Disneyland 2012: Heat Exhaustion and Princess Treatments (recap pt. 3)

Haille at the Bibbiddi Bobbiddi Boutique.

So, what was your first ride ever at Disney? For Haille it was Pirates of the Caribbean last year, me? I don't remember... it might have been PotC or it could have been Hailee's first ride, The Jungle Cruise. Once again Haille asked if things were real and we played the same game - it's all up to you to decide what's real. She came away believing the animals in the Jungle Cruise are real. (really, kid? really?!) We would come to find out in the next few rides that certain rides were not the best for Hailee. She is not the daredevel that Haille is and so we spent a lot of time all week seperated as the girls had very different ideas on what would be the most fun to do.

But, don't let the girl fool you (she did us) Haille decided she wanted to go on the Indiana Jones ride again. You know, the one with the snake. The one she said she didn't want to do again. I think she was worried she'd miss out somehow if she didn't do it, so off she went. We get in the car, it starts and both girls start to freak. So much for that idea! What was super "amusing" was after getting off the ride they stopped the sniffles and began arguing over who was more scared. Ok, girls...

Because the lines were soooooooooooo long, and it was sooooooooooooo hot we decided to get something to eat before we headed over to the castle where the girls would get their Princess on. We were unable to get a table inside so we were out in the sun eating some very warm food and just melting. I was not drinking enough water and it was really affecting my mood and my energy. (I was also coming down with a cold we'd find out later in the week.) We at least got to sit and decide our plan of action. We had about a half hour to kill before heading over to the castle so Haille, Judy and I went to the Haunted Mansion (Haille wanted to see her ghosts again) and Hailee, Aana and Gaylord went to Fantasyland where there were rides that she would enjoy.

Haille remembered a great deal about the Haunted Mansion and was so happy to have another ghost in her lap. After that and a round of "can we go right back on"s we headed over to visit the Fairy-Godmothers-In-Training for a little bit of magic. Haille had given Hailee the 411 on how the whole thing worked, and the girls worked hard on Aana to allow Hailee to have a bit of make up. So when they walked into the shop both girls knew what dress they wanted. They still looked at the other dresses (Haille was tempted to pick the Merida dress but decided it would be too hot to wear out in the park), but both chose Belle's ballgown. Haille'd decided this months in advance, so it was no surprise - especially since both listed Belle as their favorite.

Haille spent most of her time making sure the FGIT did everything just the same way she had it last year. Which was hysterical because when she told the FGIT that she'd been there the year before she also told her she didn't remember anything about it. Yeah, every time we turned around she was asking "aren't you going to do ____ next?" They had two FGITs doing the girls' hair and then one that flitted about and did their nails and make up and face jewels. She royally confused Haille, to the point where Haille clammed up a bit. She felt she was being made fun of (she wasn't) and that's one thing she will not tolerate. Poor kid, but she came around and it made for some memorable moments (of which I got on video)!

(video to come later)

Besties in the carriage, from their
Disney's Photopass Photoshoot.

After they got dolled up they got to have a photoshoot, and it was quite possibly the cutest thing ever. The only thing the girls didn't get were princess shoes as Haille had had a bad time with them last year, so she talked Hailee out of trying them on. Besides, I don't think they had them in one of the sizes we needed. Both looked so sweet and had a blast being the princesses that they were. Looking back at the photos I wish they'd gone barefoot in them just because it would've been more princessy than their walking shoes, but over all I just love them!

Once done with that we decided, again, to head in different directions for a bit to try and get on some rides. Haille wanted to go on Splash Mountain, but it was down for some reason so we went on Haunted Mansion - again - and then headed over to Pirates of the Caribbean. Afterwards we tried for Dole Whips but the machine was down. This was quickly becoming the trip of broken.

By this point I was wasted. It was just too hot! Haille was talking about the pool at the hotel since we weren't getting on any water rides anytime soon... and then I got very sick. It was obvious I was stupid and not drinking enough fluids of anykind... and I was overheated. We headed for the castle to hopefully catch the others and take a breathev from the park. At the very least I wanted to go home by myself and just cool off, but no one wanted me going alone. Judy and Haille got me a Mickey Bar while we waited for our meet up. I ate most of it before feeling worse.

Back at the hotel everyone went to the pool. I stayed in the room knocking back an amazing amount (for me) of water and checked my phone messages. I got one from a family member saying something I didn't understand and the one from my mom saying to give her a call that she didn't want to ruin my vacation but it was about gma. I told Gaylord who was on his way down to the pool, and he hurried down to tell Judy. I called my mother and found out g'ma had been admitted to the hospital and it wasn't looking good. That they didn't know all of what was going on, but that my dad was headed at that moment to Anchorage. I told her to keep me updated, but that I wouldn't be coming home any earlier than planned.

This is where I am going to just cut off and say I know this confused people, but the fact of the matter is (and was) that I needed to stay to bring Haille back home to Alaska. I know we *could* have cut her vacation short as well, but this was not her close family (technically not family at all though she spent most of her Christmases with her) and she wouldn't understand why she had to leave her gma for mine. I also would not have been able to do anything up there if I left and went home anyway. It was high drama enough as it was. This alienated me from family because *someone* was causing emotions to rise on both ends. It was a disgusting move on their part and one we're still healing from. I felt very much alone in California from then on, though Judy did her best to help me out. I vented long and hard to her all week as the text messages came in and my parents kept me in the loop.

Haille was so sweet to me all week and very understanding when I needed to talk with her gma alone. She kept my spirits up and I will forever greatful.

Not wanting to end on a downer note, but the next day was Sea World so we would be getting up fairly early so we went to bed early enough. THAT was an adventure, and will be my next update.

With that we wish you a good night, and we'll see you tomorrow...