Time to Meet my Mouse

My three-week-long trip to California ended where all good fairytales end: Disneyland!

 

For me, this leg of the trip was a little different. Here it wasn't about the sites, the photos, or even the experiences, so much as it was about the people I was getting to spend time with. If you're a regular reader, you'll remember my amazing American family that took me in here and the month of adventures that followed last summer. If not, it's about time you met them anyway:

 

Re-introducing

Clete, Teresa, James, Me, Michael, Zaylee, Kayleen, Anderson, Jeremiah, Asher, Whitney, and Lilly

(and this isn't even all of us)

(This is obviously not my photo, seeing as I'm in it... next to Mickey Mouse... that's right: I MET MICKEY MOUSE!)

 

Also, if you look really close, hanging out between my left elbow and Mickey, you can see Ranger Bob, our trip mascot. But more on him later. ;)

 

It's Disney's 60th anniversary!

 

 

 

Inside Space Mountain, now redesigned as Hyperspace Mountain, with a Star Wars theme:

Outside of Indiana Jones:

 

I think that was my favourite set in the park. The props were amazing and you were immersed in the theme pretty wholeheartedly from the start of the line to the end of the ride.

 

Thunder Mountain:

 

 

The Haunted Mansion all decorated for the season in its Nightmare Before Christmas finery:

 

 

 

Splash Mountain:

 

 

and a few photos on Autopia!

 

Pirate's Lair

 

 

 and these guys, who made me ridiculously happy in their old style outfits.

 

 

 "You have to go on It's A Small World. You haven't experienced Disney unless you go on It's A Small World at least once." I may be a sucker for peer pressure, but they were right.

 

Outside:

 

A little creepy, amirite?
Wait til you see the inside....

Dolls EVERYWHERE.

 

It didn't help that it was dark when we got back outside.

Carousel! 

and a parade of lights!

Castle at night: magnificent.

 

We watched Fantasmic that first night. I couldn't get pictures because we lucked in on standing room at the last minute and though we were really close, the one person in front of us had balloons and a phone that he kept placing strategically in my line of sight so he could videotape. The show was worth putting down my camera for, though. One of my favourite parts was during the Frozen-themed section when it started to snow from the lampposts behind us on the street!

 

Of note, there are a number of fountains in Disneyland, so if you're going to meet your party "at the fountain" be sure to specify which. ;) I recommend this one: it's gorgeous!

Day two, park two: California Adventures.

 

 

 

Paradise Pier:

 

 

California Screamin.

"Roller coaster? I don't want to die. As much as if I'm going to die, I'm glad it's with you, I don't want to die. I am NOT going on that. "

 

*sigh*
I went on it.

 

Twice.

 

In fact, here's the view from the top.

 

I'm pretty sure in the end it was my favourite ride.

Ferris wheel, which actually broke down by the time any of our party got to the front of the line to go on it, but it made for some cool pictures.

And then we discovered the bar. Scotch in Disneyland makes James a happy man. 

 

From the bar, as the sun went down, this was our view...

 

Then it was time for food at Ariel's Grotto.
That is, here:

 

With this fine sample of our crowd:

 

(again, obviously not my photo. Much thanks to the busy waiter who took a minute to take this for us)

After dinner, another light show. World of Color is dedicated to Disney's 60th anniversary, and we had gotten tickets with our dinner for some of the best seats in the house!

 

 

With a special appearance by the aforementioned Ranger Bob. 

 I don't even know where Ranger Bob came from. His mission as mascot started with the family on the plane from Oregon and he found himself and his shenanigans as a Facebook hashtag. Feel free to look him up for more details on our adventures, at #RangerBob.

 

It was when he showed up life-sized that our minds were blown. Way to upgrade, Ranger Bob!

 

 Our flight out of California on our last day wasn't until evening so we spent the afternoon in theme park three: Downtown Disney.

 

There was a bit of shopping and lots to marvel at

 

 

My favourite part (and that of most of my crew, I think) was the massive Lego store. Dream job? Be the person that gets to build THIS STUFF:

 

 

 I think Zaylee nailed how we all felt by about mid-afternoon.

But there wasn't a frown to be found, and of course who wouldn't be smiling after a magical adventure in

 

the happiest place on Earth!

 

 

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."

                                                                                                                                            -Walter Disney