We Left Our Hearts Near San Francisco: Disneyland

The first time I visited Disneyland, I was 25. I went with my roommate, Lindsay. We stayed with her sweet grandma. I think the first ride I went on was Space Mountain. It was my favorite ride (still is, I think). If I recall correctly, I dragged Lindsay on this ride three times. She was such a great sport.

Almost two weeks ago, Glenn and I took Stella. We also took Glenn's parents, who had never been. Two days in the park was all we wanted to try, with a toddler, and a couple of seniors, for their first time. Stella is the champion of the world, when it comes to road trips. She is unbelievably great in the car, for long stretches. Of course, now that I have thrown that out to the cosmos, she will forever be horrible in the car (he, he). Stella didn't sleep all that well, as there was no rocking chair, there wasn't a bookcase full of her favorite books to read before bedtime, and she didn't have a hallway to flee into, when bedtime was announced. However, she loved jumping on the beds, she loved having Grandma and Grandpa in the adjoining room, and she loved playing in the big shower. The word 'Disneyland' had no significant meaning, until we actually entered the park, and Mickey's head was everywhere. Up to that point we always referred to the place as 'Cinderella's House'. Stella knows the names of many of the princesses (Ariel is her favorite), she knows who Winnie the Pooh (she pronounces his name 'Poop' with great fondness), and she knows who Mickey and Minnie are. So, needless to say, I don't think she blinked the entire first day in the park. She seemed to be just taking everything in. Stella was scared of all of the rides that took place in the dark. Of course we took her through all of them, before we discovered this. She loved the carousel, and the Dumbo ride. We got to see the parade, and every time Stella saw Ursula the Sea Witch, from The Little Mermaid, she would point at her and say, "Issat Ursla? She's naughty." Stella loved swimming in the hotel pool, and her favorite part was the little sprinkler park in the California Adventure park. What kid doesn't LOVE being shot in the face with water? Day two was much the same, though Stella's eyes weren't quite as big, and she seemed to know a little more what to expect. We had no sooner walked through the door, than Glenn began planning a week long stay for next year. Hmmm.... We'll see, I guess.

PS The Small World ride wasn't open. Darn it!