Happy Birthday, Disneyland!

 Disney and Disneyland have figured prominently in our family life. First, I love a lot of Disney - animated movies, music, art, creativity, and the craftsmanship that went into building Disneyland. 

Then came autism, and trips to Disneyland became my sanity breaks and our most consistent vacations. At least until the kids were well into elementary school. After that, Disneyland started to become expensive and our income decreased, and we got priced out. I still tried to get us back there every 2-4 years, because it still felt good to be there, and I had game plans to maximize our time, budget, and tools for sensitive kiddos.

Now Disneyland barely feels like it once did. It's now difficult to save up, plan, and make reservations for what used to be accessible on a same-day whim. The crowds are crazy, and the last 2 trips had me overhearing parents melting down about kids not moving fast enough "to get their money's worth" of their day. Several of our former quiet spots have been shut off and restricted to exclusive groups that are out of our tax bracket. 

Still, magic remains. Especially in our memories. The best are from when we got there before the gates opened, excitedly anticipating our day. We'd down our breakfast bars and slap on sunscreen while waiting for the gates to open. We'd pick 3 rides (Peter Pan, Alice, and Small World) to experience right away, then break for breakfast by the Matterhorn (gushing water, Yeti yowling, and Monorail honks in the background) before enjoying whatever else the day (and afternoon and evening) would bring. 

I think that's why Disneyland is still a touchpoint - it feels a bit like family - our home away from home that remained a constant, happy destination despite hard times, divorce, and unplanned changes. 

Disneyland, at Age Ten

We took a long-deferred vacation to LA a few weeks back. James was excited to go back and ride Small World, Alice, and the Nemo subs. He was so excited that he had trouble finishing his waffle breakfast at the "Letter Q Hotel" (James' name for Quality Inn and Suites).

We like staying at the Letter Q because we know what to expect and have good vacation trip memories. The price is good for the quality, and they have free breakfast, with make-your-own waffles, which the kids have loved.

Even though this local was right next to a construction zone (and had lost about a third of their property to the new development) the noise was not the issue I'd feared. We enjoyed a quiet room and filling breakfast every morning.

At Disneyland, James humoured me and went on the teacups. I tried to keep the spinning to a minimum, because he does not enjoy it very much any more. Yes, we rode It's a Small World every morning. I do enjoy the holiday version, though, and we usually end up singing carols on the ride.

Two new favourite rides emerged from our trip: James became a fan of the Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters, and especially the Star Tours rides. Wow! I guess all the repeated YouTube viewings of Star Tours and ep. 7's buzz overcame his dislike of sudden shifts and drops. It was so neat watching James enjoy the more immersive rides. The newer system that replaced the old Guest Assistance card helped us out with the crowds too. More on that later.

We also got James on Soarin' Over California once, which was a huge thing. We celebrated with a few rounds of Monster's Inc. Ride. Olaf was at home next door, so we played in the snow and went sledding. Seriously! Unfortunately Elsa was at the end of her meet and greet. James would have liked to say hello. We had a great race in a red race car in Radiator Springs  It is nice that Disneyland and California Adventure are places where he can do things, like other kids.