A Magical California Adventure!!

Day 2 we were rearing to go!

We started off the day in DCA (Disney California Adventure). We took a quick moment to get a group shot in front of the entrance that will no longer be there in the next couple of years. As apart of the 1 billion dollar remodel of the park, the entrance will receive a complete overhaul.

Don’t we look like a lively bunch!?! 😛

Our 1st ride was going to be Toy Story Mania but the line literally wrapped up and around the Pier so we decided to skip it. However, we did spy this new photo-op and I just couldn’t resist! LOL!!

As we kept walking the kids decided they wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. It has 2 styles of cars you can ride in…a stationary car (typical Ferris wheel style), or a spinning car. Our group was split 50/50 but Mom likes to torture the children and made everyone ride the spinning car!! Hahaha!

As you can see from the picture below not everyone was in love with the plan..
Alayna wanted off ASAP!!!

Everyone survived the “Torture” wheel….Maybe just a little scarred is all! 😛Our next ride was the Golden Zephyr. This ride was fun for Alayna until she realized we were flying off the ground!

 

 

Eli and Hollie dug it! 🙂

 

We don’t typically spend more than a 1/2 day at DCA since the rides are geared towards taller/older riders. But since we had my niece and nephew with us we ended up spending pretty much the entire day there. That meant Alayna and I spent a lot of one on one time together. We were park buddies. 🙂We did make sure hit Bug’s Land just for her. Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train was her FAVORITE. She continued to ask to ride it again and again and again for the rest of the trip! 😛

 

One of the greatest benefits you get with your admission to a Disney Park is all of the shows. At the Hyperion Theater they’ve been performing “Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular” since 2003. It is worth every penny of your admission ticket. It’s not just your typical local community college quality performance and production. This show is Broadway level all the way. The costumes, special effects, wonderful actors/singers, everything is on point.I’ve always love musicals and it’s a great way to introduce my kids to the world of theater and music through something that is familiar to them. The Genie is hysterical as he’s able to change his script with popular culture as the years have passed.

My kids LOVED it! They’ve seen it before but they were so small they didn’t remember it. It even captivates the youngest audience members…Laney couldn’t hardly believe her eyes! 🙂 I mean…the magic carpet “really” flies!

 

And what is a show with out ice cream afterwards!?!

 

Poor Eli lost 2 teeth while on this vacation. The ice cream vendors keep their sweet treats icy cold with dry ice. This makes them hard as a rock when they hand them over to you. The rock hard ice cream plus missing teeth equals one messy kid! LOL!!Once our bellies were full on Mickey Ice Cream Bars we of course thought it would be a “great” idea to mix it all around by riding Tower of Terror. Hollie and I ended up riding alone since Eli decided 1/2 way through the line he had to make a potty stop.

We rocked it!! 😀

 

Gotta love cell phone pics of the picture screens…lol.We did the baby swap for Tower of Terror so Jared could ride with Eli once we were done. Walker refuses to ride it anymore, since the last time he said it made his body feel like Jell-O!! Hahaha!

While we waited for the boys the rest of us did some window shopping.

(She’s wearing a Mad Hatter Hat)

 

Once the group was all together again we walked over to the Pier so Hollie, Dad, Walker and Eli could ride Screamin. 

This was Hollie’s favorite ride hands down. She, like Alayna, kept asking to ride it over and over and over again! Hahahahahaha! 😛While the ‘big’ kids rode the roller coaster we decided to ride King Triton’s Carousel.

 

Jared’s favorite ride is Soarin Over California. The line for this ride is always CRAZY long. This day was no exception.Not only was the line super long, the ride broke down when we were 1/2 way through and they announced the time was now double what we thought. There was also some sort of Chinese tourist group visiting the Parks. As you can see from the picture below they all got Fast Passes at the same time too.

 

We decided to tough it out since we were 1/2 way to the front. While we were waiting though, the Fast Pass Chinese group was right beside ours…and they were FASCINATED by our large family!! They kept giggling and waving and trying to talk to the kids. They were snapping pictures left and right and they were giving Alayna all kinds of snacks and drinks. They were commenting on their big blue eyes and telling us they are only allowed 1 child per family there.The kids were trying to be gracious but it was hard not to feel like monkeys on display.

My favorite part was when they turned to Jared and called him “Superman”! They busted up laughing!!! LOL!! It was a bit strange. But a memory not to forget! LOL!!

It was starting to get late so we ate dinner and headed over to Disneyland to see the Fireworks Show “Magical”.

Oddly enough this is the one fireworks display I hadn’t seen yet.

 

The show was good. Certainly better than any 4th of July display you’ll see at your hometown. Disney does theming so well! I have to say though, it doesn’t even come close to “Wishes..Dreams Come True”.

 

However, just like Aladdin…the fireworks are worth the admission price alone! 🙂

Magical!!! 😀