trevor and alisha + three little girls: Disneyland 2014

DAY ONE

D Day had finally arrived! Time to fly to Disneyland! We flew out on Shelby's teacher Mrs. Bean's birthday, so as a present, we sent her pictures from her favorite magical kingdom all week long. She loved it.

Okay Disneyland Hotel, we are ready for our rooms now!

We had an awesome 3 bedroom suite with a kitchen and living room on the 11th floor.

From the balcony we watched a cheesy Disney wedding! How did this guy agree to this!?! HA!

After eating at Grandpa Rich's favorite Disney restaurant, Naples Ristorante, we checked out the concierge lounge, then got all settled in and stayed up to watch the Disneyland Fireworks from our balcony. We are here!

DAY TWO

Good Morning! There were two queen beds in their room, but each morning we would find Cora had sneaked into Shelby's bed to wake her up.

We were all over the magic hours this time. Yay for being an hour early into the park! Before we left, Shelby chose costumes for each day in the parks and Cora was happy to wear whatever big sister wanted. Today was Sleeping Beauty day.

First stop? Toy Story 4D! Everyone else was in Cars Land!

Afterwards the girls rode the carousel while Trevor and I waited in a 5 minute line for the front seats on California Screamin! Then Trevor was off to the Cars Ride fast pass line (because he's the best!) while we rode a few quick cars land rides.

First time on Luigi's tires! No waiting!!!

What's up Mr. Lightning? Let's take some pictures!

Snack time! Daddy and Shelby went on a California Soarin' while Grandma and I took Cora on that darned heimlich's caterpillar train, which should only be ridden if there is no line. Cora loved it.

Shelby got there just in time to ride way up high on Flik's Flyers!

Then Cora did her best Ariel impression! Princess dresses are not that great for climbing!

Waiting for our fast passes to be ready! Cars Land was crazy because there were like 30 tables set up all along the main road for radio stations from all over the country and Canada where they were broadcasting live from Cars Land. I talked to one lady from Canada who said they had to be up at 3am for their morning show! Ouch! I bet it was a bunch of spring break promotions. Cars Land is the coolest. Is it time to ride the Radiator Springs Racers yet? Yes? Ok! Let's GO!

Daddy and Shelby got to ride it one more time after I went with them, and Shelby said that he was the BEST Daddy in the whole world! So Grandma, Cora, and I got to start our lunch at Ariel's Grotto first! Cora was very excited to meet Ariel! Thank goodness she's not scared of meeting characters.

to flash or not to flash?

Then it was Shelby's turn!

Lunch time! Nice hat Daddy! And Grandpa's here too now!

Cora would eat that whole bread flower if we weren't watching!

Princess time!!!

Shelby would make a great Disney princess. She LOVES smiling and taking pictures!

While Trevor ran over to get Tower of Terror fast passes (because he dies inside if he's at the Disney parks and doesn't have a fast pass at all times) we stopped to take some photos with Walt. LOTS of photos!

Then, we walked on back to the hotel so that Cora could take a nap and we could all get some rest before our reservation at the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant in California Adventure. We made it into the park in time to use our Tower of Terror fast passes first, while Grandpa and Grandma took the kids to our favorite family spot, the Animation Academy. They went to Turtle Talk with Crush, which both grand kids and both grandparents said was really funny! Of course we all spent time watching those amazing clips and listening to the songs. It really is the best spot in any Disney park.

Dinner time! It was a little breezy for outdoor dining, but they put us under a big heating lamp and it was perfect! Also kinda fun to feel cool since the place had no reservations for 3 days! It was great food. While we were eating, Brett emailed us since it was P Day, so it was fun to be together and read his emails. He was handling it really well that we were at Disney without him, since he'll be home in less than 4 months and wants to go immediately to Disneyland after being released. HAHA! It's probably happening.

Our dinner had the special World Of Color reserved seating...which I signed us up for because we have never stayed to watch it before and this would force us to do it! And even when we had passes we still thought about bailing on the 9:45 show, but we stayed and played and got our seats right at the very front and it was SO worth it!

Playing a few last games before everything closes for the show.

World of Color rocks! It was fun to have the water spray over us like a rainbow fog!

Goodnight Disneyland!

DAY THREE

Grandpa and Trevor went out to visit some work friends and go to some meetings, so it was just us girls for the Disneyland magic hours! Grandma was nice enough to go straight over and start standing in line to meet Elsa and Anna, which didn't open until the park was officially open, 30 minutes later, but there was already a huuuuge line and they said it would be 3 and a half hour wait. Grandma didn't believe them but I did! So while Grandma made friends in line, I took the girls on rides in Fantasy land.

The longest wait (35 minutes!) was for the Storybook Land Canal boats and of course when we got to the front the girls said they had to go to the bathroom but we made it happen!

An unexpected bonus of waiting in lines in their dresses was watching...

girls point at the dresses "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, look, look, look, look!!!"

many many many moms then asked me where i got them, some naively hopeful "which store here?" some wisely asking "how did you find those?" (well? january, disney store online, midnight, after looking every single day for weeks to see if they were back in stock) when we went into the bibidi bobidi boutique things got even crazier and i saw the littlest girls give the dirtiest looks to my kids....hey, it's not my fault that Disney is so dumb and didn't order enough of these! The store employees were very impressed that we had them-especially the store versions that we have, which apparently were even more rare. They said that last week a shipment came in on Tuesday of the disneyland style dresses (not as cute as the disney store versions, just being honest) and they were sold out by Wednesday at noon. One employee said someone told him that in the park they were offered $800 for an Elsa dress off their daughter's back, to which Grandpa and Daddy (after hearing the story later) said, TOTALLY DO IT IF THAT HAPPENS, haha guys. Currently money can't even buy these dresses! The whole trip I saw 8 other kids in Elsa or Ann costumes and only 2 of them had Shelby's Elsa dress. I had no idea that I had accomplished some amazing feat of motherhood but I will totally take it! Go me and my online shopping skills!

Hey Olaf, we are getting so close!

Back to the line...still waiting...the guy in front of us was of course Mormon, because I would guess that at any given time at least 25% of everyone in Disneyland is Mormon. He just finished grad school and took his wife and two little girls to Disney to celebrate and was so grateful for their support through school that he was willing to stand in line for 3 and a half hours! Super nice guy. In front of him was a mom from Arizona. Behind us was a family from Pennsylvania, originally from India, and it was their first time to Disneyland. Behind them was a family from Hawaii who had saved for 3 years to come to Disneyland. And when we got to the front and any of us got in, we all cheered for each other. It's like we'd been through war together. 3 AND A HALF HOURS is a long time to meet princesses. And during the last hour of waiting OF COURSE both girls started saying they were tired and didn't want to meet them and I said TOO BAD! We waited for this long and IT IS happening.

Almost there!

Once in a while people would walk right up to the door and think there was no line and try to walk in. If they didn't have an employee stationed at the door I have no doubt that blood would be spilt.

THREE AND A HALF HOURS. The rest of the day it was a FOUR HOUR WAIT. all day.

Books ready to be signed! Bows on! We are so ready!!!!

So I expected it to be fun, but I didn't expect it to be absolutely magical and my most favorite Disney moment of my life. First of all, it's usually just one of the sisters, so we totally lucked out with both. Maybe it was extra neat because of their dresses and because they are so little and sweet. But the pictures don't even do it justice. I really appreciated that they took a good amount of time with us. Anna and Cora hugged each other for FOREVER while Shelby and Elsa twirled their trains and discussed how fabulous it is to be big sisters! There was more, I can't even remember what, but I won't ever forget that feeling! I was shaking a little afterwards, Mom and I were both practically in tears and had to sit down and recover! WORTH EVERY MINUTE OF WAITING! The girls were so excited and happy and totally believed they had just met THE Anna and Elsa.

It was such a good picture that I actually instagrammed!

Cora left Anna's kiss on her face the rest of the afternoon!

And even though the line to meet Merida was short...and we do love Merida...Shelby and Cora were DONE waiting!

Sad that Small World is closed. Next time!

Watch out for Elsa's icy powers!

Playing at toon town was way hard in their pretty dresses!

Lunch Time! We tried the yummy Fried Green Tomato sandwich at the Hungry Bear Restaurant and it was great! We skipped their famous bee cupcake even though it was calling to us. Next time! The table next to us had a little girl, around 4, who never took her eyes of Shelby, and she had a very impressive sad look that she kept giving her mom about not having an Elsa dress. It was extra cute because they were British.

After a good meal, Cora took a good nap back in the room. Then we changed out of our Frozen dresses and into our Frozen sweatshirts! Also sold out everywhere, naturally.

Monorail time! It's their favorite ride. Seriously.

After a quick trip to the Tiki Room, where Grandma reminisced about coming to Disneyland with her grandparents when she was little, we went on an awesome Jungle Cruise!

We had a great, simple dinner just outside of the jungle cruise, at Bengal BBQ.

Mmmm. Those skewers are so amazing!

Back at the room, Cora came up with a genius way to eat popcorn! Those ears magically light up in sync with World Of Color. Pretty fun. Shelby wanted it and then she made me wear them.

After another fireworks show, we were ready for bed!

DAY FOUR

Grandpa and Grandma had a morning meeting with some agents from LA, so it was just the four of us that morning. We were in the park before it even opened (no magic hours that day).

And even then we still couldn't get on Peter Pan in less than 30 minutes. Why does everyone wait so long for it? It's a waste if you ask me! Anyways, so Cora and I were in Fantasy Land while Daddy and Shelby rode as many big, fun rides as they could and got fast passes for the rest.

Disneyland won't you open already!?!

The night before as we were walking in Downtown Disney, I saw one of my roommates from college named April. It had been over ten years and she totally looked the same! We talked for a minute, but Cora had to go potty and we had to hurry to our hotel. She got married a year before me and she has a son who is 5 and a daughter who is almost 3. So then when Cora and I got in line for Dumbo, there was April with her daughter while her husband was riding big rides with her son! So since we were in the same boat, we went on all the rides in Fantasy land that we could together! Dumbo, the Casey Jr. train, the carousel, then Snow White, just to see if we could scare our kids (they weren't scared at all but they did think it was weird, which is true), and the teacups!

No wait for the train! Yay!

Carousel selfies!

Here's April's daughter Avery with Cora. Of course Avery is bigger even though she's 5 months younger! Cora the mini muffin.

If 3 year olds could be trusted with a Canon camera, then April and I would have a picture of us! Oh well! It was a fun little BYU reunion. We said goodbye and went off to meet the rest of our families. I found mine at Autopia. And Cora was tall enough! Hooray!

I love how you can't even see Cora in her seat! Trevor said she was hysterically laughing the whole time.

I'm a really good driver, right mom? Totally Shelby!

Next, we were off to a deserted toon town. April had told me that Cora would probably be tall enough for the roller coaster there and hooray she was! We went on it twice in a row! Then we went on Roger Rabbit, which is the dumbest ride in the park and even has fast passes and even though we didn't have to wait it was still lame and scary and weird. Disneyland, can you hear me? Please make a new ride! Who Framed Roger Rabbit has not stood the test of time. Pick another movie!

Toon Town is so fun, especially when nobody else is there!

We stopped for an early lunch and then Grandma met us. Daddy and Shelby were off to Space Mountain while Cora begged Grandma for a Jasmine outfit so she could be like her sister.

This girl LOVED her little autograph book!

Hi Minnie!

Shelby got back in time to meet Pluto. Cool!

We booked it over to California Adventure next to catch the Disney Jr. show. Shelby said she didn't want to watch it, she was too big, and yet, the minute the show started...she became so excited and super into it and wanted to see better so she and Daddy went and stood in back so she had room to dance! Cora and Shelby both loved it and out of all the times we have seen it, this was the time we finally knew every word of every opening song for each show. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! Doc McStuffins! Sophia the First! Jake and the Neverland Pirates! So awesome!

Then it was back to D-land. Daddy went over to collect some fast passes and we got our autograph books ready for some more princesses to sign!

Ariel was so excited that Shelby has the word Shell in it and Miss Shelby also told her that Cora is like Coral and that her name is also Shelby Shark and Ariel said that her friend Flounder is really scared of sharks! She was super sweet and super pretty!

Hello Snow White! She looked us over and said, hmmm have we met before? I said, oh yes! We met you at Ariel's Grotto, and she looked a little confused still, and asked, was that on Monday? And I said yes.

But then she held Cora really close and spent time talking with both girls. And I kept looking at her and wondering....and it took me until I was in bed later that night to figure out....

That this special Snow White was also our Anna!!!!! No wonder she loved Cora still! So we took pictures with this princess every single day we were in a Disney park this trip! Magical! That girl is good.

She may have been good, but Sleeping Beauty is still their favorite! Trevor says that the pink dress gives this princess an unfair advantage for favorite among little girls. I wonder if that's why she's always been my favorite too? This princess had a verrrrry royal accent and talked to us about Prince Phillip and it was pretty funny. The girls were in heaven.

Look at how tight Shelby is hugging her fave princess!

Then...the amazing Daddy ran over and asked around about when Princess Jasmine would be in Adventureland...and she happened to be arriving in just 15 minutes for her only visit with Aladdin! UNBELIEVABLE LUCK. Shelby had chosen a Jasmine costume to buy this trip because of her cousin named Jasmine and also because her favorite lunch teacher (this cute college girl) is named Jasmine as well.

Jasmine wanted to know if they had been shopping in her closet? Shelby giggled and said NO WAY! Grandma got them these! Both girls could not stop smiling. Oh and I love how they dress Jasmine now, way more modest!

Back in 2012 when we met Jasmine, she was the most impressive Princess with her flat abs and everything!

Check out that Sleeping Beauty dress! Shelby's worn it to Disneyland for 3 straight years!
I love how you can see how tall Shelby has gotten since getting the dress.

2012

2013 2014

Back to Jasmine. The princesses really seem to respond to kids who are wearing their specific costume.

It sure makes the trip extra fun! At one point Jasmine talked about how Aladdin was a street rat, but not anymore. She was super sarcastic and funny.

Check that one off the list! Yay! Now, it's time to make Daddy go to the Tiki Room and why not get some Dole soft serve while we are at it! I love looking at the huge line and then going inside the Tiki Room waiting area and ordering where there is never a line! Secretsssss.

And now...for our next magical trip...nap time! hurry!

We slept and then raced back for our 4:40 reservation at the Blue Bayou! Still our favorite restaurant! The kids mostly just played with the light up cubes in their drinks. Now we use them in the bath!

After dinner, Grandpa, Trevor, and Shelby went on space mountain while we watched Cora play with that weird spinning water ball thing in tomorrow land.

Bubble maker and the universal sign for I gotta go! Fun side note, to be recorded here, is that after being traumatized by unncessarily loud automatic flushers in the airport, (it's trying to flush me! AHHHHHH!) Cora REFUSED to go potty anywhere except in the hotel room. Let me say again, absolutely REFUSED. Now you may say, oh you just make her, you just do this or that. HA. Cora is not your child. So that was the other reason for our midday naps at the hotel. Potty break. This time in tomorrow land was no different, 3 of us tried to get her to go without any luck. I admire her tenacity.

As we pushed the girls around the park with their bubbles, we found kids following us like we were in a parade. One kid even got out his light saber to cut through the wall of bubbles.

Oh! Shelby got this tiger the day before she was going to be Jasmine, and when she woke up on Jasmine dress up day, she asked me "Do you have anything with orange and black stripes so that Cora can be my tiger Rajah?" HA! She is so dedicated to getting into character! The stuffed version was an okay substitute and she loved having it with her the rest of the day.

Waiting for that train and hiding from the wind!

Boys.

We love that train!

It was getting chilly and people started leaving. Great! With Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland, and Small World closed, and with Thunder Mountain regularly breaking during the day-we really needed people to leave! Not enough rides for everyone!

After another ride on Jungle Cruise, we finally convinced Shelby to ride Pirates of the Carribean! She hadn't been on it in Disneyland-ever, only at Disney world when she was 18 months! Every other time she got super scared for some reason and refused. Daddy worked his magic and convinced her that it would be fun. She LOVED it. The other reason for riding Pirates was so that maybe we could use the waterfalls to get Cora to want to go potty finally. She spent the entire ride saying "I need to go POTTY!" over and over and over. HAHAHA! She sat between Daddy and Trevor so it didn't bother me much! It worked by the way!

We celebrated her potty break by riding the Autopia cars again! I loved hearing her laugh!

Afterwards, Trevor really wanted to stay for fireworks, but it started raining and they canceled it! So Daddy, Trevor, and Shelby rode Star Tours while we got presents for Brett and treats for our neighbors and Shelby's classmate, and it was hard, but somehow we restrained ourselves from getting that Olaf apple!

DAY FIVE