The Long Family: Day 2

Our second day at the Happiest Place on earth started out at California Adventure (CA). They alternate which days you do the Magic Morning at each park and Wednesday was CA. I didn't know what to expect with CA and therefore it didn't disappoint too much. It tries to re-create several California experiences like the wilderness and oceans with some branded crap like Cars Land and Bugs Life. It has a big section called Paradise Pier which is a throw back to Coney Island or something similar. At that area, there is a huge roller coaster. Michael and Parker went on it the day before in the afternoon and loved it so I told Parker I would do it with him. We literally walked on it without a line and sat in the front. It was terrifying. Parker then did it again alone and then with Michael twice more. Four times in about 20 minutes. The girls and I did some smaller rides. Michael took one for the team and did the swings with them. Barf. Then we all went to get "fast passes" for some ride at Cars Land that everyone said we had to do. The line for the fast pass was forever long, but then moved pretty fast. The ride itself which we did later that day was pretty damn good. Two cars mosey through a little land like the movie Cars and then race to the finish. Good clean fun.

We also spent some time in this little playground area called Explorer Wilderness. They had net bridges, zip lines and other outdoorsy stuff. The kids loved it and we could have stayed there a long, long time. Talk about more good clean fun.

Mid day we had lunch and went back to the hotel for some pool time. The water slide was open and all the kids went on it a lot.

Then we got dressed and went back to Disneyland where they wanted to do Pirates and Star Tours again. Star Tours is pretty excellent. I was surprised they wanted to do Pirates, but they really liked it and we walked right on. I took the girls on the submarine which was now a Finding Nemo ride and Parker did Autopia with Michael and then we Parker tried unsuccessful to get in the Jedi Training Academy (more on that later). We did some more rides and then had dinner at some place near the Haunted House where I enjoyed some jambalaya and Michael had red beans and ride. It really did look like New Orleans there. Even Miranda agreed.

Michael and Parker did another ride after dinner and I took the girls to see the Main Street Parade, which they loved. We had seen one, a pixar parade, the day before, which they also loved, so I knew they would enjoy this one, lame as it may be. Then we went back to the hotel where Parker fell asleep on top of the covers but next to his custom made light saber. (We told the kids up front not to ask for crap the whole trip as they would all be allowed one thing to buy. Parker almost immediately wanted the light saber. Elizabeth waited until day three and then got a Minny Mouse outfit that matches one her friend Emma has, and Miranda got some stuffed animals. I could have predicted all of that.)