Today, we visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California. We took close to a thousand photos between 7:30 a.m. and midnight when we left the park.
Seasonally appropriate, the park was decked out in candy corn and pumpkin decorations. Our first task was to race over to “Ghost Galaxy” – Space Mountain rebranded for Halloween – before the lines grew too long.
With that out of the way, the next most important thing was the “first churro” of the day!
It was obvious to us anyway that “We can’t get enough of The Nightmare Before Christmas treatment the Haunted House gets year after year” would be up next.
Yep, it’s just perfect.
Keeping with the dark ambiance theme, Pirates of the Caribbean was a natural fit.
And no visit to Disneyland would be complete without heading out for a genuine Jungle Cruise.
Oh, who am I fooling? It’s a Small World is an obligatory stop in our book, too.
Then there’s the good ‘ole Alice in Wonderland ride; we love it, too.
Well, truth be told, Alice would be nothing without the Cheshire Cat.
I don’t know about you, but I think my wife looks hot riding a Dumbo.
Yep, we do all the old cheesy rides.
We also try to do all the new rides again and again, and then yet again.
Seriously though, I don’t think that it’s Buzz Lightyear here that’s the draw; it’s the Little Green Men.
Earlier, as in shortly after entering the park, we hopped aboard the newly rebranded Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, but none of those photos worked out.
Yeah buddy, time for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride because everyone must ride the toad at least once in life.
And if you can’t afford a real ride down the Mississippi, there’s always the Mark Twain Riverboat included with your Disney admission that is almost as good as the real thing.
Crazy to think that by this time of the day, I’d almost shot 500 photos to get to the 18 being shared above.
That’s how we feel the whole time we are at Disneyland.
No trip to Disneyland could ever be complete without visiting the Enchanted Tiki Room.
You know that part during the Tiki Room War Chant when the orchids start singing;
Tahuwai la a tahuwai wai la
Ehu hene la a pili koo lua la
Pututui lu a ite toe la
Hanu lipo ita paalai
And then, as the song ends, thunder strikes, and rain streams down the windows; this was when I was young; I’d cry because now we would have to go outside and it’s raining at Disneyland. I just love the magic that is found in this park because we’d step outside, and the sky was blue.
On the way to Mickey’s Toontown, standing against a rail next to a tree, there he was, President Lindberg – no, we are not confusing our Presidents. Initially, I walked by and thought this guy looked familiar; as Caroline caught up with me, I asked her, “Isn’t that….?” and she quickly answered, “Yes, that’s Tiny Lister.” Tommy “Tiny” Lister has a special place in our memories from his role as President Lindberg in the movie The Fifth Element – one of our all-time favorite movies and one of the few we have honestly seen more than half a dozen times.
Save Toontown till late in the day, and all the parents will have taken their kids to dinner and bed after a busy day, leaving this corner of the park to us adults who never want to quit.
Aside from all the slobber and boogers all over everything, it is as though we are on a private after-hours tour.
Just hours ago, there were thousands of kids filling every square foot of the streets and while their energy is missing, the delight of Toontown is in full force.
Nothing like a late-night visit back to It’s a Small World.
Great way to end the night ready to barf after stepping off these. Nope.
The last two hours in the park are just the best; we are tired, and our feet are sore, but all the frantic noises and rushing around have wound down. Everyone else is taking their time and slowly appreciating the things we all raced by earlier.
We watched a spectacular Halloween fireworks show this evening, the best we’ve ever seen at Disneyland here in Anaheim, although Disneyworld 1999 still holds firm as the most epic fireworks show witnessed by the two of us. The only line we didn’t endure today was for Splash Mountain but darn near everything else was ridden twice.
It’s just before midnight as we leave through the gate we entered 16 hours ago. This really is the Happiest Place on Earth.
And yes, we are living happily ever after.
