Epic Girls Trip to Disneyland

I gathered friends from Manila 2nd ward and we headed to California. We left EARLY Sunday morning, August 5. We left super early because we wanted to get ahead of the Vegas to Los Angeles traffic on Sunday afternoon. It worked.

Cara Rogers and Amy Bowden and I were the original travelers. We picked up Kim Blight in St. George. We later picked up Amy Christensen in Baker, California. Maria Trump drove down from the Bay Area. It was a smooth ride. I got in a 2 hour nap and that made the trip go really fast.

This is the way moms travel. Drinks and naps in the back seat

I had reached out to Derek to see if he and the family wanted to meet up with me at the park. In hindsight I wish I hadn't. I wish I had just driven up to their house. It's much more relaxing to be at their house than at Disneyland. It was just not a good idea, but I'm not gonna dwell on that. What's done is done. It was a fun afternoon with the Hunters. Derek looks great and Rose got to go to Beast's Library and find which Disney character she's most like.

I hung with the Hunters at California Adventure while my friends did big girl stuff at the park. Amy Christensen hung with us Hunters for a couple of hours and really enjoyed spending time with D and Rae. After a couple of hours. the Hunters went home and I met up with my friends. Amy and I went back to the hotel early, though, because we wanted to get to bed.

Rose is Lilo from "Lilo and Stitch"

We had an adventure and found out our spirit animals. I'm a bear, just like my mom

Milo loves cars and got a new toy

the boys

I bought Rose a friendship necklace to share with her friend

Sad to see my people go. I love them so much

Monday morning I got up early to get to the park and get Amy a ticket. The others had military tickets they had purchased with Amy Bowden's military benefits. We wanted to open the park. That requires getting in line about 30 minutes early. We stayed at a hotel just under a mile from the park. I didn't mind walking to the park. It's a long walk after a long day, though. The rest of the girls got there about 20 minutes after the park opened. I had to keep letting people in front of me to keep my friends from having to get in a long line. It all worked out well.

We hit lots of rides on the Disneyland side. We really used that max pass for ultimate rides. We were resting, eating lunch and waiting for our Space Mountain fast pass when I realized I knew where the single rider line is for that ride. What was I thinking? It's a hidden gem. Probably my best Disney hack. So we rode Space Mountain using the single rider line. Then I went back to the hotel for a nice long nap. I know from experience that you only get about 2-3 rides in during the middle of the day and I needed sleep more than I needed 2 rides. That's the beauty of an annual pass. I got some good sleep.

The girls reached out to me when they were at Cheesecake Factory eating dinner. I was gonna go back to the park, but I realized I can go to the park anytime, but I had limited time with 5 friends, so I went to the restaurant. I had brought my own food, so I just kept them company and we all headed back to Disneyland/California Adventure for the rest of the night. Some went to Disneyland and I went with Kim and Amy Christensen to California Adventure. I wanted the new lemon non dairy treat and I wanted to ride the Incredicoaster. Kim and Amy wanted to ride Guardians again.

Maria Trump, Amy Christensen, Me, Amy Bowden, Cara Rogers, Kim Blight

Beginning the day. Fresh and ready to go.

By Haunted Mansion

Got my lemon treat at Pixar Pier. Would get it again

Amy C, Kim and me on Incredicoaster

Surprised!

LOL. Amy C has a tradition to get a pic by the whale

Here we are running away from Monstro

Cara, Amy B and Maria on Luigi's cars

Maria had stayed in the hotel to rest some. She joined us all at Disneyland in time for the fireworks. That show is spectacular. Maria had jokingly asked if she could just youtube it. I looked shocked. WHAT? NO!!!!!

After the fireworks, Kim and I went back to the hotel to get to bed. Earplugs and an eye mask work great. I slept as well as can be expected with 6 women in a room. We got up and I went to the park with Amy C. to get her tickets for the day. She was meeting with Dane to take the girls. We got on the road around 10. We stopped at 2 outlet malls to hit Kate Spade stores. We didn't get home til around 11:00 after dropping Kim in St. George to drive her parents to Utah County. It was a fun time.