Running Disney

We just returned from Anaheim, California.  It has been 4 years since I last visited the happiest place on earth - Disneyland.  Back then, we celebrated my youngest daughter's 5th birthday with a trip to meet Mickey Mouse and his cast of make believe celebrities.

 Original Model of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle

Since my first visit in 1986 (during my freshman year in college and on a last second dare from a buddy - the dare included a bet that my 1977 Honda Civic didn't have the strength or horse power to drive from Monmouth Oregon to Anaheim - he was right; alternator left me stranded for some time) and that was a special trip given my lifelong love of the Disney movies.  I have vivid memories of tossing my bed pillow in front of the t.v. every Sunday night and watching the "Wonderful World of Disney" which included movies such as "The Strongest Man in the World", "Ole Yeller" and "Herbie the Love Bug".

Ah, I must say, Disneyland claims to be a magical place and for me, it really is just that.  What makes it even more special is when you take your own children there and see their smiles and "dreams" come alive when they meet the characters, overcome fears of some of the rides and walk and sometimes run to the rides over and over again.

Buzz Lightyear

Then there are the fireworks display and, this year, they had the "Wonders of Color" presentation which was simply amazing.  The scene was at California Adventure and the show began in the evening with the lights/water fountain displays setting the backdrop for a video presentation of many scenes from famous Disney movies.

Wonders of Color

I think the best part of the trip was watching my oldest daughter overcome her fear of the Disney rides.  During our last trip she refused emphatically to ride some of the more modestly scary rides such as Thunder Mountain Railroad and The Matterhorn.  I decided this trip (and she promised) that I would instill a bit of fatherly-firm-love and insist she first ride the park's most scary, fast and exciting ride- California Screamin.

 Watching the girls enjoy Disneyland

This roller-coaster starts off at an incredible fast speed, makes several high speed turns then takes a "loop-D-360 loop" before finishing with some more speedy turns.  My oldest, with tears in her eyes and pleas, made her repeated case that she wasn't ready to ride such a scary ride - I did not succumb to baby fawn eyes, let alone the tears.

California Screamin Video

Upon entering the coasters car her tone changes from scared to excited and by the time the ride was over - and to her daddy's delight - she was a changed person!  The first words out of her mouth were "Let's do it again Daddy!"  What followed was 4 days of numerous trips to California Screamin, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror.

Entering Space Mountain

It was a fantastic vacation that I'll never forget.  It was a terrific and much needed escape and I was able to maintain my running schedule with morning runs around the perimeter of Disneyland as well as my morning run by the front gates where I was the only one to enjoy the flowered design Mickey Mouse.  Our plan next year is to vacation in Germany to visit my "Oma" with my mom.  It will perhaps be the final visit for my family to enjoy time with my grandmother.

Neuschwanstein castle in Germany - Summer of 2011?,