After that we started back toward the front gate at a snail's pace. We could barely move through the crowd. People were packed solid, so we tried a different route back through Tomorrowland. That worked for a while, but we got bogged down at the Matahorn. The fireworks cracked and sizzled above us. They were beautiful, but they scared the boys. Zac enjoyed seeing Peter Pan fly from the Matahorn and disappear into the darkness. By that time we were all so tired we just wanted to get to the gate before those throngs of people, turn in the wheelchair and get to our bus pick up point. It took forever, but we finally made it.
All around us were other people looking as weary as we felt. Children cried, parents snapped, fathers held sleeping babies, mothers carried armloads of souvenirs while holding on to little hands. Many of them had traveled much further away than we had. Zac started talking to a lovely woman from Mexico who was there with her family. They talked about how much fun they'd had
When we got back to the hotel we were exhausted. So exhausted, in fact, that we elected not to return the next morning. We had planned to check out of the hotel, take the shuttle over and stay until around 1:00 PM, then return to the hotel and pick up our car for the three and a half hour drive home. Beth took the boys swimming instead.
Looking back, I must ask myself if it was worth the more than $500 we spent on the trip. The hotel was worth the price we paid for it. Michael and I plan to stay there again, but he insists he has been to Disneyland for the last time. I'm sure Beth and the boys will return many times before they reach the point that they don't consider the experience worth the expense. As for me, I'm not sure. I certainly did love that Dumbo ride.
If you decide that you still want to try the Disneyland experience, I give you these suggestions:
Plan, plan, plan. Check out the web sites I've included with this article. Some of them contain valuable tips that can save you time, money and energy.
Go during the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are your best bets) and try to go off-season. Even though we went in April, it was during spring break for Zac. Evidently there were many other families who choose that time to travel, too.
