The party started the previous day when I awoke at 6 p.m. in my Anaheim hotel room following a thrilling but overstimulating tour of Hollywood that required a post-trip nap. I ambled down the street (in the opposite direction of Disneyland) and stumbled upon the conveniently-located Anaheim GardenWalk, a mall boasting a Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, California Pizza Kitchen, Bubba Gump Shrimp (the aforementioned nightly noise offender) and outdoor shops.
I was craving cheesecake, which made my decision easy. My chicken enchiladas and slab of Butterfinger cheesecake were worth the trip, but I'll admit feeling a pang (or two) of sadness as I dined alone while two or three other diners celebrated their birthdays with singing servers, family, and friends. (I'd rank publicly dining alone as my second-least-favorite aspect of solo travel; asking strangers to take my photo is the first.) But, I reminded myself, I'd had a heartwarming bon vogage/birthday party with my family before I left. And I chose to spend my birthday alone in California, and I'd had an amazing vacation, so there was no cause for self-pity.
So I shook off my marauding melancholia and waddled out to uncomfortably browse the mall's shops, which included one with trendy clothes, California T-shirts, and jewelry that I particularly liked. I noted the store's name (G Stage) and decided to check its website after I got home (rather than try to cram more clothing into my already-cramped carry-on).
The next morning - my birthday! - I woke up to birthday greetings from family and Facebook friends (three hours behind me in N.Y.) and got up early for my second day at Disney. After breakfast I set off (in the right direction this time) at 7:45 a.m., rushed through the Disneyland gate, and hustled to City Hall for my official personalized birthday button, which got me birthday wishes from attendants (and some guests) throughout the day (though unfortunately no free food, swag, or line-jumping privileges).
The best decision I made all day (aside from the beignets) was getting a HyperSpace Mountain FastPass that saved me from an hour-long wait in line. By arriving early and prioritizing rides over meals and shows, I was able to do almost all of the rides on my list (minus the Monorail and Splash Mountain, which I was ambivalent about anyway). I treated myself to the park's infamous, crowd-pleasing Mickey beignets (judging by the amount of powdered sugar spilled everywhere, a lot of other guests did as well) watched the afternoon parade, and stayed for the 9:30 p.m. fireworks.
I did one park per day (California Adventure on day one and the original Disneyland on day two), rode nearly all the rides once, and stayed from opening to closing before leaving exhausted but satisfied, limping back to my hotel with blisters on blisters. I really can't think of a better, more magical place to spend your birthday, whether you're 4 or 34 (or beyond), and I couldn't have had a better one.
My California adventure ended soon after that final Disney hurrah. I woke up at 3 a.m. the next morning for an early flight out of John Wayne Airport through Denver, D.C., and finally home to N.Y. at 2 a.m. after a full day of flying.
