Before (yay!) and After (boo!) Pinnochio
We were very excited to take Peanut to Disneyland for the very first time!
As we were walking around Fantasyland we noticed there was hardly a line for Pinnochio,
so we got right in line! Of course, then it needed to be fixed so we had to wait for a bit but we didn't care... this was Peanut's first ride!!
About 10 seconds in I started to have second thoughts.
I mean, when was the last time I even saw Pinnochio?
It really wasn't a happy movie.
The ride was dark and scary. For reals.
Geppetto is looking for lost Pinnochio and then we enter this scary Pleasure Island nightmare,
the ride is moving around as you hear scary laughter and the crying of donkey children.
You think it's all going to be OK but a big scary whale comes up to swallow you.
Some more moving around and general loudness, shouting for Pinnochio
and all of a sudden it's over and you're blinded by the light of day.
B and Peanut were in front of me but I could see him squirming, still stuck in the carrier facing forward.
Apparently there was some general whimpering throughout and a small bit of crying at the end.
Afterwards he did a bit of complaining to me and looks only slightly traumatized in the above photo.
Yay Disneyland!
Really, it wouldn't be a family day out at an amusement park without a bit of a tears, would it?
On to more important things.... the corn dogs.
This is the only corn dog cart in the park, it's at the end of Main Street.
Eat here.
I didn't get a picture because I was feeding the Peanut and then they were gone.
Just to the right is one of the Disneyland Baby Care Centers.
I was so impressed.
The woman who checked my bags upon entry noticed I had baby food and told me about the center.
It's nice and quiet and air-conditioned with rooms for nursing and pumping,
a microwave for heating food and several high chairs plus some supplies
like diapers, formula and anything else you might need.
It was lovely.
We made sure to keep the rides pleasant for Peanut after the Pinocchio trauma.
He actually fell asleep during Pirates of the Caribbean and didn't mind the dips at all.
It's a Small World seemed bigger and more extravagant and vibrant then I remembered.
I also noticed that some of the Disney movie characters have made their way into the show.
The teenagers and family behind us had a constant commentary going that
I couldn't help but hear because, well, they were loud.
Each time we went thru a new country they guessed at what it was.
It had me cringing a lot.
But when we came to this one.
They had no idea what country it was.
England! Mexico!
Um, come on people?! Even the cowboys and indians didn't help.
I'd like to be inside Peanut's head during these rides.
It's all a little crazy, no?
My friend Courtney met us at Disney.
She's been a pass holder forever and going with her is like bringing your own tour guide.
I also suspect that she wanted to be there for Peanut's first Disneyland experience
because she takes all the kids for the first time.
Here she is with a Cream Cheese filled Pretzel!
It really is delicious and apparently they have jalapeño cheese filled ones too.
My parents very kindly offered to pick Peanut up whenever we were ready.
He doesn't nap at all when we are out and about
and I knew we'd be looking at a meltdown come nighttime.
They met me at the pick-up/drop-off area at 5 pm and took him home for dinner, a nap and a bath.
It was perfect.
He had been doing so well I had been tempted to keep him but this worked out really well.
We went on the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters which I loved.
It's a ride and a game at the same time.
The clincher for me is that they take a picture of you during the ride
and at the end you can email it to yourself (or whoever else)
For Free!
I love that.
After dropping off Peanut I went to wait in the Dole line while the crew was on Thunder Mountain.
You find the Dole booth outside of the Tiki Room in Adventureland.
Yes, there is always a line.
Yes, it is totally worth the wait.
The Dole Whip (on the right) is pineapple soft serve.
Heaven on a hot day.
You can actually google recipes but I bet they don't compare to the real thing.
On the left is the Whip Float which is a Dole Whip on pineapple juice.
I can still taste it in my mind.
~sigh~
We couldn't leave without checking out the newly reopened Star Tours.
When we came into the park in the afternoon the fast passes were already sold out
so we waited an hour to go in.
I was worried the kids would be disappointed, considering the length of the wait.
But they loved it!
It's 3D now, did you know?
Did you also know that there are like 45 different variations to the ride?
That means that you and your friends could go on separately or on different days and enjoy different rides.
That means that every time you go on it could be a new experience.
Unless, of course, you are Courtney.
Then you've only been on twice and seen the same one both times. HA!
We were there for about 8 1/2 hours versus the 11 hours last year and it was great.
Although it would have been nice to see the night shows.
But there's always next year.
It was such an awesome time and we did things we didn't do last year...
and ate things we didn't eat last year...
and despite the fact that I've been so many times, I always find it exciting and new.
When was the last time (if ever) that you've been to Disneyland!
