2016 Star Wars (Light Side) race costumes

I love running through Disney, but when I head to Disney for a race... I am also PARK HOPPING!!

For many participants, they will take it easy outside of the races.

Not me! :P

I have my wife and I on the go as soon as we are showered after the races until we pass out. Now unfortunately that can be around 8pm. ;) I know we are wild and crazy ladies...

So for this trip the wife and I opted for the 4-day park hopper pass. Last year (out first trip to Disneyland), we went with the 3-day pass. It was nice to have the extra afternoon to take advantage of the smaller weekday crowds. We went to the parks Thursday-Sunday since Monday we had a late-morning Super Shuttle. We used Monday morning to get in the last minute shopping in Downtown Disney we forgot to do over the weekend. :P

We have yet to stay on Disneyland property. For both trips, we stayed at the Alpine Inn. We would love to stay on property - even if just for one night - in the future. The Disneyland Hotel looks cool and the Grand Californian looks swanky!

Disneyland is made up of two Parks: well Disneyland itself and California Adventures. I love that they are a mere plaza away from each other. It makes it wicked easy to park hop.

Disneyland

Must Take Photo: The Castle

Must- Do Rides: Hyperspace Mountain (better than Space Mountain at Disney World), Star Tours, Indiana Jones Adventure, Splash Mountain, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin

First Time Must Do Ride: Small World (for us it was decorate for the Holidays and featured a Jingle Bell/Small World song mashup), Pirates of the Caribbean (better than the one at Disney World)

Must-See Attraction: Enchanted Tiki Room (wife's favorite)

Food Finds: Mickey Pretzel, Chicken Nuggets at Golden Horseshoe, Dole Whip Float (near Enchanted Tiki Room)

Per a friend's recommendation, we will be trying these delicious twists the next time we are there. We found them hidden near the Royal Hall in Fantasyland.

Character Pictures: The cool thing about Disneyland is that characters are roaming around the park without cast members. They will stop and take photos and are randomly located around the Park. Many do not even require Fast Passes.

You can hit Winnie The Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger across from Splash Mountain.

Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto all have houses where you can line up to get a quick meet-and-greet picture with the characters.

We bumped into the Evil Queen near the bathroom on our way out of Fantasyland.

Genie was in Adventureland as we headed towards Indiana Jones Adventure. But when we walked by later on Aladdin and Jasmin were there too. But the line was too long at that point.

As we were entering the park on Saturday afternoon, we spotted Daisy and ran to her line. I rarely spot Daisy out roaming the Parks. I like that it looks like Daisy was feeling up the wife a little in the second pic. ;)

Great group photo spot outside of the Matterhorn.

Parade: Mickey's Soundsational Parade (we are always asleep by the time the night parades happen so we caught the Soundsational Parade a few times)

California Adventure

Must- Do Rides: Tower of Terror, Radiator Springs Racers, Soarin' (but it was closed when we were there), Midway Mania, California Screamin', Goofy's Sky School (per the wife)

Fun/Cute Ride: Monsters Inc Mike & Sully To The Rescue, Anything in A Bug's Land, Little Mermaid, King Tritan's Carousel, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree