Not that the trip didn't have its glitches. The night before we left, the camera broke, occasioning a late night trip to Wal Mart so that we could spend money we hadn't budgeted for on something we didn't know we would need. But I must say it was definitely worth it to be able to preserve our memories. The other major glitch was our cell service. We discovered what it was like for our parents to take us to Disneyland in the '80's when splitting up the kids and playing it by ear wasn't really an option. Next time, we have an elaborate plan involving long range walkie talkies.
We had a couple moments of terror...
(My Daredevil at Tower of Terror)
(Disney Jr. Live on Stage - My personal moment of terror)
(Chris' moment of terror was not caught on film, but it involves the line to Peter Pan, Jane, and bodily fluids. I'm sure you can connect the dots.)
and our occasional meltdowns
We discovered that Emily is more of a daredevil than ever, trying rides she hasn't before such as...
Grizzly River run...
And Splash Mountain...
And Indiana Jones...
(Thank you Dr. Scholls for making this moment possible by giving Emily a hand with that last half inch. It was spectacular.)
But her favorite was still Big Thunder.
The trip almost ended in tears when we discovered BTRR was out of commission on the last day. Thankfully, it was fixed just in time and we rode it one last time literally just before leaving the park.
Jane, on the other hand, would tolerate a few roller coasters
But she still enjoyed the more mild experiences such as Small World
And the Pooh ride.
And more Pooh ride
I must say that one of the best experiences of the trip was being able to take the whole family on Soarin', which Jane actually liked and Emily still loved.
On one thing, the kids agreed upon: seeing characters was good fun. That's why we had a character breakfast at Storytellers:
(the only day our breakfast did not consist of cereal eaten on the hotel balcony, which worked out amazingly well)
And a character dinner at Goofy's Kitchen:
And we stood in line for 45 minutes to meet Rapunzel.
Was it worth it? It was for Emily, so I have to say it was for me as well.
But of course, we had to meet her after the girls' makeover
Which was yet another thing Jane was thrilled to be old enough for this time.
It was so much fun to see them playing at Disneyland all day dressed as princesses. My favorite? Rapunzel at Autopia.
We were sad to leave but we are already planning our next trip in a couple years (Emily would like it nailed down to an exact date).
Two things became apparent during this trip: This family loves Disneyland.
And we love each other. When you put the two together, you can't help but make great memories.
