That Didn't Take Long



Well, it is only the second day of 2008 and we've already taken our first trip to the Disneyland Resort. It was a beautiful Southern California day with temperatures in the 70s, blue skies and wispy clouds. Gotta love our version of winter.

Going to Disneyland with Chelsea has changed the way we visit the park. We definitely try to do things that she can enjoy, which has meant spending a lot more time in Fantasyland than ever before. Chelsea loves riding the horses of the King Arther Caroussel. We try to do Dumbo before it gets too busy, though today the line was already rather long and Chelsea decided she didn't want to wait. So it was off to it's a small world for one last ride before it goes down for a lengthy rehab.

After spending the morning in Disneyland, we usually head over to DCA for some lunch and a couple other "must-do" attractions. In addition to riding round in circles on King Arthur Caroussel, we also must do a spin on King Triton's Caroussel as well. And before we leave for the day, we must take in a performance of Playhouse Disney featuring Chelsea's favorite character - JoJo. She absolutely LOVES Playhouse Disney and knows when the streamers are going to fly, when bubbles will be blown down upon our heads, and when Bear, JoJo and Winnie the Pooh all make their appearances. For a 20-month-old, she has a great memory. I don't know how she's going to react when they change the attraction to feature newer characters and JoJo is no longer going to make an appearance.

Walt Disney's idea of creating a place where parents and children can have fun together has really become our family's reality. I once would have laughed at the idea of waiting half an hour to ride Dumbo but today will gladly wait to hear my little girl yell "Whee" as we take off and spin over Fantasyland. Kathy hated Playhouse Disney because it took over the location where her favorite restaurant - Soap Opera Bistro - once stood. She swore she'd never set foot in the place and yet now we can't imagine not taking Chelsea there for her to bounce like Tigger and yell "Bye" when JoJo leaves the stage.

I've visited Disneyland hundreds of times before we had Chelsea and I'll visit it hundreds of times with Chelsea. It's amazing that it can be the same place and yet a completely different place. Seeing Disneyland through the eyes of your child is a magical experience. Chelsea's sense of wonder and enjoyment of the all-encompassing atmosphere is remarkable. She's so afraid she's going to miss something that she fights taking a nap with all her might.

I'm glad that I can share my favorite place in the world with her. Our annual passes expire in a few weeks but there's no way we're going to let the fun run out. With the ability to go whenever we want, we don't have to spend the whole day running commando around the park like I did when I was younger. And having our admission already paid for allows us an easy opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and experiences of a Disneyland getaway.

Our first visit to Disneyland in 2008 most certainly will not be our last. We look forward to taking advantage of lots of beautiful Southern California days in the coming year, heading down the I-5 to Anaheim so that we can experience all the "Whee" moments and Tigger bounces we can.

Matt