ROYAL HOLIDAY
Day 4: Through The Gates At Last




PRADA MAMA's Log, Sunday, December 26, 2004

2:00 PM: Today is Auntie Olive's last day with us.

We were a little sad to see her go, but she had work the next day. We lingered over lunch at our room, not quite wanting to say goodbye yet, but we knew we would have to go eventually. It was getting late and Disneyland was waiting.

So we took our last pictures before Lorenzo started loading the kids in the van. I didn't notice it until recently, but we captured another mysterious orb with our camera, perfectly positioned between Auntie Olive and me. Maybe it was my Daddy, looking over his new granddaughter, Reanna? Or maybe it was Auntie Olive's Dad, my Lolo Maning, joining us in our holiday? Whoever it was, he was certainly posing for this picture!




After a long and drawn out goodbye, we were finally off. It was my family's first date with Mickey and this time they weren't about to be disappointed again. We turned into Disney Way and saw a familiar sign: "DISNEYLAND FULL, CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE STILL OPEN."

I was so happy we wised up and bought our tickets yesterday. I nervously fingered them in my pocket. This time around, we will NOT be denied entry.

We could feel the kids' excitement mounting as we walked nearer to the entrance. They could barely contain themselves as we crossed the turnstile. They saw the Disneyland Express and wanted to catch the train that was coming. Unfortunately, we had to make a stop at the stroller rentals kiosk to get a stroller for Troy first.

I felt sorry for my little boys. They were already so close. They could see the sights, smell the scents, and hear the sounds. They've been patient enough already. They wanted to experience it NOW!

I could see the barely contained impatience in their smiles. If you're familiar with my blogs, you know how sunny Troy's personality is. My son is always ready to flash a bright smile at the camera. This next picture reminds me that he is, after all, just a little boy and he has his limits. You could imagine his frustration at having to pose for another picture when he could see the train already pulling up and he just KNEW we were going to miss it!




Whew! Lining up for that first ride wasn't pleasant. Finally, the next train pulled up at the station and we had our first tour of the Magic Kingdom. By the time my kids saw their favorite dinosaurs at the end of the ride, they had already settled down enough to agree to explore the rest of the place on foot.





The first thing we did after taking the train was to line up for Fast Passes to Autopia, which we knew the boys would love. and then we explored the rest of Tomorrowland before having dinner at the Plaza Inn.




The food was delicious, although a bit overpriced. Plaza Inn served up huge portions of Pot Roast and Southern Fried Chicken, comfort food which warmed the stomach and spirit. The timing was perfect too, since it was starting to get chilly.

When we were done, we returned to Autopia at the time indicated on our Fast Pass. We still had to line up, but not for long. Seeing the regular queue, I was glad our cleaning lady, Magda, told us about Fast Pass.

After Lorenzo and I did a parent swap so both of us got to ride with the kids, we decided to head for "It's A Small World", to see if we could catch the tail end of Mickey's Holiday Parade. Unfortunately, since it was Christmas weekend, people were packed around the parade route. There was no way my little boys could watch without risking the possibility of being trampled by the throng.

And so we decided to make the most of it by exploring Fantasyland instead. The parade turned out to be a good distraction, so we were able to line up for rides relatively quickly. We started out by boarding Casey Jr., the Circus Train, before checking out Dumbo, the Flying Elephant.



Pretty soon the parade was done and the crowd started building up again. We headed for "It's A Small World" to see if the line had gotten shorter. It was still jam-packed. We decided to take a breather and get something to eat instead. We were surprised at how hungry we were again. Even Reanna was tempted to take a bite from Daddy's giant turkey leg!




And then it was time to check out "Believe", the fireworks display. We were able to get a great spot, right by Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Disney put on a good show. It was a sensory experience, with lighting, lasers, music, and a wonderful narrator who sounded just like your doting grandmother. Oh, and the fireworks were great too. There was even a mock snowfall which looked magical against the streetlights. It looked so convincing that Lance and Troy put out their tongues to catch a few flakes and tasted soap instead. The "snow" turned out to be SUDS! Oh well...

After "Believe", we set out to make the most of the rest of our evening. Since it was late Sunday night, people started going home, which freed up the park to tourists and vacationers like us. We quickly returned to Fantasyland and did the circuit of Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. And then we returned to Casey Jr., where the kids wanted to ride in the Wild Animal cage this time.




And of course, what could be more magical than King Arthur's Carousel?



Soon it was close to midnight, and Disneyland was closing for the day. We quickly made our way back to "It's A Small World". We were relieved to see that the line had dissipated, and ran to catch the turnstile before it closed. We boarded the last boat and settled in to enjoy the finale of the evening. We weren't disappointed. It was every bit as magical as I remembered it to be.




We were the last people out of the ride. We even caught the clockwork children marching out of the display before the huge clock chimed 12:15 AM.

It was over. Disneyland was closed. We collected our strollers and marched back to the Main Entrance, happy and tired, but not quite ready to call it a day just yet.

And then my cellphone rang, bringing our magical evening to a crashing end.

It was well-meaning, I was assured, but honestly now, if someone cared so much, why would she wait "months" before imparting such disturbing news? And during those MONTHS when she was carrying the heavy burden of this knowledge, couldn't she have at least taken the time to verify if it was TRUE? And finally, after having kept the secret for so long, couldn't she have waited just a wee bit longer to reveal it, at least until we got back from our holiday? This was our first major family vacation. It's not like we go to Disneyland everyday.

Why can't people just be HAPPY for us? We keep to ourselves, mostly choosing to spend time together as a family without bothering anyone. Do they doubt the love and happiness we share? Or perhaps they are just incapable of recognizing THE REAL THING even if if stared them in the face. You can ALMOST hear them say, "What you have isn't special and WE'LL SHOW YOU WHY".

It was past midnight. Our coach had turned back into a pumpkin once more.

And the magic was over, at least for the night.


(PLUGGING: "None Of Your Peaswax", the latest in The Prada Mama Chronicles.)

ROYAL HOLIDAY
Day 3: Christmas in the Kingdom




PRADA MAMA's Log, Saturday, December 25, 2004

6:00 AM: Poor Auntie Olive.

She woke up early, having had the misfortune of falling asleep beside Lance. My son is not used to sharing a bed with anyone, and has been known to push and kick trespassers out. My aunt swore he was like a human clock. I totally believed her.

Since she was awake anyway, she decided to go to early morning mass. I gave her an early morning Christmas kiss and promptly fell asleep again.


9:30 AM: Auntie Olive returns, grumbling about the lack of food places open on Christmas Day. She had to search high and low just for coffee, which she brought back to our room, cleverly quitting while she was ahead.

Good thing she was thinking forward when she bought a box of Goldilocks Ensaymada yesterday. We consumed these eagerly when she arrived, the ham and cheese-filled brioche melting in our mouths. It tasted heavenly combined with the piping hot coffee.

And then we got to the business of getting ready to go out, a serious exercise for a family of five. Lorenzo and I usually take the assembly-line approach: Daddy showers with the kids and passes them to Mommy one by one, finishing his shower while I slather my brood with lotion and get them dressed. And then it's MY turn to get ready while the family waits.

It was a time-consuming affair. Of course, when everybody was finally ready, we were all hungry again. Luckily, Auntie Olive came loaded. Aside from the ensaymada, she also bought chicken barbecue yesterday, bless her soul.

I think the best part about having older Filipina relatives is their penchant for bringing food with them wherever they go. My mother-in-law is the same way. Give me a few years and I too will be squirrelling away turon and lumpia in a giant tote bag.

I'm a Filipina mother. It's in my nature.


2:00 PM: We FINALLY step out the door. Lorenzo loads the van and straps the kids in their car seats. We were sad to leave without Auntie Olive, who wasn't feeling well, opting to stay in the room and rest while we discovered the Magic Kingdom.



Alas, by the time we drove across the street and entered the parking lot, we saw signs saying "Disneyland Full, California Adventure Still Open".

Lorenzo and I discussed our options: Disney's California Adventure was only open until 9:00 PM, unlike Disneyland, which closed at 12:00 midnight. Since it was already mid-afternoon, we didn't think it was worth the $50 entrance ($40 for the kids).

I wanted to kick myself for not buying tickets beforehand. The hardest part was hearing Lance and Troy say "Why aren't we going to Disneyland, Daddy?" when they saw the car turn away. Instead, we drove to Disney Way, where Lorenzo parked the van so I could go to the ticket stands. To appease Lance, who was the more vocal of the two, I took him along with me to buy tickets. I wasn't about to take any more chances.

We trooped back to the hotel with a heavy heart. Good thing Auntie Olive was feeling better. We put our heads together and decided to catch the 7:00 PM screening of "The Incredibles" at Downtown Disney. This raised the kids' spirits, and it didn't take long before they were back to their old selves again.


9:00 PM: We emerged from the theater after watching "The Incredibles" just in time to catch the fireworks display, which was awesome.

The movie ended at about 8:40 PM. It was quite enjoyable when the plot finally took off, but I found myself nodding off during the slow parts.

Predictably, both Lance and Troy were running around possessed by the recent memory of Dash. I didn't envy Lorenzo, whose task it was to take both of our boys to the Men's Room after the movie.

When the fireworks display was over, we decided to have Christmas Dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, which was just a few steps away. Lorenzo and I have been to their Miami outlet, so we knew it was the kind of place our kids would LOVE.

You could see the look of wonder in Lance and Troy's faces as soon as we stepped inside. They headed straight for the giant fish tanks, where Troy singled out Nemo and Dory right off the bat.




Dining at the Rainforest Cafe is a sensory experience in itself. The food was delicious and the ambiance unequaled. There were unusual sights and sounds all around which heightened everyone's enjoyment, like the mock thunderstorm which took place every twenty minutes, complete with rolling thunder and flashes of lightning. The kids found this daunting at first, but they eventually relaxed, especially after seeing the animatronic dancing gorilla.





Troy was having so much fun, he insisted on escorting me to the bathroom, so he could see more. Of course, I couldn't resist taking these pictures.



After eating, we hit the gift shop, where I immediately found some souvenir tank tops for my husband. I also bought a refrigerator magnet to add to my collection along with our framed picture taken by the roving photographer.

Lance and Troy, who could choose anything they wanted, both got baby alligators (rubber toys, not real ones). They also found a lifelike floating crocodile, which they insisted on getting as well.

As I was paying for the goods, I could hear them conspiring with their Dad in the background. Something about hiding the crocodile behind the waterfall in our pool and inviting our female neighbors over for a swim.

I guess boys will be boys. No matter what age.





Soon it was almost midnight, and the place was about to close. We had time to pose for one more picture before heading for the parking lot, where Auntie Olive and Lorenzo loaded the kids while I scampered back to have our ticket validated. Good thing they left the doors open. Nothing in Disney is cheap, parking included.

I looked down at the the time stamp, which said December 26, the same date displayed in the photo below. It was a few minutes past midnight, and Christmas was over. Halfway around the world, a huge wave had already torn through much of South Asia's coastal regions, taking many lives in its wake. But we were blissfully unaware of it all. We were still in our sheltered, privileged little world, enjoying the end of a magical evening...



And we were none the wiser.


(PLUGGING: "Shanghai Surprise", the latest in The Prada Mama Chronicles, and "Sunbeams for Lance", my stepfather's latest poem in his site, Ira's Poetry.)