Final Day at Disneyland

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Our final day at Disneyland was our best by far. The clouds rolled in and it was chilly and spitting a little rain, so we all got to wear our Disneyland sweatshirts all day.

The day started out with a trip around the Magic Kingdom on the Disneyland Railroad. It was the first time that we had been able to ride it this trip and it was pretty empty when we got on. For those that know any of the History of Walt Disney, you know that the Train was one of his passions and it is one of two places in Disneyland that I feel really connected with my role model. The other place is standing in front of the fire station on Main Street and paying tribute to the candle in the window of his apartment on the second floor.

My Husbands first trip on the Nemo Submarine ride and then followed by his first trip on the Matterhorn rounded out the first part of the morning. The rest of the day went by in a blur of trying to get everything done on our final day in the park. There was so much that we didn't get around too that we are definately going to have to add days to our next trip.

Two of the significant events of the day was our first trip to the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ and getting great seats to the fireworks.

Located in the back of the park across from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the BBQ is a family style all-you-can-eat meal. It is not a buffet as you do not get to choose what foods you want or go get your food, you are served a large meal at your table and you can have as much as you want. It has very much the feeling of eating on a ranch.

Our meal included chicken, ribs, corn bread, BBQ beans and coleslaw. The drinks are extra and so are the desserts. But for 19.99 a person the meat was worth it as both my son and my husband finshed up 3 buckets of the meat and left lunch satisfied. They serve additional items for dinner and I would assume that they increase the price then also as they do with the other meals around the resort at dinner time.

The highlight of evening was the spot that we were able to get in front of the castle for the fireworks that night. We had been able to see the fireworks from our hotel room the night before and then from the banks of the Rivers of America on friday, but this was going to be the first time that my husband was going to get to see all the effects in front of the castle, including Tinker Bell flying and the effects on the Matterhorn as well. We only have to reserve our spots for a little less then 2 hours and it was the best time I have ever had reserving a spot. No one tried to muscle in on our area, no one ran over us and no one was rude around us as they have been in the past.

To pass the time my husband went off in search of his dinner as our son and I opted for the yummy corn dogs just at the end of Main Street from the little red wagon. The two hours was filled with eating, talking with my son, people watching, trying to keep warm and wondering if my husband got lost in the park as he didn't come back for a very long time. He did make it a back with ten minutes to spare and he loved the fireworks.

The rest of the night was just as magical as the fireworks and that familiar feeling of sadness welled in my chest as I exited the gates for the last time on this trip. Our last 2 trips to Disneyland had been terrible and I was eager to go back home after them, but this trip marked the return of why we keep going to the park and I didn't want to leave.

But like they sing in the Mickey Mouse Club song....MIC -see you real soon (December hopefully) key- why, because we like you (we sure do like you Disneyland!) M-O-U-S-E

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Photos

Disneyland Railroad
My son and I in an empty car

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
This photo and the ones like it were taken on the ISO setting on my camera with the flash turned off.

Big Thunder Ranch
As you can see the food is mostly served in buckets.