It's a Small, Small, Small, Small World

We are back, as of yesterday, from our big birthday trip to Disneyland, courtesy of Aunt Nonny. And what a trip it was. Last Sunday, the day after their birthday, we (Rocket Boy stayed home to have a little peace and quiet) drove 160 miles from Ridgecrest to the Disneyland Hotel. We gave my car to valet parking and went to check in.

Nonny and I both remember the Disneyland Hotel from our extreme youth. NOT that we ever stayed in it, of course. Our parents took us to Disneyland twice, in 1967 and 1969, but we stayed in lesser hotels. Still, the Disneyland Hotel sticks in our memories because there was an elevated, enclosed walkway leading from the hotel to the Monorail. Being able to take a walkway from one's hotel to the Monorail seemed like heaven to us.

It's all different now, of course. No more elevated walkway to the Monorail. But it's still a nice hotel. It consists of three large buildings, referred to as "towers," around a huge swimming pool complex. We stayed in the Adventure Tower.

The Adventure Tower had SIX elevators, much to Baby B's astonishment and joy. Four hotel guest elevators and two service elevators. He was in heaven. Nonny had a small room on the 9th floor with a view of the pools, and we had a larger room on the 4th floor facing Downtown Disney. The room was large and comfortable, outstanding for sharing with the kids.

One of my favorite things was that wall panel behind the beds. The "fireworks" in the picture lit up when you flipped a switch, making a great nightlight. I also liked the tiny reading spotlights on the far side of each bed. I could turn my light on and not bother the twins.

The first thing we did after checking in was to go swimming. And honestly, the kids probably would have been happy to spend the whole vacation in the pools. They loved them, especially the Monorail Water Slide.

But we were there to see Disneyland, so after an hour in the water we dried off, got dressed, and ate a quick dinner at the restaurant by the pool. Then it was off to Disneyland, via the Monorail. The twins found the Monorail very exciting. When we got off, they raced off toward the exit, and Baby A managed to bang into either the gate or the railing -- we were never sure -- resulting in a nasty cut under his eye. So our first stop in Disneyland was a bathroom, then a gift shop where Nonny bought the boys Buzz Lightyear Star Command Blasters, and then the First Aid station.

We got a lot of attention at the First Aid station. The nurses cleaned the cut and put a bandaid on it, which Baby A immediately removed. Meanwhile, both boys kept shooting off their Buzz Lightyear Star Command Blasters. Then the nurses told us we really ought to go to Urgent Care or the hospital and have some glue put on the cut. I thought of my car, tucked away in valet parking. "Could we walk to Urgent Care?" I asked, but no. Fortunately Nonny is a nurse too, and she didn't think the cut needed any glue

After all that drama, we had ice cream and waited for the fireworks to begin. The fireworks were spectacular! And we soon learned that they are spectacular every night! (We watched them from our hotel room the next two nights.)

Both Monday and Tuesday we had a room service breakfast and then headed for the park. By early afternoon each day the boys were wiped out, so we returned to the hotel and rested, and then went in the pools. On Monday after swimming both boys fell asleep in the room watching TV, so Nonny went to Disneyland by herself in the evening. On Tuesday I managed to get them to go back to the park for dinner and the parade.

Both boys enjoyed every ride they went on. Baby A's favorite ride was Pirates of the Caribbean. Baby B's favorite ride was It's A Small World.

We also enjoyed the Spinning Teacups.

On our first night I spotted this rocket ride and we finally rode it on Tuesday morning.

I found it terrifying and spent the whole 90 seconds or whatever it took wishing that it would end. I just don't like fast rides. Boos were not fazed by it, however.

Soon it was time to go on It's A Small World again.

The longest line we waited in was for the Storybook Canal Boats.

A close second was the Buzz Lightyear ride.

Unless I'm forgetting something, I think this was my 5th trip to Disneyland. There were the two visits when I was a kid. More recently, Rocket Boy and I stopped off at Disneyland on our honeymoon, ten years ago. We just went in the park for an evening, were horrified by the crowds, and went on (I think) one ride. $50 apiece for one ride. This is why RB didn't want to come along this time.

But Nonny and I went to Disneyland together at least one other time, when we were in our 20s. She was about to start nursing school at UCLA and I drove down from the Bay Area to see her. The Disneyland part of the visit was not very successful. She wanted to go on scary fast rides like Space Mountain. (I kept my eyes closed the entire time, praying it would end.) I wanted to go on silly rides like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (which she hated). We both remember her saying to me, angrily, "This is the happiest place in the world!" For us, at that moment, it wasn't.

I knew this visit would be different. For one thing, we've learned our lesson: we don't like to do the same things at Disneyland! But more importantly, this visit was for the twins. Nonny had some things she wanted to do in the park, and she went off and did them by herself (Space Mountain, Splash Mountain). My favorite ride in the park is the Haunted Mansion, so I did that by myself. But the rest of the time we focused on making sure the twins had a good experience.

Thus, the main things I did at Disneyland, this visit, were (1) go to the bathroom (I think we must have gone to every one in the park); and (2) ride It's A Small World.

Tuesday evening we had dinner at the Mexican restaurant in Frontierland. Boos did not want to eat bean and cheese burritos, so a woman working there suggested I run over to the Coke place on Main Street and bring back some hot dogs for them, which I did. I loved the fact that none of the restaurants in the park are in competition with each other. And they have such good food! I had delicious vegetarian sandwiches both Monday and Tuesday for lunch, and fish tacos Tuesday night.

After dinner we ate popcorn by the lake and watched the big ship go by.

Pretty soon it was time to go on It's A Small World again.

But you know, it's OK. Baby B just loved that ride, and Baby A enjoyed it too. They've been singing the song around the house ever since we got home, except they don't sing it right. They just sing "It's A Small World After All" over and over again at the top of their lungs.

Finally it was time for our last trip on the Monorail...

...and that was it for Disneyland -- our 3-day passes had expired. Never even got near California Adventure, though Nonny went by herself Monday night.

But the next morning we had one more treat -- breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. It's a buffet, and that's a little complicated when you're Baby A and have to be cajoled to eat ANYTHING for breakfast. I think he had two bites of a piece of pizza and some juice. But Baby B ate two pieces of pizza and a Mickey Mouse waffle, and they were pleased to receive birthday cupcakes and badges.

We were also visited by numerous "characters," most of whom frightened the boos. All around us, families were having their picture taken with Captain Hook and Goofy and a princess, while we cowered in our seats. Baby B did interact just a little bit with this nice baboon, who I think is called Rafiki, so that was fun.

After breakfast we packed up, Nonny caught the shuttle to the airport, and we drove back to Ridgecrest to see Dad and reunite with all the joys of dentist appointments and moving plans. I think I like the Magic Kingdom better!