Ocean Pirates: February 2010

California vacation - Day 1, Disneyland and California Adventure

We were at the park the moment it opened and didn't go back to the hotel until after the fireworks. We walked so much Aimee had blisters on her little toes and I collapsed on the couch in the hotel room and couldn't move for at least a half hour. Mom and the kids seemed to fare better.

We didn't realize how lucky we were to be able to walk down Main Street with so few people as we did here when we first entered the park. Later in the day the place was absolutely packed, and mind you this was on a weekday in January! Forget about going in Spring or Summer, or probably even in the Fall for that matter.

Strollers! Throughout Disneyland there are designated stroller parking areas. Aimee took this great photo for me after I told her the number of strollers parked boggled my mind.

Toontown

Aimee loved the "ONE WAY" sign.

I liked the writing on these windows.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at California Adventure

So later in the day we headed over to California Adventure where we had been told to for sure ride on the Tower of Terror which we did. It quickly became Madison's favorite ride and I have to admit it was a rush. The idea behind it is you are in an abandoned hotel and you get stuck in the service elevator which then begins to drop you several floors and then takes you back to the top and then drops you again. The sensation of falling is exquisite. What we didn't realize at the time is that somewhere along the way there are cameras that take your picture as you're falling (there are a few other rides in the park where they do the same thing, don't ask Madison about how ugly I was in the California Screamer picture. Basically I became the Elephant Man.) These pictures are then on a television screen after you exit the ride and you can purchase copies at inflated prices if you wish. These days though people just take out their digital cameras or camera phones and snap a photo of the television screen and save themselves the 15 bucks. I had Aimee snap a picture of our photo, not because of how we turned out but because of the two dudes in the front who knew just when to pose and pop their collars. Classic!

California vacation - Day 2, another full day at both parks

We started the day at California Adventure

The Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to the park.

Lunch with the Princesses

Snow White, she was so good her voice even sounded like Snow White.

Belle, we all had to agree she was the pretiest.

Aimee's favorite, Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Aimee was happy she was able to get a photo with her.

Back to Disneyland after lunch with the princesses. The food was so good but I may have ate too much, here the fat man is trying to suck in his gut but its not working.

Mom said, "Oh, what pretty flowers." So of course we had to snap a photo.

I liked this plaque at the entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean commemorating the 30th anniversary of the ride.

So we headed back to California Adventure just to ride the Tower of Terror again and decided to try our hand at posing for the picture like the two guys did the night before. I however was too scared to concentrate on posing, Aimee and Madison did pretty well though.

We aren't in this picture but I liked the poses so much of the couple in the back and the couple in the front that I told Aimee to snap a picture of this one too.

California vacation - Day 3, a half day at Disneyland and California Adventure

I call this one, "Madison and a fat man wait for a train."

Madison and Jacobi with Dale. Jacobi wanted so badly to get a picture with both Chip and Dale but we could never get the both of them together.

Madison had better luck over at California Adventure, Jacobi was off getting some cotton candy I think.

Aimee really didn't want to get her picture taken with Captain Hook but I told her to wait in line while I went and got Jacobi. I couldn't find Jacobi and Aimee eventually found herself at the front of the line for pictures.