Aqua Disney

This summer I treated myself and A to a 3 day Disney-trip! We took along our very good friends M&M! Planning we had this for months and also looking forward to such an outing is already part of the excitement. A had made some promises about attacking Disneyland for the 2nd time. Last year he had chickened out a few times when it came down to the rather fast rides. 'Mum, this time, I will for sure go into the fast train!', he had told me a few times before take off!

Before reading on I need to point out that there are some things that I have pledged not to write about. 'What happens in Disney, stays in Disney!', I had begged to M just before arriving at the 'Cheyenne Hotel'. Because I knew what effects Tinkerbell her pixiedust could have on me. Some of them would get the label rated R!. The longer I hang around Mickey Mouse ears, Goofy feet, Cinderella shoes, Buzz Lightyear guns, Jack Sparrow hats and Sleeping Beauty her pink castle the higher the risk was to turn into one of these imaginary princesses or Stich myself.

Being an adult and going to Disneyland is hard due to many with facts. If you doubt taking your kids yourself then you are damn right because after all it is not one of these easy rides. Nope, behind every corner there is looming an other temptation or danger. And in most cases it are your kids that get the most out of it! But this time I was so lucky to share those rather 'painful' moments M! Two mums who badly needed a time out and being allowed to act not accordingly to our age!

So the moment we got on Main Street USA I already had to battle with my newest asset: a rain poncho! M got a crack out of this because there was no manual included to get that clothing item fitted the right way! A and M seemed to think that this was not the most fashionable way to enter Walt's World because they started to ignore me. But hey, I was going to be prepared for the downpour of the century.

The four of us managed to get tons of rides done that first day. In some cases we, mothers, had to beg ('Please, mum wants to go on this ride!), lie (Nope, this ride does not go fast!) or black mail (When you go on this one then we will next do whatever you want!) our adorable children to get them in certain rides. A kept his promise about the train ride but the moment he had disembarked he was standing there with tears on his cheeks and told me very plainly that he would never do this again!! Yeah, right! In about a decade you want to get your driving licence and then hit the highways to break some speeding records!

The rain was still a companion by the time we got on one of the true classics:'It's a Small World'. After all these years it is the one ride where most kids (even the boys seem to forget that they don't like pink because that is one of the major colors used in this ride) and adults to inspire. The song is so catchy and manages to stay with you for the rest of your magical Disney lay over! Not to mention all the other typical Disney sounds you bump into and manage to brainwash you. A made very clear a few times that the quality of my singing had not approved by entering Disneyland!

Needless to say that by the time the rain was about the leave the French hemisphere my shoes had crossed the status of being suitable attire for attending the ball of Cinderella. It seemed as I was dragging along Aquadisney in my shoes. Guess twice were they ended up after this trip? M made sure that I will never forget them because she was so kind to video tape them. My feet themselves had colored into the webbed feet of the ugly duckling!

By the end of the day we mums had turned into two big kids who were completely running insane. A & M were sometimes perplexed by the social behaviour their less responsible parent was showing to Mickey&co. Because we were not alone in the Magic Kingdom! You can bet we found that out! And not always the most pleasent way.

Stallie was so tempted to buy Buzz Lightyear Lazergun herself because of some less Disney infected human beings. Especially the German who thaught that M her back was the best resting area to use while standing in line for Pirates of the Caribbean. Oh boy, was I about to scream for Jack Sparrow!! 'Hey, in case you have forgotten you are in Disneyland and here we don't hit on people or show our dark side!' was many times on my mind while observing many.

Still the list of highlights can still make me errupt into sheer laughter:

- the Irish guy who took his four kids and wife on a Disney break by 'accident'. His son seemed to have screwed up the reservation. As compensation they also ended up in the Disney Hotel but with compliments of Dagobert Duck who was going to pick up the check. That funny going family made my heart smile because they seemed to goof around many more times and even pulled my leg in the few minutes we met!

- The Pakistani mother who witnessed me headbanging against a fake tree in the Rainforest Café. While she was flabbergasted by my action I tried to make her return to the living world by saying:'Don't worry this is a way of letting the negative energy running loose and leaving my body!' Because by now A&M had showed also some less Disney acceptable behaviour I needed badly to decompensate. As a mother I was dead tired by now and wanted to get on a magic carpet ride with one final destination: my bed! Not that this lady seemed to understand my tree hugging and head banging attitude as the right way to get rid of stress! M was by now already crawling under a table!

- The wonderful and professional staff that seems to have much more patience then the average vistor. M & I not got photographed only with Disney characters but insisted some Most Valuable Crew members to show their most impressive smiles in front of the camera. Hey, you should try to imagine what they all put up with. And I am not only aiming at the rather less fun kids showing up in Disney stores, hotels, restaurants and rides. My personal favourites were Veroniqua & Daniel who were genuiely showing smiles and made not only the kids feel at home but also us. Stallie even went over to the Disney Information Center to put this down in black & white. In the 21st centery I don't take anything for granted anymore!

- Excuses for shopping. A & M were of course VIP-clients when it came down to selecting out souvenirs. I do think that I behaved. Not that I was not tempted to buy one of those Cinderella dresses and I was so to buy one of those funny looking hats. But then P would have for sure filed for a divorce (so to speak!!!) when he would have entered the kitchen seeing me there behind the stove wearing a hat with a mouse on it! Best shopping excuse ever was M her punch line when she saw something that she desperately wanted to buy for her daughter :'Oh, just look at that. This is comes in handy to train I her psychomotor skills!'

- A & M their fantasy and energy level! I was 'dead' by the middle of day two. But these kids had found the biggest playground ever. The only mistake we made was actually giving in when they asked for a Buzz Lightyear Lazer gun!!! The sound these make can drive you insane. By the time we ended up in bed M thaught that we were still under attack. So as a punishment she made M ride the buggy for a short while with her in it!

- Standing in line for rides that you just don't like and rather would love to skipp. People who have the pleasure (uhm!!) do know that Stallie in the mornings is not a fun ride. Nope, before noon I am rather the evil stephmother of Snowwhite. So then forcing me into the longest waiting line ever (the one of Autopolis) is not your best move ever. 'Stupid, stupid ride!! Who wants to ride in such stupid little cars on a fake track. This is something they can do when they go to a fun fair at home! I hate this!! Hey, we are loosing so much time here by just standing still! Alexander get out of that puddle (leftovers of Aqua Disney!) or I ........' M was so nice to put up with me for two mornings but I guess she was relieved that by lunch time I had changed my witchy attire for a more colorful outfit! Not that A was impressed with his mum. After all, he was the one with a high tech lazer gun.

- Fancy Cocktails at the Disney Hotel. We could not afford a night there but at least we checked out the place sufficiently! The mojito was quite refeshing and M & A were even allowed to test drive their Toy Story minature cars on the thick carpets of the bar! It is at this place that I made some wild Disney plans for the future! The staff is already warned because M is already bursting of ideas what she will make me do in case that wish ever comes true! And no way! Read my lipps:' I am NOT going to dress up as Tinkerbell and passing out imitation pixiedust in the form of powder sugar!'

- Numerous toilet visits! Taking kids to Disneyland is checking out every single toilet you meet on your way! Needless to say that the timing of your loved ones was not always perfect. Ohoh, ants in my pants! If you are standing in line for a ride and the waiting line is over 30 minutes that you wonder why they have not thaught about including an extra bathroom on the way!! M came up with a rather creative solution for these situations. She dragged empty bottles along everywhere and re-used them bravely. I was the one who had to get out of line and run for a toilet with a 6 year old who did not understand that after that leak had to face tons of faces who where not that thrilled to see us back and thought thaught we were jumping the line!

- Meeting up with Michael Jackson in 3D! A had already showed some of his funny dancemoves in the kitchen when one of his songs were on. Also M knew the name and so when we found that Disney was trying as well to keep him 'alive' by reintroducing the groundbraking clip (at the time it was a hell of an amazing job to make this one) of 'Captain Eo' we pushed (gently!) our kids into a dark cinema. Already at the introduction part these two hyperactive Mickey Mice were going wild on the improvised dance floor. Needless to say they were the only ones who dared to do this. It was hilarious to see our young ones try to go for the red 'kitten' and go for some other stuff they were 'throwing' at us. And hey, this guy for sure was able to move amzingly cool around on this globe. Now A&M wanted to adopt badly that red cute little animal he is dragging along in that clip! 'It is only fantasy!' or 'We can't buy this one in a shop!', don't seem to work in this case. They are still raving about it!!

- Driving back home after trying to fit all the luggage (also a great number of filled up shopping bags) and a long scenery drive through the country side of Disneyland! By the time we got into the car our kids showed some real sleep deficiency and we as well. But thanks to M her fired up iPod we swinged back home. I also found out why some women seem to sit behind their steering wheel with their face glued to the window shield! 'They try to blow dry their wet hair!' M her expertise was going wild during the last 300 km of the ride home! A & M had given into sleep and so we freely started to sing and move around in the car!

So now I am back home and is Disneyland again a memory!! I am totally fired up with pixiedust and hope that it will be enough to survive the next 12 months. For sure I had a wonderful time amongst Mickey and Co. Also 'The New Generation' who now officially moved in was a success! M and I do now know too much classified information about each other to break up our friendship! A and M were comrades in arms for three days and not ended up aiming their guns at each other! Mission accomplished and the countdown has already started!! We will be back for more magic!

P.S.: I ended buying Mickey Mouse stuff but not just some stuffed animal. Nope, the one that is starring at me is green and looks like a one of these soldiers out of Toy Story 3! 'Vinylmation' is for me the best way of bringing home in a rather grown up way a Disneyland Souvenire! Only hickup when you buy one of these: you never know which one is in the box! Mickey Mouse goes arty farty and do I love it! And yes, M I also love you!!!!



PS: This being A his favourite ride after all I include this in here as well!!! Try to resist the sound of this one!!