California Adventure!

Thanks to Rafael's generous co-worker, Cat, we were able to have a fun family day at California Adventure on Saturday. Our first ride was the Grizzly River Run. We knew we would get wet, so we thought we'd get it over with first so we could have time to dry off. Here are the kids standing in front of the water fall as we were waiting in line.

We had a quick lunch and walked through Paradise Pier. Zack was the only one brave enough to ride the Maliboomer - a ride that shoots you up a tall tower and drops you into a free fall from the top and continues to lift and drop you a few more times. I'm not one for loosing my stomach - but Zack came off the ride with a big smile on his face. We continued to walk through Paradise Pier (eating churros! yum!) until we got to the rollercoaster ride, California Screamin'. It was temporarily closed, so we headed over to A Bugs Land to see "It's tough to be a bug" 3D show. Here we are with our cool 3D glasses...

This has to be one of my favorite 3D shows – from the stink bug to the “acid shooting bug” to the bee sting and the cockroaches under your bum – it’s a lot of fun. We walked around Bugs Land for a bit, and went on the Tuck and Roll Buggies Bumper Cars

We stopped next for some ice cream and to watch the “Block Party” Parade. We saw a lot of characters here, like Woody and Sully and Mr. Potato Head. There were lots of dancers and music. We headed back to Paradise Pier and the boys were able to get single rider passes for the California Screamin’ ride. Stacie and I enjoyed watching the people taking off at the beginning. I think it goes from zero to 60 in like 3 seconds or something. We got a picture of Zack on the ride just before take-off. Rafael said he loved how they play Red Hot Chili Peppers during the ride…made it that much better. I’m thinking I’m getting brave enough to actually try it… next time (haha)

We were walking out of Paradise Pier and thought we had lucked out, because the Zepher (swinging plane ride) was just opening. We jumped on the ride, buckled our seatbelts and then they closed it again due to high winds… bummer! Finally our fast pass time had come for the Soarin’ over California ride. Fast Pass is the greatest thing because we got right in and got our seats. I have been on this twice but it was the first time for Rafael and the kids, so it was fun to experience it with them for the first time. Rafael really wanted to come back and stand in the regular line, because they have all kinds of facts and history of famous California pilots. We had so much going on we didn’t get the chance – but I’m sure we will do it again.

Next was Stacie’s choice… Mulholland Madness. A crazy little roller coaster ride. It’s a little scary, because as you go around each turn it feels like you are going to drive right off the track to your ultimate doom – but I did survive…obviously :) Zack really wanted to go on Tower of Terror, but the rest of us didn’t and really didn’t want to wait for him. As luck would have it, he found a Fast Pass for this lying on the ground. We booked it to the ride and waited forhim outside. This is another pick-em-up-and-drop-em-ride, so I wasn’t interested…but again, Zack came out with a big smile and said he really loved it.

It was getting late, so we headed out to get dinner… Rainforest Café was an hour wait, so we went back into the park so Stacie could buy a big silly hat and then walked back to Mimi’s Café near our hotel. We headed back to the hotel and crashed for the night. It was a really fun day.

We slept in on Sunday and checked out of the hotel, had a late breakfast at IHOP and walked to downtown Disney. The boys went to ESPN Zone while us girls went to Build-a-Bear Workshop so Stacie could make an animal with the gift certificate she got from Uncle Pete & Aunt Jen for her birthday.

Good times, good times...