Disneyland as a Parent

As a teenager, I would dash from one ride to the next without so much as breathing heavy and rarely stopping for a bathroom break. Sitting down for a meal was unheard of. Any food we remembered to eat was carried in our waist pack and inhaled while standing in line. The only reason I paid any attention to shows or parades was when they were popular enough to have an effect on the lines to my favorite ride. Fantasmic was the best invention ever, in my opinion, because virtually every ride was walk-on, and I usually spent the entire show going on Space Mountain over and over and over again.

As a mother, Disneyland is a whole new place. Somehow, I swear they moved every ride farther apart than it was before. The stroller we push isn't as much for the children we bring, but the supplies that must come with them. Shows, Parades, and even rides now have a common appeal for me- a chance to get off my feet. They are also a reason for my 2 1/2 year old to stop whining about the desert he couldn't have or the toy we couldn't buy. Not only does he stop whining, he even smiles, claps, and laughs. Which of course wipes away my frown as well. Shows and parades are now an opportunity to eat, rehydrate, and feed the baby. The Aladdin show at Disney's California Adventure is my favorite. It's dynamic enough to keep my 2 1/2 year old's attention, is inside a temperature controlled building, and includes cushioned theater chairs with armrests!

As a mother, I now know the location of nearly every restroom in the park, which ones have the nicest changing areas, and which are located near a restaurant. I have discovered that every restaurant provides hot water free of charge for bottle warming. Additionally, there is a special child tending/parent's lounge type area near the Carnation restaurant at the end of Main St. - according to the map. I haven't timed it right to use that lounge yet, but I'm hoping to get the chance before our passes expire, just to see what it looks like.

As a teenager I had no idea there was a fountain in front of the train station near the haunted mansion, and I certainly didn't know there were benches surrounding that fountain. I now know that sitting on one of the two benches closest to the island but facing the station, lets my 2 1/2 year old stand on the seat and hold the back to watch the first part of Fantasmic, but helps block his view of the life size, fire-breathing purple dragon at the end when I turn him around and sit him on his bottom.

As a teenager I raced in and out and around Tom Sawyer's Island without a thought to spiders or the fact that the caves were dark. As a mother at "Pirate's Lair" (as it's now called) I dutifully check for spider webs in each cave and hold a little hand tight as we slowly make our way through....when he's feeling brave. If he's not feeling too brave that day, we sit on the rocks outside and wave at the people on the boats and cannoes going around the island. As a teenager I thought rocks were for climbing up, jumping across and jumping drown from. It never occurred to me that you could sit on them.

As a mother, I now notice and understand the details of adult behavior that I simply missed or didn't understand as a teenager. I now understand when I see a mom and her daughter leave the line they've been standing in for the last 40min even though they're just 5 min from getting on. I understand that the little dance and tugging on mommy's hand mean "I gotta go NOW!" I also know that thanks to Disney's family friendly policies, the ride operator the mom passed on the way out of line will let her back in the back entrance after the bathroom emergency has been handled. I also know that the man with the baby near the exit of Thunder Mountain is probably waiting for his wife to finish her ride not because he's too cowardly to ride, but so that she can give him the switch pass and he can ride without waiting a second time in line.

As a mother I have learned a great many things about Disneyland that I never knew as a teenager.

Next week the kids are spending the day with Nana and I'm hoping for a few hours of amnesia. ;-P