We successfully pulled off the surprise, though I nearly blew it numerous times leading up to the big day. I accidentally referred to the Disney trip a good half a dozen times in the final week (and promptly received a half dozen death stares from Steph), probably due to the consuming nature of final preparations, but fortunately the kids happened to be distracted each time, and the surprise was preserved.
We awoke the kids around 5:45am, a good hour and a half before their usual wake up time, gathered them in our room, and shared with them the exciting news! They were very excited, giving us big, sloppy smiles, as they were both still half asleep. It wasn't until we were about half way to the airport that they fully awoke, and from then until we were inside of Disneyland, it was an endless stream of questions, half of which pertained to whether we were almost there.
After the two hour flight, the shuttle to the hotel, check-in, and a quick lunch, we finally made it to Disneyland. Luckily for us, Minnie greeted us right when we walked in the park, and the kids knew we had finally made it to the happiest place on earth!! The kids got their pics and hugs with Minnie, and next we saw Pluto, at which point Jackson made it very clear that meeting more characters would just have to come later, because he was here to do rides.
The rest of the day was largely devoted to rides, although we did take a visit to Pixie Hollow to meet Tinker Bell, a longtime favorite of the kids. After a very fun day, we settled the kids back in at the hotel, got them into their pj's, and took them downstairs for storytime at the hotel. Then they finally crashed in the room, loving sleeping in bunk beds for the first time.
The next four days were more of the same, devoting all of our free hours to time in the park, mixing in special activities that we had planned along the way. Favorite day time events included a special breakfast hosted by Minnie Mouse and her friends. We bought special disneyland autograph books, and the kids filled them with pictures and autographs from all of their new friends. These have been awesome keepsakes, as the kids love looking through them and remembering their fun times at Disney
Another fun event was dinner at Ariel's Grotto, where we met Ariel (the little Mermaid), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Beforehand, we bought Mackenzie a special Cinderella dress and glass slippers to wear to dinner, and Steph wisely waited until we were at the event and everyone's moods were great to make the case for adding a wand and tiara. So after spending prom-like money on Mackenzie's wardrobe, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with several Disney princesses and my two real life princesses. (as an aside, I am starting to detect a troubling fiscal trend regarding "big evenings" for Mackenzie.)
As fate would have it, the Mariners were in town to play the Angels. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to check out new baseball parks, and I've always looked forward to sharing this with Jackson. Figuring we might like a break in the Disney routine, we packed the kids' Mariners attire and enjoyed a game in the California sunshine. The Mariners lost a heartbreaker in the 10th inning, but we still had a great time.
After cooking in a searing heatwave at the ballgame, we were all very ready for some pool time. As can be expected, the kids loved swimming and the slides. The hotel also supplied little life jackets, which Kenzie loved, as she spent hours paddling and putzing about, squealing "I'm doing it!!!". She also enjoyed the activity I invented Bippity... Boppity... BOOP!!!, where I threw her in the air on the BOOP!
Jackson's favorite pool event was the big kid slide. It was also very cool to see him realize a measure of reward for all his hard work at his swimming lessons. To ride the big slide (a two story, spiraling water slide that dumps you into a roped off area of the pool in 5 foot deep water), he had a to pass a swim test, swimming across the pool unaided. With his proper motivation, Jackson powered himself from across the pool, taking 3 breaths along the way!!! I am so proud of him, especially as I was a scaredy-cat growing up, and didn't fully swim by myself until I was 10 years old or so. Even more fun, Jackson learned how to leverage the current exiting the water slide, allowing him to power all the way to the ladder without stopping for breath. I swear his form looked like Michael Phelps!!
We powered out all the rides out in the first couple of days, then devoted the rest of the time going on favorites over and over again. Our collective favorites were Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, the Matterhorn, It's a Small World, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, and the Rockets. Kenzie found the "EE-bomital snowman" (abominable snowman) on the Matterhorn very scary, yet very thrilling. She kept wanting to go back and get scared again! Jackson's absolute favorite was the Splash Mountain roller coaster, where he loved getting sprayed by the water.
Pirate Kenzie... Yearrgh!!
Goofy with some new friends
Battling the forces of evil!
Buzz Blasting!
Roller Coasting!
Merry Go Rounding!
Disney Dancing!
Some day...
Ready for Captain Eo with our 3-D glasses
Watching Mickey cartoons in the old theater
The final evening we kept the kids up late for the big fireworks show. We parked ourselves right in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle and watched a spellbinding display of fireworks above the castle, complete with Tinker Bell flying down from the Matterhorn. It was the perfect end to a special week that started with two sleepy, happy kids, and ended with two exhausted, blissfully content kids. The final walk back to the hotel after fireworks left me misty eyed as I cherished the sweet burden of carrying my sound asleep princess all the way back after a magical trip!
