San Diego: Part II!
And now for part two of my trip!
I revisited one of my favorite childhood places. I feel as though I appreciate Disneyland a lot more now that I’m an adult. The escapism of the park, its rides, scenery—everything—was fantastic.
Downtown Disney
If you look closely, you can see the Matterhorn near the left!
Every year we’d save up our allowances for our annual adventure down I-5, and of course those adventures included a trip to Disneyland. How could they not? ;)
I remember racing to Thunder Mountain Railroad as soon as it got late, when the crowds started clearing out. We’d zip through the empty line to ride it over and over again until closing time.
Before I jump into the fun, I want to mention my one complaint: the timing. The week after my work event (right after Easter) was Spring Break. Hello, crowd city! I only mention this as a warning. Don’t go during Spring Break if you can help it.
However, I still had loads of fun and STILL daydream about how much enjoyment I got out of the trip! There was a silver lining amidst the swarms of people. I got to see and do things I never did as a kid (kid me was too obsessed with the rides to bother with anything else).
That's me! I'm riding the raft to Tom Sawyer's Island.
There were a few things that had changed since the last time I went there. There’s now a second park (California Adventure) and Downtown Disney (a shopping center). Disney has their own version of TSA, and honestly, I’m glad. Times are different.
Disneyland itself is exactly the same except for all the Star Wars stuff in Tomorrow Land. Star Tours has been updated to include scenes and characters from the new movies. Kylo Ren wanted to arrest me! Kid!Me loved that ride, and so does Adult!Me.
So what did I get to do that Kid!Me couldn’t be bothered with?
The Enchanted Tiki Room – This now is a forever favorite. I love birds, and the show was so much fun (and not to mention adorable). Next time I go to Disneyland, it is a must!
My Enchanted Tiki Room dress!
Tom Sawyer’s Island – Believe it or not, Kid!Me never went on it because it wasn’t a ride, and anything that wasn’t a ride was boooring. Kid!Me had no idea what she was missing! The island was a beautiful place to explore with gorgeous views. It felt like it was a world away from the crowds.
Scenic views from Tom Sawyer's Island
The food – Compared to other tourist places, the food is reasonably priced, and it is delicious. People often complain about the price, but it’s honestly cheaper than your standard tourist stuff in major cities.
The décor and architecture – Just walking around and taking in the scenery was amazing (well, minus the crowds—they really were bad). I loved the vintage, 30s music they played in Adventure Land. I loved the costumes the cast members wore for Indiana Jones and the Jungle Cruise. I loved the Jungle Cruise so much that I went to one of those penny machines and had it stamped onto a penny.
Top, left, and center: Scenes from Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure
Right: Old time Hollywood in California Adventure
For it being shoulder to shoulder bumper cars people, I sure know how to make it look like the parks were deserted!
I’d love to go again within the next few years. If I play my cards right, I'm going when the crowds aren't as crazy. Here’s to saving up for it!
I got a chuckle out of the second morning (see the "Hollywood" picture). Our tickets let us get to the parks one hour before they opened to the public. We wolfed down our breakfast and ran to California Adventure so we could go on Guardians of the Galaxy. When we got to the gate, the swarm of people was quickly growing, and I started laughing because it felt like a scene right out of The Walking Dead. *Rattles gate* As soon as they opened the gates, oh my goodness, ha ha! We looked like a pack of wild zombies.
