Sally and I took the kids to Disneyland yesterday, where I got to see Athena's brain almost melt from fun overload. We bought an annual pass last time we were there, which only allows you to go on less busy days, such as this Sunday, which sounds like a gyp but kind of works out since it directs us to days when the lines are short. I doubt we waited more than ten minutes for any of the rides there.
Most of the day was spent at Frontier Land/New Orleans Square. It's hard to tell if Athena (or Zoe, for that matter) likes the rides, since they spend the whole time staring wide-eyed. Could be enthralled, could be terrified. But then at the end of the ride, Athena immediately tries to get back in the car/boat, so I guess she likes it okay.
The main reason we hit Frontier Land was I felt sure Athena would love Injun Joe's caves on Tom Sawyer's island. Oddly, though, Disney has shrunk the caves since I was a child, so now I can barely squeeze through them. So off goes Athena, with me struggling after her, having to pick up my backpack and toss it ahead a few feet every few seconds because there's not enough room to have it on my back and I needed my hands to crawl.
Indeed, one steamboat full of tourists passing by got an good show of me trying to squeeze out of a hole asAthena ran ahead, blissfully unaware. I think the tourists liked me better than the animatronic river bear, which -- to be honest -- is starting to look a little mangy.
It was also on the island Athena caught sight of a one-year old boy getting close to Zoe. She ran over and shoved the boy away. Luckily, Sally caught the boy before he toppled over. I like to think she was being protective of her sister, although honestly, Athena might have just been jealous.
It was evening by the time we finished with Frontier Land. Athena had not had her nap and was starting to weave around like a drunken sailor. (Plus, she got it in her head that she had to lick every chair in New Orleans Square.) Still, once we got to Fantasy Land, with King Arthur's Carousel, it took Athena all of one second to go from listless trudge to running top speed yelling "Come on! Come on!" over her shoulder.
She loved the carousel, but we finally peeled her away to go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, which had a steering wheel, which Athena loved. So, afterwards, we got to watch her run back and forth between the two rides, unable to decide which she wanted to go on next, until finally she told us (in Athena-speak) she wanted a ride with horses and bright lights, but with a steering wheel dammit!
Her favorite ride by far -- little daredevil that she -- was the teacup ride. She especially enjoyed sharing a teacup with a teenage boy, and I got to watch her alternate from hysterical laughter to making little doe-eyes at the boy, who wasn't sure what to make of his young admirer.
The worst part of the teacup ride was having to get off and get back in line. I love how, after the rides over and we're walking to the exit, Athena thinks if she makes a sharp turn and quickly climbs into a different tea cup, I'm not going to notice.
At four months, Zoe was not as active (or anecdote-worthy) in enjoying Disneyland, but we took her on the rides and she stared around in wonder, and all the noise and chaos kept her mellow.
Anyway, we did not bring a camera, but that's okay, because I still have some photos from our first trip to Disneyland in December with Nana and Aunt Judy.
Here we are stuck in Toon Town jail.
And at the lake around Sleeping Beauty's castle.
As I mentioned, Athena loves the carousel.
One problem, it was a little chilly.
