Disney 2.1

We had to say goodbye to Ganghi & Grandpa, but we had one more day at the Happiest Place on Earth:

and we finally cracked the code!  We made it to the gate for Magic Morning Hour somewhere very near 7 am and were rewarded with a wide open California Adventure.  "Now this is how I like my theme parks," Daddy announced.  

We made a bee-line to Cars Land and rode all the favorites again -

- and Mommy collected the all-important Fast Passes for Radiator Springs Racers.  Even though some of us were grumpy about going by the scary combine again.

Of course there was time to stop in gift shops to try on silly hats, make new friends, and beg for new toys, since the toys from yesterday were now "old toys" -

- scream on the swinging gondola -

- and take our new pal Figaro on King Triton's carousel.

Once it started to get busy, we had an early lunch and made our way back to the hotel.  It was a little brisk for swimming, but luckily there was a big hot tub with enough space to mortify one's parents by cannonballing into the center.

After drying off, we returned to Brennan's Jazz Kitchen for an early dinner, since (obviously) we like the name, and Mommy will take her NOLA fix how she can get it, even theme-park-ified.

Since we're not slaves to naps or bedtime these days...let's hit Disneyland at night!

Brennan & Lucie agreed their favorite ride was the Mad Tea Party, so we made that the final adventure for our trip -

well, that, along with another chat with Olaf (psst - we didn't tell Lucie that Elsa & Anna were there, too, given the 2 hour+ wait times) -

- and a post-PJ's fireworks show, at a corner window in the hallway leading to the room from our last Grand Californian stay.  Brennan & I found it while taking his new remote control Lightning McQueen for a test drive, and I remembered the great fireworks view both kids slept through every night.

Then it was time for the long drive back north, through the Central Valley - 4+ hours of very flat road running through California's main agricultural area.  Highlights included:  large orange groves that smelled very nice, a large cattle feedlot that smelled very bad, and 2 crop-duster sightings.  Luckily, there we also had iPads and headphones to keep them busy.  The Olaf candy apple also took up a good 30-40 minutes.

Dining out on the road and in a large theme park is always a mixed bag, especially with the kids.  The biggest hit of the trip?  The Coalinga Denny's.  They ate every scrap of their kids' meals, and topped it off with an oreo milkshake.  Lucie proclaimed she was "a mosquito sucking a blood milkshake".  Now, try getting the image of a blood milkshake out of your head.

The kids loved their Disney adventure and didn't want to leave.  Someday, I hope, they'll understand why we can't actually live at Disneyland.  Until then, they're looking forward to the next time: