So, you may be wondering...did she or didn't she?

I DID!

If they're willing to pay the right price and select a night that works for the park, a person, group, or business can rent out Disneyland for a private event. Sunday was one of those nights.

This meant that closing time was bumped up to 4 p.m., which in turn meant opening time was pushed waaaaaay back to 6:30 a.m.

Did I set my alarm for 4:30 a.m., drive to Anaheim in the dark, and wait outside the gates with my hands stuffed in the pockets of my pleather coat, marveling at how cold it was this time of year?

You bet I did.

There's something damn satisfying about walking into Fantasyland with almost no tourists in sight, with the sun rising on the side of the Matterhorn ahead of you.

And, for the record, Disney employees seem pretty good at pulling extra-early shifts.

Amazingly, the parking lot gates were open when I arrived - though, as usual, there were only two attendants for four lanes.

At precisely 6:27 a.m., the Ward Kimball steam engine pulled into the Main Street train station. It was 6:33, however, before the gates opened. Hmmm.

Speaking of the train, did anyone else read the Orange County Register article about the trains' switch to clean, green, soybean-based fuel? Awesome.

The mini Easter decorations are gone from Storybook Land's London Park (as of last week they were still there) - and with the exception of the statue, the Peter Pan-related props are missing, too. Usually one bench holds an umbrella, top hat, and teddy bear, and a tiny white baby carriage can be spotted further down the path.

Alice in Wonderland has a big artificial red rose, wired into placed, though it's slipped out of her animatronic hands. The hedgehog effect wasn't working, either.

The thatched roof on Alice's Storybook Land cottage needs repair - it's falling off in the back, though you can only see it while riding Casey Jr.

The bird with the striped sock on Snow White's dresser has been turned around again. It's really strange to see a mechanical critter at such an odd angle, let alone while holding a phony sock.

Minnie's House has its green couch back and it looks great.

Adventureland and the Rivers of America were lined with white canopies, presumably for the private event. Speaking of Adventureland, word has it Tarzan's Treehouse is reopening in mid-May (despite prior speculation that maintenance staff would be too tied up in ongoing rehabs to re-open it before 2008).

The Disney Gallery was open early, so up those stairs I went. The Tom Wilson teacup paintings are gone (probably sold) and new art is already up. I must say, the incredible art in the Gallery makes me wish I had enough money to buy one stunning painting for my living room. But alas, I am self-employed, so for now I write this blog on an old velvet couch, facing a Rocky Horror Picture Show poster.

The Tiki Room has inspired me. I can't yet afford to visit Hawaii, but my cooking skills can take me anywhere. As soon as I get a good grill pan (I don't have room for even the smallest barbecue), I want to grill up some veggie kebabs, roast some teriyaki-glazed seitan ("wheat meat" for those not in the know), serve them over coconut rice, and top it off with pineapple cupcakes. Trivia fact: the Tiki Room was planned as a dinner theater. For many years after opening, it featured booth seating and was connected to the kitchen that served the adjacent Tahitian Terrace (now Aladdin's Oasis) and the Plaza Pavilion.

I got home from a nice long morning at Disneyland at 11:20 a.m. and promptly dozed off. And, three days later, I still have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it.

See you at Disneyland.