Day three and our legs feel like alien appendages. They're sore, stiff and generally dog tired from the foot travel. The one saving grace and likely deciding factor about the time of year we return is that the weather has been pretty mild. The warmest days and coolest nights have been in a nice comfort zone. I remember our summer a decade ago when it was so unbearably hot it made waiting for anything ten times worst.
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Seeing a lot of bad parenting here. People not minding manners, cutting or weaving just to get ahead, and last night there was a mom in line while the kids were elsewhere, then the kids just wiggled through swarms of people to cut in. The lines are structured so tightly that there isn't much room to do that anyway. On the flip side, there's a lot of good vacationers as well, people picking up dropped toys from strollers, some ladies letting our kids stand next to the curb after I unsuccessfully attempted to place a sixty pound boy on my shoulders. Most parents are empathetic.
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On the first morning, I saw my co-worker at the ferris wheel. I didn't know she was taking her vacation either and for as to run into each other in the midst of thousands of people is pretty cool. After an hour, we ran into each other again. I guess it is a small world after all.
C'mon you had to see it coming.
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One thing one really has to appreciate is the amount of detail in the park design, but for me I'm really impressed at how they do crowd control. Parking itself is a thing of beauty, all the spots are escorted so the line moves smoothly in one direction, no spot hunting or hoarding required. Then everyone gathers on the tram and we're taken to the park. Very well organized. They keep the lines and crowd moving and keep people well informed so that they can micro-manage their own schedules.
The parking enters in one spot and exits in another, so you don't have that confusion as you would in a mall parking of being disoriented. Also the escalators go directly to the floor you need for the most part, so you have to take four flights to get to your floor.
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When Heimlich, who is that German caterpillar from A Bug's Life gives riding instructions in his accent in Spanish, it amuses me.
Also, while I was pretending to eat the giant watermelon on the ride, the water that squirts on you does not taste like watermelon, just smells like it.
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Our diet of over expensive fast food is killing my appetite. I honestly am dying for some instant noodles or something. I an tired of outside food and paying thirty plus dollars to feed a family of four. Seriously in a single day without buying any gifts or souveniors it averages about a hundred bucks just on food and parking. And we even bring our own snacks and drinks.
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"Doinnng!"
"Ahhh!"
Soft sobbing.
That is Alex running into the spring stopper on the bathroom door, scaring himself, and then being upset about it.
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The Ramada Limited is living up to it's name, having one of our worst hotel experiences ever. Last night after we turned in early for the night, we woke up to idiotic guests who were loud, chattering at full volume, and some even rattled and tried to open our room doors. I was pissed. But sure, that's not necessarily the hotel's fault, but let me tell you what is.
The TV that was magnetized and now shows a discolored picture on the sides, the old microwave that reeks, the fridge that doesn't work, the room that is musty and old, the garbage outside that is too small, the towels stuck under air conditioners to stop the leaks, and the toilet plunger in the front yard. That's the hotel's fault. Aside from the location, there is absolutely no redeeming factor to stay here again.
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We've attempted to break them into rides with polarizing effect. They hate roller coasters, rides with big drops, dark or loud rides, or rides that seem ominous. They hated the Pirates of the Carribean, cringed through the kid coasters, but really enjoyed the kids rides. Alex started crying in anticipation of the Roger Rabbit ride, and we had to calm him down with Pocket God on my iPod. But afterward we went again right after with a fast pass. I was a little annoyed at first because I was sorta looking forward to the Indiana Jones ride and the Captain Eon show, as Elaine was for Splash Mountain, but that was all nixed. But I came to the resolution that all the kid rides they're on now will be unbearably boring to them when they're older, so it's just a matter of timing. They're be ready in a few years. When they retire the rides.
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Getting a lot of blogging done waiting to meet the princesses. I think we've been here for close to 40 minutes. I'm not even positive Zoe is all all psyched to meet them. She gets shy around them and just deadpans her excitment.
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Hahahaha. I'm in the single rider line at the Indiana Jones adventure. I just skipped about a fourty minute line. The wife and kids weren't too keen on this ride and rightfully so, so I have this opportunity to fill in an empty seat.
Finished the ride and I'm glad I went solo. The kids would've been miserable throughout and it is rather frightening. I had a big smile when I came off the ride though. Something nostalgic about it, you know, being a former adventurer and all.
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In these seemingly alien conditions, I think the true personalities of the kids really come out. Alex is game for anything and but struggles with complex instructions, but genuinely has a good time regarding audience participation. He is still a little shy, especially when approaching princesses and being asked by his annoying father to bow to the princesses. Zoe is extremely reserved, often not even cracking a smile and avoiding eye contact. She shifts around when someone is talking to her, but is generally compliant. She would rather not participate, and hides her emotions behind a look of indifference.
Alex hasn't shown much interest in meeting characters, and Zoe only mentions it in passing, even if she's eager to meet them. Both got pulled to join a street fair and they seemed uncomfortable and slightly miserable. But I'm sure they were having fun.
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The vacation was planned pretty well. Two days each for each park and now on the fifth day we're basically finishing up the rides we missed and repeating the ones we like. Zoe got her third Winnie the Pooh ride and it is precious because she's got this toothy smile on her face. I think Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear is Alex's favorite, because of all the shooting. I admit they might be mine too. Ride plus videogame always equal win in my book.
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Driving back to Redding, CA as our overnight stop and we're only 150 miles in and I'm exhausted. Hopefully some coffee and Dennys will wake me up a little more. I did call in to request for Monday off so that I can rest after the vacation and two days of driving but so far, the kids will be going to school the following day. I kinda feel bad for that. I need the day off just to reorient myself back to normal life. Get geeked out again.
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Never drive to Disneyland from Washington. Unless you have three drivers. And any children you might were were suspended somehow. The drive there was so-so, but during the drive back we had rain throughout, some sun, and snow at Mt. Shasta. Heavy, sliding snow. Your back tends to get all cramped too.
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An interesting footnote to this trip is that Disneyland experienced a slight delay when the earthquake in Mexico rattled Disneyland. We were literally driving away from natural disaster, even though there was no damage or injuries in Disneyland.
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