Just Another Day in Paradise: October Disneyland Trip

We planned a vacation to Disneyland after Cars Land had been open a few months so it wouldn't be so crowded. Boys on the tram.

Girls on the tram.

Welcome to Cars Land!

It looks just like the movie.

The Cozy Cone Motel, they are snack kiosks.

"Ramone's will paint you up right man." It's just a store.

Flo's is a cafeteria type restaurant.

We got right in line for the Racers.

These guys were sure excited, and Tyler had the perfect shirt.

It was awesome. The first half was a smooth kiddie ride getting to see all our favorite characters, then it was time for the race and it turns roller coaster-ish. It was awesome! We all loved it, especially Adam and it made the whole trip worth it...and it was so fun to start out on that note.

Next we rode on Luigi's floating tires.

For those Disneyland Trivia lovers it is fun to know they had a ride like this long ago where space mountain now stands. It broke down a lot because their hover technology wasn't that great yet. I suppose they feel ready to bring back an old idea with newer technology.

You lean the direction you want to go.

The girls posing at Stanley. "Be free Stanley, Be free!"

Then we rode Mater's Tractor Tow

It was too jerky, and Adam bonked his head and cried.

Going to Bug's Land next cheered him up. He is so proud of himself climbing on the railings in the line. I have such good memories of doing that same thing.

Adam was very pleased to pick out our ladybug. Sarah and Dad opted out of the spinning ride.

But we had a blast.

The bamboo trees were shedding thick layers, which we picked up and used to fan ourselves. I just want to remember them. The kids made a big deal about wanting to bring them home, but by the afternoon they had fanned us well and started to crack, so that was the end of that.

Time for the Tuck and Roll bumper buggies. It's nice Sarah can reach the pedals now and drive on her own, she sure is growing up.

Rachel was so proud to drive me. She can drive on her own, but she likes to chauffer me.

Yikes, they headed straight for us!

And laughed like crazy when they whammed us.

But they had no such luck on the Chew Chew Train.

They sat in front so I could keep a close eye on them, Adam looks so disappointed.

The calm girl row.

After Bug's Land we went to Soarin' where Adam joined us for his very first time. He is finally tall enough!

Then Dad and his girls rode Bear River. Adam almost got to go, but one ride attendant didn't think he was quite tall enough, by just a hair. So we hung out at the Wilderness Explorer park where Adam discovered the rope walk and insisted on doing the whole thing. I was sure his feet would go right through the holes and we'd lose a shoe, but he only got stuck in one spot and I rescued the shoe.

I love that there is a place for him to run...

and climb...

act so well behaved...

and jump!

They gave him a picture card after getting a picture with Dug (the dog from Up). He said, I've always wanted one of these! He was more excited about getting his own Mickey photo card than seeing Dug.

We decided to check out the Ariel ride, only because there was absolutely no line at all.

Those boys look way too manly to be in that pink seashell.

This was my favorite scene. The girls were grossed out by Ariel's tummy fabric wrinkling as she danced in the Under the Sea part. It looked weird.

We made our way over to the Pier where Dad and Sarah rode Screamin'

Rachel went on Screamin' last year, but didn't love it.

so she rode the carousel with Adam and me. Adam's pleased face is from being able to climb all the way up on his own and buckle himself. It's hard to believe he was the tiny papoose in the tummy pack not long ago that couldn't enjoy much about these vacations. Now I not only have no one to carry, I have no one I have to lift on and off of rides!

Meeting a special friend.

Adam just hugged and hugged.

Finally Woody was able to turn Adam around, and then he went back in for another hug. Adam asked while we waited in line why Woody wasn't saying anything to the kids he was meeting. Then he asked if Woody was just in a costume and I said yes. The love still overwhelmed him even knowing it wasn't the "real Woody."

Gearing up for Midway Mania

Rachel didn't like these swings either, so I put her on photographer duty.

She caught Sarah flying, I love to see for at least a minute she isn't worrying or second guessing herself.

Mom and Rachel under a Tinkerbelle sign. Some of us got motion sick and rested on the bench a while, but nothing drastic.

Monsters Inc.

Bathroom stop.

The Hyperion

Jasmine show.

Jammin' out.

We had to get back to see Radiator Springs at night.

We bought cotton candy from a line vendor and had a sweet treat. Sarah is snuggling me, but Adam is clearly snuggling into the cotton candy bag.

The oil bottle garage, from the Stanley short.

What a ride!

On the way out in the tram, Ty loves the King Mickey and Queen Minnie Pumpkin display with Donald as court jester, but I couldn't get a good shot of it in the dark.

A little well deserved rest for this fun-lovin' Daddy. We were talking with Aunt Luise Uncle Van and then he just wasn't. It was quite funny.

We planned a whole day just to be at home with Aunt Luise and relax.

We watched Star Wars, to prepare for the new Star Tours adventure. Adam loved it.

Rachel didn't like it, Darth Vader creeps her out. So Aunt Luise taught Rachel how to design and sew special bookmarks. It was the highlight of Rachel's trip.

I discovered where the mysterious bees we kept finding were coming from. I found hundreds of them in the living room, and then got stung. As I was watching Uncle Van vacuum some up, one crawled onto the side of my foot and stung me. I could feel my throat closing and had to take the kids' allergy medication and lay down, but I was ok.

We relaxed at the park by their house.

Dad and Sarah had a great conversation and Rachel met a little friend and played tag.

After our last visit the bike seat that goes on one of the Chevron cars went missing. We found it in our suitcase as we packed up to come back and everyone was happy to see the bike glued back together!

Sweet buddies up reading books in the morning all by themselves, and ready to go back to Disneyland.

Back again!

First ride of the day, Buzz.

Ready to get those aliens!

Next, Star Tours. Because we go in the exit with Aunt Luise's vroomy chair, we had to peek in the normal line to let Adam see his "new friends"...

C3PO

R2D2

He loved it and the girls, Sarah at least, finally understood it. Rachel wanted to be guaranteed there would be no Darth Vader, of course we had no idea what it would be like, but we assured her she could close her eyes and would be just fine. He did show up, but she was brave.

We went to the wookie planet with lots of Chewbaccas.

On to Autopia.

Adam and Dad were ahead of Rachel and I with Sarah in her very own car.

Rachel and Aunt Luise waited in an hour long line to see Periwinkle

and Tinkerbelle.

Sarah, Adam and I watched the Jedi training a little, then got in line for Matterhorn. Rachel joined us right before we went on. Then we went to fantasy land.

Aunt Luise wasn't scared of Snow White's Scary Adventure.

Happy Kids.

I love this picture. The worker is squeezing us into the caterpillar and Aunt Luise is obviously not enjoying it, but Tyler seems to be. It is tight, but so much more fun to be all together. Thanks for coming with us Aunt Luise!

Sisters getting hyped up for small world. I'm so glad they are such good friends.

From the line we could see Merida from Brave with her gigantic mass of hair. She also had an archery section where you could practice shooting arrows into targets.

Sailing away.

I love to see Tyler getting to be relaxed and having a good time. Sometimes the girls call him Kokoum, because he is so serious. For Pocahontas fans, you know what that means, but for the rest of you he is the serious man her father wants her to marry, but she chooses adventure instead.

This is me! I always wanted to be the goose girl.

Dumbo

Adam rode with Sarah.

Lunch was a blast, maybe even the best part of the day. We had so much fun giggling and resting in the cool. We were sitting by a curtain that we saw someone come out of and while it was open we saw it was a secret passageway in to Rapunzel and Flynn Rider...or should I say Eugene Fitzherbert? We ventured over and peeked in, it was much better than waiting an hour and a half to see them. He-hee.

After lunch we went on the carousel.

Adam flying.

And we used teamwork to get that sword out, but no success.

Jungle Cruise. Adam very interested in what was going on, Sarah and Rachel so obediently raising their hands to go along with whatever joke was being told.

The last ride for Aunt Luise was the Tiki Room, where we sang along and giggled. She headed home and we stayed.

Pirates.

The fancy restaurant where Dad tells us he had the worst fancy sandwich in his life...the Monte Carlo. We don't usually enjoy eating out, I should be grateful (at least for our budget's sake) that we both prefer non-fancy simple home-cooked meals.

On guard, don't ye be buyin' no souveniers.

Time for the Wildest Ride in the West.

As we got off Adam said, "Whoa, that really was the Wildest Ride in the Whole Wilderness!"

Splash Mountain.

Adam's first time, this has been looked forward to and a major topic of Palmer conversation for many months. He is super excited. Excited to be included in the family's favorite ride which we have named certain parts of the freeway after and numerous games. This was a major goal in his life. We had often said such things as, "Eat your spinach so you can grow big enough for Splash Mountain." Now, the moment had come!

This looks like we got right on the ride, well eventually we did. Only after waiting in line over 2 hours while it kept breaking down. The crew finally cleared everyone out and gave us fast passes to any ride of our choice to soften the blow. By the time we walked over and sat down on the Pooh Bear ride, it was finally fixed! When our ride was over we dashed back and since they had sent everyone away we were able to walk right on, and Adam got to go! And yes, he loved it!

So we went again!

Woohoo!

We still had our pass so we headed over to Big Thunder Mtn, but right when it was time to tell them how many in our party, it broke down and they wouldn't give us our ticket back. Even if they had, there wasn't time enough to go on anything because the park was closing.

So we walked over to the New Orleans Station to make a last ride of the train.

Adam got a little silly waiting.

passing the big pumpkin on the way out.

The sillies wore off and Adam is running out of gas.

The front entrance decorations that we love.

Happy kids on their way back to Aunt Luise's...

who quickly become tired kids before we get there.

The next morning we prepared to go to the stables with Uncle Van.

Someone needed a band-aid and Aunt Luise sent Tyler upstairs saying there might be some in Teddy Bear Bathroom cabinet...

and boy did Aunt Luise have some, even some prehistoric ones. Tyler couldn't resist bringing everything he found in just the one bathroom cabinet she told him to look in! 9 boxes full, some from the 60's not even opened.