Disneyland Day 4

On our last day, Gordon and Lady went off alone after breakfast to ride on Crush's Coaster. I'd expected them to be back before 11am to help me check out and leave our bags with the hotel. Also, shortly after they left E. told me that she didn't want to go into the park that day. She just wanted to stay around the hotel and take it easy. It was a bit inconvenient that she had no room to rest in, but she was content to remain in and around the hotel. Since Gordon wasn't back in time, I lugged the cases and the boys by myself and checked out. I had to leave a mobile phone with E. just so she wasn't entirely cut off, and I headed off to meet Gordon and Lady, waiting with the boys in the Videopolis for a further 40 minutes for them to arrive (they loved the coaster!) I was very grateful for the big screens showing cartoons while we waited!

We ate lunch then decided to watch the live Lion King show. It was a shame that E. didn't feel up to coming out again because she would have loved it, but it's better by far that she knew her own limits and didn't try to push past them. While waiting for the show Gordon and Duncan enjoyed watching Space Mountain again.


On presenting Duncan's access card, we were shown to some great seats to watch the show. Thomas was not much interested claiming that it was too boring. Lady loved it; the Lion King is her favourite Disney film. Duncan really enjoyed it too, more than I'd have anticipated. He figured out who all of the characters were, and was excited when Simba ran up the aisle at the end and shook his hand!

We decided to go on a few more rides, and ended up going on the Carousel, Pirates of the Caribbean (very long wait, the children did brilliantly) Casey Junior (yippee) Peter Pan, and Buzz Lightyear. I was astonished at how happy Duncan was at dealing with all this. Obviously, without the green card, it would have been impossible for him to deal with all but the shortest of queues. But the park was jammed with people, far busier than when we'd gone last year, and much worse weather too.

We ended with the Tarzan show.








Now I have a special place in my heart for the Tarzan film. Lady received the video when Duncan was born, and I always think of baby Tarzan as representing baby Duncan and some of the songs just get me all emotional.

Duncan loves the film too, especially Jane in her yellow dress. I told him he'd see a real Jane and Tarzan and he was really exited. The show didn't disappoint. It started with gymnasts dressed as apes and monkeys, tumbling, swinging and bouncing. Thomas was again in a bit of a huff since he thought it wasn't interesting, so I tried to engage him in the gymnastics aspect of the show. Duncan recognised Kala, the mother gorilla and was delighted to see Jane and Tarzan, showing noisy appreciation of their swinging antics. There was a nice bit of audience participation when the children got to bash some metal plates. Lady was first to be asked to go up, and Duncan just ran after her and got stuck in.

By then we had to return to the hotel and drive to the airport. Thankfully the taxi service was punctual this time, and we actually arrived more than 2 hours before the flight departed. Duncan was happy to be flying back and told me he likes Easyjet the best!

The flight back was perfect. Having already experienced flying, Duncan was much less nervous.

Back in Belfast we were at the end of the queue for passport control, since E. walked more slowly from the bus than other people. I stood for a while with my exhausted, squirming boy, before walking past the line, calling for help, and getting us all fast tracked out of there.

Home at last. I was delighted at how well it had gone. We'd taken an 80 year old, and an autistic 7 year old and it had worked! Yes sure, as I'd known would happen, there were times when it wasn't going so well and one or more of us was tired and grouchy. But overall, a resounding success that we'll all remember for ever.