Lizzy's Long Promised Disney Distraction

I can now say I've visited the Third Happiest Place on Earth. How does that work, you ask? Disneyland California is the Happiest, Disneyworld is the Second, so Disneyland Paris is the Third.

It had never occured to me to go to Disneyland at all this year, but I ended up going with some friends from school at the beginning of December. It's about a half hour on the RER, but as soon as you get off the train, you know you're in Disneyland. Upon seeing the gates, my friends and I were instantly reverted to five-year-olds.

We couldn't wait to get past the gates and into the park, but, unlike five-year-olds, we stopped every few seconds to take pictures, since everything was decorated for Christmas and covered in lights. When we finally had our tickets and stepped into Main Street USA, we were in a completely different world. It was a little misleading, because the shop signs would say something like "Honest Henry Hatfeather's Gentleman Hats" and inside there would be overpriced baby clothes blazoned with Disney characters and mouse ears. In fact, I didn't find a hat shop, like the Mad Hatter's Shop I remember from Disneyland California, although there were lots of Sorceror's hats with Mouse Ears.

We were four of the tallest five-year-olds in the park, and, standing in line for the Teacups, we saw that we weren't the only ones.

I think my favorite parts were all the tiny details in the buildings and the rides, and not the Small World ride, unlike when I was five. The colors were bright and cheery, although there were a lot more screaming children than I remembered. And, of course, the Peter Pan ride was very, very fun.

I also ran into a certain mouse. Ha, fooled you.