Disneyland 2009, Day 1
[ Don't miss the thrilling first installment!]
The kids woke us up butt early (5:30? 6?), so we wrestled everyone into clothes and went down to the provided breakfast. We were at the Embassy Suites, which is a hollow tower with a huge central atrium. The elevators are windowed at the four corners inside the open area. The lobby floor has a big water feature with koi and turtles, rocks, and a bridge, intermingled with the seating for the breakfast/happy hour/restaurants. On top of a 12 foot rock face is an animatronic lion which roars every so often. The kids loved the elevator, the lion, and the turtles. (Oddly, the wardrobe in the room didn't draw their attention.)
We worked out a routine that we refined over the next few days. One of us took the kids to seating while the other went through the line and got a couple of plates of food. Then we shared out to individual plates. My, but that works well with the kids, I must remember it next time we're in Solvang.
We loaded up everyone in the car and drove over the Disneyland parking. Then out to the tram and off to the park. Four kids, two backpacks, jackets, a baby carrier, and a stroller. w00t. Since we'd planned to sleep in until later, DCA wasn't open yet. We went down Main Street to do a bit of shopping while we waited. We got signature books for Ike, Elli, and Gwen. Then we headed into DCA for this first day because we had a lunch restaurant reservation. Over to the Bug's Life area, which has the kid-sized rides until time for lunch around 11am.
Lunch was at Ariel's Grotto, aka Princess-a-palooza. First, we went down a big spiral staircase to meet and take pictures with Ariel. Only Gwen had anything to do with this, so only she got in the picture and had her book signed. Next, into the restaurant for lunch. We had a big booth, so Jen and I took up the outsides to corral the rest. The food was great! A multi-tiered appetizer tray, including jello with fruit, a bread basket (Kids didn't want it, Jen couldn't eat it, all for me!), and a tasty entree. No, I don't remember what it was, but it was good. Jen spoke with a chef and got a gluten-free entree. [This should be taken as read for any meal in the park. Disneyland is fabulous about providing special dietary options.] Four more princesses wandered around the room during the meal, posing for pictures and signing books. If the kids hadn't been so antsy throughout, it would have gone very smoothly.
After lunch, we went off to hit some rides. The default arrangement for rides on which we could not take Gray was me and three kids, while Jen waited with Gray. We tried a smaller roller-coaster, but Gwen Did Not Like That. I took them on the big Ferris wheel while Jen went to get FastPasses for the big coaster, California Screamin'. After the Ferris wheel, I took Ike on the big coaster. He loved it, so much so that he went on it again with Jen immediately afterward.
By this point, we figured it was time to start heading back. The sun was going down, we'd been up early, and there was still a tram ride and drive back to the hotel. (We must have done something about dinner, but I don't recall what. Jen will have to fill it in.) By the time we reached the hotel, it was time to prep the kids for bed and settle them for the night. We discovered that TNT or TBS or something had The Cat in the Hat running nigh-continuously in the evenings during our stay, so the kids watched that before bed.
After the kids were out, we needed something from Target. Our room window faced the street, so I could see the red bull's-eye. It looked too far away to walk, but upon reaching street level I realized that was the elevation fooling me. So I walked the block and a half, picked up a few things, and returned. Yeah, more walking around on concrete, that's what I needed! (Walking in L.AAnaheim! KBZ!)
I decompressed until Jen and Gray went to bed, took a shower to make the morning go faster, and turned in. We were only starting, after all.
The kids woke us up butt early (5:30? 6?), so we wrestled everyone into clothes and went down to the provided breakfast. We were at the Embassy Suites, which is a hollow tower with a huge central atrium. The elevators are windowed at the four corners inside the open area. The lobby floor has a big water feature with koi and turtles, rocks, and a bridge, intermingled with the seating for the breakfast/happy hour/restaurants. On top of a 12 foot rock face is an animatronic lion which roars every so often. The kids loved the elevator, the lion, and the turtles. (Oddly, the wardrobe in the room didn't draw their attention.)
We worked out a routine that we refined over the next few days. One of us took the kids to seating while the other went through the line and got a couple of plates of food. Then we shared out to individual plates. My, but that works well with the kids, I must remember it next time we're in Solvang.
We loaded up everyone in the car and drove over the Disneyland parking. Then out to the tram and off to the park. Four kids, two backpacks, jackets, a baby carrier, and a stroller. w00t. Since we'd planned to sleep in until later, DCA wasn't open yet. We went down Main Street to do a bit of shopping while we waited. We got signature books for Ike, Elli, and Gwen. Then we headed into DCA for this first day because we had a lunch restaurant reservation. Over to the Bug's Life area, which has the kid-sized rides until time for lunch around 11am.
Lunch was at Ariel's Grotto, aka Princess-a-palooza. First, we went down a big spiral staircase to meet and take pictures with Ariel. Only Gwen had anything to do with this, so only she got in the picture and had her book signed. Next, into the restaurant for lunch. We had a big booth, so Jen and I took up the outsides to corral the rest. The food was great! A multi-tiered appetizer tray, including jello with fruit, a bread basket (Kids didn't want it, Jen couldn't eat it, all for me!), and a tasty entree. No, I don't remember what it was, but it was good. Jen spoke with a chef and got a gluten-free entree. [This should be taken as read for any meal in the park. Disneyland is fabulous about providing special dietary options.] Four more princesses wandered around the room during the meal, posing for pictures and signing books. If the kids hadn't been so antsy throughout, it would have gone very smoothly.
After lunch, we went off to hit some rides. The default arrangement for rides on which we could not take Gray was me and three kids, while Jen waited with Gray. We tried a smaller roller-coaster, but Gwen Did Not Like That. I took them on the big Ferris wheel while Jen went to get FastPasses for the big coaster, California Screamin'. After the Ferris wheel, I took Ike on the big coaster. He loved it, so much so that he went on it again with Jen immediately afterward.
By this point, we figured it was time to start heading back. The sun was going down, we'd been up early, and there was still a tram ride and drive back to the hotel. (We must have done something about dinner, but I don't recall what. Jen will have to fill it in.) By the time we reached the hotel, it was time to prep the kids for bed and settle them for the night. We discovered that TNT or TBS or something had The Cat in the Hat running nigh-continuously in the evenings during our stay, so the kids watched that before bed.
After the kids were out, we needed something from Target. Our room window faced the street, so I could see the red bull's-eye. It looked too far away to walk, but upon reaching street level I realized that was the elevation fooling me. So I walked the block and a half, picked up a few things, and returned. Yeah, more walking around on concrete, that's what I needed! (Walking in L.AAnaheim! KBZ!)
I decompressed until Jen and Gray went to bed, took a shower to make the morning go faster, and turned in. We were only starting, after all.