Disneyland Weekend Recap: The Warm-up

So I'm finally getting around to my recaps of the Disneyland Race weekend in Anaheim, there is so much to cover that is race related and not race related, you're going to see it ALL! Here we go!

So we (hubby and I) headed for Disneyland a bit earlier to get some time in the parks before the craziness of the race weekend started. We flew out early Thursday morning to Anaheim, literally to Fort Wayne airport. I love that place, it's nice and small, easy to navigate and just a short 15 minute drive to and from Disneyland from there. Easy peasy!

 Us on the plane and with our carry-on only luggage!

The first thing we noticed when we left the airport, it was HOT! Second, was damn it was HUMID!! This is weather I have NEVER experienced in Anaheim before in all the years I've been going to Disneyland. Yes, it can get toasty there, but toasty and humid...I felt like I was in Florida! We arrived to our hotel WAY before check-in time, so we decided to check in and leave our luggage at the front desk even if our room wasn't ready so we could hit the park! We stayed at the Best Western Park Place Inn and Suites. Great prices and fantastic location (closer to the front gates of the parks than the DL Hotel!). Luckily the front desk staff was great and got us into a room immediately so we could drop our stuff, freshen up and change clothing and hit the park!! Woo hoo!

 

 WE'VE ARRIVED!!!!

 

When we got to the park, which was around 11am, we realized how empty it was. I'm used to going during pretty busy times, so seeing a half empty park is REALLY nice! We decided to try out some new things on this trip, like the Main Street transportation! We got to ride the Fire Truck! SO much fun!

 

Then I had to have my Disneyland tradition. Everytime I go, the first treat I have there is always the same and it is always as good as I remember it.

 

CHURRO!!!! So yuumy!

 

After that we walked around a bit because we had a lunch reservation at a special place, so we didn't want to get into any long lines just yet. We wanted to go check out a place that just opened up that I heard had GREAT pastries, Jolly Holiday Bakery!

 

This place was seriously cute and had all the pastries and sandwich options that the Blue Ribbon Bakery used to have (oh I miss that place, DO NOT LIKE that Starbucks has infiltrated Disney parks). They had huge cinnamon rolls, tasty looking cookies, flaky pastries and delightful sandwich options. We frequented this place during the whole trip, to get some sweet treats, quick sandwiches for on the go and cups of ice water. Did you know: that you can go to any quick service location and ask for a cup of ice water and they will give it to you gladly...for free. I no longer buy water inside or outside the park, I get it for free from Disney. :)

 

Okay...so I lied, we did go on a ride before our lunch reservations, but can you blame me? It's the best ride!

 Pirates of the Caribbean!!!!

Since we knew we were going to have most of the day to ourselves before the crazy weekend, we decided that we wanted a nice, romantic meal together, just the two of us. So I made a reservation at the coolest restaurant in Disneyland, Blue Bayou!

 Menu and the best seats in the house, waterside! There is the PotC ride!

 LOVE the dark, cool environment with the hanging lanterns, I want my backyard to look like this!

 

 Shrimp cocktail for him, Gumbo for her. YUMMY!

 Monte Cristo for me, Jambalaya for him. SO GOOD!

Then the sweet people from the Blue Bayou gave us a free dessert to celebrate our anniversary (two years that weekend). It was very tasty and barely eaten, we were both stuffed from our fabulous lunch!

 

Afterwards we spent walking around and checking out the new things that have popped up around the park since we've been there and riding rides that are "pregnancy approved". Sidenote: Can I just say how sucky it is to be in any Disney park while pregnant? You don't get to ride any of the fun, fast rides and those are all my faves too. Okay...rant over.

 

Regardless of my limitations, we got to "sightsee" and find some cute and fun things.

 Can you believe the CUTENESS of this Eeyore!!!                       Fun caramel apples!!!

 The pirate ship Columbia

Rivers of America with the Mark Twain

 Time to fly with Dumbo!!                     This was made entirely of Legos!!

 

I'd been conversing back and forth with Jen of Travel Girl on the Run and Kim of Kim Runs Disney & Beyond via text to their arrival on property. They arrived in the evening and we met up at Downtown Disney for dinner at Earl of Sandwich. Can you believe, I didn't take ANY pictures! I was so excited to see these ladies that I forgot all about taking pictures, or was my battery almost dead by then? Probably both. Again, this trip I was plagued with battery issues for my phone, sheesh! I need to get that remedied!

 

We ended up walking around Downtown Disney and showed them the parks entrances, they were amazed at how close they were to each other, considering this was their first time at Disneyland and their only other Disney park experience has been at Disney World. Soooo different!! We ended up talking for a long time, but Jen and Kim were beat and they headed back to their hotel (Disneyland Hotel, no less!) and we went into Disneyland to round out the day with some fireworks.

 

 I LOVE this place at night, SO magical!!!

 

 

It was a great show and a great way to cap off the end of our first day back in Disneyland. I always forget how much I love Disney and the magic these parks bring, until I'm back at the parks and totally immersed in the lullaby of it all. I felt like I was floating on air that night walking back to the hotel. All my running friends I hadn't seen in forever were either in town or would be there in the morning, I was in Disney with my wonderful hubby and the highly anticipated race weekend of my life (so far) was just starting. I slept well that night, but had giddy anticipation for the days and events that waited to unfold for me. I couldn't wait!!!