After a day of travelling and then a few rides and dinner, we were all worn out. We had chosen our hotel for 3 main reasons, price and proximity to Disneyland, and the fact it had a kids suite with bunk beds for the boys. We had stayed there before, but I did not anticipate the fight for the top bunk, because Q was previously too small. After much arguing and angry words a rotation was instituted, eventually it worked out they took turns on the top bunk and the sofa bed. In a minor miracle, O, whose sleep habits have been previously blogged on, slept through the night the entire time. Between daylight savings and the change to the Pacific time zone, the boys got up at 6, but that was fine since they slept through the night.
Having been to Disneyland before with the boys we have to learned to expect certain things. O despite talk before the trip, will inevitably let the fear and anxiety take over and refuse to go on most rides. The boys will want to buy many things in the stores. It is important to keep the boys well fed to improve moods. Armed with the knowledge of previous trips, we know to lower expectations. We told O ahead of time he didn't have to go on any ride he didn't want to. His biggest problem is that he doesn't like the dark, so almost any indoor ride (even kiddie ones), he won't go on. He actually likes going fast, and isn't afraid of heights, so most traditional ride fears don't apply to him. He always says he'll go on rides like Star Tours, but when confronted with the entrance, backs out. This year we just say okay and walk on, no trying to talk him into it. It's an excellent strategy that removed a lot of the stress. Even still we continue to ask in the hopes he'll say yes. J's favorite ride is Soaring Over California, and she really wanted O to ride it with her. In an attempt to facilitate this, we did what may not be one of our proudest parenting moments, we drugged him. We gave him about a third of an Alprazolam to try to calm his anxiety. It worked, and he went on the ride with J, he even told me he would go on it with me later. Of course later the pill had worn off and he wouldn't go on it again nor would he take the pill again. We were just glad that he could overcome his fears, medicated or otherwise.
O is really funny about rides he won't go on, because in his fear is fascination. Anyone who goes on a ride is expected to give a very detailed account of everything to do with the ride, usually multiple times. It's like he is trying to go on the ride vicariously.
The other thing we have found that makes Disneyland fun for O is Tom Sawyers Island and the Redwood Creek Trail on the California side. These are play areas where the boys can just run around and have fun with no lines and no ride worries.
Overall O was really good the whole time, not much anger or yelling, and behaved very well. Q had some struggles without his regular nap, but performed admirably as well, although he was upset about not being tall enough. After searching for shoes that made him 40" tall before the trip we were disappointed to find that Disney's 40" is apparently higher than the 40" of my tape measure at home. He was just barely undersized and couldn't go on a lot of rides he wanted to.
The plane ride home had it's moments. O was again worried about take-off, and when the plane veered out over the Pacific, he freaked a little bit. "We're going to die, we're going the wrong way! We're going to crash in the ocean! We're not supposed to go this way. Mommy we're over the water, that's wrong, we're going to die!". Of course he's yelling this. Soon the plane veered back over land and he was okay, but that wasn't the end of the fun. On final descent, Owen decides he has to go pee. At this point we can't use the plane's so we tell him to wait, we'll land soon. Of course this doesn't help, because even though we land soon, we have to taxi, and wait to get off. My guess is O had to go for most of the plane ride, because it was obvious he had to go, that and he felt the need to let everyone know, VERY LOUDLY. I was worried he wasn't going to make it. We get to the gate, but are in row eight and have to wait for everyone in front to go. O is in the aisle with J, hopping around clutching himself, loudly saying,"umm, excuse me, I have to pee, could you hurry please!". J is mortified. They hurry off the plane while Q and I gather our stuff up. J relayed what happened in the bathroom. He hurries into a stall (in the woman's restroom), and proceeds to relieve himself and let out a loud "aaaahhhhh! I feel so much better!". J said the woman in the stall next to them just starts laughing. Once in the car to drive home, Q announces that he has to pee too.
As I read this post I am happy that there aren't more stories and that it went as smoothly as it did. This was a fairly low stress trip overall and I don't think I could have asked for more. Except that O would sleep at home like he did there, we were very sad it did not carry over.
Having been to Disneyland before with the boys we have to learned to expect certain things. O despite talk before the trip, will inevitably let the fear and anxiety take over and refuse to go on most rides. The boys will want to buy many things in the stores. It is important to keep the boys well fed to improve moods. Armed with the knowledge of previous trips, we know to lower expectations. We told O ahead of time he didn't have to go on any ride he didn't want to. His biggest problem is that he doesn't like the dark, so almost any indoor ride (even kiddie ones), he won't go on. He actually likes going fast, and isn't afraid of heights, so most traditional ride fears don't apply to him. He always says he'll go on rides like Star Tours, but when confronted with the entrance, backs out. This year we just say okay and walk on, no trying to talk him into it. It's an excellent strategy that removed a lot of the stress. Even still we continue to ask in the hopes he'll say yes. J's favorite ride is Soaring Over California, and she really wanted O to ride it with her. In an attempt to facilitate this, we did what may not be one of our proudest parenting moments, we drugged him. We gave him about a third of an Alprazolam to try to calm his anxiety. It worked, and he went on the ride with J, he even told me he would go on it with me later. Of course later the pill had worn off and he wouldn't go on it again nor would he take the pill again. We were just glad that he could overcome his fears, medicated or otherwise.
O is really funny about rides he won't go on, because in his fear is fascination. Anyone who goes on a ride is expected to give a very detailed account of everything to do with the ride, usually multiple times. It's like he is trying to go on the ride vicariously.
The other thing we have found that makes Disneyland fun for O is Tom Sawyers Island and the Redwood Creek Trail on the California side. These are play areas where the boys can just run around and have fun with no lines and no ride worries.
Overall O was really good the whole time, not much anger or yelling, and behaved very well. Q had some struggles without his regular nap, but performed admirably as well, although he was upset about not being tall enough. After searching for shoes that made him 40" tall before the trip we were disappointed to find that Disney's 40" is apparently higher than the 40" of my tape measure at home. He was just barely undersized and couldn't go on a lot of rides he wanted to.
The plane ride home had it's moments. O was again worried about take-off, and when the plane veered out over the Pacific, he freaked a little bit. "We're going to die, we're going the wrong way! We're going to crash in the ocean! We're not supposed to go this way. Mommy we're over the water, that's wrong, we're going to die!". Of course he's yelling this. Soon the plane veered back over land and he was okay, but that wasn't the end of the fun. On final descent, Owen decides he has to go pee. At this point we can't use the plane's so we tell him to wait, we'll land soon. Of course this doesn't help, because even though we land soon, we have to taxi, and wait to get off. My guess is O had to go for most of the plane ride, because it was obvious he had to go, that and he felt the need to let everyone know, VERY LOUDLY. I was worried he wasn't going to make it. We get to the gate, but are in row eight and have to wait for everyone in front to go. O is in the aisle with J, hopping around clutching himself, loudly saying,"umm, excuse me, I have to pee, could you hurry please!". J is mortified. They hurry off the plane while Q and I gather our stuff up. J relayed what happened in the bathroom. He hurries into a stall (in the woman's restroom), and proceeds to relieve himself and let out a loud "aaaahhhhh! I feel so much better!". J said the woman in the stall next to them just starts laughing. Once in the car to drive home, Q announces that he has to pee too.
As I read this post I am happy that there aren't more stories and that it went as smoothly as it did. This was a fairly low stress trip overall and I don't think I could have asked for more. Except that O would sleep at home like he did there, we were very sad it did not carry over.
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