Disneyland!

We just got back from taking our daughter to Disneyland for the first time. Brian and I are both obsessed with everything Disney and so it was only a matter of time before we introduced our daughter to the wonder of Disneyland.
We began planning our trip back in July and decided to go with my in-laws, Ben and Susan. We we so excited! We began watching all of the Disney vacation videos and introducing emma to as many Disney movies as possible. Before we left we had a short list of characters we HAD to meet for her, her favorites of course, Ariel, Rapunzel, Tinkerbell, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy. She knew these characters and so we thought with her being stranger shy she would do the best with them. 

After driving ALL night Wednesday night (Emma did really well during the drive) We arrived! Driving to our hotel Emma anxiously pointed out EVERYTHING! "Hi Tree" "Hi Car" "Hi Disneyland" We got to the hotel at about 6:30 AM with check in not being until 3 PM we were crossing our fingers they would let us in early... and they did! So we went to our room, changed our clothes got our free hotel breakfast, loaded up backpacks and strollers and were on our way!

While we waited to get into California Adventure Emma sat quietly in the stroller watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on an ipod and my inlaws made friends with the people in front of us, exchanging game plans and past Disney vacation stories. When the gates opened we went straight for the rope drop trying to secure a good position to be in line for Radiator Springs Racers. Once the rope dropped we were escorted to cars line by none other than Lightning McQueen and Mater. Emma who was on daddy's shoulders got so excited yelling "mama cars!" "mama queen!" once to carsland we made it to the main attraction, Radiator Springs Racers and got a baby swap pass since miss em is nowhere near tall enough to ride. While Brian and his Parents waited in the 45 min line Emma and I got to walk around and enjoy Carsland (it is incredible) and ride her first ever Disney ride, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree!

 After enjoying the ride we went to the cars meet and greet. Where McQueen was meeting people...

 Emma made friends with this cute little boy in line and the two of them discussed water and cars...

 By the time we got through the line Mater was meeting guests. Emma was so excited until it was her turn and he started talking to her... then she got scared.

After Brian and his parents got off the ride we swapped and Brian and I got a chance to ride with out waiting. That ride was amazing! The attention to detail was spectacular! I loved it... but that was the only time we got to ride... since well as amazing as it was it was not worth the HOURS wait and fast passes were instantly gone.

We spent the rest of the day enjoying california adventure. Emma loved King Triton's carousel and The Little Mermaid ride. She loved the mermaid ride so much as soon as we got off she ran under the chain got back in line and said, "Mermaid again!"

We went to the Playhouse Disney: Live on Stage show while my in laws went to the Aladdin show. We were very impressed. This show was 100% at Emma's Level. Emma's favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the show centered around that show. She loved singing and dancing with her fav. characters. They also changed things up with bubbles and streamers and the short show was perfect for little attention spans! If you take small children I 100% recommend you take the time to go to this show!

We continued to ride swap with my in laws and do things for emma. She was in heaven being at Disneyland. While my in laws were riding soarin we spotted Em's favorite Disney Pup, Pluto! and naturally had to stop and meet him! Emma loved him and kept petting him like a real puppy.

 That night we enjoyed "World of Color" Emma was so excited! She loved the colored water, the mermaid scenes and the balloons from up! I will never forget her joy as she saw the balloons! She was clapping and laughing and everyone around us couldn't help but smile and laugh with her.

The next day we went to Disneyland. The park was supposed to open at 8 with Disneyland hotel guests able to get in at 7. Since we stayed off property we were hoping to be in the front of the line for rope drop at 8. When The gates open at 7:30 we walked to the rope where a cast member said, "Don't go there it's blocked off and led us to tomorrowland, a half hour early. We swapped off emma for Space Mountain. By the time Brian and I got to the ride we were the only ones on our train. After the ride ended noone was in line and Brian chanted, "one more time" so we rode again, with out getting off. They offered us to ride a third time but my in laws had emma so we opted out. We got emma and headed to fantasy land where we rode Dumbo. Emma wanted purple... and loved that flying elephant! Then we rode peter Pan, with no wait! An unheard of thing for that ride.

 By booking with Cody we got into ToonTown an hour  early for Morning Madness! This was the best time we ever had in toontown! There were maybe 30 people there and we were able to meet the characters with no wait or crowds! There was also a cute little show and we all became honorary citizens of toontown!

 Emma loved meeting Donald, the two of them blew constant kisses at eachother, gave knuckles and held hands. It was too adorable! This was brian's most favorite memory from the trip!

 After Toontown we saw that Ariel (Emma's most favorite princess) was at the princess meet and greet so we waited in line... Emma was so excited! She kept yelling at Brian saying "let go" trying to go get mermaid. As soon as it was her turn she got shy. but after a min or so she warmed up to the mermaid. We also met Mulan and Tiana... who she really could have cared less about.

 Later that day we rode haunted mansion where one of Emma's flip flops fell out of our doombuggy and was gone. So her and daddy picked out her minnie shoes that she loved!

 Emma loved every ride she went on and the teacups were no exception!

Emma wanted to go in here so bad and was mad it was stuck!

 Disneyland closed early that day for the halloween party and on our way back to the hotel this is what the line looked like to get into California Adventure at 6:43 PM!!!!

The next day was our last day at disneyland! We started off by using our Extra Magic hours getting into the park at 7 AM, meaning we were up and ready to go much earlier than that. Since the park wasn't open to the public yet we weren't on a full "flight" on star tours. Now ever since we rode the new star tours last november Brian has been dying to be the rebel spy. We were talking to the people in front of us about this. As the ride started and they showed the rebel spy  I saw a picture of Brian. Both of us started cheering as well as the cute British family in front of us! as soon as the ride ended he bought him self an "I am the Rebel Spy Shirt." Later that day we rode again... and this time I was the rebel spy... despite Brian begging me to buy a shirt I didn't...

 This day we wanted to be more mellow and more about emma... We evern rode Small world for the 2nd time that trip (Brian hates that ride so that is saying something!)

 We met Tink and Merida (From Brave). The Merida meet and greet was a blast! Emma showed her her fruit snacks and told her she was eating them and Merida said "Don't let my brothers see they will try to eat them" and then the bears in the back started sniffing around. AS we were leaving Emma and I waved at the bears and they giggled. So fun!

 Brian was a good dad and waited in the long Tangled line while I took Emma to meet Peter and ride some rides. She loved meeting "tang"

 After a while we hopped on over to California Adventure and rode Mermaid 3 times in a row! and visted the bugs land.

 We then decided to go back and swim for a while.

 Emma loved being in the pool with daddy! She even learned to hold her breath under water which gave me a heart attack!

That evening we went back to Disneyland Where we enjoed a dole whip and went to the tiki room! Emma loved the tiki room and sang along with the birdies"Tweet Tweet Tweet Tweet" and when it was real quiet she sings very loudly "LA LA LA" Then we rode Pirates and emma said "wee" down the drops and sang along, "Yo Ho"

She fell asleep during the fireworks and stayed asleep during Fantasmic... on our way out of the park I looked at her foot and noticed she lost a flip flop.

During our trip we lost: Brian's sunglasses (Prescription) 2 pairs of emma's flip flops, and my mickey ears....

The next day Emma cried that we didn't get in the stroller and go across the street to Disneyland... and I did too! It was the best trip to disneyland ever! Sure we didn't ride everything that we normally would have and we spent way more time in fantasyland and toontown than Brian has ever spent but it was amazing! We got to see the magic through our daughter's eyes! Some say we are crazy for taking an almost 2 year old to Disneyland... but it was worth it! I would do it again tomorrow if we had the funds!