Oh my.
We had a BLAST at Disneyland. There is so much to say and so many pictures to post, I hardly know where to start. Prepare yourself for gratuitous photos of our family with Disney-themed paraphernalia nearby.
Example:
But let's back up. We started off our excursion with a visit to Downtown Disney. None of us had ever been, but we had a lot of fun exploring. Riley had her first restaurant meal ever, and the waitstaff even sang her "Happy Birthday" over dessert (which Robb and I promptly ate for her. Don't worry, she didn't notice.)
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| Digging right into those chips and salsa |
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The next two days were jam-packed with Disneyland fun. We didn't know what Riley would like or not like ahead of time. We quickly found out. Likes: characters. Does not like: rides.
However, that didn't stop us from taking her on every ride possible. We got a kick out of a new phrase she started using: "I don't want to." Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, etc. all heard this phrase first-hand. Robb taught her to cover her ears on a ride when it got too loud (which it always was--something we never noticed before taking a toddler there.) She progressively cried less and less with each one, and on Day Two she was an old pro.
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| Learning to drive |
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| This was taken mid-spin in the teacups |
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| In flight on Dumbo |
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| Loving the carousel |
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We didn't torture her the whole time though. In between riding, we did what Riley wanted to do: MEET CHARACTERS!!
Now, I underestimated this child's love for all things in costume. In case you haven't been to Disneyland in awhile, the characters don't walk around anymore, posing for pictures and signing autographs like when we were kids. They appear at designated spots in the park and you line up to meet them just like you do for a ride.
Luckily, the two days we were there weren't very crowded and we never had to wait long in any lines. So we ended up visiting some characters twice.
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| Don't judge the fanny pack. They're coming back in style. |
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| Proudly showing off her birthday pin and Minnie dress |
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| Riley couldn't get enough of the Disney animals. But for some reason, she was REALLY timid about meeting all the princesses! |
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We spent an inordinate amount of time in Toon Town and Critter
Country. No thrill ride could be more exciting, though, than seeing our
little girl meet her very favorite characters. The best (and kind of
surprising) part was, Riley charmed them! She
would converse with them instead of hugging them right away like the
other kids, and they really seemed to get a kick out of her. Even bystanders would laugh. Check out this video of Riley meeting her fav, Winnie the Pooh.
Robb and I spent a lot of time at Disneyland doing things we hadn't done
before ... or, at least couldn't remember doing (had to throw that in for
when my parents say "but we did that with you!") But that didn't stop us from going on adult rides. They have what's called a Child Swap Pass, where one parent goes on the ride while the other stays outside with the child, and then you switch. The 2nd parent goes in the Fast Pass Line or the Exit. Robb and I both got to ride all the biggies this way, and hardly waited at all!
After heading back to the hotel for naps both days, we returned to watch Mickey's Parade. We got great seats both nights (possibly because I held our spot for an hour.)
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| Doing what Daddy taught her! |
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| Second night; she knew what was coming! |
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All in all, it was a terrific trip. Riley didn't get as much sleep as usual, but was such a trooper and enjoyed every bit. Here's a picture from the morning we left. She had just woken up. She put on her own shoes, climbed into her stroller, and said, "Disneyland again Mommy."
I think that just about sums it up. :)
