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teach
03-19-2006, 07:24 AM
We just got back from our sixth and final trip ever with our kids, aged 10 and 12. Jokingly, the plan is now to tag along with our girls and their families when they are grown up, married, and with their own children.

Why is this our final trip till then? We have just had a magical year of Disneyland adventure, and our annual pass is up at the end of this month. Given that we live in Canada, and it is a huge investment of time and money to make the trip, we do not plan to renew the pass. There are other places in the world to visit. We feel very fortunate to have had four trips in the last year and have made 19 days of visits to the two parks.

So what do you do with the final visit ever? The answer was enjoy it all. We did our usual show up early and enter the parks right at opening time, utilize the fastpasses to maximize the number attractions, lots of people watching, and best of all having quality family time.

Random highlights of the four days this trip were: bumping into four families from the school where my wife and I teach at, seeing the fireworks no matter where we were in the park, still getting a silly grin on our faces when the elevator comes to a stop at the end of Tower of Terror, experiencing new jokes on the Jungle Cruise, trying to predict who was going to get wet on Grizzly River Run, getting the front row on California Screamin', and the continued thrill each time you walk through the gates each morning.

On our last day, we were justing staying until noon and then driving back to Las Vegas where we originally flew to. The dilemma was what rides do we go on for our last trip ever. We each chose our favourites, which consisted on Soarin' Over California, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, and Space Mountain. We then added in the Jungle Cruise because that was our first ever ride at Disneyland when the girls were 5 and 7. These rides made for a perfect end to our Disneyland adventures.

So what next? Well, I will continue to live vicariously through the posts on this website, and the family would like to plan trip to Europe next. Didn't I hear that there is a Disney park in France?!?:cool:

Wendi
03-19-2006, 10:45 AM
Sounds like a wonderful last trip, and a wonderful year. But please... say it isn't so... you're going to want to come back at least in 3 or 4 years!!!

Ragrobyn
03-19-2006, 02:33 PM
Oh my heart is breaking! We are from Canada too and feel you pain. What is in the water at Disneyland that makes me figure out ways to come back before my bank account says it is okay???:crying:

momuvseven
03-19-2006, 02:52 PM
Great decision! Your girls are getting ready to enter adolescence. From now until they are 30 everything you plan will be dumb and boring. Wait until they have families of their own and then you can tag along and they can cater to you. LOL

sambo
03-19-2006, 08:40 PM
I guess I did it wrong then going for two weeks with my kids (19 and 23). It was the blast of our lives and we want to do it again. Hopefully again within this year - before the AP's expire.

The tough years were 13 to 16 - after that they outgrew the hormonal adolescent thing and we could have even more fun. Don't wait until they are gone with their own children... you will be missing so much. Life's too short as it is!

Malcon10t
03-19-2006, 08:49 PM
Great decision! Your girls are getting ready to enter adolescence. From now until they are 30 everything you plan will be dumb and boring. Wait until they have families of their own and then you can tag along and they can cater to you. LOL
hehehehe Well, my kids (now 16-20) have always loved going to Disneyland. My 17yo is my biggest helper for planning. Things have changed in our trips. We started training service dogs 3 years ago and that changed our trips. My kids went thru the whole "Everything is about rides" and believed in opening and closing the park. Now that they are a little older, they are starting to slow own just a hair. My 17 yo now likes to stake out a great spot to see fireworks, they will wait to see a parade with me, and while they roll their eyes still, they will ride IASW once a trip (though they say I am doing damage to the dog making him listen to that song over and over.) We have a fun trip coming up playing tour guides with a group including 3-5yo girls and 2-8yo boys. My non-princessy girls will be going to the Princess lunch.. Will be interesting!!

momuvseven
03-20-2006, 09:02 AM
I was just joking! I actually like it once they turn 12 or so because then I can send them out in buddy pairs to do what they want and DH & I get some time alone with the younger kids.
Actually my girls never tire of DL. I have had a miserable time though taking my teen brother when he was 15 and all he did was whine about how he wanted to go to that other park in Studio City. He was such a PITA that we cancelled our day at the other park and he cried all the way home. No one else wanted to go and he made absolutely sure that the rest of us had a rotten time at DLR. He is 35 now with kids and I am hoping and praying they treat him as well as he treated our family when they get to be teens.
My oldest son is 14 now and I am waiting to see how he acts this year at DL. He has always loved it and been a super kid to take.