Minnie's Breakfast at the Plaza Inn

We decided that a character breakfast was a must-do on this trip to Disneyland. There are several to choose from, but we went with Minnie - well, because it's got Minnie right there in the name! And though expensive, I thought it was totally worth the money - a great experience!

First of all, the food. It was a breakfast buffet with tons o' choices and the food was deeeelish! Mercy, to have a plate of that bacon right now...mmm! There are also Mickey shaped waffles, a huge hit with the kids, tons of fruit, eggs, bacon/ham/sausage, hashbrowns, lots of drink choices...really, very very good.

The characters were lots of fun, and most of them came by more than once. We saw Minnie, Tigger, Pooh, Eyore, Captain Hook (who was hilarious) and the Fairy Godmother. They were all adorable and fabulous with the kids.

Overall...highly recommended!

When You're Going To Meet Minnie, It's Important To Wear The Right Outfit

I think this one will do just fine!

Maya even drew a picture to give to Minnie. I can't remember now if she actually ever gave it to her, but she was was very excited about it!

The Lowdown on Disneyland Guides

I'm a guide-reading type of girl. I like to know what I'm getting myself into. And I like to know everyone's opinion on everything. That's not to say I don't take it with a grain of salt - I do, for sure, but I just think more information is better. So there are my Disneyland guidebook picks.

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. This, unsurprisingly, is the "unofficial" look at Disneyland (it's not just a clever title...). It offers lots of advice, "touring plans" (which are really only necessary if you're there in the busy season) and ratings by age for each and every ride. It tends, a little bit, to look on the negative side. Perhaps on the "realistic" side. In fact, it sort of freaked me out before we went the first time, with its descriptions of the crowds and lines and the mania. But it has lots of good information and I highly recommend it if you're a first time D-land visitor.

Birnbaum's Disneyland is the "official" word on Disneyland - they sell these guidebooks in the giftshops. I think it's a great guide. It describes each ride, picks favorites, describes the dining options and shopping. It's very thorough and super-helpful. And being the official guide of Disneyland it does, of course, accentuate the positive. Which. Nothing wrong with that.

So those are my favorites. If you're as anal retentive as I am with your vacation planning, you might want to pick them up. Plus, they make great light reading when you're reliving your trip weeks and months after you get home. Or maybe that's just me.

Disneyland Guide: Critter Country

Chris skipped town this week and took all of our Disneyland pics with him on his laptop! So since I can't inundate you with vacation photos, I will instead be giving you my completely biased blow-by-blow of Disneyland's different "lands". Starting with Critter Country...

There's not a whole bunch o' stuff in Critter Country, but not to worry, people - it's quality all the way!

• Splash Mountain: I may have mentioned our love for Splash Mountain? Perhaps? Best ride in the park, in my opinion. If you don't sit up front, you won't get too wet. (Unless you're Maya. In which case, you'll get soaked no matter where you sit.) The songs are infectious, the sights will make you grin and the drops (yes, dropS, plural!) are exciting - especially that last plunge. You have to be 40 inches to ride, so Masey just missed the cutoff. If you have little ones in your party, you can do a "baby swap" (everyone stands in line - someone stays behind with the baby while the rest of the party rides, and you swap when they get back) or you can partake of the other goodies Critter Country has to offer. Such as...
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: This is a classic Disneyland indoor track ride that takes you through a day (and night - a fun dream sequence!) with Pooh. There's not much to any of these track rides, but I adore them and the kids like 'em, too. And the line is almost always short. After you've done that you might want to...
• Meet Pooh & Friends: Pooh, Eyore and Tigger were out greeting guests in Critter Country every day we were there. The lines were a bit long, but it's a good way to kill some time while the rest of your group rides Splash Mountain. Or if greeting Pooh isn't up your alley, maybe you'd rather grab a treat at...
• Pooh Corner: This gift shop is full of Pooh memorabilia + all of the other Disney goodies you can find throughout the park, but the real draw is the candy and bakery counter. (Thanks to those who tipped me off to that!) I wanted one of everything. Must do's? A Tigger tail, for one. That would be marshmallows on a stick, dipped in caramel and covered in orange cream. Holy guacamole! That's goodness. I also enjoyed my Mickey-shaped turtle. Next time, I'm getting a Mickey krispie treat, complete with chocolate dipped ears. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.

Critter Country is also home to Davey Crockett's Explorer Canoes, which were not in season on our trip. They looked kinda sorta fun, but I'd probably skip it since I could have a similar experience here at home on the lake.

Bottom line? Don't miss Critter Country! If you don't sing Zippity Doo Dah, your vacation is null and void.

(In my humble opinion, of course.)

{Photo from here.}

The Disneyland Trifecta: How To Start Your Day At D-Land

We started off our first day at Disneyland by going on 3 rides that epitomize Disneyland...

First, Maya's favorite ride {and mine}, Splash Mountain. Once you're singing "Zippety Doo Dah", you know you're at Disneyland. We must have ridden this 5 or so times in all. We LOVE Splash Mountain!

Next up? The Haunted Mansion! This was closed last time we were here, so this was our first go 'round on it. I have to admit, I liked it, but I thought it was a little scary for the kids. We only went on it once.

And finally, Pirates of the Caribbean. Such a classic. A little "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me", a few flume drops in the dark - some pillaging and plundering. What's not to like?

It was a fun way to start our day in true Disneyland style.

{Photos from here, here and here.}

Everybody Loves A Parade

Nothing brings out the kid in me like a Disneyland parade! I was as awestruck as the kids, waving to all the characters. It's rather amazing, and not to be missed!

{Of course, if you're there for several nights, parade time is also prime time to catch rides in Fantasyland with super-short lines!}

Mouseketeer + Cotton Candy

Mason looked like the ultimate Mouseketeer climbing on the corn dog truck! And we all ate more than our fair share of cotton candy!