Disneyland was amazing!! Could it ever be anything else?
Things just went so smooth for us, and the girls were awesome. It is just getting easier and more fun to do things like this with them. They love it so much and the memories we make are amazing. We didn't have any melt downs!
The trip started out on Tuesday. Maggie came and picked Kyle up to take him to work so we could pick him up straight from Shalimar and hit the road. I took Abby to school and then Jules to preschool. Then I rushed home finished getting the house picked up, the car packed and myself ready. I ran a few last minute errands and then I picked up Abby from school, then Jules and then we headed out to get Kyle. We picked him up from work, grabbed some lunch and hit the road. The drive went great. The girls were awesome and Jane even slept a little bit.
We tried something different this year. Instead of staying at the Residence Inn we rented a VRBO for the week. This house was so nice! There was plenty of room for all of us. We had us and the girls, my parents and siblings, Andi and Carson and Jason and Sarah and their kids. It had a fun pool, and even a little play set outside. Everyone family and their own bathroom. The girls slept in the bunk room and they were in heaven. They want a bunk bed so bad! Everyone else got in late that night and then we woke up super early to head over to the park.
One of the downsides to this house was that it was a half mile farther away than the hotel were we usually stay. It was rough. We really felt that extra walking each day. We made it before the park opened each day!! I was pretty impressed with us. The other bummer thing was that Disneyland closed at 6 on Wednesday and 7 on Friday for the "Mickey's Halloween Party". We didn't have tickets to that so we were out of Disneyland earlier than we wanted to be those days. And then California Adventure got really really busy. It wasn't the busiest we have ever seen Disneyland, but it wasn't as empty as we are used to. Wednesday morning was the best! We walked on seriously every ride until around lunch time. We made it almost all the way through Disneyland in one morning. Abby and Juliet loved loved loved Star Tours. I don't think I could count how many times we road it over the trip. We were so worried about Juliet being tall enough to ride the rides. She was just under 40inches without her tennis shoes. Luckily with shoes on she just made it. The first few rides we went on we were able to slip by unnoticed. But finally on Thunder Mountain they measured her. She was having a hard time figuring out how to just stand tall. By the time she finally figured it out and passed the test everyone around us cheered. They were all rooting for her to make it on the ride (even though we had slipped through once and she had already ridden it ha ha!) The cast members were really good about getting her positioned just right so that she would be able to ride. I was very grateful for that. By the end of the third day Juliet knew the routine and would just hop right under the bar, stand straight and the top of her head would hit the bar easy. She had a blast riding everything she could. Abby passed on a few of the rides. She went on Space Mountain after Juliet went on it, and she cried at the end. The only thing I didn't send Juliet on (although I would have let her if she had really wanted to go) was the Guardians ride. That ride was a blast though!! Seriously so much fun! Abby had no desire to go on Splash Mountain. I don't blame her, I actually ended up not going on it. We both very much dislike getting wet.
Their favorite ride was "flying chairs" (soaring over the world). It was so much fun to see these rides through their little eyes. They loved it! Jane was such a good sport. She didn't get nearly as mad as I thought she would about not being able to go on the rides. Luckily there was lots to keep her busy. She loved the Ariel ride and the buzz ride. She was game for just about ride. She slept really good in the stroller which was awesome! Abby and Jules wanted to ride with anyone that wasn't me and Kyle. Rude kids. :) Jane still wanted to ride with us though, so we'll take it. Juliet loved riding with Mema! Abby wanted to be with Carson and Andi a lot. They were so good to our girls. The girls adore them.
The scariest part of the trip was when I lost Jules! We were getting in line to get dinner at our traditional mexican restaurant by Thunder Mountain. It took me about ten minutes to realize that she wasn't with us or my parents. I ran out just sick to my stomach that this was happening! I knew she would be ok, Disneyland has never lost a kid. But I was worried about how long it would take to find her, and how scared she must be. As I walked out of the restaurant I looked over at our stroller and there she was. When she realized she was lost she went to the stroller and waited for me to come. I scooped up that girl and hugged her and kissed her. I was so proud of her for staying right there until I came is the sweetest thing. She told me she thought I had been kidnapped. She was scared and that broke my heart. I love my girls, they are my world. It wasn't fun to not know where Jules was, even though it was maybe a minute and a half. Luckily all was well and we had a great night and even better last day.
I love how much my girls love Disneyland. I'm so grateful for Kyle who is so sweet about Disneyland and has loved it as much as I do. A lot of people don't get it, and I am so grateful he does! We have so much fun together.
Another big highlight was the Disney Junior Dance party. Juliet was the best ever. She got so into it. She danced and danced. She was so over come with emotion when Princess Sophia came out that she fell to the ground. So funny! Abby just watched and took it all in like she usually does and I think Jane was a little overwhelmed. Although she got very excited to see all the Characters.
I'll go through all the pictures and talk about all the other fun stuff we did!
Day two magic morning. We got there early so we were close to the gates when they opened. We were almost to the rope at the end of main street too when they dropped it. Then we raced to Peter Pan. Last year we didn't make it in time and the line was too long. But this year we made it and we loved it! That is the funnest ride!
Jules got to meet one of her Heros!
Our traditional picture at the Mexican Restaurant. All 25 of us!
Exploring the bunkbeds when we first got to the house.
Jane and I went on the Astro Orbitors while everyone else was on star tours. She loved it, and was also terrified. I love this kid and her adorable personality.
We all managed to fit in one boat for Its a Small World. The girls loved it obviously. Ha ha! And look there is Jules with "best friend Mema"
Carson and Andi were so great with the girls!
We saw Pluto!! Jane's face and reaction were the best. She wasn't even a little bit scared of the Characters. She loved seeing them!
And seeing Minnie Mouse! When we were waited for the rope drop at Tomorrow Land the first day we could see the characters at the character breakfast at the plaza inn. Minnie mouse kept waving to Jane and Jane was in heaven. It was so seriously darling. Seeing that amount of pure joy on their little faces is almost too much for me. I love it.
I got to sit by Jules if Mema could come too.
We pretty much forced Abby to sit with us on this one.
Jane wanted this bubble machine so bad. Next year I need to remember to bring extra bubbles to refill it. Jane burned through the ones that came with it that day. She loves that thing.
We love the Carousels!
Janes tired face! That first day was the only day she didn't nap because she just wanted to play with her bubbles.
We had so much fun playing the pier games! Abby and Jules won their stuffed animals on their own at the Dumbo game. Kyle won Jane the little mickey at the horse game where you race the horses by rolling the balls in the holes. He has yet to lose that game! ha ha!
We had so much fun on Dumbo!
These sisters are the sweetest!
The girls saved their money by doing chores and they had just enough to buy a sucker and a light saber. Ha ha! They knew exactly what they wanted before we even got to disneyland and they stuck to their guns.
Sweet napping girl. I bought a little fan that clipped to the top of the stroller. I would cover the stroller with that black blanket and but a smaller blanket on her. With that fan keeping things nice and cool in there. It was so nice!
Juliet during the Disney Junior Dance Party. It was so much fun!
We ate sooooooo many churros!
Lightsaber battles
Shockingly Abby loved the matterhorn. Even though she was tall enough for it, she seemed so small and I have to admit it really stressed me out. But I was so proud of her for trying it and loving it!
We went over to Tom Sawyers island! I have never been over there before. It was so beautiful and so well done. The caves were so cool! We loved exploring, although we didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked. We headed over there Friday evening as we were waiting for our fast passes for Haunted Mansion. My feet were hurting me so bad I thought I would break! Ha ha!
After we got off the island we headed over to the haunted mansion. The crowds were getting out of control at this point. It was so hard to walk around and move our whole group. My dad had his lightsaber out so we could all just keep in our sights and follow it. Abby saw him, ran and grabbed hers and ran up to help him. I was laughing so hard.
After disneyland closed at 7 we headed over to California adventure for dinner. That was a bad idea! But we didn't want to head home, it was our last night and we weren't ready to say good bye. California adventure was packed! The restaurants were all packed and there wasn't anywhere to sit. It was crazy! But we survived it and left to walk slowly home with our bodies feeling like there were falling apart. I don't know if I've ever been so tired after a disneyland trip!
Everyone's "teddy bears" Hearing the way Jane says "bunny" is the absolute best!
This was Jane seeing Minnie mouse on the first morning there. Pure Joy!
It was a blast of three days. I am so happy we were able to go and able to make such amazing memories. We are all so excited for next year already!
