Yesterday was the first day of our vacation. We all needed it as it has been a busy year for my family. The Physicist's work and travel schedule is tripling. The Teen officially graduated from High School which mean seriously busy days leading up to that moment. And I've been busy revising my book--more like noodling the changes and moving a bit slowly as I try to meet this editor's expectations.
So between real life and my fictional one, we haven't had much together time. With the Teen leaving for Auburn University in August, this is our way to spend quality time with her before she begins her big adventure.
We're spending the first part of our vacation at Disneyland and California Adventure. In a way this is a surreal visit for us because we're use to the Disney World complex and staying on property at the resorts. This is much different, yet eerily the same.
Yesterday we traveled via plane to Anaheim, CA. Flying used to be fun. Now I consider any flight that goes up and stays in the air and successfully lands a great flight. There are minor annoyances like no water, later first flight officers, weather issues, baggage carousels getting jammed--but those are just gnats.
We have arrived!
We checked into our hotel -- the Doubletree Hilton in Anaheim which is about a mile from the parks. Once we were settled in our mini suite, we walked over to the theme parks with lots of other princesses and pirates and monsters. First up? Disneyland. We had no specific plans, just meandered and hit the rides we'd never heard of and revisited It's A Small World which was fun. The biggest difference between that ride and the Magic Kingdom's ride was the movie characters were in every country as well. This enchanted us and we enjoyed watching the little girl riding in the boat in the seat in front of ours because she was thrilled.
Sleeping Beauty's castle is smaller than Cinderella's, but it is also charming because you can tour inside it's walls and see the story played out in various dioramas. And best of all, we got to see someone propose to his girlfriend in front of the castle. Very cool and we'd welcome that lad into our Disney loving family in a heartbeat.
We rode Mr. Toad's wild ride and bummed around New Orleans Quarter--which made the Physicist and the Teen salivate, but my shellfish allergy makes it difficult to eat in places where jambalaya and gumbo and crab are served. So we exited Disneyland and went to Downtown Disney to eat at Catala: a Spanish tapas style restaurant which was divine. Afterward, we wondered into California Adventure park and got a lay of the land. We rode Ariel's Grotto ride and the attention to detail was amazing. The Physicist and the Teen rode the swings (I can't--major vertigo from going round and round and round). But I found a little wine cellar place with different style restaurants and picnics so I was happy to sit while they explored.
Today we'll be more targeted. We're going to California Adventure and riding the rides we've never experienced. We may hit The Matterhorn at Disneyland if it is open. And tonight we're watching Fantasmic. Sometime in between we'll rest up, maybe hit the pool at the hotel for a dip and a nap.
Meanwhile, despite the holiday, I am still brainstorming and noodling my story and what has to be done to give it deeper emotion and a more global voice.
Stay tuned! The Glover Family Vacation Adventure is just beginning!
2 comments:
Sounds so incredible! Wish I was there.
Heidi, it is so different, but really cool, too. A different vibe. Love the cooler weather and no humidity!!
There's a new land opening in California Adventures based on CARS which looks awesome. We're missing it by 10 days.
Guess that means we'll have to come back!
Post a Comment