Disneyland '04

We had heard a rumor that Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas ride was moving on to Disney World. For a few years now, Disneyland has traditionally transformed its Haunted Mansion into a Nightmare Before Christmas spook-tacular, with Jack, Sally, Zero, and all the rest from the movie.

Eli loves Nightmare, as do we adults. And with the rumor on the wind, we decided that it was this year or never to see this magical event! So we all took Friday, November 6th off, rented a van, and drove down to Disneyland.

Friday, November 6th, 2004

11:11 am. Are we there yet?	We've got plenty of movies
For everyone to watch	Or not watch.
12:45 pm. Mmm lunch.	But the view is pretty.
1:48 pm. Cream Cheese ...	RAWKS!!!
1:45 pm. Our water - also headed south.	4:12 pm. Grapevine!
But first, a stop for gas.	(Very large grasshopper not included.)
OK! Grapevine!	6:13 pm. And then, LA traffic.
for miles	and miles.

Saturday, November 6th, 2004

The weather reports all week - including Friday morning - promised us a day only in the mid-60s, with clouds and "scattered showers" to "rain", depending on which web site you checked. We packed rain gear and umbrellas - we were not to be deterred.

What greeted us, Saturday morning was sunshine! Already in the mid-50s, our day could not have been more perfect if we had planned it. There were (relatively) few people, it was just a 7 minute walk to the park (10 more to the actual gate but who cares?), and warm, glorious sun smiling down on us.

7:45 am. Let's go to Disneyland!	9:04 am.
9:15 am.	9:23 am. Woody!
9:24 am. Nightmare Before Christmas ne Haunted Mansion!	Do not pass. Go.
At this hour, there's no line!	Go! Go! Go!
9:30 am. Nightmare? Again! Again!	10:00 am. Nightmare? Again! Again!
10:18 am. Pirates of the Caribbean! No line!	11:09 am. Shopping break.
I told him to keep his hands inside the ride.	11:26 am. Indiana Jones! No line!
12:02 pm. You poke her, you brought her.	12:04 pm. Time for lunch and the Buzz Lightyear show. Let's go!
12:22 pm. Buzz!	1:18 pm. Water Feature wot Spins
1:23 pm. The Happiest Place on Earth.	1:35 pm. The Required Hat ...
with Name, of course.	1:44 pm. Why does the Peter Pan ride have the longest line?
1:49 pm. Peter Pan line with Sunglasses.	1:49 pm. Peter Pan line with not-sunglasses.
2:12 pm. But it's got a chin strap like a riding hat, Mom.	2:16 pm. But I don't want to take a picture!
2:31 pm. Thunder Mountain? No line!	2:35 pm. But is it really so small ... ?
3:08 pm. Eli in the Bouncy House	3:12 pm. Break in Toon Town (while Eli plays in the Bouncy House).
3:21 pm. Cute. Japanese. Girls.	Everywhere. (Again! Again!)
3:42 pm. Foot long ...	Stogie?
or hot dog?	4:10pm. Jim and fishtank.
4:11 pm. If Mickey's a mouse, and Donald's a duck, and Pluto's a dog ...	4:19 pm. Cute. Japanese. Boys. Comparing photos taken with Mickey. Seriously.
4:23 pm. Private meeting with the Mouse.	4:24 pm.
4:34 pm. Agrifuture, as seen from the Train	5:04 pm. Pirates of the Caribbean? Again! Again!
5:59 pm. Who's House?	6:03 pm. Still going!
6:04 pm. Buzz Lightyear toy. Peter Pan? Again! Again! Peter Pan line? Again. Again.	6:08 pm. Still in line.
6:28 pm. Dear Slave Labor, I can not escape it. Even in the Happiest Place on Earth. (Still in line.)	7:09 pm. Thunder Mountain? Again! Again!
7:20 pm. Nightmare? Again! Again!	The line is much longer.
And I can take arty pictures.	7:29 pm. Eli falls asleep on the Nightmare ride. On. The. Ride.
9:28 pm. Not even the fireworks wake him.	9:30:32 pm.
9:30:49 pm.	9:31:10 pm.
9:33:21 pm.	9:34:17 pm.
9:34:50 pm.	10:08 pm. Thunder Mountain from Tarzan's Treehouse ne Swiss Family Robinson's.
10:53 pm. There's always time to stop and shoot things.	11:25 pm. 14 hours? Still going!
12:25 am. Rice Mobile sighting.	12:36 am. Disneyland is the Shiznits, Yo. F'shizzle.