While U got Anna and Elsa Return Passes, in the hopes that Anna would be awake later, the kids and I rode Dumbo and the carrousel.
We then rode Alice and Tea Cups together. U and the girls rode Matterhorn two times while Matthew and I rode Pinocchio, Mr Toad and Dumbo.
We rode it's a small world holiday with no wait! That's amazing considering that the waits were sometimes over an hour due to the holiday overlay. We just happened upon it at a great time. I do love that ride in general, and it was fun to see it with all the holiday decorations and the holiday music.
Megan, Matthew and I rode Autopia and then the whole family rode Autopia. Sarah was super excited that she was tall enough to ride it all by herself!
Waiting for our car.
Driving all by herself!
Me and my buddy.
Daddy and his little girl.
Look at Sarah go!
It was then time to see Anna and Elsa. This time they were both there. Yeah! They were really funny together--joking about Olaf playing hide and seek and how it is easy to find him because he is always talking and how Olaf will play hide and seek with his nose. Unfortunately, the Photopass pictures we had taken didn't download so we don't have photos of this encounter.
We then rode Gadgets Go Coaster three times (so everyone had to have a chance to ride in the front, plus it was pretty much walk on) and Roger Rabbit once. We all played in Toon Town for awhile. The kids really liked setting off the dynamite--it had a variety of sounds it could do, including a large explosion. U and the girls rode on Roger Rabbit again while Matthew and I continued to play in Toon Town.
Matthew and Sarah, safely behind bars.
Jail break!
Driving the firetruck was a favorite activity!
Look out world, here I come!
Fill 'er up.
We then rode Haunted Mansion Holiday. The girls and U rode Splash Mountain and then Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Megan mostly liked Splash Mountain and definitely liked Big Thunder. Matthew and I rode Pooh two times and then the Mark Twain Riverboat. Then I rode Big Thunder with Sarah and Megan. Definitely one of my favorite coasters! Megan, Matthew and I headed back to the hotel while Sarah and U rode Indiana Jones.
Waiting in line for Indiana Jones with dad.
After our break, we ate dinner while waiting for the parade by it's a small world. We were able to see the lights turn on (which was so beautiful!) and see a show on the facade. The parade was really cool! Lots of great floats and characters. Toy soldiers that played trumpets were fun as well as a Pinocchio float that showed toys being made and then wrapped.
Waiting for the parade to start.
The toy soldiers were really cool! They even played the trumpets!
Mickey and Minnie sorting through Santa's letters.
Pooh! (His friends were there, too.)
Anna and Elsa.
How Megan and Matthew were for pretty much the whole parade! (Waving and being super excited to see some of their favorite people.)
Santa!
After the parade, we headed to Toon Town. We'd thought about going on it's a small world with the facade all lit up but the throng of people going there was crazy! Instead, we rode Gadget's Go Coaster (with no wait) and then the kids played a bit in Donald's boat and Goofy's house.
Crazy crowd of people post the parade! And they're all headed to it's a small world.
Giant pumpkin in Toon Town.
We then rode Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters a couple of times. Everyone really enjoyed that and Matthew kept saying, "Shoot Buzz!"
Daddy and Megan.
Megan was very intent on getting the "bad toy" (aka Zurg) back into the toy box.
Matthew and me.
Sarah.
We watched the fireworks. I always enjoy fireworks. They had the castle change colors with the music, too, which was cool.
Watching the fireworks.
U headed back with the younger two while Sarah and I used the child swaps on Indiana Jones and Matterhorn. Both rides were fun. However, the crowd management post fireworks left something to be desired. (Gridlock is a good word to describe it, except that in addition to not being able to move, there are people with strollers trying to get through the crowd going the opposite direction of everyone else. It was very poorly managed, to be sure.)
Reflections:
Matthew doesn't like most dark rides because they are scary. He really liked Gadgets Go Coaster.
Megan will often be scared at beginning of a new ride (especially the thrill ones), but likes it by the end. She also considers herself as brave for going on them. We met other families who couldn't believe someone as young as her would go on Matterhorn (and some of the other thrill rides).
Sarah really liked being able to drive her own car in autopia.
Even though it was a fairly crowded day at the parks, we were able to get so much done by getting to the park early and riding lots of rides in the morning.
Favorite things:
Matthew: going on it's a small world
Megan: fireworks and shoot buzz (Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters)
Sarah: going on autopia all alone
Me: Christmas parade
U: Christmas parade, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, look of joy on Me's face when saying, "I can't believe how much stuff we are getting done."
No comments:
Post a Comment