Scott and I have talked for years about going to Disneyland over Christmas but we never seem to get around to it. We decided to make it our Christmas gift to each other and set aside a January weekend (after the holiday festivities, but well before spring break, in what we hoped would be a quiet interlude).
I found an online deal for a prepaid hotel room and booked it in advance. We took advantage of my flight benefits to hitchhike our way to Orange County where Super Shuttle met us for the long and roundabout journey to the hotel. Disneyland was just a short walk away, so we avoided car rental and parking fees (even the hotels there charge for parking), gas, and the fun of navigating SoCal traffic.
We were unsure whether one day would allow us to do justice to both Disneyland and the California Adventure theme park, so we were thrilled to learn that you can buy single park tickets and later upgrade them by paying the difference back at the gate.
After renting a locker to store our lunch, snacks, and extra clothes, we made a beeline for Indiana Jones Adventure and Pirates of the Caribbean. The Fast Pass system was new since Scott had been there, so it took us a little while to figure it out, but the morning lines were so short, Fast Passing wasn't necessary. We never waited more than 10 minutes.
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| Tarzan Tree House |
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| New Orleans Square |
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| The Matterhorn Bobsled ride was closed :-( |
Two fit adults without the burden of small children and strollers can really cover some ground and by early afternoon, with one Space Mountain ride under our belts and a Fast Pass for another in hand, we felt like we could spend a few hours at California Adventure.
Scott claims to not be a roller coaster guy, but after one trip on California Screamin', he wanted another go. We got a Fast Pass for a later time and set off for the whitewater rafting ride and the Tower of Terror. I had my heart set on Soaring Over California, but the line was an hour long and our Fast Pass was for too late in the evening, when we planned to be back in Disneyland proper. A rare clever idea entered my head--we could enter the "single rider" line and split up for the ride. This meant we waited while they filled seats, then called us to fill in gaps. Worth the effort! But what really took my breath away was cresting the high point on California Screamin' as the sun set over the LA basin.
Mission accomplished in California Adventure, we headed back to Disneyland for our final few hours. We caught the beginning of the parade, then toured some last rides while all the kiddies were lined up to see Mickey. We paused to watch the fireworks before having dinner at Blue Bayou (inside Pirates of the Caribbean). We debated whether to call it a day or use our Space Mountain Fast Passes, a quandary that was ultimately decided for us when the ride shut down due to a mechanical issue.
Our 14-hour Disney marathon was followed by an all-too-early wake-up call for our Super Shuttle pick-up to the airport. Next time we'll be more savvy about the Fast Pass system and make reservations for dinner to avoid the wait. The magic of Disney is not just for kids!
P.S. A couple things impressed us about the inner workings of the Disney empire:
- I was surprised and impressed to see an abundance of healthy snacks throughout the park. We brought our own lunch and snacks, knowing food in the parks would be overpriced, which it was--but snack carts were overflowing with fresh and dried fruit, nuts, yogurt, etc. Of course, we opted for ice cream and popped corn...
- Disney runs a tight ship. They are masters of crowd management. When the parade is about to begin, employees come out of the woodwork to rope off viewing areas and keep foot traffic flowing. They are always polite and friendly, even when firmly telling you that you can't stand in the walkway if you want to watch the parade. They should be awarded a contract to run the TSA.
