Disney Day 1

** May 5, 2015 **

Sharing a hotel with the Clowards and staying within walking distance from the park was the best idea ever.

We woke up bright and early Tuesday morning and made our way over to the park.

Chugged a few energy drinks while waiting at the gates, and we were ready to go!

We spent our first day in California Adventure.

And our first item on the agenda was a quick stop for a birthday button for the birthday boy!

He actually got 2 buttons, since he was a first-timer to Disneyland!

2nd item on the agenda was Radiator Springs...and it was awesome!

Everyone LOVED Radiator Springs Racers!

We got fast passes and stroller passes and rode it as many times as possible!

Madden said his fave ride in the park was California Screamin, the roller coaster that goes upside down.

Funny story...

While waiting in line to take him on California Screamin', (just him and I and Shel and Boston), I don't think he could even tell which ride the line was leading us to. 

I just told him it was a fun roller coaster ride.

Then right after we sat in the roller coaster and got all strapped in, he turned to me all the sudden and said, "wait, this isn't the roller coaster that does the loop-de-loop, is it??"

I didn't want him to panic, (since it was too late anyways), so I played dumb and said, "Ummm...I don't think so..."

And then we were off!

And yes, we went on the loop-de-loop.

When the roller coaster finally came to a stop, he turned to me and said "That WAS the roller coaster with the loop-de-loop!!!!"

But he had a huge smile on his face and couldn't wait to ride it again with his Dad :)

And his LEAST favorite ride?

Tower of Terror.

But we made him go on it anyways.

(Even after he cried in line and I felt like a bad parent for forcing him to go on it!)

Here's the proof!

And this little stinker....he was not the easiest in the park.

He had some pretty epic meltdowns throughout the day, threw up all over while we waited for the Clowards to take the kids on the grizzly rapids water ride, refused to nap in his stroller, insisted on walking everywhere but then would try to take off running, and shook his head and said "uh-uh" to EVERYTHING.

Right before we left on this trip, Grandma Brimhall had actually offered to keep him back home in AZ for us, but I just couldn't bear to do our very first family Disney trip without him.

(Although I did second guess my decision a couple times throughout the day)

But then that night, as he giggled in my arms and cuddled on my shoulder while watching World of Color, I was so glad we brought him...

This trip wouldn't have been the same without the Clowards.

I'm so glad they came with us!

Not only did it make it more fun for the kids to be with their cousins, but it made it a lot easier for the parents to take turns going on rides with the big kids and staying off with the babies and littler kids.

Sometimes John & Randy would take the big kids on the big rides together, sometimes Shel & I would take the big kids on the big rides together, and sometimes Randy and I would stay off with the babies while Shel & John took the big kids on rides and vice versa. Which was nice, because I got to experience going on some rides with Randy AND Madden at the same time, while leaving Beckett off with Shel & John.

Between stroller passes and fast passes, we hardly waited more than 15 minutes in any line!

Since we stayed in the park until closing to catch the World of Color water show, the kids were like walking zombies by the time we got out of the park.

We were a pretty comical sight on the walk back to the hotel...sleeping kids in strollers holding sleeping babies in strollers, being pushed by parents also holding sleeping babies in their arms...

And then just as we stumbled into our hotel, we heard a voice behind us say, "what room are you guys staying in?"

And turned around to the biggest surprise.....

GRANDMA & GRANDPA!!!!!

Turns out they decided on a whim earlier that day to join us on the rest of our Disney vacay but they told no one (except my sneaky husband, who told them the name of the hotel we were staying at) and just got in the car and drove down.

The kids were ecstatic!

Madden said it was the "most funnest birthday surprise ever!"