So, we did it. We made our first trip to Disneyland. With all 5 kids. Exhausting? Yes. Expensive? Yes (I don't want to pay $10 for chicken strips ever again). Memorable? Totally!!!!
We started things off with a 10 hour drive to our destination (yes, we drove. just thinking about what 6 plane tickets would cost makes me ill). Kids didn't know where we were going. They were under the impression that we were going to California to visit my grandma.
Which we did. But they had no idea what else was to come. As we drove up to the hotel (The Disney Grand California Hotel... shout out to my dear friend who hooked us up with a discount!!!!) my kids started to read the signs. Then it hit them. So fun to see their surprise and excitement.
Our hotel room was perfect for us. The boys loved the bunk beds, Tessa loved having a sleep over in Nanna's connecting room and Knox didn't seem to mind his bathtub/bed (hey, the pack n play didn't fit in the bathroom, but this worked just fine). The super rad part was that the Disney Grand has an entrance right into Disney California Adventure. Our room window looked right into the park!
It had a pretty great pool too. Though it was a smidge too cold for "Mommy swimming", the kids were determined to swim every single day. What kid can resist a waterside?
Even after Tessa got stung by a bee while swimming, she was back in the water a few minutes later. The mickey ice cream sandwich that Mickey Mouse sent to her to feel better seemed to help a lot too!
We loved that the hotel also had a door that led right into Downtown Disney. That meant we were close to awesome stores, like the RideMakerz, where the kids chose to buy their ONLY souvenir. That's right. I explained to them that they could choose one thing, for the whole trip. It worked out great. They decided on these cars, where you choose a car body, the wheels, the rims, the accessories, etc and then you get to put it all together. Tessa chose a purple stuffed unicorn. And then whenever anything else cool came along, I nicely reminded them of their awesome car and the discussion was over.
So when the kids spotted the Lego store I didn't mind wandering through it because they had already chosen their souvenir, there was no begging. Yay!
Of course there were lots of great restaurants in Downtown Disney, like the Rainforest cafe, where Cason lost his very first tooth! Thank goodness the Tooth Fairy still could find us at the hotel. Who knows, maybe Tinkerbell does double duty.
We also had breakfast in Downtown Disney, before heading into the parks. Nothing like starting a day at Disney with a beignet breakfast!
BLUE day - To help me keep track of everyone I had packed everyone with matching clothes for each day. Our first day in Disney California was our BLUE day. I also wrote my cell number on Tessa and Cason's arm in permanent marker.
And just in case you didn't catch an upclose look at the nastiness, here's Bry with his nasty-stache. He told me he wouldn't shave it until I kissed him with it. Apparently he didn't accept my repulsed attempt at a kiss and didn't shave it until he got home. I'm sure he made every parent in Disney a little nervous.
Look how color coordinated we all were!
Now we didn't attempt a trip to Disney with 5 kids without help! I'm so grateful for Auntie Michelle! She ran to get fast passes, helped keep track of all my kiddos and introduced me to the Monte Cristo sandwich at the Blue Bayou (heaven I tell you!).
I seriously couldn't have done this trip without these two! Nanna and Gunka made it possible for me to enjoy the rides WITH my big kids, instead of just standing with my babies and waiting to hear how much fun my big kids had without me. They rode carousels, pushed a stroller, visited Ariels underwater adventure (5 times!) and snuggled my babies back at the hotel when they got tired (again, so nice to be so close to the hotel!).
All while I snuggled my big kids and got to see their excitement and joy firsthand!
Of course we did meet a few fun Disney Friends as we were out and about. Funny enough, I think Ty was the most excited about seeing the characters.
Well except for when Tessa met the Princesses. So glad a friend of mine told me about Ariel's Grotto. While eating there, every princess comes right up to your table to say hello. So I knew a girls only lunch was in order.
Knox wasn't too impressed.
And we saw Princess Minnie too!
Day #2 was RED day! And it was our first day at the original Disneyland park.
Highlights were Space Mountain (still my favorite ride!), Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Carribean.... all just as great as when I experienced them as a kid.
Favorite pic of the whole trip!
We ended the day with dinner at Goofy's Kitchen. Kids loved a buffet built just for them (endless trips to get chicken strips, pizza, ice cream, cookies... and I may have stuffed my purse with fresh fruit.)
And the 3rd and final day was ORANGE day!
Pretty sure our bright orange group is what helped to get the boys selected for Jedi training!
I thought the Jedi training was pretty dang cool, but I was absolutely thrilled when Darth Vader and Darth Maul showed up to do battle with each of the boys. What kid doesn't dream of going toe to toe with these guys!
It was one of the boys favorite things they did. Of course, their "favorite" thing changed from hour to hour.
I'm pretty sure Knox's favorite ride was the submarine ride... which has been seriously improved. Too bad he won't have a single memory of this visit. Guess we'll just have to go back in another couple years. :)
The End.
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