Cali Trip (Part 2) Destination : Disneyland!

The day after our Hollywood excursion, we went to Disneyland! I'd only been there once before, on a choir tour my junior year in high school. It was fun to have the chance to return for my second time, but it was different than I remembered. It seemed like they'd rearranged all the rides since I was there 16 years ago. Or maybe it was my mind that did the rearranging... I dunno.

It was amusing to hear so many kids crying at the happiest place on earth. They must have missed the memo! And while I look forward to taking our kids eventually, it was nice to be there with just my sisters, taking in the magnificent sights and going on all the rides without having to worry about taking a frantic headcount every 2 seconds, among other things.

I didn't foresee how much I'd enjoy being there this time. I was pleasantly astounded by the architecture and workmanship of everything. Disneyland is a feast for the eyes. As a 16-year-old, I don't think I appreciated all the intricate details of the rides and landscapes as much as I do now.

Now it's time for some pictures.


This is a portion of Tarzan's Treehouse. We didn't go in it, but I thought it looked very cool.


Here we are in line for the Indiana Jones ride. We loved it!


The last picture ever taken of poor Megan, age 109. =)
Sure, this line (Indiana Jones) did have the longest wait, but it didn't seem THAT long! :)



I couldn't get very good pictures on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, since flash photography was forbidden. I still can't believe all the details and awesomeness involved in each part of the ride. I wouldn't be surprised if the skeletons throughout were actually the remains of the artists who created this ride (because they worked themselves to death).

This is just a little peek:





Here's the train that puffs around the perimeter of the resort. We helped ourselves aboard at one point in the day.


I always get a kick out of the illustrations on warning signs. I'm sure they encourage carelessness just as often as they discourage it. The guys on the right look like they're having the time of their lives!

A few views from our tranquil train ride...




I am a fool for fun-shaped shrubberies!



A view of the Matterhorn in the distance. Let's just say they should have Preparation H wipes available at the exit of that ride!


We went on the submarine ride.



The underwater set was pretty impressive.




We had lunch at one of the cute restaurants inside the park. Can't remember what it was called, but it was tasty.

We shared a basket of fries. They were topped with Parmesan and stuff, and served with a yummy sauce.

We each had a Monte Cristo sandwich. It's basically a deep fried ham and cheese sandwich, with a dusting of powdered sugar, and a nice berry sauce for dipping. Megan got the 3-cheese version. We McCalebs have a special relationship with cheese, especially the melted kind.


The gals (and one guy) at the table next to us. They planned ahead with homespun shirts, which they will likely wear time and time again. It's important for me to clarify that puffy paint played a big part in the decorating of these special, heirloom-quality tops.


There was this jolly fellow playing ragtime piano. As he was minding his own business, I readied the camera. He turned and made this face at me just as I took the picture. It about made me pee my pants.


Erin and I couldn't pass up the teacups. I loved all the colors!


We left Megan in charge of taking pictures with both our cameras. She doesn't "do" spinning rides.

Somehow I look wistful. I think this was when I was making sick, "I'm-about-to-hurl" faces, hoping Megan would catch it on camera. It just didn't work out that way.



Erin doing all the arm work. She was determined to get us spinning out of control.


Look at all the pretty lanterns!



I always find self shots of Megan after I've left her unattended with my camera.


In line for The Haunted Mansion. It was very cool and creeeeepy!


The second time we went on Space Mountain, Megan knew when to pose for the camera. We went 3 times, I think, and I look unamused in all of the pictures. I think that spot is particularly jerky, and I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was having fun, I promise.

I just loved the cute storefronts.


And there were such neat trees on the grounds.



And there were the prettiest flowers everywhere!


The outside of "It's a Small World".

I loved how crisply ornate the ride's exterior was.


And the giraffe topiary! Hello! I felt as though, somehow, it was fashioned just for me (because I love giraffes and topiaries)!


Pure beauty...





An adorable lion! I loved the mane.



Megan looking like she's warming up to sing along with the various languages of the world.



A horse's rump.





I couldn't put my camera down! So much to see. And if I hadn't taken loads of pictures, I would have promptly forgotten it all.


Slowly we reached the ride's interior.






As a teenager, I was rather creeped out by all the singing, robotic dolls. This time, I thought it was all very cute (not the audio as much as the visual).


Hot air balloons! Too bad it's not a very good picture.

I want to go live where they live! And I'd always be there, peering out from behind the pink hilltops.


That elephant looks kind of drugged.








What a grand ride!



The ride is so pretty I can barely stand it!


Aaaaaaaaaaahhhg! One of the dolls punched me in the face!


I like how Erin looks so calm and I'm a complete wreck. She must not have witnessed the horror I'd just been through!
(Notice Megan making a similar facial expression into her camera at that exact moment. Ha! We must be sisters.)



If looks could kill...



The whole time we were on the ride, I had been trying fruitlessly to get a good self-shot with some of the colorful decor in the background, to really embody my experience on It's a Small World.

This picture was a happy accident.



We couldn't be at Disneyland without stopping to take pictures in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle. We just couldn't!




Because the group shot just wasn't good enough...



The inside is basically just a couple of staircases with fancy Sleeping Beauty dioramas built into the walls. It made me want to go inside a real castle; far, far away.

See comatose Aurora in there? We'll pretend my camera flash is actually the light from Prince Charming's approaching motor scooter.


Well, wasn't that just a dandy narration of our day at Disneyland? We had a fantastic time, the rides were picturesque and/or thrilling, and we made memories to last a lifetime.

On our way back to the hotel, passing vagrants aplenty as we drove, we stopped to eat at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It was pretty good stuff, but we ate too much. We then carefully returned to our room, just in time to watch the season finale of Glee.

What a marvelous day for three sisters to share!