Because Our Kids Are Young Enough To Still Enjoy Family Vacations

Last year, the day after Halloween, Darrin and I made a promise to ourselves that we would not torture our kids with another year of trick-or-treating for candy they couldn't eat.  It just seemed cruel.  So for the past year we have discussed going to Disneyland for Halloween 2011.


It was the perfect trip.

Sunday we piled in my parents Escalade (because it has a DVD player, and they aren't using it while they sail around the east coast) in the wee hours of the morning, made it to The Grand Californian by eleven, checked into our hotel room (with bunk beds - the kids were in heaven), and were in Disneyland by noon.  That night, we had one of those magical Disney family moments that you see in the commercials and think "Riiiiiggghhht, like that ever happens."  We were riding on Thunder Mountain during the amazing Disney fireworks display.  As the train sped around the track, and we squealed with laughter, the brilliant, larger-than-life colors flashed over our heads.  It was spectacular.  When Tinkerbell flew over the crowd, Ben yelled out "MOM!!  I didn't know Tinkerbell was REAL!"

Monday morning we were the first ones in line at California Adventure, and our family was asked to announce the opening of the park.  We were let in before anyone else, and at the end of the countdown we yelled "HAVE A GRAND DAY!".  We did have a grand day, because there were so few people at the park that we stood in very few lines more than 5 minutes long.  My sister CJ joined us for the day, and the kids loved to announce at each ride who was going to ride with whom.  Lia dressed in her Rapunzel costume that day since it was Halloween, but Ben - well, he's getting too cool for Halloween costumes now that he's seven.  We convinced the kids to try Tower of Terror, which Ben enjoyed but Lia (making it VERY clear to us several times for the next two days) HATED!  While CJ, Darrin and Ben attempted more rides, Lia and I found a spot on the parade route to wait for the princess parade.  Lia was so excited that every single princess (except two - Snow White and Tinkerbell) waved directly or blew kisses to her.  Monday evening ended with the World of Color show, which is truly like nothing we've ever seen before.

Neither one of our kids liked Splash Mountain because of this drop.  I have to say it's one of my favorite rides!

The kids totally liked the Tarzan Tree House.  They wanted to go through it twice,
which means A LOT of steps up.  

This picture was taken Monday morning as we opened California Adventure.

On the giant ferris wheel, in a "swinging car" which made every one of us a little bit nauseous.

Tuesday was a little busier in the park, so we were quite offended whenever a line was more than ten minutes long.  But we were finally able to ride Space Mountain (which Ben loved and Lia decided she didn't like too much).  The kids totally enjoyed Star Tours, which we hadn't realized has been updated in a very good way.  We stood in line so that Lia could take pictures with the princesses.  And we rode our family's favorite rides multiple times:  The Haunted Mansion, Thunder Mountain, The Little Mermaid and Toy Story Mania.  We ended Tuesday with a shopping trip in Downtown Disney, because we had promised the kids one toy each at the end of our trip.

Lia loves carousels.  

But the boys . . . not so much. 

3D glasses for Toy Story Mania.  Darrin and CJ competed like there was a prize at the end.
But CJ, Darrin beat you!

Lia told me several times the order in which she favors the princesses:  Ariel, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty,
Cinderella, Belle, Tiana, Snow White.  In case you wanted to know.

How much does our family LOVE "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" - well, as Lia is showing you,
THIS MUCH!  

Ben didn't understand why Woody didn't remember him from the time we visited three years ago.  I told Ben it's
because he wasn't wearing his own Woody costume like he was when we were here last.  

Thunder Mountain was the kids' favorite ride out of both parks.  There was almost no line on Monday so we rode it four times.  And then again twice more on Tuesday.  They would have kept on this one all day if we let them. 

Wednesday morning we loaded back up in the Escalade and headed home to make-up homework, laundry, and hundreds of emails.  The best part - neither kid noticed that we had missed out on trick-or-treating, and we have a ton of wonderful memories of our family fun at Disneyland.

Ben was in total heaven at the Lego Store in Downtown Disney.