Skeeter Bytes: Mickey Mouse's House!

For Owen's 3rd birthday we decided to take our first (big) family vacation. It is the only time we will get to do a trip as a family of three, and since Mickey Mouse is BIG TIME at our house, we decided to go for it. Hubby did a great job searching out hotel deals, making flight arrangements, and getting the whole trip planned and organized. We told Owen that we were going to Mickey's house about a month before, but we told him it wasn't open yet (after 24 hours of him asking if it was time to go yet every 15 minutes). We did our best to not mention it again for the next month. The night before we left I "called" Mickey and asked him if he would hurry up and send a plane to get us because Owen REALLY wanted to go see him. Owen was thrilled that I had a direct line to Mickey. The next morning we had to leave the house at 5am, so we woke Owen up and told him Mickey called me back and the plane was waiting for us! That woke him up fast and he was thrilled.

We were on the plane at 7am. I didn't know how he would react...would flying scare him? Would his ears hurt? Would he sit still and behave for the 3 hour flight? All I can say is HE DID AWESOME! He wasn't at all scared, and the pressure didn't bother him at all. He sat in his seat eating snacks, looking at books, and watching movies the whole way. Of course he didn't sleep at all, despite getting up at 4:30am, but that's my kid.

DAY 1

We arrived in SoCal at 9am and rented a car. We headed to the Pacific Ocean so Owen could see the "big water". It was cloudy and cool out, but we put on our jackets, took off our shoes, and walked along the beach.

The water was freezing and Owen enjoyed pretending the water was chasing him as is ran ashore. We didn't stay long, but now he can say he has officially seen the Pacific Ocean.

We drove around, got some lunch, went to the grocery store to stock up on snacks and such, then checked in to our hotel. We stayed at the Embassy Suites Anaheim North. Great location with a daily shuttle to and from the parks. Plenty of room, and fabulous full breakfast! That evening we had dinner with hubby's family.

Good times were had by all, and despite that he has been up for a zillion hours, Owen was a trooper and did great. We were back in the room and in bed by 9:30pm or so to get a good, full night's sleep. Whew. What. A. Day.

DAY 2

We got up, had breakfast, and took the shuttle to Disneyland. He hadn't been in the gates 5 minutes when hubby spotted Mickey coming out for a meet and greet. We ran over to get in line and Owen could hardly contain himself. For such a little guy, he did awesome waiting in line to meet his hero: THE Mickey Mouse. When it was our turn, we didn't really know if he would be scared or go in for a hug.

Owen was so excited and jittery and I really thought he was going to cry. He looked like a tween girl waiting for a date with Justin Beiber, and apparently Mickey Mouse is Owen's John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

When it was his turn he ran up to Mickey and gave him a huge hug. He looked up at Mickey and said "I Love You Mickey!".

It was so sweet that I did cry. We could have left right then and there and the trip would be complete. It was the highlight of the trip for all of us and we were only 10 minutes in.

We spent the morning walking around, checking out the site, and riding a few rides. I had never been to Disneyland, so it was all new to both Owen and I, and fun to experience it for the first time with him.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel and all took a much needed 3 hour nap. Then back to the park for more sights and rides. We left during the fireworks since Owen's wasn't loving the "loud". Overall, it was a successful first day at the park.

DAY 3

The third day of the trip, and second day at the park, we got a treat and Brian's 2 nieces Katie and Joanie got to go to the park with us.

Owen loved having other "kids" to play with. We started at California Adventureland where he got his picture taken with Pluto.

We rode a few small rides there, then crossed back over to Disneyland. By lunchtime Owen was over it. He was overly tired, overly stimulated, and generally acting a fool.

I took him back to the hotel and let Brian and the girls stay to ride the big rides. Owen and I enjoyed a quiet afternoon playing cars and watching TV in the room. He took a long nap, and we just decompressed from the long, exhausting previous few days.

We never went back to the park that day, which is what Owen needed to ensure we had fun on our last day at Disneyland the following day.

Day 4

Last day of vacation. Always bitter sweet. We once again headed over to Mickey's house on our trusty shuttle. More rides, more character sightings, more fun.

Overall, we had a great time. Owen saw Goofy, Minnie, Mickey (three times!), Donald, and Pluto.

His favorite part of the park was the Toon town area, which is set up like a neighborhood with all the character's houses. There a gazebo and fountain in the center, and shops lining the streets.

He had the most fun and just running around and playing. We spent half a day just hanging out there in Toon Town, then went over to Tom Sawyer's Island where he did some more running.

The last night we watched the fireworks (hands over ears, of course) and he actually liked them.

He fell asleep on the shuttle ride back to the hotel, and for the first time in his whole life, he didn't wake up as a carried him upstairs.

Or when I changed his clothes. Or put his jammies on. Or put him to bed.

HE.

WAS.

TIRED.

As for the rides, he wasn't really feeling them. A few scared him and he rode the entire ride with my hands over his eyes, but mostly he just didn't know what to think. My one complaint about the Disney experience is that the rides are TOO LOUD. Deafeningly loud.

My ears were ringing by the time we left each night kind of loud. Owen doesn't like loud sounds, so being on a boat/train/cart in a dark tunnel that is ridiculously loud while crazy characters dance around and sing was not his idea of fun.

Aside from the noise level, he didn't NOT like the rides, but he wasn't all smiles and laughs either. We had to force/bribe him to get on the rides, and for the most part he said he liked it after we got off, but then we had to force/bribe him to get on the next one. Chalk it up to his reserved personality and being just a little too young.

Our final day we got up, had breakfast, and leisurely got packed up. Brian took Owen swimming in the hotel pool for a bit, which I think was a highlight for O. We headed home, and again, Owen was great on the flight.