We spent the first week in August at Disneyland! I can't begin to explain to you the magic of seeing Disneyland through the eyes of a two and three year old. Our kids loved every bit of it this year. They loved the characters, loved the rides, loved the parades, loved the shows... they loved it all! The trip could not have been better. The kids were wonderful, despite serious flight inconveniences and long hot busy days at the park. We enjoyed our adult evenings with just Mimi and Pop's eating outdoors and enjoying the cool weather. We loved getting to see our cousins and riding rides with them. We truly had an amazing trip and feel so blessed to have these opportunities to take a vacation like this and spend time with family. Mimi and Pop's, we love you so much and can't thank you enough for everything you do!
After a year of count downs and anticipation, we woke up early to go to Disneyland! We were sooo excited! Unfortunately our place was cancelled so we switched airlines, came home to take a nap, and headed back to the airport a little later that afternoon. We arrived in Orange Country, took the biggest stretch limo ever to the Grand California and met Mimi and Pop's with stuffed Minnie and Micky in their arms for the kids. We enjoyed dinner in Downtown Disney before watching the fireworks as a family.
Day 1: We woke up early and had breakfast in the Story Teller's Cafe with Chip, Dale, and their friends. Last year Hannah was so terrified of the characters that if they came in sight, she would scream like someone was stealing her! Dramatically different this year, she warmed up quickly and was giving high fives and kisses before heading to the park. Her brother, not shy at all, was hugging, kissing, high-fiving, and dancing with them from the first moment he set eyes on them. It was love at first sight.
We spent our first day at California Adventure and road our favorites and some new ones. The kids loved all the rides. We had lunch at Ariel's Grotto with all the princesses and boy was Hannah excited. She loved meeting them! After lunch we rode several more rides before calling it a day. We put the kids down for a nap, got ready, and the four adults headed out to the Disneyland Hotel's 55 Steakhouse for a nice dinner. After dinner we went back to the park to ride a couple more adult rides.
It's a Bug's Life!
Princess Aurora
Snow White
Belle
Prince Charming
Farris Wheel
Jumping Jellyfish
We started day 2 off at Story Teller's again before meeting our cousins in the lobby. They had flown in from Dallas and arrived before 10:00am California time. We headed back to California Adventure to re-ride some of our favorites and do some new things. That afternoon we took the kids to Disney Jr. Live and a couple other shows. That evening, the four adults enjoyed dinner at Catal in downtown Disney. After dinner we went back to California Adventure and rode Soaring over California with Kylie and Sean.
Thursday was Magic Morning and we woke up early to be at the Magic Kingdom an hour before the public. Mimi, the kids, and I hit Fantasy World while the boys and the big girls hit Tomorrow Land. We met up for breakfast and ended our morning at Splash Mountain which was Hannah's first big kid ride. Hannah was right at 40" this year making her able to ride almost every ride. She rode every ride that was 40" and under. We met the cousins in Frontierland for a BBQ lunch. After lunch we headed back into the park riding rides before ending the day with the Main Street Parade. The kids loved the parade and seeing all of their favorite characters! That night we met up the adult Yeager cousins for dinner at the Napa Rose in the hotel.
Tea Cups
Mimi took Huddy on Dumbo the flying elephants and was a big help in lines keeping the kids entertained!
My kids loved riding the Carousal
I will mention the bow fiasco here because some of you faithful readers will appreciate it.
We were riding Casey's Circus Train and I had just taken and picture with Hannah. The train departed and Hannah moved over to Stuart and was minus one big fancy Minnie bow! Sure enough, her bow had fallen right out of the Monkey cage at the very start of the ride. We pulled back in and exited the train. I couldn't see the bow on the track. I told the "Cast Members" and they glanced onto the track and didn't see it. I knew exactly where it was but they would not let me onto the track to see. It was literally on the far side of the track 5 steps in front of me but i couldn't see it. They told me that they would walk the track in the morning and I could look for it in lost and found in City Hall. No way Jose! I was not going to let my preciously dressed daughter walk around with only one bow in her pigtails, much less wait until tomorrow to find it run over, dirty, and ruined. Stuart, the great understanding Daddy he is stood back in line until he could get the caboose of the train. From that place on the train he could see exactly where it was on the track. We headed to ride rides while Daddy worked to get that bow back. Over an hour and a half later, we met back up, bow in hand! Boy does he understand important things like his daughters overly large custom made Minnie Mouse bow.
Our yearly picture at the rabbit hole.
Hannie loves her Pops!
Casey's Circus Train
Main Street Parade
Day 4 we headed over to the Disneyland Hotel for breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. We were also able to eat with Hannah's favorite, Pluto, and the Mad Hatter, Aladdin, and several others. After riding a couple of big kid rides in Adventure Land, we took the kids to Toon Town. Toon Town was amazing! We met Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, and Pluto and got to go inside their houses. Minnie and Mickey have pretty cool houses! We left the park and headed to the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney for lunch and returned to the park on the monorail for some afternoon fun. That evening the four adults went back to California Adventure for dinner at the Wine Room. Before dinner we rode the California Screamin' Roller Coaster and saved the Tower of Terror and Soaring for after dinner. We really maximized our time in the parks this year.
Our final day we had breakfast at Story Tellers before heading to the spa for a spa morning. The girls took the kids to the park to ride rides and the four adults enjoying a little pampering on our tired bodies. After our spa treatments, the Grandparents headed to the Nixon Museum with the Cousins and we spent the afternoon in the Magic Kingdom with the kids. We spent our final night at the Lousianna Jazz Kitchen on the balcony outside in Downtown Disney. After a wonderful meal we headed up to the hospitality suite at the hotel to watch the fireworks with the cousins.
It was time to say good bye to all of friends at Disneyland and woke up very early to head to airport to catch our flight home. Cancelled again. Seriously! Rebooked on Tuesday! No, thank you, it was Sunday. After spending a total of 3 hours in line and talking to the agents we took a 45 minute cab ride to LAX. Another hour in front of the ticket counter, I was able to get 6 of us all on the same flight to Houston. Once in Houston, after another hour and half in front of the ticket counter we collected our mass amounts of luggage, carseats, stroller, and kids and were able to secure two open seats on the late flight to get the girls home, and the four us headed headed to the wrong hotel. Once we finally got to the right hotel we headed back out to Pappasitas which made the stressful day so much better! With four hours of sleep, we woke up early, rode a shuttle to the airport, breezed through the mile long security line because of the stroller, grabbed doughnuts and kolaches from Shipley's and boarded a plane home. Whew! We made it home in time to celebbrate our TWO year old's birthday and to head to work!
Disneyland, we miss you terribly and cannot wait to go back!!!!
Getting ready
Posing with the Bride
Another pic with mom
Getting her lip stick on... Sure enough she got lipstick on her dress on her way from the hotel to the wedding
Mommy walking down the aisle
Hannah and Kaylen walking down the aisle
Huddy and Mom
I love this boy
Angie and Hud
Our family
Daddy
Hannie loves her dad
This flowergirl job is hard work!
