Saturday August 23rd, 2008
I’ve been to Disneyland a million times.
Not really a million, but pretty darn near that. I grew up in Southern California and my parents took us once a year on Christmas Eve. I remember “ticketed” rides and being left with the dud ones at the end of the day that were only good for Dumbo or Peter Pan.
And for the past 12 years, we’ve lived
within 10 miles from the park. We’ve had annual passes on and off for about 8 years and we’ve known employees who can “walk us in”. We’ve witnessed the building of the largest parking structure in the US, the disappearance of pedestrian forms of entry into the park (you must park in the structure and board a tram now to get in), and the birth of Disney’s California Adventure park.
within 10 miles from the park. We’ve had annual passes on and off for about 8 years and we’ve known employees who can “walk us in”. We’ve witnessed the building of the largest parking structure in the US, the disappearance of pedestrian forms of entry into the park (you must park in the structure and board a tram now to get in), and the birth of Disney’s California Adventure park.
Disneyland is not NEW to me.
But when I took my biggest girl there last week all by our big-girl selves, we did a couple things I’ve never done before.
I can’t tell you why I’ve never actually ridden the Columbia, Disney’s resident Pirate Ship. Its been there forever. But last Monday we did. We ran up the stairs and jumped on board just before they pushed off from the dock. We made it, and ventured down into the hull to view “captain’s quarters” and other fascinating piratey things. As many times as I’ve been to Disney I had never been inside the Columbia.
And we actually saw Jack Sparrow. Really.
We also took the canoe rides. My parents would never take us, even though we’d beg as teenagers and preteens…please let us go on the canoes. All the cool kids are doing it…
Now I know why my parents never caved. Maybe it was their sixth sense of wise parenting that I never inherited, or maybe they were just opposed to getting on something that actually might tip into the lagoon, but regardless, I had never been on the canoes until Monday. It was fun up until we actually got on. 
I sat behind a canoe-zealot who was accompanied by 3 kids all a little older than Hope. He yelled at them to keep rowing, even though the canoe guide told us to take a break. They obeyed him because he was scary. I obeyed him because he was scary.
He just wanted to be done with the “ride” (no doubt another parent who did not want to be there) and therefore thought if he rowed HARDER, FASTER and SPLASHIER, we’d be back quicker. It didn’t happen that way. In fact, I just got really wet. Really wet.
But my lagoon-dripping face isn’t the point. The point is that my oldest daughter had the time of her life on Monday and that I did a few things that I had never done before.
Maybe I rode the canoes because I was holding on to an adolescent grudge against my parents or maybe because they actually looked fun for a minute (before splashy-paddle-zealot man got in the boat).
Or maybe it was because my daughter actually inspires me to try new things, even if I’ve been there a million times before.
I’m so deprived – I’ve never been there!
I went to Disneyland 20 years ago! I loved it.
So glad you got to be a kid again…even if you got soaked by an over-eager parent.
I’m just sayin’.
What a wonderful reminder to be a child with your child. I forget sometimes and Hope is getting so much older so quickly. I love girl days out. I probably would have irritatd the guy in the canoe by laughing at him.
Thanks for the reminder!!
I think part of the fun of having kids is that you get to be a kid again. Looks like you had fun regardless of scary splashy canoe loving man.
You are the cool mom! I avoid watery rides because of my horrible, hard to fix hair. I am not fun at all!
shoot i almost teared up!!!
That looks so fun!
Now you just have to hop on over this way and hit Disney WORLD – they’ll never know what hit ‘em.
I know what you mean about how different it is being one on one with your kids. It’s like the pressure is off, and you can relax and enjoy. We ought to do that more over here. One day they will be heading out the door, and I can see myself now, saying, “um – wait! I mean, I meant to do some more fun stuff together… you can’t go yet!”
Now I’m making myself all sad.
“We’ll always have Disney.”
what a fun day! i have yet to visit disneyland- one of these days….
how fun – i am sure hope loved every minute of it. and getting to do something with you that you didn’t get to do as a kid – priceless.
i find that i am often more brave or willing to try something new/different if my kids are involved.
I was at Disneyland on Monday, too!!! (And Tuesday and Wednesday as well!) I wonder if you were on the canoes at the same time we were taking the ferry to the “Pirate’s Lair.” We saw Jack Sparrow, too… really!
We got wet, but it was on Splash Mountain! It actually made my hair look better, which never happens.
Anyway, here’s our account of Disney Mania! http://thoughtsonthesethings.blogspot.com/2008/08/one-jump-ahead-of-hoofbeats.html