Travels of the Rennhack family
🚗 Domestic 6/14/2013 – 6/18/2013
Visited Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure with Lisa. Attended the Monsters University world premiere in Hollywood.
Lisa and I flew from Detroit to Los Angeles. Lisa stopped to clap along with a mural on the drive to the airport.
That evening we had a character meet-and-greet with Sulley and Mike Wazowski in front of an indoor Monsters University backdrop at the hotel, likely tied to our invitation to the premiere later in the week. It was a quiet arrival day, ahead of Disneyland the next morning.
Made it to hotel. $115.12 taxi ride. So hungry.
We were up early and inside Disneyland not long after it opened, around half past eight in the morning. Lisa met Pluto and then Mickey Mouse, and posed by the Chip 'n Dale fountain in Fantasyland.
We stopped at it's a small world for pictures of the building, though we did not go inside for the ride. We rode the Mark Twain Riverboat around the river, and later in the afternoon we rode Splash Mountain.
Lisa met Tigger and Eeyore, and a stranger took our picture with each of them. We looked at the Mickey-shaped candy apples in one of the shops, and spent a long stretch of the afternoon at the Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, posing with the skull flag and the treasure chest of coins. Lisa picked up a Disneyland pin shaped like Mickey, and a button that said Happy Anniversary, though it was just a park button, not tied to any date of ours.
We stayed until evening and walked over to Downtown Disney as it got dark, where Lisa climbed onto the big red Mickey head medallion in the plaza before we called it a night.
Michael
It begins. A long day of lines. I mean meeting our favorite characters.
The day was spent at California Adventure. We started in Cars Land, under the Welcome to Cars Land sign with the big rock formation behind it, then rode Radiator Springs Racers and stopped to meet Mater.
From there we found Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, where Lisa worked her way across a rope and net climbing course, and we walked along the river where a log ride splashed down nearby.
As it got dark we rode a coaster on Paradise Pier. Lisa picked out a rainbow lollipop on the walk back along Buena Vista Street, where she posed by the Storytellers statue.
We had dinner at a restaurant near the hotel, with the Hilton sign lit up outside. Lisa colored a placemat while we ate, and by the end of the meal she was worn out, sitting with her eyes closed.
Michael
The day took in Hollywood, Madame Tussauds Hollywood and El Capitan Theatre. Brian later sent us two photos from early in the day: one of us at the Monsters University step and repeat outside the theatre, Lisa in her blue sequined dress, and one from the street fair outside, with a fan who joined the shot.
We passed stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, including Jackie Chan's, on the way to Madame Tussauds Hollywood. We spent hours there working through the wax figures: Lady Gaga, Charlie Chaplin, Marlon Brando at the Godfather desk, John Travolta's car from Grease, the Oval Office with Barack Obama, Spider-Man upside down on the ceiling, a Halo soldier with his motorcycle, Iron Man, Jackie Chan, and a dinosaur jungle scene, among many more.
Back outside, the Monsters University Tailgate Party had taken over the block, with carnival games, a limbo bar and a bounce house shaped like the movie's logo. Lisa played one of the toss games in the fan zone and posed with a costumed character in a purple wig.
We were at the blue-carpet premiere of Monsters University at the El Capitan Theatre. The screening started at 6:09 that evening. By the time we got back to the hotel, close to eleven, Lisa had a shirt, a foam finger, sunglasses and a cup to bring home.
Michael
Lisa and I flew from Los Angeles to Detroit.