"The Happiest Place on Earth"

I made everyone go to Disneyland. 

I understand why some people wouldn't want to go to Disneyland -- it's cheesy, it's hot, it's crowded... the list goes on and on. My counter argument? It's Disneyland.

Where else will I get to wear sequined Minnie Mouse ears? Where else is so much kitsch packed in one place? And, really, I shouldn't even call it kitsch because my love for Disneyland isn't ironic. I sincerely love being transported to "The Happiest Place on Earth." I love seeing "It's a Small World," "The Haunted Mansion" and "The Pirates of the Caribbean." I love the celebrity sightings!

We saw a total of seven Disney characters. (Look at Goofy behind us! What a star!) If you count the Storm Trooper who denied my request for a picture, there were eight celebrity sightings, but I don't count him because he's, you know, on the dark side.

And yes, it was hot. And yes, it was crowded. We waited in a lot of lines. But almost all the lines were under 15 minutes. Two were long -- Space Mountain and Splash Mountain were 40 minutes and an hour respectively. But those mountains are popular! You have to be willing to wait for the thrills.

I'm not sure why I was so set on going to Disneyland. I think partly it was posts from Gala Darling. I think partly it was those commercials with the happy young couple who didn't have kids "yet." I think partly it was because I have such fond memories of Disneyland and Disneyworld from childhood. But mostly I think it was because it's Disneyland. In the end, it lived up to at least half of the hype, which is still saying a lot. I had a fantastic time, and I dare say so did my darling companions.