Lisa made some really yummy cinnamon\/brown sugar\/raisin\/buttermilk\/flax seed\/sunflower seed scones. They were moist and fluffy, and were a great start to our second day at Disneyland!<\/p>\n
This morning we went straight to Mickey’s Toontown for Toontown Morning Madness. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0It was a singing\/dancing show introducing many of the classic Disney characters. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The kids really seemed to enjoy it. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0We went to Mickey and Minnie’s houses to meet them, played on Donald’s boat, and then rode (twice) on Gadget’s Go-Coaster.<\/p>\n
The kids played around Toontown (which is about as close as possible to walking around in a cartoon world), and Liam and I rode on Roger Rabbit’s Car-toon spin. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0That’s one ride I don’t recommend for anyone. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0It was too scary for Liam, and it really wasn’t all that fun for me.<\/p>\n
We headed to Frontierland for lunch at the yummy Mexican restaurant, then rode on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Liam and I rode together, and Lisa took advantage of Disneyland’s great ride-sharing policy for parents with children too small to ride. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The first parent goes on a ride, waiting in the full normal line. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Then the second parent enters from the exit and gets right on the ride. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0This saves so much time it’s almost worth having kids with you for this benefit alone! \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The lines everywhere were very short, though, probably because it’s the middle of the week in the off-season.<\/p>\n
After lunch and the roller coaster, we headed back to the hotel for nap time. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0As expected, the kids had a hard time settling down. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0At least, they had a hard time until I told them that we weren’t going back to the park until they took a nap. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0They fell asleep almost immediately.<\/p>\n
While Lisa and the kids slept, I went back to Disneyland and rode Indiana Jones (which the kids are too small to ride), Star Tours (which Lisa doesn’t care to ride), and the Haunted Mansion (which I refuse to take the kids on).<\/p>\n
When Lisa and the kids woke up, we went to Disney’s California Adventure through our hotel’s special short-cut entrance and picked up our tickets for tonight’s World of Color show.<\/p>\n
Then we cut through Disneyland (past the infamous Club 33, Disney’s exclusive club with a 10-year waiting list) to Adventureland, where we went on the Jungle Cruise. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The constant flow of bad humor makes the Jungle Cruise my new favorite ride.<\/p>\n
We spent a little time in Frontierland on the way to Critter Country, where we rode Splash Mountain. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Splash Mountain was terrifying for Liam, but somehow after the ride it became his favorite. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0I don’t know why this happens, but I remember having a similar experience with Pirates of the Caribbean when I was a little guy. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0By this time in the day, the rides were so short that we could have ridden Splash Mountain several times in a row, if children would have permitted. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0But Clara’s too small for Splash Mountain, anyway.<\/p>\n
Both Liam and Clara LOVED Winnie the Pooh’s Adventure, which is a cute, mild, non-scary ride in Critter Country. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0We saw all the characters from Winnie the Pooh, but were about 20 seconds too late to get a chance to greet them.<\/p>\n
We enjoyed dinner at the Golden Horseshoe saloon as some of their last patrons of the evening.<\/p>\n
Everywhere we went, cast members offered us special buttons to pin onto our shirts. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Not the collectible pins that people seem to trade and wear on lanyard around their necks, but the old tin round buttons that elementary school kids love so much. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0I’ll have to take a picture of Liam with his button collection; he’s quite proud of it.<\/p>\n
Our evening was very eventful. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Were were able to enjoy both the Soundsational parade in Disneyland AND the World of Color show in Disney’s California Adventure. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0The kids loved the parade, as expected. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0And the World of Color show was Amazing, but not great for kids. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0If you want them to be able to see, you really do have to hold them. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0And holding them for the length of the show was pretty difficult. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Still, the show is a definite must-see; a true spectacle of lights, water and fire.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow we hope to visit California Adventure in earnest. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0We have early-opening tickets for the Disneyland park, but we need to figure out exactly what opportunities those tickets afford. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Whew! \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Good night!<\/p>\n