My Birthday Disneyland Checklist

Very soon now, I'll be heading out to one of my favorite places on Earth (also the happiest place) the Disney resort,  to celebrate my birthday.  After thinking about it, there really was no other place I wanted to be (...for the distance and the price).  And inspired by Amaris's past post on her Ultimate Disneyland checklist, I wanted to share a few things I hope to do at the resort, that I have not been able to do before:

Have a drink at Cove Bar in California Adventure

They don't allow alcohol in Disneyland, but California Adventure is much more... expansive, and I hadn't realized there was a proper bar in there, until recently.  A nice drink might be the best way to deal with the crowds!

Take a picture with flapper Minnie

 She's a new character costume at California Adventure - and I love her - she's so pink and pretty and fabulous.  I hope to catch her sometime during the trip.  It'll be my first time trying to get a picture with a character in California Adventure - I always preferred the old school costumes that feature in Disneyland.  But California Adventure is upping their game in most every way!

Take advantage of the Fantasmic! Dinner Dining package

Fantasmic - AKA the best show at  Disneyland - is always a trial to watch because the area around the Rivers of America is so impacted and not very practical for people to stand and watch.  They recently introduced a way to watch the show from a preselected area and also get a meal (a way for them to make more money off us of course).  I haven't taken advantage of it yet, so now is the perfect time!  And I went with the Blue Bayou (the awesome restaurant in Pirates of the Caribbean) to have my meal.  A little pricey (by which I mean VERY), but the food is so good, and I love the atmosphere of hearing people floating along in the ride. :D

Watch the Paint the Night parade

I have such a fond, nostalgic memory of the Main Street Electrical Parade, and to find out that for the 60th anniversary, Disney debuted a new light-em-up nighttime parade is so exciting to me.  They are really bumping up their nighttime entertainment, and between this and the fireworks show, I'm much more eager to watch this new parade.

Watch the new fireworks show

... but if I can also squeeze into the crowd and watch the new fireworks show, I will!

Ride the Lily Belle

This is a dream one - the availability of the luxury train car with the Disneyland railroad is iffy; I have read that they don't offer this anymore, but perhaps I can just ask at the railroad station and try my luck, since I have read a couple accounts where people have asked and were allotted a ticket!

Buy some new tsum tsums

Gah, I'm so obsessed with the tsum tsum game, it's ridiculous.  Who would have thought a match 3 game could be so addicting when it's been done to death now.  While I'm trying to collect all the tsums in the game, I'm also getting obsessed with the plushies.  They are adorable.  So far I have Minnie Mouse, and The Little Mermaid ones (thank you Alisa!!).   I don't want to start collecting all of them, but when I go to the Parks, I'm going to check out what's in stock and at the very least pick up Mickey to keep Minnie company. :)