A Special Breakfast

Our final day in the parks began with the highly anticipated 10:00 breakfast reservation. We were off with two pint-sized, very excited princesses in tow to eat at Ariel's Grotto and meet the princesses.  We had prayed that the right princesses would be there (Snow White, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty) and we were not to be disappointed.  Thank goodness!  I think we would have had tears from a certain 2 year old if Beauty had not shown up.

Making crowns is serious business

Aaron eagerly awaiting the princesses :)

He really was excited to see the girls' priceless reactions though. 

M was thrilled to meet Cinderella

This was G's face when Sleeping Beauty appeared...so excited.

She was pretty shy when they actually came up to her though.

After breakfast we headed off to the Little Mermaid ride.  It was a HUGE hit and we would ride it at least 5 times throughout the day.  Having never been to this park, Aaron and I were not sure what to expect.  What we discovered is that it is not quite as preschooler-friendly.  There was a small Bugs Life area with 4-5 kids rides that the girls enjoyed.  If you go with a small child, I would highly recommend skipping the 3-D Bug movie though.  Many of the kids under the age of 6 did not make it through the entire show.  M almost saw the entire show.  She made it passed the spiders falling from the ceiling, but the giant mean grasshopper jumping straight at her near the end was her breaking point.  G maybe lasted 30 seconds.  She was not impressed.  

M and I enjoyed a jellyfish ride, but G was SO very sad that she wasn't tall enough.  Her tears just about broke her parents' hearts.  Poor girl!

We also enjoyed a ride on the Mickey Mouse Ferris Wheel.  The girls were impressed with how far they could see.  I just tried not to think about how high we were as we went up, up, up.  I am not a fan of heights.

2 happy girls + 1 Mama trying to remain calm = Ferris Wheel Ride

After our morning/early afternoon adventures at CA Adventures, we encountered a problem.  We couldn't seem to find good ice cream (apparently we are bit snobbish when it comes to our ice cream) so we high tailed it back over to Main Street, Disneyland and its old-fashioned ice cream stores.  Yum!!!

M was so sweet.  She informed me that she would share with G if she woke up.

She didn't have to share.  :)

We also fit in a couple hundred rides (slight exaggeration...try five!) on the Runaway Railway Car (M's favorite ride), while G slept and of course we had to hit up the Tup-Tups one last time before heading back to the CA side for dinner and the much talked about Wonder of Color show.

So back we went to see this show and we waited and we waited and we waited and we waited.  The wait was quite painful.  Two tired girls.  Two tired parents.  Two long hours and then the need to go to the bathroom TWICE right before the show began (Yep.  I returned from running to the bathroom with one and had to turn right back around and run to the bathroom with the other.  Grrr!) made for a long night.  Finally the show began when it was dark. While it was truly AMAZING what they did with water, lasers, and music AND I'm glad that we got to see it, I would take the parade any day over the water show.  Call me crazy, but having to sit with my girls for two hours while we waited for it to get dark (I should have come prepared with more to do-parent fail) and then stand for the entire show while holding a 30-some pound child so they could see over the adults in front of them is not my idea of a good time no matter how awesome the show is.  Maybe when they are older.  :)

Honorary Citizens

Disneyland day two began in Toon Town, USA.  Mickey's Home.

As guests of the Disney resort we were, drum roll please....honorary citizens for the day.  End drum roll.

All that meant was we were able to enter this fun-filled area an hour early and we were each given a pin to wear on our shirt or bag that read "Honorary Citizen."  I know.  Don't you wish you had one.  Well, if you are jealous, just know that Disney is big on handing out pins and we came home with 3-4 per person so we have a couple laying around. We would love to share.

The girls were VERY thrilled to have the chance to actually meet Mickey so after the silly town hall meeting we beelined it to Mickey's House.  Of course while waiting for Mickey to arrive G informed me that she had to use the bathroom, which meant that M "all of a sudden" was in dire need of the facilities as well (just mention the b-word and both girls need to go) and since we weren't very far back in the line, Daddy had to hold our spot while we raced to the ladies room.  Luckily it wasn't very far away and we made it back in time to meet the big guy.

Waiting to meet Mickey 

Autographs

Cheese!!

Cruising in Mickey's Car

While it was nice to meet Mickey, meeting Minnie Mouse was WAY better.  My girls adored her and her house was fun to explore.  A refrigerator that opened and closed (it was full of types of cheese).  An oven that, when you turned the knob, a cake popped up.  A dishwasher with a window that showed suds and dishes.  A little girls play house.

 Notice M's face :)

Notice G's face :)

Fun times in Minnie's house

 Before visiting Goofy's house (below in the pics), we all rode G and M's very first roller coaster.  M loved it and went a second time.  G was not impressed enough for a second ride, which is why we explored Goofy's domain.

Pluto Sighting on our way out

After the friendly and colorful Toon Town and a chance visit with Snow White by the wishing well,  Mama and Daddy told the girls that it was time to let us ride one of OUR favorite rides.  A ride that we were sure the girls would enjoy as well.  WE had enjoyed it at M's age.  Why wouldn't they?  Off to Pirates of the Caribbean.  Enter parenting fail #2 of the trip.  If we hadn't had fail #1 (taking them on a dark and weird Pinocchio ride...does anyone else agree that Pinocchio is just a creepy movie?), I'm not sure that we would have had fail #2.  We aren't perfect, so....They were scared to get on this dark pirate ride.  Why would Mama and Daddy ever want to take them on a pirate ride?  Pirates are the BAD guys.  Yeah.  We convinced M it wouldn't be that bad and to convince G to get on the ride without freaking out.  Yep.  I was a great mom.  I told her she could sit on my lap and use my hand to cover her eyes.  I know I should have just not ridden the ride, but IT. IS. MY. FAVORITE!!!  So off we went.  M was okay, but not loving it and G....well, G did not look once, had a death grip on my hand, made me feel so bad that I don't really remember much of the ride, and in her hunched over, eye-covered position she fell fast asleep.  It was dark, cool, and her eyes were closed.  Great napping situation.  :)

White!!!!!

There was a less than five minute wait...

Tuckered out

After our selfish moment, we quickly viewed Tarzan's treehouse and headed out of the park to get some lunch in a quiet and less crowded place, then the girls and I headed back to our room for a much needed nap and Daddy headed back to the park to ride the only ride he cared about....the NEW Star Tours.

Can you tell they were tired?!

The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent hanging out at the park and we finally caved and took the stroller back with us.  Our backs and arms were tired!!!  (Thanks for letting us borrow your stroller cousin K.)

The must-have Disneyland pic

Not thrilled that she can't ride with Daddy & sister

The snack helped a little.

M's favorite ride

Getting off the Teacups AGAIN

One more Dumbo ride

Sleepy eyes = time to call it a night

Oh yeah.  I shouldn't forget to mention that we watched the parade a second time, then we went and helped Buzz Lightyear shoot some bad guys.  I got the lowest score.  That's right.  G even beat me.