(The sleeping beauty castle at Disneyland. I took a side view because too many large families were massed in front of the castle taking selflies and group photos.)
Last week our family did what a lot of southern California families do - We went to Disneyland.
Because of my crushed vertebrae was forcing me to move slowly, I reserved a suite at a Disneyland hotel so that we could easily get in and out of the park. My daughter, her husband, and my grandson took over the 'living room' area of the suite while I got one of the beds and my granddaughter and her best friend took the other in the bedroom. This worked very well.
We did things together (celebrated my daughter's birthday) and things separately.
I highly advise anyone going to get the park hopper ticket so that they can spend time in both the basic Disneyland park and the adjoining California Adventure, even going back and forth if they wish.
We got the three day pass even though we only stayed two nights at the hotel. What a great deal! That way we got to enter the parks Tuesday, the day we arrived, all day Wednesday, and also on Thursday, the day we left. In addition, the three day pass came with extra privileges. YAY!
I loved walking around, comparing the modern Disneyland with the black and white film of its creation that my sisters and I had watched on the Micky Mouse Show in the 1950s. The two teen girls went off on their own, riding rides and meeting film stars. (Their top adventure was the photo opp with the teen age Sith in the latest Star Wars movie!)
My daughter's family went their own way with their 5-year-old. Suddenly I got a text that I should show up at Tomorrowland at a certain time because my grandson was going to go to Jedi School. There he was - in a brown Jedi robe - learning how to handle a light saber, and finally fighting a Sith. (It took the whole crowd to use the Force to force Darth Vader and his black students back into the Jedi Temple - which then sank into the patio. Quite a scene!)
That was the best thing about this adventure. With all of us having cell phones, we were constantly texting back and forth, meeting up to do rides or other activities together, then going off to places that interested us again. The girls often met up with my daughter and her family and took charge of my grandson, which he loved.
I loved the evening parade at Disneyland the first night as well as the World of Color shown against spouting fountains of water the second night. We could see the spouting water from our suite at the hotel, but instead of pictures on it, we just saw fantastic colors - but we loved that show as well. (Almost as good as the fountains in front of the Bellegio in Las Vegas. Nope, better.)
Yes, we had a great time. Will we go again? Probably. If I can save up enough money for the whole family, again. Because there's lots more I wasn't able to see and by that time my vertebra should be strong again and maybe I could go on some of the quieter rides.
Tower of Terror? Not me. Even thought it is highly recommended by the teens in our group.
Have you ever been?
What was your favorite part?
2 comments:
Sounds like a great trip, Wendie! I have been to Disneyland a couple of times, but my family prefers Disney World. It wouldn't be as good for you now with an injury, as things are more spread out, but there is a LOT to do. I'm partial to the old-school rides, like the peoplemover and the Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom. We also have some restaurants we love, old and new, that we always go back. So glad you had fun!
Jen, We went to Walt Disney World way back when we lived on the east coast and my granddaughter was 5 years old. My daughter flew in from her home on the west coast and took the kid there while I was at ALA at the Orlando convention center signing books as an author (because of winning the Boston Globe/ Horn Book Award) and attending sessions as a librarian. On our last day there, my daughter had to fly back, so I got to take my granddaughter to Walt Disney World, myself. She loved showing me all her favorite places there. Including standing in line twice so that she could talk to Ariel. The actor who played the part of Ariel was sooooo good with children and it gave her a thrill every time.
We saw lots of characters walking around at Walt Disney World, but I saw hardly any at Disneyland.
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