Trip to Disneyland!

A while ago, we decided that it was time to make the trek to the happiest place on earth.  So in February, we packed our bags, boarded a plane, and made our way to Anaheim.  We flew down on a Sunday and planned to stay for 5 nights so that we would have plenty of time to visit both Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure Park.

So on Monday morning, we headed into the park!

We met up with Elvin's parents in Southern California and spent the week together.  We took the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse.  Everyone was fairly happy about that, except for Gabey who wanted nothing to do with this...

We also visited Minnie's house, but she wasn't home.  I guess those people in those costumes need to take a break every once in a while.

We went on various rides and didn't have to wait too long in the lines.  This was because on the Monday we went, there was a steady drizzle all day long.  This kept many people out of the park and we benefitted as a result.  Being from the Pacific Northwest, our kids were not bothered by the rain at all.

Xiao Yu enjoyed the It's a Small World ride.

Xiao Yu, unlike Gabe, was quite willing to meet all the characters hanging out in various parts of the park.

He did say that one of his favorite rides was the monorail.  There was never a line for that.  =)

There was a ride where the kids could drive the cars.  Karina absolutely loved driving it.  Although Daddy, riding shotgun, had to step on the gas as her legs couldn't reach.

Eliana also got to experience driving.

The kids wanted to ride this ride in Tomorrowland.  Elvin wasn't so sure he would enjoy it as he's not a big fan of things that go high up in the air.

Up and up the rockets went!

The boys loved the ride.  Elvin thought the whole time that the centripetal force was going to pop him out of the little rocket.

We had fun going to the Buzz Lightyear ride.

In this ride, you hold a gun that shoots a laser.  You're supposed to hit targets along the way, and accumulate points.

Xiao Yu got to ride with Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai.

Afterwards, you can enter your email and they will send you a picture they took of you somewhere along the ride, along with your score.

Here's another picture of Xiao Yu sitting in between Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai...

And here is the obligatory picture in front of the castle.  

This was our first night...we were tired but happy.

And in Xiao Yu's case...VERY tired.

The next morning, we got up to do it all over again.  There was a TV in the room where they served breakfast and the kids were, of course, mesmerized.

On Tuesday, we went to Disney California Adventure.  Here is Gabe checking out the map.

Xiao Yu got a signature in his little book.  Each of the kids had a little book so that they could accumulate signatures from the various characters that we met.

Here is a picture with Minnie, but Gabe still did not want to participate.

And here is a picture with Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai.

We also rode a Bug's Life ride on top of Heimlich the caterpillar.

 We also rode bumper cars.  But they were designed for little kids and the cars' top speed was about 0.1 MPH.

We watched a theater production of Frozen, which was actually very impressive with all the special effects they added in.

At this point, we decided the it seemed like Xiao Yu was needing a nap and Gave seemed a little bit tired as well, so Elvin headed back to the hotel with the boys while Emily stayed in the park with the girls.   They got to ride the Cars ride, which turned out to be one of their favorite. 

They also got cotton candy so they were very happy.

 Elvin rejoined them in the evening in time to see the Colors light show, which was very impressive.

By this time, we noticed that both boys were acting very tired and lethargic.  It turns out that they both had come down with fevers.  And we also noticed that Eliana started getting sick as well!  Not what we had hoped for on our trip to Disneyland!

So the next morning, we decided that Gabe, Xiao You, and Eliana were sick enough to have to stay in the hotel to rest.  Elvin took Karina, who seemed fine (and never did get sick), into the park.

So...Karina got to see what it was like to be an only child.  She had a great time because she got to do whatever she wanted and didn't have to compete for attention from any of her siblings!  This meant that she got to ride Big Thunder Mountain not once, but four times!

She got to shoot at some targets.  Doesn't she look like a natural?

We rode on the Buzz Lightyear ride several more times.

Elvin wanted to ride on Star Tours and Karina was nice enough to go along with it.  She didn't really like it.

She also tagged along while Daddy walked through the Star Wars exhibit.

And wonder at all these grown men that were interested in these weird costumes!

When Elvin and Karina got back to the hotel room in the evening, they saw poor Gabey and Xiao Yu still with a fever.  Eliana was feeling ok, and hadn't thrown up since noon.

Meanwhile, Karina made a little bed for herself on the top bunk, using all the extra pillows that come on the bed.

The next day, the kids' sickness seemed to be abating so we decided to all go into the park and take it easy.  

We all rode the Cars ride again, which was great fun.

Well, most of us thought it was great fun, but Xiao Yu did not.    It was a bit too intense for him and so he was hugging Elvin's thigh the whole time.

Our little speed demon, on the other hand, was loving it!

We also got on other rides, like these swing contraptions.

All the kids loved these but Elvin did not.

As our time in Disneyland drew to a close, the kids wanted to meet the princesses and characters...

And get their signatures as well.

And of course Xiao Yu is always up for posing in front of the camera.

And the kids wanted to drive the cars one last time...including Gabe who could've used a phone book to sit on.

They also got to pick a souvenir to buy and take home.  Decisions, decisions...

In the end, the boys chose Toy Story figures, who a week before, they had no idea who they were.  But hey, these were actually better choices than some of the useless plasticy junk that's available for sale there.

We took one final picture in front of the Disneyland train station.  

Before we finally headed home!!!