We finally went to Disneyland! It was a grand day. There were a lot of people there because of Spring Break, but we only waited in one truly insane line. Joel, Ryan, Lydia and I went with friends Sue and Aja. Sue knows the park well, so she acted as our guide and made things very easy. She knew the lines to avoid, the events the kids would love and generally eased the way.
Lydia and Ryan both loved getting the character's autographs. That would be $12 for an autograph book that you only know is a kid necessity once you are there. Ryan was a bit overwhelmed and wanted to be held a lot while around all the people, but none of the rides scared him. He is definitely a roller coaster sort of boy. He also passed out before dinner.
Ryan's favorite event was meeting Mickey Mouse. That was our one truly long line. We waited an hour for Mickey, and the only one who didn't mind was Ryan. They wound you through the mouse's house for the line and then you ended in a cartoon screening room. They let about ten people in at a time to meet him. Ryan was in awe and it was just too cute. He said, "See you real soon!" to him when we left. Lydia was half asleep as we were headed out of the park and the fireworks were beginning, but she woke up enough to ooh and ahh, and say, "Awesome!" before she passed out. It was just an incredible day.
We spent the night at the Marriott which was right next door. Joel is a Priceline expert and got the room for 1/2 of what the cheapest deal was. I highly recommend Priceline for hotel rooms, but there is an art because if you are refused for the first bid, they make you change parameters before bidding again.
The next morning, we saw Lydia's commercial on Playhouse Disney. That was very exciting. The show is My Friends Tigger and Pooh. It begins next month. They have plain animated commercials, and then the exciting ones with real live children like Lydia. Below is a picture of her with one of the other girls.
We swam in the pool, checked out, and then Lydia, Ryan and I went to the Disney desk to ask directions to Downtown Disney (shops). I was chatting with the lady and Lydia was taking brochures, as usual. She had one in particular and asked me if she could take another.
Jill: No, you already have one.
Lydia: Please, Mom, just one more (as she reaches for it).
Jill: Lydia, put that back. One is enough.
Lydia: But Mom, look.
She shows it to me, and it is a big picture of her! It was a brochure for annual passes, and she is on it riding in the teacups with her fake mom. I let her take another, and asked the lady if I could have more. I showed the lady that it was Lydia, and she said that maybe she was in the other brochure she had. Sure enough, she was in that one, too.
Then we get in the car and this Disney bus pulls up alongside of us. And guess what? There is Lydia on the bus! My camera was in the trunk, so we got it out, and then I made Joel chase the Disney buses. Luckily, there are a lot of them.
Later, we went to brunch with Tony and Marguerite and the Huebner clan. Karen, Chris, Ben and Corrinne joined us. We came back to the house for another egg hunt. Ryan had been clutching his found eggs from earlier in the day, and refused to let them be hidden again, but Karen and Chris hid plastic eggs.
