Disney Day Trip

We've been blessed this past year to enjoy annual passes at Disneyland and believe me, we do what we can to take advantage of it, too.

Sometimes we plan ahead, other times, and more often than not, we spontaneously forge on a day trip, like we did yesterday.

Before heading out to Disneyland, I recommend if you are Disneyland Passholders, to follow @DisneylandAP and get a quick snapshot of any potential blackout restrictions that day.

For park hours, follow @DisneylandToday to plan your day.

I follow @DisnylandAP and tweeted "We're here" yesterday and they made us feel like family when they responded with, "Hooray!"

Soarin' Around the World

First thing on our agenda, ride "Soarin' Around the World." It wasn't our first time on this adventure, but each time feels different. You see something you hadn't the time before. This is a new attraction on the Disney California Adventure (DCA) Park which opened this summer, but for those who remember, the ride used to be named "Soarin' Over California" which highlighted pinpoint spots in California ranging from The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco), Napa Valley (Wine Country), Half Doem at Yosemite National Park, Malibu Beach, Mojave Desert, Coronado Bay (San Diego), and a few other locations. 

Visiting the DCA side is never complete without riding on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (which is rumored to be renamed to "Guardians of the Galaxy" Tower of Terror). We were equally excited when we entered the ride to see there was only a 13-minute wait! I think it's the first we've seen of its kind ever at any Disneyland/DCA ride.

There's something about the suspenseful and unpredictable drops from three stories high that puts a lump in your throat (literally), and my favorite part is the few seconds we hover over the top floor when the elevator doors open, we position ourselves for that flashed photo opp. Every time, we make up silly poses to make it more memorable! You can view your photo at the conclusion of the ride as you exit.

I love browsing through the souvenir shop at Tower of Terror to see all the cool merchandise like these two that caught my eye yesterday.

 We also rode on Radiator Springs Racers and took advantage of the Single Rider line. We were

pretty lucky to be placed in the same car just on different rows. This ride is the best! The animtronics is terrific, the neon-lit colors are just so bright and colorful, the canyon in the background is just so beautiful and picturesque. One thing Disney does not falter on is its attention to detail. I especially love the end of the ride when we get to race side-by-side with another car to the finish line and it takes you through a few windy turns and dips coupled with the screeching and roaring of the revved up engine!

(Watch the Facebook LIVE recording of Racers)

The last ride of the day was The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure. This is ride is near and dear to my heart especially because it's been my favorite since my daughter, Elysse (26), was born, and having performed in The Grove Theater in Upland's production of "The Little Mermaid" as Andrina, one of Ariel's Mersisters. 

Looking forward to our next adventure at the Disneyland Resort. 

Check back again!