When a woman has children and decides to stay home with the kids it's very easy for her to be consumed by the television shows that entertain - even babysit at times - her kids. I'm one of those women.
In the early years Jay loved Playhouse Disney and I did take a liking to some of the cute shows she enjoyed. We planned our mornings around Playhouse Disney!
We'd watch "JoJo's Circus" bright and early. Later it was "Bear in the Big Blue House", which was such a hit in our house that even Babe knew to expect Luna to appear at show's end. Later in our Disney Channel experience it was "Stanley" that taught us all kinds of new things about animals. Who can resist television when it is teaching not only your preschooler, but Mommy and Daddy get a little something out of it too?!
These mornings spent in our jammies are what sparked my desire to visit Disneyland in Anaheim, California. After some research it was suggested that younger kids would enjoy Disneyland, but at the time we couldn't afford it. Then came Nas, when Jay was almost 4 years old, so a brand new baby put my dream trip on hold yet again. The kids are now ages 8 and 4. We even had a little extra money this year to splurge on Mommy's Dream Trip - so we packed up the fam and headed west!
I didn't know what to expect: Would it be too big for us to see and do everything within the two days we had planned for Disneyland and California Adventureland? How long would the lines be? Would the kids be too exhausted to tackle all we would want to experience in that time? I even wondered, brace yourself, how much it would cost for my customized Mickey Mouse ears hat, "What if they're THIRTY DOLLARS!?!"
It's quite obvious I was anxious about this being a great trip, but once we got to Disneyland I think most of the anxiety dissipated because most of what I was worried about was unfounded. Primarily because we were able to visit when most kids were already back to school (late August) and it was smokin' hot out there - 105 degrees one day!
I must say I was worried California Adventureland was as good as it got and the next day at Disneyland might dissapoint...boy was I wrong. Our first ride, and an all-time family favorite, was Space Mountain, who knew a ride through a simulated outer space wouldn't totally freak us out?! It was too much fun. We even tried to ride it again before we called it a night. Everything about Disneyland is amazing...meticulously designed...well-planned. You pay a pretty penny to get in, but they made sure you didn't feel cheated.
A few things that stopped me in my tracks were the realistic submarine ride called Finding Nemo. The scenery and reenactment of the movie made it clear Disneyland wants you to take a night at the movies to a whole new world. That ride did just that. I felt like I was underwater, invading the private world where tropical fish and coral reef reside. It was that real.
The Toy Story 3-D game was so much fun I found myself laughing out loud...repeatedly. Jay and I rode in a car that housed two laser "guns" to shoot down plates, bottles, and toss rings for points. It was so real Jay ducked when a plate came flying at her head. I was confused when I got wet after one of the characters shot water at me. Disneyland spares NO expense.
The most emotional time for me was when we finally entered the Adventureland theater to see "Playhouse Disney: Live". This was a culmination of three of the newer Playhouse Disney shows: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, and My Friends Tigger and Pooh. Being there with the stage decorated just the way I remembered it when advertised on television, recalling the days even before Nas was born when I decided Disneyland was a MUST SEE for me and my family, and knowing that this trip was not cheap - but Babe made sure it happened anyway - made a tear fall from my eye. We were finally THERE!
There were so many times I felt like Disneyland went to great lengths just for me and my family, these are just a few. While inside that little capsule of a submarine I decided that although Disneyland is known as The Happiest Place on Earth, I deemed it The Most Magical Place on Earth. I don't care if you're 2 or 92, Disneyland will surprise you with all they did with YOU in mind. Mickey really knows how to roll out the red carpet, be sure to walk on it when you get a chance!
1 comment:
My goodness, you almost brought a tear to MY eye. I'm so glad that you guys were able to go and that you had such a fabulous time. Now, I want to go. It's been so long!
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