This Week in Education Senior Trip

"But I want to go too."

Disney gives every grad a momento when entering.

If you read my blog you know that I am blessed with twins. A girl and a boy gave my wife and I an instant family. It has been an incredible journey.  We took them to Disneyland the first time when they were eighteen months. Anyone one would tell you they are Disneyland professionals. We did all things to acquaint them with Disneyland and its characters. We went to the theater to see all the new releases. They were loyal watchers of the Disney Channel. It isn't like I didn't enjoy any of that. Now for the first time it's happening, they are going without us. It is their trip to Disney's Grad Night. But this is not a trip to Grad Night only. They also go to Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain.    At Disneyland they get a Grad Night showing of Fantasmic. And the park stays open until 3:00 AM. However thats not late for two kids who just spent 24 hours at the One More Disney Celebration on Leap Day this year. If you haven't read the blogs for these yet check out posts on March 3rd, 5th and 11th . This will be a fun time for them. Neither my wife nor I got to go on this kind of trip. We both had jobs that we couldn't just up and take time off. I know while I mowed those rich kids lawns I was so jealous. Sweating in the hot sun while they got to do anything they wanted.  So I wanted to make sure my kids got to have things better.
This senior trip takes them from their school to Disneyland. They receive a park hopper ticket that allows them into both Disneyland and California Adventure. As I understand it this will be the first and only time this is supposed to happen. 

Wrist bands for safety.

"She's got a ticket to ride."

Disneyland is a controlled environment.  This is one of the benefits of this prepackaged trip.  We found this type of trip was excellent when they were in eighth grade on the Washington D.C. and New York trip.  Check the blog posts of the Time Machine Travelogue for information on that field trip.  As a dad I was, of course, missing them.  Thanks to cell phones it is easier to keep in touch.  My son is not the best texting messenger when it comes to my inquiries.  Now, we have driven this road once or twice a year for over ten years.  I thought he might have paid attention.  While he is traveling on the bus I texted. "Where are you?"  


He texted back, "On the road."  


After they arrived, I texted my son and asked, "What ride are you waiting for?"  


To this I got the best response of the trip, "The ride your daughter learned to drive on."  This made me laugh out loud.  He was going on Autotopia.  It fit with my theory that 90% of the people in California learned to drive on the Autotopia.  So, they were given a wrist band that identified them for staying in the park after it closed to the general public and they also got to attend a special performance of Fantasmic.  

 A new service that Disneyland offers is a photography card.  All photos taken are placed online and the card is used for identifying those pictures.  

Picture this

Also everyday and especially special occasions you want to ask for the events of the day.  If you notice anyone sweeping up or even ride operators, they have a pouch on their belt that has the event cards.  Just ask them for one they are happy to give you one.

Disco ball Mickey

When we were there for the One More Disney Day on Leap Day, my daughter saw the Grad Night Mickey Ears mortar board graduation hat.  The clerk at the hat shop told her that it would be best to buy the hat and have it monogrammed then because on Grad Night they sometimes sell out.  So she did and it was a good thing because the wait would have taken away from rides and fun time.  My son won this cute little penguin at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Mr. Penguini has agreed to model the Mickey Ear hat.  So they partied with their friends a until 3:00 AM.  They went to back to the hotel and started off early the next morning for Universal Studios.

Waddles when he walks for graduation

Universal Studios has several rides based on their movies.  I looked at my copy of the itinerary and I figured where they were so I texted my daughter, "How is Universal Studios?"  

Ride the movies Optimus Prime.

She texted back that she and two other girls, "We just went to the House of Horrors."


I texted back, "Was it scary?"


She answered, "omg yes!!!!"  I thought it might be like a wax museum, but it was like a Halloween fright house with Chuckie and the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  


They have just added the newest ride based on the movie Transformers.  Both my twins said it was a cool 3-D ride. Mr Penguini show us the flyer.

What could a Decepticon do to you

Later that evening they went to the Medieval Times for dinner.  This is a dinner theater based on the era of Chivalry.  It has all the trappings of the period.  Jousting and sword fighting is part of the display.  Dinner includes Dragon Blood Soup, tomato bisque; Roast Dragon, roasted chicken, and other colorfully named foods.  The girls were given Damsel Headbands and Veils to complete the princess ensemble.  The boys were given princely crowns.  Mr. Pinguini report to the runway please. 

Hit that runway Penguini.

A real fashion horse, uh, I mean penguin.

After they ate and finished at Medieval Times, it was back to the hotel.  The next morning they were off for one more Southern California theme park, Six Flags Magic Mountain.  Are you tired yet?  Well, high school seniors have a ton of energy and they were ready for the long lines of some of the most intense roller coasters in America.  This was the previous home of Mr. Penguini before my son obtained his service contract in a game of chance, shooting hoops.  

Working for a new agent, my son.

The end of the school year is here.  That is great thing.  Everyone says, "You teachers got it easy.  You don't have to work in the summer."  First that is not our fault, we don't make the calendar.  Also we don't get paid for two months.  We have to be industrious like ants and save, and not frivolous like grasshoppers.  I will still have This Week in Education in the summer to show you how we live in that time off.  

Time Machine Travelogue Eleven

A Theme Parks First Christmas

The Warmth of Christmas and Family

There are many technical  advancements in any piece of new machinery. If you build a time machine, you'll understand that. One of the most obvious problems is the arriving in an area undetected. Some inter dimensional and  trans time devices have used phone booths like Dr. Who. However phone booths are an ancient relic. Poor Superman must be unafraid to change in alleys.  In the world we currently live there has been a serious increase in surveillance cameras. In the past however there were far fewer. But still you cannot just appear with a machine in a middle of crowd. Even the glowing doorway that you step through would attract more attention than you would like.  However, with planning we should be able to return to a destination I told you about in the Time Machine Travelogue Seven post on March 30, 2012.  We are dropping you near the fireplace in the main lobby.  Be careful of the Christmas tree.

"Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas Tree"

Makes me homesick

In 2001, California Adventure was celebrating it's first Christmas, we were celebrating with them. We had the sponsor, my mother, with us on that trip. We went first class.  With all the necessary planning, we were able to take my seven year old twins on a trip to Disneyland and a magical visit from Santa Claus.   We arranged a stay on the concierge level of the Grand Californian Hotel.  When you stay at the concierge level,  they put you in a room on the sixth floor.  The sponsor got a suite for herself  this would allow extra room for a Christmas Morning celebration.  She and my daughter mostly stayed in that room except Christmas Eve Night. The rest of us stayed in an adjoining room.  In the suite,  the hotel placed a decorated artificial Christmas tree.   The tree was about four foot tall and sat on a table in the suite. It was very nicely decorated with Disney character ornaments. Two of the ornaments  were mercury glass Radko's of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in Victorian attire.  My Mom loved Christmas. I once saw her hang tinsel a single strand at a time on a seven foot Christmas tree because she wanted that draped flowing effect. My wife also is a Christmas fanatic. Her birthday is just a few days before Christmas so she has to wait all year to celebrate something. They both looked at hotel decorated tree and said in unison,"It is not enough."  followed by, "We need more ornaments." Luckily, the Grand  Californian Hotel has a shop,the Acorn. They had many distinctive ornaments shaped like glittery leaves and pine cones.   You add our newly purchased ornaments to the ornaments from Disneyland and the tree was incredible.  The tree and the original ornaments were ours to keep. To maintain the kind of Christmas that we all were use to, we had to pack all the gifts into our limited luggage space.  We, however, had too may toys.  This required that some of the toys be shipped to the hotel in advance and be stored by the concierge personnel.  

Where's the legendary San Fransisco fog?

If only we coud decorate the real Golden Gate Bridge for Christmas!

However, we had two theme parks to play at while we were waiting for Santa Claus.  Both parks were fully decorated.  I have been accustomed seeing the high level of Christmas decorations at Disneyland over the years.  I could never be immune to the touches that the Disney Staff magically put on seemingly overnight.  Every Christmas seems more glorious than the last.

California Adventure was also decorated festively. The Monorail traveled on its trip from the Disneyland Hotel to Tomorrowland via a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Therefore, as you entered from the Esplanade into California Adventure, you had to cross the bridge.  It was a charming Christmas display that was as beautiful during the night as it was in the day.  As with Disneyland every thing has a little touch of Christmas. The Hollywood area lampposts were festooned much like the streets I remember in the 1950's.  

"Silver Bells, Silver Bells, it's Christmas time in Disney"

Southern California Christmas, palm trees and candy canes.

Christmas adds to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Clark Griswald would've done a little more.

In an effort to create a look of sights of California,  Disney built an iconic area that resembled San Fransisco.  If you really went to Alamo Square Park in San Fransisco, you will see the famous Painted Ladies, a row of brightly colored Victorian houses.  Also, in the City all that is left of the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition is the Palace of Fine Arts.  This is a historical landmark.  The idea of painted Victorian row houses and The Palace of Fine Arts were incorporated in the original California Adventure.  Having once lived in SF, I was pleased to see the area all decorated for Christmas.

Lipstick on the San Fransisco Painted Ladies

"When the lights go down in the City"

We wanted my mother to see and share the new theme park of California Adventure.  You may have noticed we affectionately called her the sponsor.  This was not because she paid for everything but because she oversaw the Disney education of first me and then the twins.  She organized, arranged, made all the calls, and investigated what to see and how best to see it.  I caught this sponsor bug from her and when she passed the honor is all mine.  However, on this time trip, she was still the one to school the twins on the joys of Disneyland at Christmas time.

Enter a World of Christmas Magic

Disneyland is always decorated for Christmas.  Over the years, the sponsor made sure when we were young that we made a trip to Disneyland at Christmas.  Years passed and our distance from Southern California increased, but tradition of visiting at Christmas remained strong.  My Mom lived for the looks in the twins eyes as they experienced new things.  Maybe she also did that with my brother and I, but when you are a kid you don't notice it. The twins  were Disney veterans by then.  But in 2001, they were seven.  This made for so many memories.  Sleeping Beauty's Castle was decked out.  This has become intense over the years but it was simpler then.

Holiday flowers abound

A sea of Christmas red

Christmas time is poinsettia time

On Main Street in the Town Square they always have a large community Christmas Tree.  It is a good spot for a family photo.  Disney cast members are there to take photos that you can purchase from them, however, they will take a photo using your camera.  These are probably the only photos I'm in.  

Ia there a gift for you under this Christmas tree?

Our gift under this tree was spending time with family at Disneyland

While you are waiting on Main Street, there is something special to wait for.  No not only the hot coffee and hot chocolate in the a collectors cup which i highly recommend.  The  Disneyland Christmas Parade.  I'm sure that everybody has seen the parade on television on the Disney Christmas Special broadcast Christmas morning.  The parade at night is a treat.  Colorful floats with Disney characters, magical gingerbread men, snowmen, and of course Santa Claus.  

My little princess love the Disney Princesses

Grab that souvenir cup of hot chocolate, this cookie looks dunkable

Snowmen in Anaheim?

A very cozy Mickey and Minnie

"Santa Claus is coming to town."

On our time trip we shared with three generations the Happiest Merriest Place on Earth.  On December 24th, we put the twins to bed and waited for Santa to arrive.  He not only knows when you are sleeping.  He knows where you are sleeping.  This was a magical Christmas.  Thank you for time traveling with us and sharing a very special Christmas.  When we return you to your own time, you too can make these kinds of memories with your family members.  Just book a trip to a Disney Park.  We at Time Machine Travelogue hope that you will.  Prepare for reinsertion to your own time and rejoin us soon.