Although
we may have missed a more fantasmic, magical time period when rides
like Small World or Peter Pan would have thrilled and satisfied -
Disneyland with 6-year-old Riley and 8-year-old Holden was more a dream
than we could have ever imagined the long-awaited, built-up,
rite-of-passage, life-changing event to be. But to take these two
through the park, stroller and whine-free was worth waiting for. While
parents with kids crashed in strollers waited for the lame rides they
paid so much money to go on while their child slept through it, we
seamlessly went from line to line ... excitement brewing at every
chain-linked maze we entered.
This
was all true, even though the Disneyland we visited was not the
Disneyland of my childhood in many ways. Tomorrowland is all changed
around. Gone are the
People Movers and Journey Into Innerspace. Even the rocket ships took
on a new look and were in a different location. We hit it first, though.
It was a good way to get our toes wet.
Next,
we went to Star Tours. No amount of describing the ride could prepare
the kids for the 3-D, barf-inducing thrill that awaited them. Riley sat
still next to me, legs folded on his seat, trying to not slip around.
Three seats down, I heard Holden yell: "This is AWESOME!"
Next,
we went to Space Mountain. I thought there was no way Riley would get
on this ride. But he never balked. Sure, he was scared and worried and
still talking about how he'd never go on Star Tours again. But, even as
Brenny pitched a fit about getting in line and ditched out before the
ride, Riley seemed dedicated to the ride. He was with Kevin while I had a
very excited Holden next to me. Holden was sure he knew all about one
of the park's most popular rides, and felt prepared. He was not. "Nobody
said it would be like this!" he yelled to me as we twisted and turned,
climbed and dropped, in the dark. I offered him my hand which he quickly
took. It was the kind of thrill that brings people to roller coasters -
you're scared, you're not sure you enjoyed yourself, but you're proud
that you survived. Riley also declared that ride off his list.
From
there, we took it slow with Autotopia before having lunch and watching
the Jedi Training Show. We got in one of the longest lines of the day
for the Submarine Ride - now named Nemo's Voyage or something lame like
that. As he had throughout the day, Riley questioned what was real and
what was fake during the entire ride. Not wanting to take away the magic
that Disneyland provides, I hesitated to tell him the truth. But, after
a half day of "That's not real, right?" I told him to just assume
nothing at Disneyland was real except the ground we walked on, the air
we breathed and the water we splashed through.
Next
up was Matterhorn. I thought no way for Riley, especially since we saw
they changed the seats in the bobsled so everyone sits alone. It had
been at least 15 years since I had been to Disneyland, and my memory of
that ride was clearly not accurate. It was way scarier than I
remembered. Especially the beginning with all the noise and the dark.
Not being able to reach or see Riley was stressful, and I commented over
my shoulder to Kevin behind me that we surely were The Worst Parents in
the World for putting our kid on this ride. During a quiet moment, I
was able to call out, "Ra? You OK?" His voice, strong from in front of
me, yelled, "Yeah!" 
And,
just like that, the kids were hooked on roller coasters. Holden balked
at even going on Small World, but I thought Riley would enjoy it. Then,
Riley said it was a boring "baby" ride. I was disappointed with it
because, like all of Disneyland, it was changed for the holiday season.
Nothing says inclusiveness and small world like little Islamic children
singing Jingle Bells. Nice move, Disney. We felt the same way about the
Haunted House. A childhood favorite I couldn't wait to revisit, I was
more than disappointed by the Nightmare Before Christmas theme that took
it over. While I had never seen the Tim Burton flick, I didn't think
seeing it would have changed the bad taste I had over having "There's
always
MY way out" replaced with "Happy Holidays!" Shame on you, Disney.
The
biggest fear of the day came from the pirates' pistols on Pirates of
the Carribean. Riley wouldn't believe me when I said they weren't real.
The Jungle Cruise's corny jokes didn't disappoint me, at least!
We
took one more spin on the Matterhorn before hitting the candy and
souvenir shops.
We exited the park for dinner at Downtown Disney, scoring an outside
table that allowed us to watch the fireworks. Last 4th of July,
fireworks drove Riley inside. This time, he obsessed for nearly an hour,
wanting to go inside before they started. But when they did? Boom. He
was hooked, declaring fireworks "awesome."
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