Disney Selfies

I took a lot of pictures while on vacation. and not all of them were of myself (thankyouverymuch) but this post is filled with the ones that are of me. No one else was really into taking pictures. I don't know why I have this overwhelming desire to take pictures of Ev.Er.Y.Thing, but I do. And since I didn't want to constantly hand my camera off, I just took them myself.

This is the kid and me sitting just outside the parks on one of the Mickey head benches. I bought the ears for her- because I believe every kid should have their very own mouse ears on their first trip to Disneyland. She didn't like wearing them- so I did.

Four years ago when I went to California Adventure for the very first time, I went on the ride Mulholand Madness (now changed to Goofy's Flight School). It's a wild mouse type ride and I hate it. HATE it. I vowed never to go on it again. But, I let my sister talk me into giving it one more chance.

I still hate it. In fact, I think I hate it even more now. The ride broke down about 20 feet from the end of the ride. The came to assist us and ask us if we (my sister who was in an ACV) were able to step down and walk off, or if we needed they needed to call for firemen to come help us off. I've heard the California firemen are legendarily HOT so I said YES!!! but then the cast member said they're just the park firemen and they're not that great. So, disappointed, we stepped down and walked off the ride unassisted.

(We thought they were going to give us our own car so I sat in front and Mel in back- then they put to random "single riders" with us so they got stuck with my insane screams of death.)

We planned on going on the Grizzly river rapids early in the day so we'd have the whole day to dry out. Good thing because I was freaking soaked after- but not as much as my sister, Kim. She looked like she had an accident. My dear brave aunt also went on the ride and got a little soaky-soaked!

  

 

Kim was the unlucky chump to get stuck with me on the Toy Story Ride. I kicked everyone's trash in the scores! Yeah baby!!! The Wii version is fun- but not nearly as fun as the actual ride.

I was excited to be with Mel and Kim for their first time on the Little Mermaid Ride. It really is a cute ride.

What I was most excited for this trip was seeing Cars Land. Last year we went one week before it opened- so I could see it behind the wall, but it wasn't open yet for us to go into. This is me walking into Radiator Springs for the first time!

It was fun to go with Squeek on the Pooh ride. Notice her graduation ears, congratulations! Whenever she met a character they gave her a thumbs up and a high five!)

One of my favorite new rides is Luigi's Flying Tires. I've never been on a ride like it before and it was so much fun! 

 

Also new to me was Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. Super fun ride that whips the heck out of you! Next time though I'm going on it without a camera in my hands so I can enjoy the ride for the ride's sake! (all of these rides, actually) 

 

We had one day early entry to the park so we took it on our C.A. day. we stood in line for like and hour and half to get fast passes for the Radiator Springs Racers. Then we had to stand in the fast pass line to get on the ride. Just as we were the next people to get in a car, the ride broke down. I guess because it's a fairly new ride it breaks down a lot. I mean a LOT. Some of the break downs are a few minutes, but some of them require the ride to be completely shut down and it takes two hours to reboot (I stood in line next to a Disney Host [one of my dream jobs] who was escorting a VIP family around the park- so I know that is true). They wouldn't give us our passes back, and basically said we were screwed. That was the first time I've ever been disappointed in the Disney system. How freaking unfair. We had to wait in line for fast passes (which are gone by 10:30 a.m.) and then wait in line again. We could wait another two hours for the ride to get going because if we got out of the line we would have to wait in the 2.5 hour standby line. But because we were in the wheelchair line, they told us of a little thing called a recovery pass- where you show the cast member your disability pass, and they'll give you a pass for the wait time of the line and then you can use that like a fast pass. So our original fast passes were for 12:30. At 6:00 p.m. we finally got on the ride! Ugh! Thank goodness for recovery passes!

The ride was worth the wait though. It was totally awesome!

This last one is on the Alice in Wonderland ride. I don't know why I think it's so cute- I just love this ride (Peter Pan is still my favorite though). This one shows our cute crowns that we all wore that day. We had a lot of people comment on them throughout the day so it was a lot of fun.

  



Disney Characters

It's only been a week and I'm already suffering Disney withdrawals. I thought of something I wanted to buy today and thought, "I'll just run over to Downtown Disney and pick it up." Then I remembered I don't live near Disneyland. That's just sad. We DO have a Disney Store, but that's not the same.

So, I'll post some pictures to remind myself of happier times.

PS- I looked like crap all week long. I don't know why- I think it was the hair gel I was using or something, because I seriously look like poo in all these pictures (I don't mean Pooh, and I'm not fishing for compliments. I'm posting these pictures out of love for you- because I don't normally post unflattering pictures of myself).

Most of these characters are those that I have never met before (a few exceptions). They all seemed a little reluctant to have a giant grown up five year old take pictures with them. Most of them grabbed onto the nearest kid and held on for dear life when the picture was being taken. Whateves. I can still say I have pictures with them now.

We started out at Goofy's Kitchen. Of course we got the obligatory photo with Chef Goofy.

Minnie was so cute. She personally escorted us to our table.

I had never met Mulan before- so this was fun.

Trying to be tough? I dunno. Don't ask.

This was just too cute not to post. My Aunt and my Sister.

Strictly speaking this Lego Hulk is not a character- BUT it was funny.  

As I posed for the picture, a guy walked by and said, "hey, I see a family resemblance!" 

This is me thanking him. 

I'd never seen the White Rabbit, so I was excited to meet him. I told him I had to go though, because I was late. 

I'd never seen the Red Queen of Hearts either. I yelled "Off with her head!" she applauded me and then made me curtsy.

All the times I've been to Disneyland, I've never gone to Pixie Hollow. But when your group has a little girl with you (I went with boys last year) you HAVE to go. So I got to meet Faun. (I've read the book but I haven't seen the movies... perhaps I should watch them.)

We also got to meet Tinkerbell. I've seen her in parades and stuff, but never out for people to meet. It was kind of cute.

Ok, THIS is where I get embarrassing. The first day (if you'll notice the above picture) we all wore T-shirts of our favorite princesses and matching crowns (thank you Melanie). My favorite princess is Rapunzel. So we stood in line to meet her, and she was a little weirded out that I wanted my picture with her but she liked my shirt and complimented my purple crown.

When we were in California Adventure, just outside the Midway Mania ride, we ran into Jesse.

We were the last people to get to meet her before she left, but she was immediately replaced by Buzz.

She gave him a quick kiss as they traded places. Darn it that I didn't have my camera out and ready! It was so cute! 

In Toontown we met Mickey at his house. 

And in Cars Land Lightning, Mater and Red were out for the kids to meet and talk to. And they really talked. It was super cute (only I don't think Red actually speaks- but I never got close enough).

I always feel a little bit silly meeting characters because I'm supposed to be a grown up, but I just think it's so fun.  You're only as old as you feel, and I have maintained for years that I am just an overgrown five year old. :)

Ten Years

We interrupt these Disney posts to bring you this news flash:

It's been ten years since I got home from one of the greatest adventures of my life. I served as a missionary in the New Jersey, Morristown Mission. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I learned a lot from those 19 months (like how to deal with cockroaches, and majorly bi-polar people) and made some of the best friends I've ever had in my life.

It's been ten years and I still have dreams that I'm back on the mish.

I keep running the "post mission song" in my head (someday I'll post the whole thing- I just can't remember all the words right now). It was a song sung by my companion, roommates and me at our last spring conference, each sister dropping out as she got married in the song. So far it's been pretty true to life. I was the last to go- and my chorus went:

Returned sisters of New Jersey,
I guess it doesn't happen to us all
So I'll turn my papers in
and I'll serve the Lord again
I guess in love I just wasn't meant to fall.

Hahaha- seriously, I'll get the words and post the whole song it's hilarious.

But in the meantime, here are some pictures from our final Preparation Day trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

And then our final picture as a group before we headed to the airport.

Sometimes I get really, really homesick for the Garden State. Especially this year with all the cicadas. And I really, really miss fireflies.  I also miss the diversity of the people. Someday I'll make it back there. Everyone I know is gone from there, but still, it would be nice to revisit the ol' stomping grounds. Someday.

Disneyland 2013- Eats and Treats!

This is always the first and most important post after a trip to Disneyland- all the new things I ate! Of course, I ate all my favorites, but I found time to squeeze in some new things.

Pizza from the Village Haus:

It was passable- but not great. I needed some ranch or something to dip the crust in because the crust to actually pizza ratio was a little off.

Mickey Beignets from the Mint Julep Bar

Freaking delicious! We all shared- but I got the best one because I had the last one in the  bag and that was the one smothered in powdered sugar. It was a huge mess- but mmmmmmm BOY!

Cheese Dog from the Corn Dog Castle on Paradise Pier

Deep fried cheese? Is there a downside to this? It was really, really good. But if it came to a choice between this and a regular Disney corndog- the corndog would win for sure.

Mint Bliss Shake from Ghiradelli Soda Fountain at Pacific Wharf (California Adventure)

This was divine. Expensive and really, REALLY rich- but oh baby, it was good.

Food from the Lucky Fortune Cookery.

We got one of each of the meals. Mine was the Thai Curry and it was super yumm-o. My sisters got the Mandarin chicken and the Teryaki Chicken. Both good- but I liked mine the best. (My fortune talked about a change in my job... scary).

Chicken Sammy from the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country.

I think I talked about this last year. I had the nasty burger with sweet potato fries and my Sister in law got this sammy- I had a bite and it was good so I wanted my own this time- just as good as I remember and because I hate sweet potato fries, I got onion rings. I don't really like those either, but I'd rather have that than the alternative (I could have gone with apple slices, but where's the fun in that?)

Also from the Hungry Bear:

Chocolate pie.

Oh. My. Gosh. This was soooooooo yummy. It was a shame I had to share it.

and the Lemon cupcake with lemon honey frosting. 

Yumm Yumm yummmmmmmm

Churro Bites from the Cozy Cone Motel

These are much like regular churros, except they're served with a chocolate cinnamon dipping sauce. I wasn't a huge fan of the sauce- but at least I gave it a try. I also had hot chocolate with cinnamon (same place) but with all the chocolate and cinnamon on the churros, it kind of lost it's flavor so I waited a while to drink it.

Turkey Dinner from Flo's V8 Cafe

This was good. It tasted a lot like cafeteria food- but I don't know what more one can expect. Also, I had the little Mud Pie that was rather good- very creamy.

Mickey Pretzels

I think I've actually had these before- but I'd never blogged about it. They're definitely better when hot- and smothered in cheese.

Breakfast Burrito from Tomorrowland Terrace

It was actually pretty good- spicier than I thought it would be. The only downer was that the wrapper stuck to the tortilla so it tore it apart when I tried to unwrap it.  (and please notice the lovely chocolate parfait- oh yes- I had one for breakfast. :) I HAD to- they tainted my fruit cup with *gag* cantaloupe! )