"I've got a Golden Ticket..."

The Dorkanese Word of the Day: Gaffle (gaf-ul): Verb 1. To take something that is free, but not meant for you to take. Example: Jeff put out Skittles for his guests at the BBQ and I gaffled a bag. 2. Taking an unfairly large portion of something that is meant to be shared by others Example: My Brother gaffled most of the cheese bread from North Woods Inn. 3. To pick all of the most desirable items out of a collection of something, leaving only the items that no one wants. Example: Who gaffled all the grape Gatorades from the variety pack?

After registering my birthday at Disneyland's website, I got an email to print out and bring to the front gate. When I clicked on the link to print the coupon, it looked like a golden ticket with my name on it. So for a few days leading up to my birthday, I had the song "I've got a Golden Ticket" (from the first Willy Wonka movie) stuck in my head. I almost didn't want to give it to the lady at the ticket booth when we got there Friday. Fortunately she gave it back when she was done with it. Since I am already an annual passholder, a free ticket to Disneyland (that only I can use) does me little good. So for people like me, Disneyland gives you the option of either a giftcard equal to the amount of a 1-day Single Park Admission ($69) or a thingie that lets you have a free Fast Pass on like 5 or 6 rides. Guess which one I took. They also gave me a button to wear with my name on it that said "Happy Birthday" on it. Feeling I may be able to exploit the button at some point during the day, I consented to wear it. They also give buttons to everyone in your party that say "I'm Celebrating" on them, so Daniel got a button as well. He was a good sport and wore it.
So we head into California Adventure, which only just opened for the day, to start the day with our mandatory Toy Story Mania ride. We got to the back of the park where the ride was and the line was longer than I have ever seen it. Apparently word has gotten out about how awesome it is. I blame a certain blogger who shall remain nameless for prattling on about it on his page. Thanks dude. So we decide to ride California Screamin' instead. When we exit the coaster, the line for Toy Story Mania is STILL long. I wanted to cry. I decide to test the magic of the birthday button. I walk up to the single rider entrance of Toy Story Mania, silently point to my birthday button, make the praying hands gesture (the universal sign language of begging) and give the ride worker the pouty face. He says to me "You can't expect us to do that" and I say "But I can ask" and he rolls his eyes, but lets us onto the ride anyway. Score one for the birthday button.
For the rest of the day, random strangers and park employees address me by name and say "Happy Birthday," which is kinda cool. The ride operators on the Winnie the Pooh ride make a fuss about it and give us our own private car to ride in. I also try to say "Happy Birthday" to other people wearing the badge throughout the day. You wouldn't believe how many other people "allegedly" share my birthday. In fact, I didn't believe it. Some parties had more than one person wearing the birthday button in them. I suspect people of being "birthday fakers." Daniel didn't agree. Oh well. None of my business.
It was really hot that day. According to The Weather Channel, the high was supposed to be 81 degrees. Yeah no. Not so much. Not even close. We looked in every single shop (and STILL couldn't find this one particular Grumpy item in a particular size, but they had every side above and below it) and went on almost every indoor attraction you could (that didn't have an unshaded outdoor line) just to get out of the Sun. I have now officially done everything there is to do in Tomorrow Land. Some of it I never want to do again.
For dinner we ate at my favorite restaurant at Disneyland, The Blue Bayou. For those who don't recognize the name, Blue Bayou is that restaurant attached to one of my favorite rides "Pirates of the Caribbean" and it is yummy. Our reservations were for 6:50pm, but we showed up at 6:10pm to check in and ask for a waterside table (that's really the only way to really get the full "eating a meal inside of a ride" experience) and by 6:20pm we were being seated. We had a nice view from our table. Our waiter made a fuss over my birthday as well. He took a candle and stuck it in the lemon floating in my Sprite and lit it, then borrowed Daniel's camera and took a picture of us with my flaming drink. Again, Daniel was a good sport. I had Filet Minion and a Lobster tail for dinner (everything there is expensive anyway, so you might as well just get what you like the best) and for my complimentary birthday dessert, I got a chocolate mousse, with another candle in it.
After dinner around 7:30pm, we rushed over to the statue of Walt and Mickey in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle to get seats for the 9:25pm fireworks show. Since good seats equal good pictures (and maybe even sitting instead of standing through the 30 minute show) we were more than willing to procure and defend a good spot, but doing that means getting there AT LEAST 2 hours early, so we were in quite the hurry. One of the park employees pointed us to some empty space around the statue (the front half of the circle around the statue is used as a walkway during the show, so you can't be there, but the back half is fine) and we were able to sit on the circular cement bench surrounding it. If the circle were a clock, we'd be in the space between the 5 and the 6. The added bonus for this is that you could take pictures that not only had the Castle and the fireworks in them, but the Walt and Mickey statue in them too. A nice layered effect. Plus from this vantage point while waiting for the fireworks to start, you can get great shots of Main Street, the Rockets in Tomorrow Land and of course the Castle, the statue and the flower bed surrounding it. However, there is the added stress of defending your primo fireworks seats. A kid next to me who was saving bench space for his mom and sister had to endure a cranky lady who tried to say he couldn't save seats and who was trying to intimidate him into moving. Are you serious? I was proud of the kid for holding his ground, and I told his mom all about it when she showed up. On the other side was a lady who's kids were darn near sitting on Daniel, but he didn't give them an inch. When he left for a second, we put the camera and my Coach bag in his spot and one of the kids almost sat on the camera. I had to reitterate to their mom that it was an expensive camera and to move her kid. I wasn't being mean about it, but hey, we were here first. If you want good seats, show up 2 hours early like we did and then claim them. It was worth it though, the photos came out great.
Well, 2 of my birthday wishes were to have a nice dinner at the Blue Bayou and to get a good spot for the fireworks, so all in all, besides the heat it was a good birthday. I want to thank everyone who called or texted me throughout the day, and to everyone who sent birthday emails and left birthday love for me via Facebook and Myspace. I love you guys! I also want to thank Daniel for spending my birthday with me at Disneyland and for taking pics. Thanks dude!