The morning started early—way too early for Jake, who barely had time to rub the sleep out of his eyes before Aby, his little sister, was already jumping around the house in full excitement mode.

“We’re going to Disneyland!” she screamed, wearing her sparkly Minnie Mouse ears and clutching a backpack shaped like Stitch.

Jake, still yawning, gave her a tired thumbs-up. “Cool. Wake me up when we get there.”

Their parents were already packing the car with snacks, water bottles, sunscreen, and enough backup outfits to survive a week, even though they were just going for the day. Once they were all buckled in, the drive to Disneyland was filled with music, laughter, and Aby asking “Are we there yet?” about sixteen times.

Finally, they made it through the gates. The castle stood tall and beautiful, the smell of churros and popcorn floating in the air. Aby’s eyes went wide as she stared around in awe.

“Oh my gosh, it’s real,” she whispered, like she couldn’t believe it wasn’t a dream.

Jake smiled, nudging her. “Told you. Pretty awesome, huh?”

Aby grabbed his hand and tugged him toward Fantasyland. “Come on, come on! We have to ride everything!”

Their day was nonstop—Peter Pan’s Flight, Dumbo, teacups (which Aby made Jake ride twice), and a churro break that turned into a powdered sugar mess. Every time Jake tried to chill for a second, Aby was already dragging him to the next ride, her excitement never slowing down.

At lunch, they sat near the castle with their parents, munching on corn dogs and fries while Aby retold every moment so far like they’d just won the lottery.

“And then we flew over London, and there were clouds and the mermaids and—Jake wasn’t even scared!”

Jake grinned. “I wasn’t. But someone did scream when the ride dropped.”

“That was you!” Aby laughed, pointing.

Their parents just shook their heads, smiling at the chaos.

As the sun set, they found a spot near Main Street to watch the fireworks. Aby leaned against Jake’s shoulder, finally tired, her Minnie ears slightly crooked now.

“This was the best day ever,” she said quietly.