In the past we have had AP's. I love having AP's. Again let me say I LOVE having AP's. We are planning a 2 week vacation to WDW next year so we decided to skip the AP's for a year, which is turning out to be 2 since we could not go as soon as we planned
. Usually my Disney math includes AP's and discounts at hotels and restaurants because of them. Not now. We have no will power and would throw last minute trips in on a whim. I'm very spontaneous and Jeff just goes with the flow as a good husband should.
. I realized the only way to restrain and actually save for WDW was to give this luxury up. Since I decided to do this I have gone on just as many trips though. Oh well!
We purchased the Magic Music Days tickets through the dance studio at reduced rates. They were actually pretty good so we didnt mind. I think a 2 day park hopper pass was $86 each. Not bad. Jake kept wanting to know where the ticket with his picture was though. I miss them too buddy. Someday again!
He's so excited to get some alone time with mama. He is a mommy's boy and this was the best thing he could think of. I told him he could dictate what we did as long as we could pick up fast passes along the way.
I don't have a ton of pictures from
Disneyland itself because we have been there so much I just dont think to take them.
Jake at this point is jumping up and down when we get to the turnstiles.
He told the CM taking our tickets that its HIS morning til his sissy wakes up and comes over!
The CM asked what he was going to do first and he said "Topia" then he turned to another CM and asked to give him the honorary citizen badge. Sweet!
This is HUGE for him to say anything because he's so shy. (Dizzy, I know you dont believe that!
)
As we walk under the bridge we see the signs posting that they are taping and that Josh Grobin would be there. UGH!!! Not to Josh Grobin but when I was a CM at WDW I HATED taping days. Everything is all jammed up like crazy and you cannot get anywhere. We head straight for the lockers. I've got Morgan's dance bag with me and our sweatshirts so I get a large locker. We see some of the girls from the studio and one asks us if we left Morgan in Phoenix. Yes we did was my answer! I think she sort of believed me!
Quick story about the lockers. This time we didnt have a problem but you know how they have a warning not to overstuff them. Yeah well, um one time my brother and I decided to test that warning and in a large locker we stuffed 8 sweatshirts and 2 blankets along with hats and gloves!!!! He threw his body weight into it to get it to close but we could not get it to open. We had to go to City Hall and have someone come over to unlock it for us. The nice CM kept apologizing saying they were having trouble with them all day. She could not help but laugh when she figured out it wasnt DL's fault the locker wouldn't open it was OURS. She said she had never seen anyone stuff that many items in a locker and we should have gotten 3!!! She was really nice about it and I'm sure had a good laugh when she went back.
So we walk up Mainstreet avoiding all the camera and stage setups with the little fences around them and see a huge line around the hub. I'm not exactly sure who it was for Josh Grobin or later I learned I found out that the High School Musical cast was there.
I figured it was Josh at this point so we veered to the right avoiding the lines and headed towards autopia.
20 minute line to Autopia 1st thing in the morning. This line always fills up but at least its not the Nemo line.
They wanted to do that but since we were there earlier in Oct (see what I mean about the trips and the lack of AP's-----no control!!!) and we waited an hour and a half 1st thing for Nemo we made the decision to skip this one. Ok Autopia, my son loves this. So here is Jake standing in line waiting.
I cannot wait til he is old enough to reach the pedals and really drive. Does anyone ever make bets on what color car you are going to end up with. We do this all day at the park. Helps with the line time. We really don't bet I guess since there is no prize if you win but we do get the pride of knowing you picked the right one. Well, I suck at this game. I picked the purple and blue changing color one. I always pick this car, its sweet. Why can't I EVER get this car???? Jake picked the orange. We got orange! I thought the orange looked like it needed to be in the body shop for a good week but he said it looked like it was a fast car. Quick picture before I jump in to take over driving!
We're off. He leans over and asks if I could take my hands off the wheel so he could steer. Absolutely. Gives me more time to take pictures anyway! He's never wanted to do this and this time he had a blast steering the car and trying not to crash! This picture cracks me up because he has a nervous/excited/I dont know what the heck I'm doing smile on!
Here are some pictures I'm testing my camera out on during the very bumpy ride.
Alright after Autopia we head to Space Mountain so we can get some fastpasses. I ask if he wants to go on it now and he shakes his head no. He loved this last month but was a little nervous about it this time. I figured it was early in the morning. So we can only get 2 fastpasses due to our 2 sleepy heads with the other tickets but I decide we'll come back and get 2 more since the return time was 10am. Not too bad yet.
Jake's favorite ride has always been Buzz but this time he did not want to go on it either so he chose Astro Orbitor. The line was about 10 minutes for this. Here is a pic before I awkwardly get in here. Does anyone else feel like they are going to fall on their faces entering and exiting this rocketship??? I am SO clumsy I just know I'm going to fall out head first one time.
His expression looks like he's afraid I'm not getting in and he's not sure if he likes that or he doesnt!
Seriously this ride should be listed under Big Thrills. Even though its on the ground now I still feel like I'm going to fall out. Jake was going up and down repeatedly. Down is the horrifying! My side still hurts from being in the down position from this thing!!! I'm always squished against the side. I love it though. Lots of fun.
Next he decided he wants to hit the Mark Twain Riverboat. Well, he really wanted the Columbia but it wasn't sailing yet. I was like ummm honey, Mark Twain IS a lot of fun but there are No lines and No waiting at many of the more popular rides don't you want to do that? NO WAY was his answer. So here we went on this. There were a total of 17 people on this boat so it was like we had it to ourselves.
I thought this was cool with the splash landing in the picture
And he loves trains so we had to take this one.
After the Riverboat we head over to Pirates. He LOVES pirates and so does Jeff and I felt a little guilty about not waiting til they came over and go with them but I seriously knew we would be on this ride multiple times over the 2 days. Jake is so cute on this because during the first drop he grabs my arms tight and snuggles close to me. Then when it immeidately gets lighter he pushes me away like he doesnt know who I am and holds his arms up and screams down the second drop. He always grabs the fog where Davy Jones is and throws it at the scene where the guy is drowning.
Of course there is nothing in his hands at this point but he insists this must be done each time and I have to do it with him. Oh another cute thing is my kids always hold their arms up at the end of the ride while going up and let out a quiet little scream when you go over the little bump of a hill at the top!
That cracks me up and usually does everyone in the boat. First timers get ready for something thrilling when they see them prepping their arms for this and this ride with Jake was no exception. The guy behind us held his arms up too and then commented on how that last drop was the most exciting of the ride when he saw what it was!
Ok end of image limit so I am going to head to bed for tonight. More tomorrow!
Thanks! Oh and there are more purchases yet to come!
I should go back and edit it. Man I'm so "dump!" 
in the car talking about the concert. You know when you get out of a concert your ears feel like they have cotton in them and you cannot hear anything. Well, that was us and apparently we were practically yelling to Jeff and Jake the details of the concert! Like they really cared. 
Anyway, they plug the movies in and I TRY to sleep. I cannot do this very well. I checked the clock and Jeff at 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30. Am I the only one who wakes up at the same time every hour??? Well, I have to admit I didnt really go to sleep but I was resting and everytime it was exactly 30 past the hour when I looked at the clock and interrupted Jeff listening to the Ipod to see if he was ok. Very Strange. The trip over was restless. The kids are used to sleeping with reclining van seats and so they were uncomfortable. I squished a pillow up and tried to get comfortable. This never happened. The PT cruiser quickly became my enemy. It was not the best car to stretch out in. 
So I was stuck with the hard hotel pillows. 
I can protect them and look cool at the same time. 
so i wedged my foot on the side .. and i almost fell on my face getting out with my son in my arms, so yes it does happen 
