"Buzz Lightyear's what?" A Disneyland May 2017 TR ♡

[MagicallyMom]

Hello!! My little family just took a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth! It was actually very last minute, we only decided to do it a week before we left, but it was Disneyland, not WDW, so little planning was very necessary.

First, here we are! This is DH, DD6, or "Squeaks," and myself at Busch Gardens last spring. DH is a very calm, steady guy, quiet, easy to travel with. He and I met in the Navy, and we joke as Navy veterans are said to. I'll keep the stories as PG as I can. He's not a super Disney fan, but he's a fan of me so he allows the fun. He and I both grew up in SoCal, so we've been to DL a few times as kids. Star Tours is his favorite.

Squeaks is just the best. Perfect grades, well mannered, usually easy going. She's been scared kid thrill rides since she tried the teacups at WDW when she was 4, but it won't matter much this trip anyway...

Because there's another small person with us inside my tummy, due in November, and I won't be riding the crazier rides anyway. This is why we chose DL over WDW; Florida has colonies of mosquitos known to carry the Zika virus. California does not.

So for the first post, the planning run down:
1. Of course I want to stay on property! I like DL hotel with the firework lights ion the headboards, but Squeaks takes one look at the stuffed Beach Balls on the beds at Paradise Pier and declares we have to do that one. As this is her last special vacation before there's a baby, I let her win.*
2. Things I'm very glad I thought to pack: Wet Ones sanitizing hand wipes in individual wraps. Super helpful to have. Individually wrapped bum wipes, because thin toilet paper is sad. Airplane snacks, coloring books, spare socks, a tiny bag for my phone, discounted Disney Gift cards from Target.
3. Things I wish I'd thought of: ziplocks for repacking our swim suits. Q-tips. Sneakers for me. (I wore fit flops all through WDW 2 years ago without issue, & brought the same pair. I've lost 110 lbs since then, though, and didn't realize that they wouldn't fit the sane way anymore. Regrets, I have a few.)

So...we're all packed! Let's go to Disneyland!

* Oddly enough, though Paradise Pier is the value option at DL, we could have stayed at the Grand Californian for cheaper because of my military discount! I didn't think DH would care, but when he found out he was a little bummed I didn't book it. I promised him we would on our next trip.

 

[MagicallyMom]

Day 1: Travel & Check In

The big morning came, and I had to wake up Squeaks for our flight from the East Coast to the West. I wiggled her a bit and said "Hey, wake up! It's time to go to Disneyland!" She responded "Already?!"
To be fair, it was 4 am. She thought I was just going to give her a kiss before I left for work like other Monday mornings.

So now we're sleepy & excited, but we have to do my least favorite part: the airports. Our local airport usually is pretty quiet, though, and today was no exception. Hubby found us a good parking spot, we rushed in and found out we had plenty of time. After trying and failing at coming up with a decent explanation of why Mommy & Daddy remove shoes but 6 year olds don't have to, we were through security. SWA has family boarding, which was AWESOME.

The flights were about what you'd expect. Coloring books, snacks. Excited waiting.

We get to LAX, and we had booked the official Disneyland Express bus through Coach. ...and now it's time for a small rant.
-They didn't tell us where you wait for the bus. We were lucky we figured this out, from yelp reviews it sounds as though many others are not this fortunate. (At LAX, it's under the green sign.)
- They were late.
- They were rude.
- The movie they advertise to pass the time for your kids on the bus is no longer working, so they don't actually play it anymore. They still advertise it, though!
- It costs twice as much as an uber and it makes more stops, and you wait longer for it.

So...WDW veterans, Do NOT expect a Magical Express equivalent. You will get an expensive, sad bus.

But then we made it to Disneyland's Paradise Pier! It was time for actual, legitimate vacationing! We checked in for our club level, standard view room...and got upgraded! Poolside patio! Woot woot! I'm assuming they were nice to us because we said we were celebrating Squeaks becoming a Big Sister. ♡

Hungry, we stopped at the "Surfside Lounge" in the lobby. It boasts what's probably the smallest menu I've ever seen at a Disney Dining place. DH got heavily modified nachos, DD got grilled cheese,

& I got a turkey sandwich.

It was good food. Not very special, but not bad.

I'm having some trouble with my photosharing, so I'll leave you to wonder where we went first...if any readers join in, feel free to guess. Hint: it was Squeaker's choice.

*All photos added now! Huzzah!

 

[imBryan]

I'm glad I read your experience with the DL Express. We have a small child, so taking a bus will be easier for us, but at the very least we know what to expect now.

EDIT: My wife is strongly considering Uber now. lol.

 

[MagicallyMom]

I'm glad I read your experience with the DL Express. We have a small child, so taking a bus will be easier for us, but at the very least we know what to expect now.

EDIT: My wife is strongly considering Uber now. lol.

Look, when we take Baby #2 in a few years, I see no reason to pay that service 98$ again!

And hi! Nice to have someone reading!

 

[MagicallyMom]

Day 1: The Denouement

After meeting Nick, we were tired enough to call it a day I the parks. (Remember 2 things: our bodies were still on East Coast time, and we woke up early to fly for 8 hours). Leaving the park, we heard a jazzy version of Bare Necessities. Cute!

The only option available for booking when we made our Paradise Pier reservation was club level, so...why not? DH stayed in the room while the girls decided to go to the concierge lounge for snacks. Squeaker decided to try what she thought was "Canada mix"...and discovered it was very spicy cantina mix. She mixed it with some standard goldfish crackers to try to trick her Daddy. We got some cabs of soda and spa water add took it to the room. DH laughed at Squeaker's trick, we figured it was too close to dinner time to go to the pool. We loafed like champions.

On to the PCH Grill for dinner. (DH saw a Smores bar advertised that called to him.) I discovered before leaving the room that my faithful Fit Flops that served me faithfully at WDW 2 years ago didn't fit the same eau now that I'd lost 100 + pounds... I had 4 blisters. So...

Oh yes. Stylish solution!

We also realized Squeaks didn't have flip flops for the pool...off to the gift shop! She was so enraptured with all the Disney March that I couldn't persuade her to try them on...then I mom-failed and bought the size she just outgrew.

So now we're at dinner, and there was a buffet that would make every picky eaters' dreams come true. For reference, my daughter's plate:

Carbs, cheese...more carbs.

My plate:

Salmon, roasted vegetables, fruit, a sourdough roll (holy deliciousness) and garlic bread. I recommend everything I ate, though the garlic bread rated simply "standard," standard garlic bread is still delicious. Everything tasted like heaven. Even the butter was great!

...Squeaks has a thing for butter.

And the restaurant plays Disney songs as made over by a Beach Boys-esque band. I heard "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins, which is the lullaby I sing to Squeaks, so that was like a special nod of magic for us even if it was coincidence. They also did a cute version of Bare Necessities...

I forgot to photograph hubby's plate, I'm sorry. I did photograph the dessert buffet!

 

[MagicallyMom]

Aaaand my photosharing is cooperating!

I asked a server, Luis, if he could only have one bite of dessert, what he would choose. He recommended the chocolate mousses for chocolate lovers, and that berry crisp for fruity dessert folks. I got a mousse, which Squeaker stole & loved, and the berry crisp. Louis was right, it was AMAZING. Hubs strongly recommends the strawberry shortcake. He wanted more but had filled up on tri tip & mashed potatoes.

...We paid up, and returned to the gift shop to fix the flip flop mom fail. It was time for the pool!

At 74 degrees, it was much cooler out than it is when I normally swim. We agreed to keep preggo momma happy and go to the jetted hot pool.

...and here's where we made a mistake. Observe this photo from trip advisor:

Small circle pool adjacent to the normal pool. Must be the hot tub, right? WRONG. Our family of 3 hung out in the baby wading pool, completely oblivious, on purpose, wondering why it wasn't REALLY warm or jetted.

Yup.

We asked Squeaks what was on her must do list for tomorrow, and she replied "Jungle Cruise!" I asked if she'd also do Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. My husband...well, he misheard me and about died laughing. He heard the first, second and fourth words correctly. "Astro"... nope. We figured out what he thought I said...lets just say jokes about a restaurant that makes us use the restroom were made. We now call going #2 "defeating Emperor Zurg." Probably not a joke for every family...but we laughed quite a lot. *shrug* If you're reading this...well. Welcome aboard!

We went back to the room after about 30 minutes because we were cold, and noticed the actual hot tub on the way out...go us.

The hotel gave us a gift! I'll pay a pic when imgur cooperates. *sigh* I need to find a better photisharing site.

Anyway, I hope someone out there is reading along and enjoying! And off not, oh well. I'll still be able to go on my vacation in my memory by revisiting this. If you are here, we'll, I like you automatically by default! Thanks. ♡