For the last few years, we’ve planned our summer vacation around our birthday week. After celebrating birthdays in Minneapolis last week, we were excited for this week. We visited Disney World three years ago, so this time it was Disneyland.
We landed in Santa Ana on Sunday afternoon (skipping LAX) and, after lunch, checked into our Airbnb. It was a great house with wonderful facilities. We kept Monday open so we could settle in and not rush straight to Mickey. After adjusting to the time-zone change, we spent the day at Knott’s Berry Farm. It was fun and gave us a good preview of what to expect — walking in the sun at around 85°F (just shy of 30°C). Minneapolis has spoiled us when it comes to weather.
That evening we headed to Huntington State Beach. Avy was excited to see the water and had a blast. Adhruth took a little longer to get used to the wind and the cold water, but he explored it in his own way.
The next three days were spent in the Happiest Place on Earth. We had spoken with them about using a stroller as a wheelchair for Adhruth. As we walked into the park, cast members asked about it, called their lead, and added a blue tag so we could use the stroller/wagon as a wheelchair for four days (in case we decided to extend). That made a big difference. Adhruth didn’t love the bright sun, but he adjusted, posed for pictures with us, and was happiest in the shade of the wagon. Whenever we stepped into a store, he immediately relaxed in the air conditioning.
Our plan was Disneyland on Tuesday, California Adventure on Wednesday, and back to Disneyland on Thursday. We started a little earlier than usual on Tuesday and Wednesday and entered around 10 a.m. On Thursday we decided on a later start so we could stay for the parade and fireworks, arriving around 1 p.m. That worked well.
Avy brought his autograph book and collected signatures from quite a few characters — you can see them in the pictures.
We lived among the characters, enjoyed the rides and food, and made some wonderful memories. Adhruth did a great job adjusting to the new environment, and Avy checked in on him many times throughout the day — hugging him, comforting him, and making sure he was having fun too.
On Friday we started late after the fireworks, visited an indoor playground so Avy could play, and then returned to the beach. Watching the sunset there is a moment that will stay with us. It was mesmerizing to see that orange ball disappear into the horizon.
Saturday we kept things easy — an indoor mall and then packing for our Sunday flight back to Minneapolis.
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