The Family Day at Disney
VIDEO:Andreas, Collen and I all stayed at a Disney Park Hotel. So, we were allowed to enter into the park at 8am on the morning of our "Family Day" at the park. Andreas' family was not able to enter the park grounds until 10am, which meant we would meet up with them a few hours after we arrived at the park.
The three of us grabbed a bite to eat, just behind Cinderella's Castle, before heading out to ride some "neck breaking, don't ride if you have high blood pressure" rides....However, it's not always the best idea to do the "eat and ride"....on a few of those rides, we felt a little like characters from The Sandlot...but luckily, we were all able to cope and continue having fun. By the way, there was NO ONE at the park that morning. Lines were nonexistent, and for 2 hours, we were able to ride whatever we wanted, as many times as we wanted. Well, that's not entirely true...only 2 of the 4 themed areas inside the park opened early for Disney hotel customers. The area that housed the roller-coaster "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" was closed off until 10am, which is why we had to film the "big race" to the front of the line that morning. (check it out below)
(p.s. for any of you who don't know what happened to the kids in The Sandlot, feel free to Google it....but don't say I didn't warn you)
Trying to get to the front of the line.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vq4c-LCBE
(Andreas, Colleen and I wanted to get on Thunder Mountain before everyone else...so we waited outside the ropes and then ran for our lives to the front of the line. Andreas is yelling "High-Heel-A-Thon" to me, because there were swarms of people pushing their way into the park that morning...and I was not going to lose the race to the front of the line.)
 |
I didn't win the race...but I did manage to squeeze myself to the front of the line....which allowed me to save space for mom and Andreas. This is mom and I on the FIRST Thunder Mountain ride of the day! WINNING!!!!! ;-) |
 |
After Thunder Mountain! (btw, at this point in the day, we were the ONLY adults with no children!) Some might call us pathetic, sad...maybe even strange....we called ourselves "FREE - to ride the rides that make you wanna vomit as many times as you want" |
It's the kids (the little kids) turn at Disney
 |
| Mickey Mouse making his first appearance of the day outside the castle! |
The Disney Carousel....First Ride of the Day!
 |
Sometimes I thought the bigger kids were having more fun than the little ones....mom, did you really need to jump on a horse....and wear the seat-belt? |
 |
| Jens refused to ride, but the Carousel was a hit with Lisann! |
 |
| Another hit of the day was Colleen....these two were best buddies all day! (as you can imagine, my mother loved it) |
Waiting to ride the Carousel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo-pM_dtkqw
VIDEO:
Carousel Ride
http://youtu.be/IFWSQajTjQo
 |
Jens was nervous and a little scared of the characters and rides. Unfortunately, the Mickey on this sweater was the closest he got to that famous mouse all day. |
 |
| Susanne and Lisann were a big hit singing songs while in line for the Disney Park train. |
Character Sightings
 |
That's not Johnny Depp....You are NOT Johnny Depp! Ok, fine....u kinda look like Jack Sparrow! |
 |
| Minnie....Hello Minnie....she smiled at me! Then again, she never stopped smiling the entire time she was out there. I guess this is a true account of the saying, "If you keep smiling, your face will freeze like that." |
 |
Snow White Spotting(s)! Come on people, who makes a better Snow White.....Andreas' vote is for Klaus! |
 |
| Thinking of you Hunter Buddy! |
The Best Rides at Disney!!!!
VIDEO:
Jens & Andreas Dancing to the Tea Cups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw-OP4q09zc
 |
| Klaus looks a little worried.... |
VIDEO:
Lisann & Susanne riding Dumbo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcj-Ie7o-LU
Few people can say, "My mom got in a fight with another parent while waiting in line to ride Dumbo," but I can! It had been a long day, everyone was tired, but Colleen was on her toes. Let's just say, the fight involved a hot conversation about politics with a German-speaking brit...inappropriate given the location...and we did have to separate Colleen from her sparring partner...kinda funny. I was a little embarrassed, but on the inside, I was proud of my mom.
 |
Lisann was nervous for about 10 seconds....then she loved the ride! Who doesn't love Dumbo? |
 |
Little Man, Jens was the official team cheerleader for the day! He would have played in the game....but someone had to cheer for the rest of the team! So, he gladly sat out and observed. |
Dancing at Disney (Jens showing off his mad dancing skills)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYVvsDenn2o
VIDEO:
It's a Small World (my mother insisted that everyone take a ride on It's a Small World - Lisann Loved it, Jens hated it!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8CNr_KSpBIHer Royal Highness - Princess Lisann
VIDEO:
Lunch Time, but Lisann in a different world....a Princess World!
http://youtu.be/b6oyNKzoz80 |
| When she put that dress on she became a totally different person! Her shoulders were back, and instead of walking, she glided! |
VIDEO:
How The Princess Glides Around Disney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd1OA9OqD2U |
| She really was a princess that day...it was so fun to watch her! |
VIDEO:
The Princess Exits the Castle (the music playing in the background could not have been more perfect)
VIDEO:
Bye Bye Disney 2011
Breakfast with the Characters -
A must-do in "Radermacher-Land" I mean Disneyland!
 |
| Lisann and her buddy waiting to meet some characters. |
 |
| Goofy was a total hit at our table! |
 |
| Lisann loved the characters, but she continued to remind us that they were just people dressed in costumes...I, for one, was comforted by this reminder. |
 |
| Chip or Dale...which one are you? |
 |
| Meg, we tried to get Lisann to punch Chip in the nose, but she kissed him instead! |
The Main Event
 |
| M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E |
 |
| One of the BEST photos from our entire vacation! Disney really can be the happiest place on earth! |
We had such an amazing time at Disney. If anything, the time was far too short. We will have to return one day when Jens is a little older, and more excited about the rides and characters. As always, it was great to see family, and it's always a treat when both of our families can see each other.
Now we will all head back into Paris for a day to see my father, and take a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower (something only 1 of us have ever experienced before)!
No comments:
Post a Comment