Disney Magic (Getting There)

(Sophie, my mom & Ian posing for photopass)

My mom surprised us with a magical Disney vacation. The kids finished school on a Friday, and we left the following Sunday morning. The timing was perfect. We went to Disneyland the Tuesday after Memorial Day (plus, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). California schools were still in session so the crowds were manageable. The weather was delightful (sunny and low 70s every day).

We decided to break up the drive by staying at our favorite hotel in St. George, the Lexington. The kids discovered it on a trip to St. George for a bike race with Brian last fall. They love the pool - part indoor and part outdoor - because it is so warm. Ian has always hated cold swimming pools and this was where he finally learned to swim since the temperature suited him.

Our family stayed there a few months ago and the kids swam and swam for hours. Needless to say, expectations were high. After driving most of the day and checking into our room, the kids suited up lightning fast and we raced to the pool to find . . .

The heater was broken :-(

Sad day. Sophie, Isaac and even Ian still spent some time in the icy waters. Seeing Ian inch his way in, shivering all over made me realize just how much he really loved that pool. Luckily, there was a hot tub (and, the heater for that worked), so, we made the best of it.

After our (attempt to) swim, we went to my mom's favorite dining spot in St. George - the Iceburg Drive Inn. Wow! It was super delicious. The onion rings were enormous and so tasty. My mom ordered the cherry pecan shake with chunks of whole maraschino cherries in it. Lots of chunks. It was the best shake I've ever tasted! When the kids finished their meals, they were given giant soft serve ice cream cones dipped in magic shell chocolate. Our tastebuds were very happy when we retired to our beds that night.

The next morning, the boys and I woke up early and went exploring through the hotel while my mom, Katie and Sophie got some more sleep. We wandered around the quiet pool area and found ourselves in the breakfast room where they were serving everything imaginable from Belgian waffles to oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit, muffins, biscuits and gravy and even bacon. The hot chocolate machine was broken, but, I got the lady in charge to bring out some hot chocolate packets so the boys could make their own. Whew! Catastrophe avoided.

Since the pool was a bust, we decided to forgo a morning swim, pack up early and try our luck at the next hotel pool. We also gained an hour passing through a time zone. That was a good thing, because we hit major traffic as we approached Las Vegas and it was very slow going most of the way to Anaheim.

We spent a lot of hours in the van that day, but, we decided it wasn't so bad. After all, we had comfy seats, movies, plenty of snacks and climate control. I told the kids about the time our family had to drive from Illinois back to Utah and everyone in both cars (we were caravaning with my Aunt and her family) had the stomach flu. This was quite like paradise in comparison.

The only truly bad part was going to the bathroom. We were crossing the middle of nowhere and the bathroom stops were few and far between. By the time we would get to one, everyone else was also exiting the freeway with the same idea. So, the lines were very long. At one stop, only the boys needed to go. I decided to take them to the sage brush behind the gas station to save time, and, well, lets just say, a lot of people had had the same idea that day.

Sorry to be gross.

We finally arrived at our destination. A lovely hotel right across the street from Disneyland. We were full of excitement and anticipation for the week that lay ahead of us. But, first, we had to get down to the business of swimming in the beautiful pool. This time, we were not disappointed. After a refreshing dip, my mom discovered a little sandwich shop in the parking lot of the hotel where she bought dinner. Isaac ordered a huge dish of tortilla chips dripping with liquid cheese (he was quite pleased).

After putting the kids to bed early, I decided to wash some clothes. In the laundry room, I met other lovely hotel guests who were wrapping up their trips. Their stories got me even more excited for our adventure. One lady told me about photopass. And, here is my 2-cents about that . . .

All through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, there are professional photographers waiting to snap your photo at hot spots like Main Street, next to the Castle and with the characters. The first time one of these workers takes your picture, they give you a photopass. For the rest of your trip, every time someone takes another picture, you hand them the card and they scan it. At the end of the trip, you can buy a lovely CD of professional photos for just $60 and make as many prints as you'd like. I thought it was totally worth it. I was so glad to learn how it worked in advance.

Sheesh! I was so long winded that now I'm already out of time. More to come about our actual experiences at the park . . .