The weather was perfect! We woke up and our drive to
Disneyland was not more than 45 minutes. We were probably parking at rope drop. We decided that without commando Mike (DH) we would kind of take things leisurely on this visit. Of course we spent the whole ride there debating whether we would get 1-day park hoppers or just single park tickets. We ended up with the park hoppers.
First we headed to Adventureland and noticed that Indiana Jones was down. This was not a top choice on any of our lists, so we werent too disappointed. However Jungle Cruise had pretty much no line, which is rare, so we hopped on that. We had a great boat driver/guide/whatever you call them. He actually managed to make me screamout loud.
He was making some comment or joke about the giant spiders we were passing under. I was sort of half paying attention, I think I was taking this picture:
Then he made some sort of eek a spider comment (more witty/corny than that Im sure) and slammed the lid on the little wooden box thing that was up there by him and I screamed and jumped. Me no likey spiders.
We then moved on to Pirates of the Caribbean, no wait in that line either. I just love this ride!
I took a picture of the Dream Suite just for my Disboard friends. My sisters think I'm mental.
I took some photos of the Blue Bayou as we floated by since wed be eating dinner there later.
We then went to the Haunted Mansion (again no line.)
Here are DD10 and Dniece1 in the nonexistent line. I think this is the only photo I have of them together.
After Haunted Mansion we went to Splash Mountain. The line was about 5 minutes long. We did a kid swap and I went with DD10, Dbigsis, and Dnephew17. Dnephew17 had to be a smart aleck and hold up a book as though he were reading for the photo. (He actually does carry a book or two or three with him EVERYWHERE he goes. Kind of an intellectual.) It was pretty funny. We got SOAKED, like Grizzly River Rapids soaked! How did this happen you ask? I asked that too. On the tiny drop a wave splashed over and got my entire left leg drenched. It wasnt even a drop when another splash came over and got my entire right leg drenched. Then on the big drop my face got soaked. I had to recover by going over to my favorite bakery in the Pooh Bear gift shop and getting my favorite sugar cookie (not the flat frosted kindsoooo yummy) and a Tigger tail for Jayden.
She refused to take it out of her mouth for the picture
Then we went over to the Pooh Bear line, which, unlike the one at Disneyworld, almost never has any line. Next up was Big Thunder Mtn. but the wait was kinda long so we grabbed fast passes. I needed to go buy DD some
crocs, because she wasnt going to make a whole day at Disney in airport flip flops, no matter how much they cost. She picked these:
Dbigsis and Dnephew went over to Tom Sawyers, now pirate island. Dlilsis and Dniece went with me to get some pressed pennies at the arcade. Im sorry I missed pirate island (not sure what its really called these days). Apparently they caught the singing pirate show and loved it. Dnephew is an actor and has an excellent memory and he repeated one of their bits for me about the dinghy parade and Im sorry I missed it. Apparently they go on and on about(in a pirate accent of course) dont go on that dinghy parade, it is awful! And if youve already been, Im sorry,
Then they go on and on about the horrors of the dinghy parade until you finally realize they are talking about the Its a Small World ride.

I think I will now and forever think of that ride as The Dinghy Parade!
We met back up with them and went on BTMRR. Dnephew is fond of Innovations. It was at the top of his list and he got it in his mind that he needed to do it next, so we headed towards Tomorrowland. On the way I got distracted by one of these:
Aaaaaah! Now if only I had some school bread to go with it!
Then we had to go to the tiki hut, which I hadnt been to since I was a wee child. I really missed Lily on this one. She wouldve loved it. I can say it was nicely air conditioned! After the show Dnephew beelined it to Innoventions. I had to stop and get DD a corn dog at the corn dog cart on Main Street. Dneice was sleeping in the stroller so we just strolled around and shopped a bit while we waited for them. Dlilsis and I collect the little Hasbro mini figures and I only needed Jabba the Hut and the Ewok to complete my Star Wars series (nerd alert! nerd alert!)

so we sat in the Star Tours dump shop and felt up all the packages through the foil

till we found what we thought was Jabba. Couldnt figure out the Ewok though. His shape is not as distinctive as Jabba. Hey, we had some time to kill! Dlilsis taught me that trick, which a CM showed her last April. I bought 3 packs and no Ewok though. He is the only one I still need so if anyone out there
Dbigsis (okay, now its DBS) and Dnephew actually got to test drive Segways at Innoventions. Who knew? (not me) After that we decided wed better get park hoppin so we crossed the plaza to California Adventures. Dnephew temporarily lost a book so they said theyd catch up with us. We headed straight for DDs favorite, California Screamin. I was only moderately excited to go on it. The last time it seemed kind of rough and headachy. This time it was smooth and fast and I loved it again. We checked out the new Toy Story ride.
It opens June 17 but they were doing test rides for CMs and their families. I was so jealous! They had a giant talking Mr. Potato Head out front. Dniece1 LOVED him. He was fun. He even took his ear off and put it back on.
Next up was ToT. It was awesome as always although our fastpass wait was like a half an hour so we were cutting it close on our Blue Bayou reservations. We got off and raced across CA, the entry plaza, and through DLP and made it in time. (Had to stop for a brief photo because Elastigirl came up to DD10 and grabbed her and hugged her)
I had eaten at the BB once before but all I remember is that my kids were naughty and kept getting up from the table. This time it was much nicer. All 6 of us loved our food, it was practically one of the only meals the baby ate the whole trip. Some of us had blackened salmon, some of us had roasted chicken. We were all pleasantly surprised by the food. We had mainly gone there for the ambiance. The service was also great.
After dinner we went back to Tomorrowland and Dlilsis (DLS), DD10 and I went on Space Mountain while DBS and Dnephew took Dneice on the Nemo submarines. The line was a little long, then the ride broke down and we had to wait about 10 minutes. While we were waiting DLS told me that when she went on SM at Disneyworld last November, she laughed throughout the entire ride and her SIL kept giving her weird looks

So we get on the ride, and DLS was in the row behind DD and myself. SHE LAUGHED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ride! It was pretty funny since it is a big out of character for her. Well, they were telling us to exit to our right when suddenly our car moved forward and they said "Do you want to go again?" Well by this point I don't think we had a choice

but we were happy to go again. Now for some reason, this made the whole ride EVEN FUNNIER to DLS. She was laughing SO HARD the whole time I had to laugh at her and I could barely breathe as I was being flung through space

We got off and I said "now I know why your SIL gave you weird looks!"

her response was to laugh. We pulled ouselves together, ran to the bathroom, and rejoined the rest of our group. Then we headed over to CA for the Electrical Parade which is and always will be a childhood favorite!!! Just the music evokes such memories of the magic when I was a little girl! I LOVE it, probably my favorite parade of ALL TIME.
After the parade we exited the park and saw the fireworks above DLP. We were tired and I still needed to buy the boys the one and only thing they asked for--Indiana Jones Legos. So I headed to the
Lego store and the sistas went to World of Disney. Then we took the tram back to parking and drove back to the hotel. It was a wonderful Disney sort of day! I'm SOOOO glad we went even though I really missed my 3 little ones.
Next up: Day 4 The Beach