We have another Magic Morning since we are staying on-site. We arent concerned about being first in line this time, so we take our time. We pack up our things and tidy up the room. We leave a thank you and a tip for the wonderful housekeeping staff. They really did a great job. Our room was always tidied up by the time we returned for our afternoon naps. I was really impressed. The
Disneyland Hotel was definitely not new or fancy, but the staff was amazing. We were quite comfortable there. After taking our bags down to the bell stand, we check out and head for Disneyland for the last time.
We get to the park at around 8:30, so we have a half hour to wait for the start of Magic Morning. We are actually far back enough that we cannot hear the countdown. Once we get in, we head straight for Fantasyland and Peter Pan. We have to wait a couple of minutes to get on Peter Pan, but nothing too bad. The kids really enjoyed this ride the second time around. It goes by so quickly, that I dont think they really appreciated it the first time. We then go to Dumbo. Kaleb doesnt yet talk much, but he is screaming Dumbo over and over. He actually picked up quite a few new words at Disney. They are of course all Disney words: Mickey, Goofy, Dumbo, you get the idea.
After riding Dumbo, Bob tries to talk Riley into going on Snow White. I really dont want her to go on this ride. She isnt easily scared, but I think that ride would do it. Thankfully, she tells Dad it is too scary for big girls. (She has taken to calling herself a big girl as opposed to Kaleb who is a baby.) She does want to go on the Matterhorn, though. She and Bob had ridden it on Sunday. It was down the rest of the week, but it is now back up. She and I get in line. It is a fairly long line considering the park is still not open to everyone yet. We wait for over half an hour and it is our turn. She rode this ride without a hitch when Bob took her on Sunday. Today she is pulling my arm over her head to cover her eyes. We get off and she tells me it is too scary to ride with Mommy. It is only a good ride for big girls to ride with Daddy. Go figure.
Bob took Kaleb on Alice and on Dumbo a couple of more times while we rode the Matterhorn. The park has now opened, so we headed for Casey Jr. We havent ridden this one yet. Riley pretended to be a giraffe and we got into one of the cages. The kids really liked this ride. I would have like to have ridden the Storybook Land Canal boats, but there is already a sizable line.
After Fantasyland, we stop by Tomorrowland to ride Buzz again. I did even better than before. Bob wouldnt tell me his score this time, so I think I out-scored him again. Go me!! We saw Buzz outside before we went on the ride. This is the only character Riley wouldnt go up to. Not sure why. Kaleb was all excited to see him, but got a little timid once we got close. I have to admit that I think he is a little odd looking. I know- he is supposed to look like a toy, but it is still kind of odd.
We head to Adventureland for the Tiki Room which we still havent done. The kids loved the Dole Whip Float and loved the waiting area. They were not too impressed by the show, though. I remember seeing it as a kid, but I cannot remember if I liked it or not. Well, at least they got ice cream out of the deal.
We have to go for another ride on Winnie the Pooh, so we head for Critter Country. The stand-by line for Splash Mountain is only 5 minutes, so Bob leaves me and the kids to ride Winnie the Pooh and goes to Splash Mountain. The kids and I ride Pooh 3 times and still no Bob. I call him and he tells me he has been stopped on the ride this whole time. They were having some kind of problem. The kids are asking for Tigger Tails, but we havent had lunch yet. Bummer, I would have liked one myself.
Bob catches up with us and we head to Café Orleans. They dont have a record of our PS, but get us right in anyway. We split Pommes Frites and a Monte Cristo. Bob, Kaleb and I really liked the Pommes Frites. Riley did not- at all. We liked the Monte Cristo, but couldnt have eaten a whole one. The kids had the PB&J. They ate the fruit and that was about it. Bob and I make arrangements to meet up in the hotel lobby to catch the Disneyland Express at 3:00. I leave Bob to pick up the check and head back to the hotel for Kalebs nap.
Kaleb cannot do without a nap and we no longer have a room. Check out time is 11:00, so we knew this would be happening. I find a comfy chair in the lobby of the Wonder tower. I nurse Kaleb and off he goes to dream land. This was a much comfier spot than the Baby Care Center I used on our first day, but I cannot wait until naps are a thing of the past. Anyway, I am staring at the walls because I have of course forgotten to bring a book with me.
Well, while I am trying to stay awake, Bob and Riley are out having some last minute fun. I heard all about it from Riley when they arrived back at the hotel at 3:00. She tells me that Dad took her to see the scary bugs. I am a little confused as to what she is talking about. Bob looks at me and says, I made a parenting mistake. He admits to taking her to see Its Tough to be a Bug. This is the show that I had made a point of telling him was supposed to be really freaky. So I ask how it went. He sheepishly tells me that he is watching the show and hears a kid screaming. He looks around and cannot find the source of the noise. Then he looks down to his lap. It is his daughter screaming. Riley is not a screamer. I dont think I have ever heard her scream out of fear. He said that the part where the bug spit poison at her really freaked her out. You think?!!!
Well, he rushed her out of the theater and then they went on rides. Dont worry. She is not emotionally scarred. They went on Rileys favorite DCA rides to end the trip: The Bugs Land rides, the carousel and of course Monsters Inc.
Kaleb and I left the Wonder tower and headed for the main lobby after nap. Going out of the Wonder tower was kind of sad. Every morning, Kaleb would jump into his stroller and start pointing to the doors as soon as he woke up. He would not get out of his stroller except to get clothes on and to grab a banana or box of cereal to eat in the stroller. Was he afraid we might forget him?!!! Once the rest of us were finally ready to go, we would head out the doors. Kalebs cries of Bubbles as he saw the waterfalls always signaled a new trip into Disneyland. This was the last time I would hear that.
While we are waiting for the Disneyland Express bus, Goofy wanders into the lobby. My kids mob him. Then they start to push each other and fight over who gets to hug Goofy. We have a picture of Kaleb crying while standing next to Goofy. It is not because he is afraid. It is because he wants to hug Goofy and Riley pushed him out of the way. This encounter lets me know that it is a good thing we are heading home. The kids have been great up till now, but they are in need of some down time.
Sorry it is so dark. I don't think the flash went off.
We board the bus and head for the airport. The bus driver puts in a video- Princess Diaries 2. Not the best choice for my little ones. They could care less, so this doesnt keep them occupied. We do our best with snacks and books. We get to LAX and check in and head for security. It occurs to me that the kids and I are wearing Crocs without socks. YUCK!! Our flight is in two hours, so we get the kids some dinner. Not much to choose from, so we get Burger King. There is nothing to do in that airport, so we break out the DVD player and watch a show. The airport seriously smelled like a sewer, so I kept checking Kaleb. It never was him.
Bob checked with the agent to see if they could ask the person next to me to move so that I could have more room with Kaleb. We didnt buy Kaleb a ticket. Anyway, she said she couldnt make anyone move. Of course not. We just wanted her to ask the other person if he/she would be willing to move. Well, the agent was not willing to do that. We had no problem having this done in the Boise airport.
Finally it is time to board the plane. It is 6:30 which is almost the kids bedtime, so we are hoping they will sleep on the plane. We board and the lady sitting next to me asks me if I would mind her sitting in another seat. Thank you!! The stewardess is lovely and helps make this happen.
This is the worst part of our whole trip. Kaleb is nursing and trying to go to sleep. He inadvertently kicks the seat in front of us. The man in that seat asks me to please not let my child kick his seat. Of course I wasnt letting Kaleb kick his seat. It was an accident. I tell him I will do my best. The man starts looking back at me constantly and making comments under his breath. I understand no one wants to have his or her seat kicked, but Kaleb only did it once and it was an accident. Anyway, I was ready to cry. The man actually asked to be moved but the stewardess wouldnt move him. (I think she thought he wanted to move because he was a larger man and sitting next to some one on a jumper plane had to have been a little uncomfortable for him and his seat mate.) Every time Kaleb would breath too deeply, this man was giving me dirty looks and muttering. It did help that when he got up to use the bathroom all the other passengers around me told me not to worry about anything that he was just a grump. Kaleb did really well on the flight and only cried a little when the lights came on when we landed. That was because he got woken up. I would cry too.
That part of my trip still gets me upset. I understand no one wants to listen to another persons child cry on a plane and no one wants to have their seat jostled, but try to cut us parents some slack. There was another little baby wailing almost the whole flight and all I could think was how sorry I felt for the mom and the little one. I cannot imagine actually making that mom feel worse than she already did by making mean comments.