This may be the longest post you ever see on the KAP blog, but it’s totally worth it because #Disneyland. It had been over 15 years since I had stepped into the magical land of Disney. Our siblings were all consistently going and somehow we always missed it. Finally, we decided the kids were at an age where they would love it. And we were right. Brody LOVED Disneyland! Piper loved it too, but she couldn’t ride as much and needed lots of naps. The best part was we got to share it with our family – Luke’s dad and siblings, brother, SIL, nieces and nephews. Tagging along with the Disney/vacation planner expert made our trip as smooth as could be. The only parts that completely fell apart were the ones we spent without our binder girl….when we accidentally entered the wrong park with our one-park-per-day pass and screwed up the entire morning schedule. Also, we brought a wagon which we had to leave at the gate and then proceed to the parks with no strollers…for either child. EEK. Lots of mistakes in the first hour.
We spent the first day in California Adventure while the rest of the world was at Disneyland (we know since we accidentally were there too). Lines were short, the park was empty and the kids got to ride EVERY thing they wanted as many times as they wanted. My favorite was Brody’s face on Radiator Springs and Soarin over the World. Brody’s favorite was everything. Cars Lands, Bugs land, the carousel, Toy Story…everything we rode this day was amazing for my kids. Piper just wanted to ride the carousel and push the stroller. Luke loved Tower of Terror. Piper was scared to death in Little Mermaid, I closed my eyes as tight as I could on Tower of Terror and Brody got stuck on the Ferris Wheel for a loooong time with cousins due to puke fest in one of the carts.
We spent the second day in Disneyland. The lines were a bit longer and Fantasyland broke all over the place, but we still had so much to do and see. Piper loved Casey Jr, Finding Nemo, Buzz and Dumbo (BUT not the line). Brody loved Star Tours and Jedi Training. It was definitely the best moment of his life becoming a Jedi and defeating Darth Vader. Just ask him about it. He’ll never stop talking. He believes with his whole heart that he is a jedi and he “has what it takes to defeat the enemy.”He rode Space Mountain!! And didn’t even freak out. My favorite was Indiana Jones, especially since me and my sister in law had to run across the entire park with our strollers to make it in time. Three kids were squished into two strollers. We left Dumbo at 6:50 and hauled through the craziest halloween/trick or treat crowds. We made it with 4 minutes to spare and heard so many swear words as we weaved in and out of the park. Soo worth it. We are huge fans of stroller passes and fast passes, and Ride Max for showing us when and where to use them. Also, if you’re ever in Disneyland, go to Frontierland and get a Tostada. AMAZING. Especially when you’re starving. Brody was SO brave in Disneyland (and so was I ;)) I am so thankful for the minor meltdowns despite the lines and heat.
The last day in Cali was spent at Huntington Beach soakin up the rays, laying in the sand and watching my family play play play. It was the best end to an exhausting vacation. The kids played in the sand and crazy waves for hours. Luke and Brody tried the boogie board for the first time, and Piper felt the power of the ocean for the first time. Lots of firsts last week and so much perfection seeing my kids so happy.
Kylee started Kylee Ann Photography 9 years ago, and has since grown from a one woman amateur show to a full associate team. We shoot 50-75 weddings a year, and thrive on kindness and service. After a year of teaching Intro to Photography at the local technical college, she discovered that helping other entrepreneurs create thriving businesses is what fires her up! She hosts semi-annual Kylee Ann Sleepovers all over the US, speak at conferences and teach online courses about running a small business and marketing.
October 16, 2016
Kylee Maughan
