My parents’ visits from Oklahoma to Southern California to see my children, their only grandchildren, have gotten harder.For the last few years, my dad, an Army veteran with my bone-dry sense of humor, has fought a progressive neurological disorder that causes severe tremors in his arms, legs and neck. He is not yet 60. A diagnosis is maddeningly elusive. You’re reading the Essential California newsletter Sign up to start every day with California’s most important stories. By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads. Despite his pain, exhaustion and increasing difficulty walking, he and my mom have repeatedly driven to California — more than 20 hours on Interstate 40 by pickup truck — because he didn’t like people’s stares on airplanes and because we stubborn Middle America types don’t balk at cross-country road trips.He recently began using a wheelchair.Sidewalks, elevators and frustrationThis spring, he quietly fumed as my mom had to push him all the way around the block to reach a middle school field in the South Bay for my daughter’s soccer practice because the sidewalks were obstructed by telephone poles and No Parking signs. The author’s father and daughter near Moe’s Tavern at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Hailey Branson-Potts / Los Angeles Times) A trip this month to the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance to take my kids to watch “Minions & Monsters” included an agonizing walk because of a set of broken elevators. His legs ached for days.When he said he wanted to take us to Universal Studios Hollywood for my son’s birthday, I fretted. Could he do it?My fears were for naught. Mario, magic and mobilityMy Mario-obsessed son has been begging to go to Universal ever since its Super Nintendo World opened in 2023, and his 8th birthday trip with his doting grandparents was a surprise.My dad wore a T-shirt poking fun at his own disability — a parody of the New Balance athletic-wear logo that read “No Balance” — and beamed as he easily zipped through the park with his mechanized chair, my kids clamoring to ride on his lap. The author’s father, in wheelchair, outside Hogwarts Castle at Universal Studios Hollywood. (Hailey Branson-Potts / Los Angeles Times) We rushed to Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, an augmented-reality-enhanced ride, and were met at the entrance by a staffer who helped park my dad’s electric chair, brought him a manual one, and cheerfully guided him to the front of the queue, where, after a short wait, he had to take only a few steps to board.In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a staffer guided us through Hogwarts Castle to a dedicated transfer platform where my dad could take a manual chair right up to the ride car and take his time getting in. He laughed with delight, legs dangling just like everyone else’s, as we flew through a Quidditch match and escaped Dementors and the Whomping Willow.Frankenstein, his bride and my dadWhile we waited for the kids to get painted — my son posed for a caricature sketch depicting him fighting a Minions monster and my daughter got a pink butterfly painted onto her face — a costumed Frankenstein and his bride approached my parents.The bride, in character, played with my mom’s long human hair in faux wonder, and Frankenstein reached out with his huge green hand to shake my dad’s hand. When an excitable teenager cut in front of my dad, Frankenstein — without saying a word — gestured for the kid to be patient and wait, patted my dad on the back and posed for a picture.Dad said it felt good, knowing Frankenstein had his back. It also was nice knowing this theme park has the back of guests with disabilities. We stayed for 10 hours. He rode every ride and said it was just the deliriously joyful day he needed.A spokeswoman for the park told me that accessibility information for guests with special needs can be found here: https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us/accessibility-information Today’s top stories Union Station in Los Angeles in February. The city would see its latest sunrise of the year at 8 a.m. under a House-approved bill. (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times) The dark side of making daylight saving time permanent in CaliforniaWhat we know about filling the massive hole on the Sunset StripOfficials have made progress in fixing the massive water system rupture that shut down the iconic Sunset Strip. But six days later, there’s still no word on when it might reopen. Currently, Sunset Boulevard is closed between Sherbourne Drive and San Vicente Boulevard. Officials have urged residents to avoid the area. LAUSD’s new superintendent trades Carvalho’s flash for a quieter toneSupt. Andrés Chait’s calm demeanor during the first “state of the district speech” was a change of pace from Chait’s predecessor Alberto Carvalho’s showmanship.The school district currently faces a projected financial crisis, declining enrollment and legal attacks from the Trump administration.Western reservoirs that supply California fall to record low levelsThe Colorado River’s largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have declined to their lowest combined levels on record.Researchers say the new low underscores the urgent need to cut water use in the seven states that depend on the river.What else is going onCommentary and opinionsThis morning’s must-readOther must-readsFor your downtime A fishing boat leaves Channel Islands Harbor. (Paul Harris / Getty Images) Going outPlaces: 10 things to do, see and eat right now in Southern California’s most underrated beach town.Theme Parks: Of all SoCal’s theme park attractions, this one feels most personal. Catch it before it ends.Things to Do: Love finding underrated gems at the bookstore? Here’s the full guide to L.A.’s Indie Book Crawl.Staying inA question for you: As temperatures rise in SoCal, how do you stay cool?Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.And finally … your photo of the day Crowds hike up the Mist Trail, one of the more popular trails in Yosemite National Park, in June. (William Hale Irwin / For The Times) Today’s great photo is from William Hale Irwin at Yosemite National Park, a popular natural destination some visitors are dubbing “the new Disneyland.” Have a great day, from the Essential California teamHailey Branson-Potts, staff writerHugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break deskKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, weekend writerKarim Doumar, head of newslettersShi Bradley, audience internHow can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. 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