Disneyland is the happiest place on earth.

We got up early on Saturday, January 10th (I know. My birthday is the 13th. However, I will celebrate when I want!) to leave for Disneyland. Nicole and I were on a trip to San Diego. Since Anaheim is only 90 minutes away from SD, I decided there would be no better way to celebrate my 40th birthday.

We got up before 6am so we could be at the gate opening at 9. I left the room first getting breakfast at a Starbucks. A small hot chocolate and yogurt blueberry muffin seemed like a magical breakfast to me. 

Nicole and I chose to dress alike that day. We had matching Mickey shirts. I borrowed Mickey Mouse ears from Tatum, and Nicole had sequined Minnie ears from a previous trip to Walt Disney World.

The trip up the I-5 was beautiful. We had rented a less-than-new car. The indicator light for low tire pressure began to blink and beep at us. We decided for a quick pit stop to put air in the tire and get gas.

Nicole got filled up the gas tank while I found the air pump. There were some landscape workers pruning the palm trees around the station. One of the trucks was directly in front of the pump. I asked the supervisor to move it. He was large, kind man. He moved the truck so our day at Disney would not be delayed.

It cost a dollar. We pumped up the tires. We did not get the light to go off, but it stopped blinking. That was good enough for us.

We kept heading up the I-5. We got off the highway at Disney Way. We drove toward the park, seeing the parts of it peaking above exterior walls. We made it to the parking garage by 8:05am. We parked in section Minnie 10B. The park opened at 9am. We had plenty of time before the gates opened.

Getting out of the car, I put on my Mickey ears and my Disney lanyard. Nicole put on her lanyard (but refused to put on the headgear because it gives her a headache). Others parkgoers were in the parking garage. These people were not dressed in head to toe Disney garb. I was fearful that I might be overdoing it.

Those worries were short-lived. Once we got to the tram, it seemed most people were dressed in Disneyana. Lot of mouse ears. I was ready to show my Disney Side and enjoy Walt’s Original.

We made the second tram and made our way to Downtown Disney. We had already bought our tickets via the web. We had barcode emailed to our phones. We were able to avoid the lines to buy tickets and get immediately in the line for the park entrance. While waiting in line 22, Nicole noticed that line 21 was half the size. She darted to the line without even speaking to me. Once she got the line, she called me to come ahead. It was awesome. Her move saved us 10 minutes.

At 8:30am, the gates opened and they began letting us into the park. I told the person at the gate that it was my birthday and that I wanted a pin for my lanyard. I thought the park should be notified of my special day.

We entered the park and took some pictures in front of the park in front of the landscaped Mickey. We asked another couple to take a picture of us, and we returned the favor. Seeing our generosity, another couple asked for our help. It was a magical start to the day.

Entering Main Street we saw a short line for pictures with Mickey. Even though it wasn’t on the plan, Nicole thought we should. We got in line. Nicole put on her hat and we waited. Mickey called us over. He pointed to my button. Mickey was the first to wish me Happy Birthday. The cast member tending Mickey took our photo. It was perfect.

Next, Nicole headed off to rent a lock for our backpack. We had jackets, power cords and recharging battery for our iPhones. The locker was a great idea. It came in handy during the day. Without the backpack being hauled around the parks, we moved around much quicker than during our past trips.

While Nicole rented the locker, I headed to Frontierland to get Fastpasses for Fantasmic. We didn’t stay for the show that night, but the people watching on the way to the Fastpass distribution area was fun. Many people were making that their first stop of the day. One mother was in such a hurry that she decided to leave the family. She threw her pink backpack back towards her family and hit her young daughter. That is Disney commitment.

I got in line for my Fastpasses. Once person ahead of me had a two-way radio, and radioed back to her group that she had obtain the passes and was giving new instructions to her group. I want a two-way radio for my next trip.

Nicole and I met up to get another Fastpass for the Indiana Jones ride. We got our passes and rode the Jungle Cruise.

The day was full of cast members and park guests wishing me Happy Birthday. It made me feel really good. After riding a few other rides and another Fastpass became available. I left Nicole and headed across the park to get passes for Space Mountain. It was on this trip across the park that I decide that I was going to back off trying to get every ride done in a day. I saw many people on that walk running from one place to another or just looking at their phones and missing what was going on around them. I wasn’t going to let that be me.

I reconnected with Nicole and we hit a few more attractions. We rode the train around the park to Tomorrowland. It was on the train that Nicole couldn’t stand it any longer. She had bought me a special birthday pin earlier in the day for my lanyard. She had put it on my lanyard during our visit and I hadn’t noticed.

Finally we both were hungry and decided while we were in line for the Finding Nemo Subs, that we would find a place to eat. We decide on Carnation Cafe on Main Street.

Once the ride was over we headed over. Nicole went to the locker to charge my phone and pick-up/drop off stuff. I went to the restaurant. It was a 45 minute wait. I told the hostess that we weren’t interested. I walked out of the restaurant and waited for Nicole. While out there I changed my mind.

I felt inspired that I should go back and take the next available table. I got on the list and took a pager. Nicole and I headed down Main Street to shop. We had never shopped Main Street before. We were always too busy riding rides.

Walking Main Street was awesome. Nicole found a lanyard pin. Darth Vader with a henna tattoo. Why she can’t be girly, I will never know.

Our pager alerted us that our table was ready. The staff wished me happy birthday on the way into the restaurant. We were seated and knew immediately what we wanted to order. I had the meatloaf. Nicole had the sourdough burger. Both were good. After my meal, the waitress brought out to me a small chocolate cupcake with Mickey sprinkles and a single candle. It made my day.

We headed back into the parks. We had Fastpasses for Star Tours so we headed to Tommorrowland. It was then that the rain really started to pour. It had been lightly raining all day, but now it was steady. Not enough rain to spoil our fun, but enough to need jackets.

We headed over to it’s a small world. We had ridden that in the Magic Kingdom. The ride queue and boarding area is outside. We rode it anyway. We had chosen this date to go to Disney because most of the rides would be open. Several were closing for refurbishment the next week. Some because holiday overlays were being taken off.

Since we came this day, we got to see the holiday version of it’s a small world and Haunted Mansion. Both were awesome.

Late in the day we were waiting on the Snow While Scary Adventure ride. We were about a dozen people from the front of the line when it broke down. We decided to wait out the breakdown. It was fun to watch the maintenance crew come by. Ten minutes later we were on the ride. By then we had decided forego any other rides and start to head back to Main Street for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. After our visit with the sixteenth president, I stood near the entrance to look at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle all lit up.

I can’t imagine celebrating forty any better.