It takes a pretty special place to make kids and grown ups alike to literally light up with excitement, awe and a variety of other emotions, somewhere like that would have to be the happiest place on earth.  Our last day on our California trip was a very special, we spent the day at Disneyland!

After checking into our room at the absolutely amazing Disney's Grand Californian Resort we made our way to dinner at the Napa Rose restaurant.  Who would have ever thought that a restaurant at Disney would be some of the best food I've ever had, and get this, every server is also a wine sommelier so there isn't just wine for the mummies and daddies, there is VERY good wine!

We met up with the rest of the lucky bloggers who had also travelled around California.  There were a couple of other kids there too but mostly the group was made up amazing Canadian mom bloggers. 

From the moment we pulled up to the hotel, hot, tired and stressed after our 2.5 hour drive though LA traffic the full Disney experience began.  I can't even tell you what it is exactly, except that they have thought of EVERYTHING, including things you didn't even know you would need, want or dream of!

We watched the fireworks show that they put on every night over the castle.  These aren't just any fireworks, think of the best finale you've ever seen at a fireworks show and this whole show tops it!

Tuckered out after a long day we headed back to our comfy room complete with a roller coaster view!  Forgetting to close the drapes in this hotel room could definitely result in a little more attention than you had planned.  Thankfully we did remember to close them just long enough to grab a few hours sleep before our last day in California and our first real day at Disneyland!

Our day started with breakfast as a group at the hotel at Chip 'n Dale's Critter Breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe, where they have characters come by the tables and take pictures with the kids...and the grown up kids.  Every so often they also turn on the music and all the characters like Chip 'n Dale dance around the restaurant with a parade of kids following them.  It is fantastic!

With a belly full of the BEST French toast with caramel sauce we were on a sugar high and ready to go!  Our first stop was a sneak peak of what's new and next for Disneyland.  I now know more than anyone would ever need to know about a new water show that just launched last week, called World of Colour.  Hundreds of fountains all with their own pump shoot water into the air where images can be projected on to them.  Combine that with lights and music and you have another Disneyland hit!

Coming soon to Disneyland is a ride I know my 4 year old would like to live on.  It is a new Little Mermaid Ariel ride where you travel through Ariel's world in a clam shell.  It's going to be built in a similar way to Haunted Mansion for those that remember that classic ride...Haunted Mansion is also yet another ride that scared the pants off my ride shy boy Aidan, somehow I think Aidan will like the Ariel ride a little more.

After our fantastic tour, we were let loose to play in the park for a while.  Which ride to choose first?! I would have never guessed that of all the rides to choose from that Aidan would finally pick the carousel to ride first.  Yup, the classic carousel!  Not that I don't love the carousel but I had a feeling that selection was going to set the tone for the day. 

So instead of choosing another ride we decided to check out a show in Tomorrow Land that was right up Aidan's alley, Star Wars Jedi Training!  I have this whole experience on video on my iphone and if I can figure out how to get it off and post it I will.  If you have a Star Wars fan this is a definite MUST DO!  They select about 30 kids to joining in the training.  The kids are outfitted with Jedi cloaks and light sabres.  They are trained by Jedi masters just in time to have to fight the dark side when Darth Vader and his storm troopers show up.  Aidan had a blast and if you ask him what his favourite ride was at Disneyland he will always answer, "Jedi Training".

We then headed back to meet the group and go on a tour of the park called "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps".  This tour is probably something I would never have looked into if we had just gone on our own, but I loved it.  Aidan however, was not a fan and bored to tears, actually bored to the point of drawing all over his legs with the pen we got him to use for the characters autographs.  In the end I would highly recommend a tour like that for older kids, on your own or even with infant, just not six year old boys who would rather run around the park than learn about the history and vision of Walt Disney.

With a great wealth of Disney knowledge our fun as a group was over, we said goodbye and I turned to Aidan and said okay the last time I was here I was six years old and I want to take you on the rides I went on at that age.  He was not impressed with my first choice, Haunted Mansion.  After running away from me in the line once he did actually enjoy it enough for me to convince him to go on Pirates of the Caribbean. We went on It's a Small World and other classics but we didn't have the time, energy or bravery to try out some of the very cool new rides they have now like the Toy Story ride and Soarin'. 

We got to see lots of characters and Aidan started to fill his autograph book.  It is a great thing to buy in the many gift stores that keeps the kids on the lookout and a great souvenir.  We got one for Kate too but we didn't see any Princesses, so we will just have to go back one day.  It is truly the happiest place on earth and I can't wait to go back with our whole family!

Thank you to the absolutely lovely people at Disney for treating Aidan and I to a very special trip to the happiest place on earth