Disneyland Half Marathon 2013! Part I

So after running the Princess in February we though, we might as well do another one in California to get that coveted Coast to Coast Medal!  So we signed up for it...even though it would mean the following 3 things:

• It would be the first home game Jenn would miss in 12 years
• It would be the first home game Ben would miss in 20 years
• It would be the first home game that someone from our family hadn't attended since 1973.

That's a big deal.

We made it out there, through planes, trains, and automobiles.  Yes we watched that during a layover.

Nashville -bussed-> Atlanta -flew-> Ft. Lauderdale, FL -flew-> Los Angeles -car ride-> Anaheim

We headed to the parks the 1st day (Thursday), our hotel was a mile from the parks so we walked.  When you're doing a 13+ mile run in a couple days what's an additional 2 miles each day?

Complete with First Visit Buttons!

We ran back and forth between parks.  I HIGHLY recommend park hoppers.  We went in first to California Adventures to get a fast pass for Radiator Springs Racers.  I had heard that was the hot ride right now.  So thankful we did!  We got the fast pass at roughly 9:30 and it was for 7:15 that night!  They sell out quickly!

Checking out the New Cars Land

This place served their cokes in giant cones!

This ride is so awesome

Lightning McQueen!

Part of Radiator Springs Racers

 The racers ride was almost identical to the Test Track in EPCOT.  However without all the advertisement which makes it way better.

Clearly I loved this ride.

I think I have the same picture of me on Test Track doing the same thing.  It was so warm and fast.  So awesome.

From there we went back to Disneyland and just started riding anything and everything.  The park was dead.  It was awesome.  

We also got a fast pass for "World of Color" so 2 of the big things we knocked out in the first day!  Side note: I found out my Papa died on this day...the "Up" scene in World of Color didn't go over well...at....all.

Grizzly Rock

For dinner we headed over to New Orleans.  

I got to see inside, now I'm obsessed.  Someone help me get inside!

 So we are standing outside of Club 33 as I take this picture and this couple comes up and also takes a picture.  I said "Hey if you are going inside you have to take me!" of course kidding...because no one goes inside.  They take their picture, ring the bell and go inside.  I was like "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?"  It hadn't even dawned on me that they were in a suit and dress...I felt like an idiot.

Since Club 33 wasn't an option we headed next door to Blue Bayou.

 This place was awesome.  The ride for Pirates of the Caribbean floats by, the theme is awesome, and their "broiled filet mignon" was one of the greatest I've ever had.

Walt's apartment with the light left on.

Friday started out with more parks. I haven't mentioned the weather yet.  You know Southern California weather right?  Beautiful, sunny, cool days.  There should be an asterisk next to that that says "Unless the Altom's are in town"  It was low 90's, with 60-70% humidity the whole time.

Not that big of a deal, we live in Tennessee, we're used to that.  But we're also used to BLASTING the AC when we come inside.  That's not the case there, all their line queues, dining spots EVERYTHING is outside.

I'd say we handled it pretty well with minimal complaining.  Others did not.  We saw people with coats covering their heads from the sun, walking around with bags of ice on their heads. It was hilarious.

Trader Sam's was once described as the "Awesome badass child of the Enchanted Tiki Room"

 So this bar...where to start.  First it's a Tiki Room with alot of the decorations from the Enchanted Tiki Room in it.  Complete with totem poles with eyes that follow you around.

You order certain drinks, and the entire room is themed to do something. Whether it's the lights go out and the volcano erupts while alarms and red lights flash, or the ship in the bottle gets stormy and sinks.  It. Was. Awesome.

The first drink I ordered?  The "Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum".  It was like suntan lotion.  Would I order it again? Of course...if only to say the name.

The first drink Ben ordered was the Shrunken Zombie Head..complete with souvenir glass.

Right after I caused the volcano to erupt... 

 We ordered the Krakatoa Punch next.  It was DELICIOUS.  We could have drank a million of these...

Yes...the drink glows.

Hooray the entire gang finally met up for some Tiki Bowl Punch!

Finally we ordered an "UH-OA" which caused the room to start chanting while the lady threw cinnamon on our flaming sugar cube.  You know you have good friends when having not seen them in months the conversation goes how was the flight?.....blah blah blah.....so I'm hoping my poop schedule doesn't get thrown off too much.

We headed to the Expo after putting it off all day afraid of the nightmares we had been reading on facebook and twitter about lines that were 7 hours long!  Then headed to a Mexican joint in Downtown Disney for some margaritas and chow.  We were beginning to get hangry.  

Griffith Observatory

On Saturday we headed out for some touristy stuff.  We headed to "Home" to eat breakfast and meet a friend from Ben's old ska days.  Do we have a picture with him?  Of course not...

Then we headed up to the Griffith Observatory.  It was awesome.  You could see everything.  

The boys...being...boys.

Can you tell it was game day?  I'm sure people thought we were part of a cult or something...in a way...we kinda are.

Selfie with Bert.

This is what happens when you go out of town on a game day...and Ben wondered why the call was lost.

From there we split up, me and Ben headed to the Santa Monica pier to look for a Sharknado while the others headed to do other touristy things.  

We never found a sharknado so we headed to Q's for the official Southern California Alumni Association game party.  It was awesome.  50 Tennessee grads gathered together to watch the game on the other side of the country.  

We headed back to Anaheim and got stuck in the infamous traffic.  We finally got back to Downtown Disney to get supper and everywhere had 2 hour wait!  At this point I was getting hangry, we didn't get anything at the bar or the whole day since eating at "Home" that morning thinking we needed to behave somewhat for the race the next day.  We left DTD in search of food that wouldn't make us wait forever.  Turns out, Anaheim has NOTHING as far as chain restaurants.  No Chili's, Logan's, nothing.  Not that we were looking for that, but we were too afraid to venture out and eat at some hole in the wall the night before a race.

We ended up eating at Chipotle.  The night before a half...  It's never tasted so good.

I'll update Part II when I can including stories about the race, blue banana vomit, and Rudy.