Delirious Blue: The Happiest Place On Earth

First of all, I want to say Thank You to Josh and Susan for making my Disneyland dream come true! Secondly, I would like to thank Walt Disney for wanting to create such a magical place. I don't really know where to begin, except to say that it was amazing and magical, TRULY magical, and I really felt like a little kid again. It's been YEARS since I really felt that sense of wonder at anything, but I felt it here. You know how when you're a kid and things still have that "wow-factor," so that all you can do is stand there with your mouth hanging open? I just had that! That hasn't happened in years!!!

So what made it so spectacular? Well, my theme park experience has been limited to West Edmonton Mall and Calaway Park, which are really cheesy and loud and annoying. I had higher hopes for Disneyland, but I was blown away with how impressive it was. I swear to you that there really is fairy dust in these buildings and rides. It's so lovingly crafted and impressive and amazing and... real! I really don't know how to explain it. For example, the Haunted Mansion is this beautiful old house and you go in and there's this enormous, amazing ride inside and I was staggered... How... HOW could they fit this ride in there? It MUST be magic, it HAS to be magic. Pirates of the Caribbean!? How? HOW does it all fit in there, how, HOW can the animitronic Captain Jack Sparrow look like the real, live Johnny Depp, so that you swear it's a person, even though you know better? And it's not at ALL loud and annoying and cheesy, and I couldn't help dancing through Main Street, USA like a five year old, because it's just special and beautiful and happy. I love it. I was amazed. It really, REALLY is the Happiest Place on Earth :)

My favourite rides were Pirates of the Caribbean (which I went on four times), and no, not just because of Johnny Depp. I was freaking STAGGERED by this ride, the sheer size and craft of it just blew my mind. My other favourite was Space Mountain (which I also went on four times.) I am soooo not one for roller coasters, but when I finished Yoga School I said to myself "Gillian, some rides are scary, but you're not going to die. So just don't ask if it's scary, just do it. If you die in an amusement park accident, then it was just your time to go." So I marched up to Space Mountain. First Rule of Amusement Parks: Anything involving the name "mountain" will also involve roller coasters. ...and? IT WAS SO COOL! It's a fast roller coaster, but it's totally pitch dark in there except for stars EVERYWHERE, and you're just flying through the stars and it's wicked cool. I love it because I can't see the track, which magically removes the "anticipation fear" of "dear god, I'm going to plummet to my death in that next drop." And without that fear it turns out to be incredibly fun!

So now I'm on a mission to go back, this time with Nathan, Sheila and my parents. It's awesome, trust me, it's worth it. You'll love it. Mum, you'll especially love the Indiana Jones ride... so cool!!!

I took a few pictures, but not many, since most of the rides are dark inside and you can't use flash photography, but MOSTLY because I was too busy having fun to think about silly pictures. But here are a few of the ones I took :)

The Pirates of the Caribbean Sign :P

The Stage at The Princess Fantasy Faire... I would have been in heaven here when I was small.

As requested by Butler, this is me trying to pull the sword out of the stone... didn't work so well! Nice Castle out back, though :P

Tigger, mauling my nephew at our Character Breakfast.

Susan and Caspian on a streetcar in Toon Town.

Caspian and Ariel (and Tiger.)

The Sailing Ship Columbia. You can ride around the lagoon outside Tom Sawyer Island during the day, and at night it's featured in Fantasmic with Peter Pan and gang. It's so neat!