Disney Daze

Our return to Disneyland a mere 9 days after the last trip was triumphant... until about noon when it broke 90* (and then climbed to about 95* where it stayed until the sun went down).  We still had a blast but there were a lot of hydration breaks, followed by bathroom breaks, followed by more hydration breaks.  The nice thing about going on a Wednesday after LA Unified School District was already in session and when it was broiling is that the park was pretty empty and we didn't really have to wait longer than 10 minutes for any rides except Peter Pan which is newly open after being closed for refurbishment for a year.  That is one of my favorites so I was willing to wait for 40 minutes.

This trip was really cool for 2 reasons:  1) Lily went on 3 "big kid" rides that she had previously refused to go on (Indiana Jones, Grizzly Rapids & the Jellyfish); and 2) I saw the White Rabbits, one of the Disney social clubs!

Re: 2, I am a little nuts for the social clubs and really want to join one but am way too nervous to ask.  Apparently you need some street cred to get in, and while I live a full life and don't feel I lack for much, street cred is one of those things I just don't have.  But IF I was in a social club (They are not gangs people, let's be clear about that.  Even though they wear matching vests and travel in packs and sometimes get in fights with other social clubs about Disney territory, they are most definitely not gangs.  At least that is what they tell nosy journalists who try to pierce the mysterious world of Disney social clubs.) the White Rabbits is one of the ones I would want to be in because they love Alice in Wonderland and that is my joint.  So when I saw them from afar I got really excited inside and wanted to run and talk to them but did not because I am a dork & was nervous.  I'm more than comfortable singing karaoke in front of hundreds of drunk people at a bar, and even enjoy legal public speaking engagements about obtuse topics but talking to a bunch of people wearing matching denim vests with rabbits on them was a no-go.  But in my heart, I feel like a member of a 1 person Disney social club who loves Disneyland so much that I would go every day if I could.  I think when I retire as a lawyer I'm just going to get a job as a cast member.

Luckily I won't have to wait long for another visit.  Jess comes to visit with her kids in mid September and we're taking them for their first trip to Disneyland.  The weather should be a lot cooler and the park a lot less crowded by then.

Lily has sort of been over the princess thing for a while but decided to do a throw-back tour of the Fantasy Faire and visit with Snow White, Cinderella and Belle for old time's sake.

Loving Casey Jr.!  I have a hard time picking a 2nd favorite ride at Disneyland (Alice will always be #1) but yesterday finally decided that the Storybook Land Canal Boats are it.  I just love everything about if, from the miniature houses and castles, to the quilt of succulents and the fact that the ducks always look like giants next to the miniatures.  I love Casey Jr. because the train goes over and through Storybook Land so you get a different perspective of the same awesomeness you see in the boats from below.

Feeling the heat on the Jungle Cruise.

Rocking our Anna and Elsa crowns in line for Star Tours.

Doing some crazy dance moves as we made our way from Disneyland to California Adventure.  It's been almost a year since we went to C.A. too and I'm glad we did.  Lily really enjoyed the Grizzly obstacle course area and it was nice to do something different.  Still, I can't imagine ever starting the day there.  I need to see Main Street and Sleeping Beauty's castle in the morning or else it just doesn't feel right.

We got SOAKED on the Grizzly Rapids ride.  Everyone on our raft got wet but Lil and I took the brunt of it.  Luckily it was still over 80* out at 7 PM so the soaking felt nice.

My whole backside was soaked.  Because I was wearing one of these neat-o parting shirts, a wave of water splashed down right into the gap between my shorts and waist and soaked my shorts and underwear.  All of the kids on my raft got a kick out of my face as it happened and then seeing my "pee accident" after we got out of the raft.  There was a boy about 10 years old who wanted us all to go on again together because he felt that together we had formed some pretty perfect energy that attracted the perfect splashes and rapids.  I was game but Lily demurred.

Climbing ropes on the obstacle course.

Climbing the rock wall on the obstacle course.

Riding the ladybug ride toward the end of the night. Toward the end, Lil was getting a little weird.  Before getting on the jellyfish she told me "You can go on this ride with me but don't look at me and smile.  And don't ask me why."