What a trip.
Oops, I mean,
"What a
vacation".
Disneyland was great. But, boy am I tired.
Day 1.
We took the kids on a plane for the first time. Just getting them through security and the airport was an adventure in itself. And then on the plane. When it roared and we were pushed back in the our seats, and we felt the sudden lift, the kids looked at me with a mixture of
excitement and fear.
I sat with the kids on the way to Disneyland, and my wife sat with them on the way back. But we were smart. We brought sticker books and a DVD player. They stayed happily entertained the entire way. But my daughter wailed as we landed. The cold in her sinuses made the pressure changes unbearable, but she wouldn't believe me that chewing gum would help. I mean, really, what does dad know?
The driver that took us to Disneyland was a maniac. I'm pretty sure I met his brother, a cab driver in London (I have two cousins who will know what I'm talking about). And I really didn't want to die. Not on the way to Disneyland. After would have been fine, but not before.
We finally reached Disneyland at about 5:00. As is traditional, we rode the train around the park first, to give the kids an orientation of the park. Then we entered. In just that first evening, we rode Bus
Lightyear's Astro-blasters (
excellent), Snow White's
Scary Adventure (actually startled me), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (one of my favorites), Pirates of the
Caribbean (my favorite) and I can't remember what else. We slept really well that night.
The next days were amazing.
After a hearty breakfast (never get one of those wimpy continental breakfasts. Stay at a hotel with sausage, hash brown, eggs and
biscuits and gravy) each morning, we entered the park early. I really like mornings in Disneyland. (And afternoons). Oh, um, and nights. I really like nights at Disneyland too. But mornings are nice too. (Have I made the point yet)? The bright morning light, the smaller crowd, the fresh clean feel and the cooler weather.
Nobody's tired or grumpy yet. (Maybe Dopey or Sleepy, but not Grumpy). Everyone is smiling and dancing. Kids are happy (trust me, even at Disneyland, kids get tired and
grumpily. Um. So do parents).
As the day went on, we would rush from ride to ride. After the second day, I got smart and brought the
gameboy so the kids could play it while waiting in line. I even surprised them with two new Disney games (well, okay, two used Disney games, but new to them). We went from land to land.
Adventureland (where the characters dress like me),
Fantasyland (filled with characters that don't dress like me),
Tomorrowland (filled with characters dressed as Jedi, how I wish I dressed), New Orleans Square with the music and the pirates,
Frontierland (with characters that, yes, do dress like me),
Toon town (with, well, places the kids liked) and Main street, a magical place.
California
Adventure wasn't quite as much fun. The rides were still fun, but somehow the magic was missing. In Disneyland, even the walk between rides can be magical. In California Adventure, it's nothing really special. Most of it, anyway. Some of the rides are really incredible, though. Grizzly Rapids are amazing, if you don't mind getting soaked. Soaring over California was worth it, and Tower of Terror was so much fun, I laughed
out loud. (Outbursts of happiness is not my normal mode). Monsters Inc was cute and the kids really liked it. And who can resist talking to Crush? (Both of my kids were called on by him). But my favorite was the Toy Story Ride. Not the
Astro-blasters, but the 3-D shooting game. Guess I'm just competitive by nature. Gotta get that high score. Some rides were boring. But I went on every little kid ride, because my daughter was too short to go on alone. The boring rides. The rides that made me sick. Even the long-line boring rides. Sometimes you just gotta be a dad and do it.
One place C.A. does better than Disneyland is food. At least there is one area with a variety of food, some for kids and some for adults, near each other. Disney's foods are spread out around the park. If kids want hot dogs and parents want hamburgers, you're looking at a walk half way around the park to get each.
Ah, night is magical. The lights, the crowd, the music. Night is almost as much fun as morning. And many of the rides are more open. What is more fun then complete
exhaustion, walking slowly (because you can't walk fast) and taking in the sights and sounds? Even the dark rides seemed darker, mistier. More dusk like. And walking Main street, with the lights, the entertainers, the window displays.
And the last night. Sad, but still happy. Looking at each sight for the last time. Greedily soaking in every image, every sound. And looking at the glowing castle, one last time. Melancholy. Walking slowly. Resisting leaving, even while so tired, long past midnight, carrying a sleeping child. You can't stay. But you sure want to. Like the end of an incredible meal. Too full to eat any more, fully satisfied. Remembering the flavours. Not ready to be done.
And then you pass through the exit. Into the night, the late-night crowds moving along with you, just as you have done each of the five nights. But tonight is different. You aren't going back the other way the next morning. You won't be walking this wonderful road again.
Maybe we won't wait 10 years next time. Maybe five.
Maybe I would rather move in.
Happiest place on earth.
