First trip to DisneyLand!

We have been thinking about this trip since last November, before the kids were really into anything Disney at all.  A lot has changed in a year and we are really glad that we waited so they could go on the majority of the rides and we could really enjoy it as family.  This trip was so fun and the kids both had a powered through the day like champs! 

We left at about 7, checked into our hotel about 9 and were in the park by 10ish.  The kids were very excited!

 

We were too!

I have memories of Disney as a child and enjoyed the park when I was young but have never been drawn to it as an adult.  Going with the kids, however, made me see it in an entirely new way.  

We started off going on Pirates of the Caribbean.  Zack was less than impressed!  Still his least favorite ride:(. After that we couldn't even get him in the Haunted Mansion.  Luckily, it was uphill from there!

Next, we opted for some lighter rides like the carousel.

Seriously,how can this grin not make you smile!

 Zack hit the 40" mark, which allowed us to go on many of his first real roller coasters.  Splash Mountain was a great segue!  You may be able to tell I was a little protective.  For the record, it seemed to be totally cool to take pictures of the screens, so we did!

For November it was a warmer than expected.  It was about 80 both days so we took a popsicle break and snuck in a Goofy snuggle mid day.  Thankfully we didn't wait more than 15-20 minutes for rides and we got to go on everything we wanted including the parades and all the lights.

It is so hard to capture this day in any other way to say than it was truly magical for the kids which made us love it.  Zack's favorite of the day was "It's a Small World".  He kept asking how they built everything and was mesmerized by all the stuff.  They were already playing Christmas music....

 

The rest of us LOVED Space Mountain.  Seriously, this is the best ride!  We had a fast pass and then it broke down but we made it back and thankfully got to ride it.  It is a a fast, curvy coaster in the dark. We were a little nervous about the kids and how they would handle it...can you tell by my grip!?  Thankfully, everyone enjoyed it.  The kids both talked about their "crumply" stomachs.  When we said they were butterflies Zack said he had bumble bees!

We stayed in the park from 10- 7 and tried to get dinner in Downtown Disney but the second we left the park the kids crashed... thankfully quietly without and struggles! Matt and I got sandwiches instead and the kids slept in the stroller.  We took the shuttle home and they stayed zonked out after a full and memorable day!