When last we left our tale, Ginny had worshipped at the feet of Snow White and Ellie boogied down with her Green Army guy. What could possibly compare to such idyllic experiences? One word: Aladdin. Our fourth day in the park began in a rather uneventful way. Ginny had a short but necessary list of rides we needed to hit before our trip was done - the Disneyland Railroad, Casey Junior (what is it with the Bear and trains?), and Alice in Wonderland were required, thank you very much. And so we set forth in spite of extraordinary heat and swelling crowds. Ginny was thrilled, Ellie was a trooper, and by 11:00 we were ready to head back to the hotel for a much needed break. (It appears as though the magic of Disneyland does NOT extend to the granting of limitless stamina!) After all, we had a very important dinner engagement....
To fully appreciate the watershed event that occurred on this, the eve of our final day in the happiest place on earth, we must look back a few months. During our seemingly endless countdown to our vacation, we happened on an episode of "John and Kate Plus Eight" during which the Gosselin gang heads down to Disney World. Their first order of business? Dining at Chef Mickey's - the apex of all character dining experiences. This is where the short ones (and those of us who aren't so short) can rub elbows with a veritable pantheon of classic Disney characters. Our girls watched this show repeatedly, dreaming of a day when they too might experience such joy. So when they found out that Disneyland had it's own version of this revered restaurant - Goofy's Kitchen - they would not be denied. Our date was set, and we were excited. After all, the girls had done beautifully bonding with other characters - from princesses to previously unknown woodland creatures. We had no reason to believe this dining experiences would be any different. We were wrong.
The meal began as our other character meals had. The girls offered copious hugs to Minnie & Goofy, and chatted up Jasmine yet again. We were on a role. And then the earth stopped on its axis. Aladdin arrived at our table. All bets were off. Now Ellie was giddy (he was awfully cute) but composed as they talked about Jasmine, the Genie, and the lamentable absence his loyal monkey sidekick Abu. Ginny, on the other hand, was a different matter all together. Aladdin's very presence stunned her into absolute silence. From the moment he arrived at our table and for a few minutes after he left, Ginny's hands were firmly attached to her mouth. One would have thought Elvis had arrived in the building. Our girl who had charmed the pants off of EVERYONE throughout the resort, and ran into the arms of various creatures with reckless abandon, was rendered speechless. She was in shock. Who knew Aladdin would have such a profound effect on our otherwise gabby and disarming little Bear? Once again, it was the unexpected which would prove so memorable - not to mention thoroughly enjoyable!
Once Ginny recovered (the whole scene still cracks me up!), we finished our meal and retired to our lovely room once more. (After four days of non-stop pursuit of Disney perfection, we needed all the rest we could get!) The alarm was set (for 5:30am - ah the sacrifices we make for magic), and Dumbo laid in wait for one more flight. After all, we had one more day in the best week ever, and we were determined to make the most of it.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A Mouse, A Party, and A Green Army Guy
Anyone who has visited the Disneyland Resort knows this well. For those of you who have yet to have the privilege, allow me to offer some illumination. There are two parks at this amazing resort. There is Disneyland Park - the original park straight out of the prodigious vision of and overseen by one Walt Disney. And then there is Disney's California Adventure Park, or as my sister calls it, Ghetto Disneyland. This park could be anywhere. It lacks both the magic and charm of its sister park. It seems the powers that be know this and are addressing it - and how! Over the next few years a major overhaul of California Adventure will take place that looks both promising and fun. I'm excited to see how it comes together. But I digress.
In spite of our relative lack of enthusiasm for the ghetto (we spent almost ALL of our time in Disneyland Park), we committed to spend an entire evening there. You see, during Halloween Time California Adventure Park hosts Mickey's Trick or Treat Party. I've heard of other parks doing this kind of event and never felt compelled to join in the festivities. Nevertheless, the Disneyland reps made this particular party sound so great, we decided to join in. And so, on the "middle evening" of our trip, we traipsed down to California Adventure with the girls bedecked in full princess attire not sure of what we might find, but willing to give it the old college try. As it turns out, we had a lot more than fun. We had an absolute blast!
We simply had no idea what we were walking into that night. The park was decorated to the hilt with character photo-ops at every turn. Princesses and Monsters mingled with Bugs and Toys, with ALL of Disney's iconic pirates in tow. As if that wasn't enough, all of the rides were open to a relatively reduced crowd, treat stations were set up throughout the park, and numerous dance parties kept everything hopping all evening. The girls were beyond excited! In spite of the harried pace we'd kept, and the fact that the party started just shy of their bedtime, Bug and Bear fully embraced the moment. Ginny boogied down with Flik and Sulley, and Ellie had a private lesson in the art of the curtsy from Cinderella. Together, they had King Triton's carousel almost to themselves and gathered a haul of candy they couldn't have obtained after HOURS of going door-to-door back home. As usual, however, it wasn't the any structured activity that made the night so memorable. Like Ginny's encounter with Snow White the day before, we couldn't have planned the moment that would set this night apart.
At the end of the evening, many characters from throughout the park - from classic Disney to Pixar - made their way down the main drag in a Halloween parade/dance party. As was the case throughout our trip, we had remarkable luck and managed to claim a bench right in the middle of the action - so much so that a cute and most unintimidating witch came up to Ellie and asked her to walk out and dance with a few of the characters. Now, Ellie doesn't usually do this kind of thing. She's too much like yours truly. Ellie loves the idea of being apart of things, but when it comes right down to it, fear and bashfulness get the better of her. (For and illustrative example, check out the post about her school program last May!) Such was not the case on this night. It seems that the folks at Disney not only make dreams come true, they instill super human bravery in little people to ensure they have more fun then they could possibly imagine.
Yes, our Ellie danced! And danced! In the parade! With a witch and, most importantly as it turned out, a Green Army Guy from Toy Story who is officially my hero for how he treated my little girl. She was out there in the middle of the street for the ENTIRE dance and boogied her heart out. I only wish you could have seen her face when she ran back to me. She was overflowing with joy and pride as she hugged me and triumphantly reported, "I was really good and really brave, huh mom!" Yes, my little Bug was SO good and SO brave I nearly wept like my grandma right there and then. Luckily, something caught my eye and distracted me from a potentially embarrassing public display of blubbering. Ellie's Green Army Guy had run after her. He gently took her hand and led her back out to the street. (Ellie was MOST willing. She ADORED "her" Green Army Guy at this point!) One more little surprise lay in store for our jubilant Bug - a button specifically designed for and given to those kids who displayed enough chuztpah to dance in the parade. Apparently the Green Army Guy was almost as excited about Ellie's performance as we were and wanted to make sure she got one. (Bless his green plastic heart! I want to put him in for a medal!)
And so ended our unbelievably fabulous evening at Mickey's Trick or Treat Party. It was nothing short of awesome - something I truly did not expect. The girls had yet another ridiculously magical experience to add to their ever-growing list, and we (aka the adults of this motley crew) were reminded how much fun Halloween, Disneyland, and dancing in the street can be thanks to the enthusiasm of the under five set. As for Ellie, she wore her button like a badge of honor for days. Even now it has found a place of honor on the bulletin board in her bedroom. And every once in a while she reminds me that she got this most precious of all treasures because she was "so brave and was such a great dancer!" Who knew that a relatively minor character at a relatively ghetto park had the capacity to bring my girl - my buddy - out of her shell and allowed her to shine in front of Mickey, Minnie, their friends, and hundreds of strangers? And who knew I would be forever grateful for a guy dressed in green plastic and covered in green makeup? You just have to hand it to that proverbial Disney magic. It makes heroes of the most unexpected characters. And makes great brave dancers out of the most unsuspecting little girls.
In spite of our relative lack of enthusiasm for the ghetto (we spent almost ALL of our time in Disneyland Park), we committed to spend an entire evening there. You see, during Halloween Time California Adventure Park hosts Mickey's Trick or Treat Party. I've heard of other parks doing this kind of event and never felt compelled to join in the festivities. Nevertheless, the Disneyland reps made this particular party sound so great, we decided to join in. And so, on the "middle evening" of our trip, we traipsed down to California Adventure with the girls bedecked in full princess attire not sure of what we might find, but willing to give it the old college try. As it turns out, we had a lot more than fun. We had an absolute blast!
We simply had no idea what we were walking into that night. The park was decorated to the hilt with character photo-ops at every turn. Princesses and Monsters mingled with Bugs and Toys, with ALL of Disney's iconic pirates in tow. As if that wasn't enough, all of the rides were open to a relatively reduced crowd, treat stations were set up throughout the park, and numerous dance parties kept everything hopping all evening. The girls were beyond excited! In spite of the harried pace we'd kept, and the fact that the party started just shy of their bedtime, Bug and Bear fully embraced the moment. Ginny boogied down with Flik and Sulley, and Ellie had a private lesson in the art of the curtsy from Cinderella. Together, they had King Triton's carousel almost to themselves and gathered a haul of candy they couldn't have obtained after HOURS of going door-to-door back home. As usual, however, it wasn't the any structured activity that made the night so memorable. Like Ginny's encounter with Snow White the day before, we couldn't have planned the moment that would set this night apart.
At the end of the evening, many characters from throughout the park - from classic Disney to Pixar - made their way down the main drag in a Halloween parade/dance party. As was the case throughout our trip, we had remarkable luck and managed to claim a bench right in the middle of the action - so much so that a cute and most unintimidating witch came up to Ellie and asked her to walk out and dance with a few of the characters. Now, Ellie doesn't usually do this kind of thing. She's too much like yours truly. Ellie loves the idea of being apart of things, but when it comes right down to it, fear and bashfulness get the better of her. (For and illustrative example, check out the post about her school program last May!) Such was not the case on this night. It seems that the folks at Disney not only make dreams come true, they instill super human bravery in little people to ensure they have more fun then they could possibly imagine.
Yes, our Ellie danced! And danced! In the parade! With a witch and, most importantly as it turned out, a Green Army Guy from Toy Story who is officially my hero for how he treated my little girl. She was out there in the middle of the street for the ENTIRE dance and boogied her heart out. I only wish you could have seen her face when she ran back to me. She was overflowing with joy and pride as she hugged me and triumphantly reported, "I was really good and really brave, huh mom!" Yes, my little Bug was SO good and SO brave I nearly wept like my grandma right there and then. Luckily, something caught my eye and distracted me from a potentially embarrassing public display of blubbering. Ellie's Green Army Guy had run after her. He gently took her hand and led her back out to the street. (Ellie was MOST willing. She ADORED "her" Green Army Guy at this point!) One more little surprise lay in store for our jubilant Bug - a button specifically designed for and given to those kids who displayed enough chuztpah to dance in the parade. Apparently the Green Army Guy was almost as excited about Ellie's performance as we were and wanted to make sure she got one. (Bless his green plastic heart! I want to put him in for a medal!)
And so ended our unbelievably fabulous evening at Mickey's Trick or Treat Party. It was nothing short of awesome - something I truly did not expect. The girls had yet another ridiculously magical experience to add to their ever-growing list, and we (aka the adults of this motley crew) were reminded how much fun Halloween, Disneyland, and dancing in the street can be thanks to the enthusiasm of the under five set. As for Ellie, she wore her button like a badge of honor for days. Even now it has found a place of honor on the bulletin board in her bedroom. And every once in a while she reminds me that she got this most precious of all treasures because she was "so brave and was such a great dancer!" Who knew that a relatively minor character at a relatively ghetto park had the capacity to bring my girl - my buddy - out of her shell and allowed her to shine in front of Mickey, Minnie, their friends, and hundreds of strangers? And who knew I would be forever grateful for a guy dressed in green plastic and covered in green makeup? You just have to hand it to that proverbial Disney magic. It makes heroes of the most unexpected characters. And makes great brave dancers out of the most unsuspecting little girls.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
And on the Second Day, the Girls Said "Let There Be Princesses!!!"
As the morning dawned on our second day at Disneyland, we were in full princess mode. Way back in August, on the first day we could possibly make reservations to have lunch with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto, we made reservations to have lunch with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto. This was a moment not to be delayed. Two years ago, we stumbled into this most royal of character dining experiences completely by chance. We had no idea what it was, only that there was a princess-themed restaurant sheltered from what had been a rather cold and rainy day. This search for a happy respite led to one-on-one encounters for Ellie with elite of the princess universe - Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Snow White, and of course, Ariel. With this experience under our proverbial belts, we were sure that we would be able to cross all of the required ladies off of our list of characters to see, and thus be free to enjoy the remainder of the week unencumbered by the plaguing need to find an elusive princess. Or so we thought. It seems even in the ideal world of Disney, life doesn't always come out just right.
As I've previously mentioned, our bear donned her sister's Snow White dress DAILY for over two months leading up to our trip. For reasons I have yet to determine, Ginny adores Snow White. She worships Snow White. She wants to BE Snow White. (In fact, some days she makes me call her Snow White.) So imagine our chagrin when, as we waited to be seated at our table in the hallowed halls of the aforementioned Grotto, we were informed that Belle and, gasp!, Snow White would not be in attendance at our meal. I think he said something about Mary Poppins and Jasmine making a special appearance, but I can't be sure. My mind was racing through how I would explain to Ginny that she would, in fact, NOT be dining with her beloved idol.
Now this is not to say that the meal was a disappointment. Far from it. The girls had a wonderful time NOT eating and chatting endlessly with the princesses (and nanny!) who were there. Ellie enjoyed some serious face time with her Princess Aurora (the bug's current favorite and her choice for Halloween persona this year) and both of the girls were able to chat with Jasmine who they had not met in our previous visit. (Ginny was over the moon about Jasmine's jewelry, but that's another story for another day.) By the end of the meal, the girls were thrilled and looked in wonder at their autographs books and photograph with Ariel. And then it happened. Ginny's little head popped up and she asked the words I had dreaded. "Where Snow Whitie?" This question came up repeatedly throughout the rest of the afternoon. Did I mention Ginny LOVES Snow White? And this little girl was not to be denied.
For any of you who have been through the gauntlet of searching for a specific character in Disney parks, you know. It is NOT as easy as it sounds. This is particularly true of the princesses. Yes, Disneyland has a Princess Fantasy Faire - a mecca for all things princess where at any moment throughout the day three princesses lie in wait to greet their devotees. But here's the rub: you NEVER know which princesses you are going to get. Between coronation ceremonies, storytelling, and run-of-the-mill breaks, the princesses rotate around the Faire all day. It is virtually impossible to nail down a time and place for any of the royal clique. Impossible, that is, unless you are vacationing with the all-powerful Gramma and Poppy who just happen to have a few connection at the park. Through their network of reliable sources, Marv and Marg found out that Snow White was to be at the Faire first thing Wednesday morning. It was mission impossible. And we were ready.
After a lovely breakfast with some woodland creatures we barely recognized (okay, so Ginny fell in love with a raccoon named Meeko) we lined up at the front gates at the park.......an HOUR before the park opened. We had a princess to find and we took our charge seriously. We lined up like lemmings at the top of Main Street ready to sprint to the back of the park the moment the rope dropped. We mapped out the most effective way to get to our destination and kept our eyes on the prize. At precisely 10:00 am we raced across Fantasyland and up to the queue.
There we were, fourth in line to meet our royal trifecta. And then the worry set in. What if Snow White was not among the first shift of princesses. How many times would we need to do this in order to find her? As the Faire opened (finally!) and we made our way to the front of the line, I looked at Ginny bedecked in her Snow White garb and began to feel a bit of sheer panic. What would I tell my little two-year-old if her beloved Snow was not there? And then we turned the corner.
I've heard of dreams coming true. I've heard of people having that perfect moment when their wish becomes their reality. On this day, I saw it happen on a hot morning in October in the middle of Disneyland. As we walked around a wall made up of fake stones, my daughter's face erupted into what can only be described as absolute happiness. Snow White was there. And Ginny ran....right into the arms of her idol. She kept touching Snow White's arm, her dress, her hair, as if to confirm that she did, in fact, exist and she was, in fact, there. And she wouldn't let Snow White out or her sight. When Snow signed the girls' autograph books, Ginny sat beside her. When Snow White talked to a very excited Ellie, Ginny attached herself to her side. As her visit ended and Ginny walked away, she walked backwards waving and blowing kisses only to have Snow White ask for one more hug. Ginny soaked up every perfect moment with her girl.
It sounds a bit silly now thinking about the entire experience from a slightly more rational perspective (and sitting in my very rational basement - quite the contrast to being in the shadow Sleeping Beauty's castle), but we felt as though we had just experienced an almost transcendent moment. The fact that we as mere mortals had anything to do with our girl getting her perfect moment was indescirbably satisfying. Not to mention the weight of expectation that was lifted the moment we could cross this most important of meetings off of our proverbial list. And what made this moment even more satisfying in everything that led up to and followed it.
That morning Ellie had been able to dance with Winnie the Pooh. I kid you not. She DANCED with Pooh bear. Usually the line to see this silly old bear would take you at least 45 minutes. Yet somehow, he was there. And Ellie found her way to him. And they danced. (We have the video to prove it!) But the fortuosity didn't end there. That evening we were able to attend Mickey's Halloween Treat in the California Adventure Park. It was here, in a most unexpected place, that Ellie danced once again - this time with an awfully cute witch and a green army guy from Toy Story. But that's a story for another post, on another day. As for this entry, I think it's safe to say that the folks at Disneyland aren't blowing smoke when they say it's the place where dreams come true. At the risk of sounding profoundly sentimental, every once in a while - in the right place, at the right time - they really do. Just ask Ginny. I mean Snow Whitie.
Author's Note: The spelling of "Snow Whitie" is not a typo. That is actually what Ginny calls her most beloved of all princesses. And I'm not about to correct her!
As I've previously mentioned, our bear donned her sister's Snow White dress DAILY for over two months leading up to our trip. For reasons I have yet to determine, Ginny adores Snow White. She worships Snow White. She wants to BE Snow White. (In fact, some days she makes me call her Snow White.) So imagine our chagrin when, as we waited to be seated at our table in the hallowed halls of the aforementioned Grotto, we were informed that Belle and, gasp!, Snow White would not be in attendance at our meal. I think he said something about Mary Poppins and Jasmine making a special appearance, but I can't be sure. My mind was racing through how I would explain to Ginny that she would, in fact, NOT be dining with her beloved idol.
Now this is not to say that the meal was a disappointment. Far from it. The girls had a wonderful time NOT eating and chatting endlessly with the princesses (and nanny!) who were there. Ellie enjoyed some serious face time with her Princess Aurora (the bug's current favorite and her choice for Halloween persona this year) and both of the girls were able to chat with Jasmine who they had not met in our previous visit. (Ginny was over the moon about Jasmine's jewelry, but that's another story for another day.) By the end of the meal, the girls were thrilled and looked in wonder at their autographs books and photograph with Ariel. And then it happened. Ginny's little head popped up and she asked the words I had dreaded. "Where Snow Whitie?" This question came up repeatedly throughout the rest of the afternoon. Did I mention Ginny LOVES Snow White? And this little girl was not to be denied.
For any of you who have been through the gauntlet of searching for a specific character in Disney parks, you know. It is NOT as easy as it sounds. This is particularly true of the princesses. Yes, Disneyland has a Princess Fantasy Faire - a mecca for all things princess where at any moment throughout the day three princesses lie in wait to greet their devotees. But here's the rub: you NEVER know which princesses you are going to get. Between coronation ceremonies, storytelling, and run-of-the-mill breaks, the princesses rotate around the Faire all day. It is virtually impossible to nail down a time and place for any of the royal clique. Impossible, that is, unless you are vacationing with the all-powerful Gramma and Poppy who just happen to have a few connection at the park. Through their network of reliable sources, Marv and Marg found out that Snow White was to be at the Faire first thing Wednesday morning. It was mission impossible. And we were ready.
After a lovely breakfast with some woodland creatures we barely recognized (okay, so Ginny fell in love with a raccoon named Meeko) we lined up at the front gates at the park.......an HOUR before the park opened. We had a princess to find and we took our charge seriously. We lined up like lemmings at the top of Main Street ready to sprint to the back of the park the moment the rope dropped. We mapped out the most effective way to get to our destination and kept our eyes on the prize. At precisely 10:00 am we raced across Fantasyland and up to the queue.
There we were, fourth in line to meet our royal trifecta. And then the worry set in. What if Snow White was not among the first shift of princesses. How many times would we need to do this in order to find her? As the Faire opened (finally!) and we made our way to the front of the line, I looked at Ginny bedecked in her Snow White garb and began to feel a bit of sheer panic. What would I tell my little two-year-old if her beloved Snow was not there? And then we turned the corner.
I've heard of dreams coming true. I've heard of people having that perfect moment when their wish becomes their reality. On this day, I saw it happen on a hot morning in October in the middle of Disneyland. As we walked around a wall made up of fake stones, my daughter's face erupted into what can only be described as absolute happiness. Snow White was there. And Ginny ran....right into the arms of her idol. She kept touching Snow White's arm, her dress, her hair, as if to confirm that she did, in fact, exist and she was, in fact, there. And she wouldn't let Snow White out or her sight. When Snow signed the girls' autograph books, Ginny sat beside her. When Snow White talked to a very excited Ellie, Ginny attached herself to her side. As her visit ended and Ginny walked away, she walked backwards waving and blowing kisses only to have Snow White ask for one more hug. Ginny soaked up every perfect moment with her girl.
It sounds a bit silly now thinking about the entire experience from a slightly more rational perspective (and sitting in my very rational basement - quite the contrast to being in the shadow Sleeping Beauty's castle), but we felt as though we had just experienced an almost transcendent moment. The fact that we as mere mortals had anything to do with our girl getting her perfect moment was indescirbably satisfying. Not to mention the weight of expectation that was lifted the moment we could cross this most important of meetings off of our proverbial list. And what made this moment even more satisfying in everything that led up to and followed it.
That morning Ellie had been able to dance with Winnie the Pooh. I kid you not. She DANCED with Pooh bear. Usually the line to see this silly old bear would take you at least 45 minutes. Yet somehow, he was there. And Ellie found her way to him. And they danced. (We have the video to prove it!) But the fortuosity didn't end there. That evening we were able to attend Mickey's Halloween Treat in the California Adventure Park. It was here, in a most unexpected place, that Ellie danced once again - this time with an awfully cute witch and a green army guy from Toy Story. But that's a story for another post, on another day. As for this entry, I think it's safe to say that the folks at Disneyland aren't blowing smoke when they say it's the place where dreams come true. At the risk of sounding profoundly sentimental, every once in a while - in the right place, at the right time - they really do. Just ask Ginny. I mean Snow Whitie.
Author's Note: The spelling of "Snow Whitie" is not a typo. That is actually what Ginny calls her most beloved of all princesses. And I'm not about to correct her!
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