World of Color

We FINALLY made it to WOC last night. I know ya'll thought we'd gone on Friday night - since Drill Sargent J. got the fast passes that morning. But we actually came back to our room late Friday and fell asleep and slept through the Fast Pass time - so we skipped it. Did the entire 'must get fast passes' drill again yesterday - which was OK 'cuz then we also rode Soaring Over California again, too - and we love that ride.

WOC was great. Really enjoyed it. What I did not enjoy about it was standing from 7:30PM until the show started at 9 - and then standing through the 28 minute show. There has to be a better way. No seats of any kind. You just stand there and wait. Our feet were killing us! And knees, hips, etc. It was a great show - but personally, I don't think I'd do the fast pass again. I'd rather go find a bench on the pier somewhere and just watch what you can watch and skip to entire 'body torture' session. But that's just me. I know you're thinking 'well, just sit down on the ground'. And I really wanted to - but there's a risk that once I'm down (and that's IF I'm able to sit on the ground without my knees doing something funky on the way to the ground), I won't be able to get up....so I just stayed vertical.

I have new respect for my mom - who in her role as grandmother accompanied us on many trips. She never complained. Never wavered in her willingness to schlep and be schlepped. She'd watch little ones all day. Walk a million miles to wherever we were dragging her. Never once uttered a word of angst. She was a trooper extraordinaire. I'm not sure I'll be that great of a grandma - I already told J. 'when we're here with our grand kids, you and the boys and the wives and the kids can do WOC. I'll be happily waiting elsewhere, hopefully tending a new born or wee baby who won't care about WOC either'.

In WOC's defense, it is quite an amazing production and it makes you wonder 'how do they do that?' Water, light and occasional bursts of fire - and you're watching projections onto fine water mist. It is amazing!

We had a wonderful dinner at the restaurant at Grand Californian before heading to see WOC. It was a good meal and we all enjoyed it. The boys headed out to do Tower of Terror, California Screaming, etc. as many times as they could before heading back to the hotel room at midnight. H. wasn't ready to sleep - but the rest of us were and we were all zonked out shortly after. It's a Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family so we've been enjoying watching those movies - in preparation for next week's big movie event! We can't wait!!

It's been a magical trip - this place just plain makes me happy. Even with blisters on my feet, sore joints - I still love it and can't wait to come back. No idea when that will be - this will likely be the last trip with the four of us for some time. In fact, B. told me at lunch yesterday that he's actually not sure he will be able to go to Cancun with us this summer - he's not sure his enlistment can be delayed that long. Glad to know this before I purchase non-refundable tickets. Now I don't know what to do with H. - in Cancun with his aging parents for a week. Not sure that's quite the high school graduation celebration he was hoping for. We'll see. I'll buy tix for the three of us and we'll see what happens with B. You never know. He signs his enlistment contract this week and J. is planning to go with him - which I'm glad about.

So we say farewell to Disneyland....and also farewell to being a family of four. One of us is moving on - and it's as it should be. Still, my heart feels a little sad today at the prospect of no B. And then, it feels a little excited at the thought of coming back here with grand kids someday. Or just me and J. We would be totally happy doing the 'old' rides and people watching. Oh, and the shopping. Don't forget the shopping. I had a lot of fun and used my $180 Disney Reward dollars well - added a purple Tinkerbell hoody to my Disney apparel collection.

Troops are getting moving so I'd better, too. We have a lot to pack up before hitting the road. Both boys have plans this evening so they want to be home by 4ish if at all possible. Should be do-able....