Since it was the weekend before Christmas, we anticipated HUGE crowds at the airport. In order to make our 11:30 flight, we were at the airport shortly after 9. It took us the incredible length of 3 minutes to check our baggage in, and 7 minutes to get through the security line.
We definitely overestimated the crowds.
Fortunately the boys had their gameboys with new games in addition to the hoard of other games, Hubby had computer stuff to geek with, and I had a good book to curl up with in an uncomfortable seat and read. We were set.
After a short flight (the kids good behavior definitely made the trip short), we were in Anaheim and settling into the Paradise Pier Hotel. Hubby had an interesting time checking in. It seems most people don't stay as long as we were staying, and they didn't have a room in the price range we had paid for that would be available for our entire trip. Would it inconvenience us if they upgraded us to another room?
Why no, not at all!
So we were settled in and it was only 3:30 in the afternoon. The day was warm and sunny, what should we do?
We were inside of Disneyland by 3:45.
For a sunny Sunday during Christmas break, we were shocked at how small the crowds were. All of the lines except one were only about a 5 minute wait. The one exception was the Haunted Mansion. There was a holiday twist to it, and the mansion had been transformed into The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was definitely not something that we cared for. For Hubby and I, who knew what the REAL Haunted Mansion was, we were disappointed. The kids thought the whole thing was (in their words) "really dumb, can we find something else to go on?"
So, what do you do with kids who are disappointed with one ride in Disneyland? Go to the next one! Splash Mountain was just the thing to restore their faith that Disneyland had fun rides.
We spent most of the night just meandering, and getting the kids worn out so they would sleep that night. After watching Fantasmic! and the fireworks, the kids were delighted by the "falling snow" around Main Street. Well, they were delighted until they tried to catch some of the "snowflakes" on their tongue and discovered that it was only teeny-tiny soap bubbles. It took them about a half an hour to get the taste out of their mouth. To assist them we bought something to munch on while we walked back to the hotel.
The kids were worn out and asleep within minutes, and Hubby and I were so shocked we fainted.
OK, we fell asleep. But fainting sounds more dramatic.
Pictures will follow once I find the camera!