The Life of a VIP - Adventures By Disney Backstage Magic About This Page:

[BeckiO5]

Alright Sharon, I'm so glad I was able to finally see all of your fabulous pictures (sadly my iPhone doesn't want to show them all, and my computer doesn't like me much, but stayed on this time for me to view them all). I'm in total awe of your tour. I'm sure shivers were running down your spine in Walt's Apartment. I can imagine that being a true treat to be able to see where he lived in the park. I love all of your pictures (even the ones courtesy of your fellow travel mates). This trip is just truely amazing. I hope you're having fun in WDW right now. I'll be waiting patiently for your next installment Sharon. Thank you for taking us along for your tour.

I'm so sorry to hear you never got your Beignets or Breakfast at the Plaza with Minnie & Friends. Hopefully another trip to DLR can fulfill that for you. Believe me, we would be wanting some Mickey Beignets there too, as I love them too only after consuming 2 beignets (in New Orleans).

[MeRSiamese]

Your Adventures have been AMAZING!!
I am truly having so much fun reading about all the wonderful details!! Your writing is gifted and truly enjoyable to live each moment through your experiences!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the time it is taking you to share them with us!!
I am waiting eagerly for the next report - they are totally addicting! LOL!!

[HollyH]

Okay, Sharon......this settles it. I want to be you when I grow up!! So jealous of all your trips, but this one is so amazing!! I know you're in WDW now but I hope we won't have to wait too long for an update. I'm hooked!

[doccoc2002]

Great update! You always do Disney with style and you see so much! Food loks pretty good! Can't wait to hear more!

[dsteiny23]

A Kidney!!! Great idea!!

Awww...the light in the apartment. Love it! And the Suite is just gorgeous. I would love to stay there just to see the looks on Tyler and Jason's faces when the rooms said good night.
That cream puff and bread bowl of soup look AMAZING!! By the way, did you know today is National Donut Day?? (the cream puff made me think of it. completely useless trivia there for you. )

[KandJluvdisney]

great day
glad you are having so much fun
what great little surprises they have set up for you
hurry back with more please

[DyanKJ130]

All caught up! What a great trip so far! Looking forward to more!!!

[MGW]

Can't wait to read more when you get back from WDW!

[PrincessSharon]

Originally Posted by Caldercup

Ohhhh.... the suite is just divine. (I was *SO* worried you say that they offered you key cards for the suite and you passed them up... again!)

I must find a way to acquire the cash for an ABD experience -- you know how much I love being "special" (and not in a "short bus" kinda way.)

Next time I'm offered something really cool, I'm going to ask for an extra just for you. I'll just tell them how "special" you are.

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

Wow! Walt's aprartment and then the dream suite!! I think I like the Disneyland suite much better than Cinderella's. I liked how they had a picture of Neuschwanstein up in there too - even better that I've seen it in person.

I forgot to mention that. Thanks for noticing it, Kelly! That painting showed both castles that were used to design the castle.

Originally Posted by disneydani

Another great day, indeed....guess we are gonna be waiting awhile for the next update, huh?

A quickie trip in July????

danielle

Yeah, sorry about the lack of updates. I was hoping to be able to post while I was away, but I was a slacker.

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

WOW!! What a day! Breakfast at Club 33; Walt's apartment; the Dream Suite - you truly are a VIP... July?? details please.

July 24-26 at the Beach Club!

Originally Posted by mcc0313

I love the picture of Walt's lamp...what an amazing feeling it must have been to be in that room, knowing that he had stood there looking out of the same window. This was truly one amazing day. The suite looked amazing....I could definitely handle a night in there. I don't think I would ever leave the room.

Meg, if I were ever lucky enough to get to stay there, they'd have to almost forcibly evict me to get me out of there. I know I can experience the parks any time, but I'd savor every second I had in the suite!

Originally Posted by booklady1

Sharon, you have such a great trip and experience!! Thanks soo much for sharing it with us! What is the Mr. Toad ride like? I've read it used to be at DW in Florida.

I love the Mr. Toad ride, but I'll be honest - it's more nostalgia than it being an awesome ride. It's a good Disney dark ride, with scenes from the movie and such, but it's a little strange too. I mean, the ride ends in hell. But it being Disney, you do manage to live happily ever after.

Originally Posted by BeckiO5

Alright Sharon, I'm so glad I was able to finally see all of your fabulous pictures (sadly my iPhone doesn't want to show them all, and my computer doesn't like me much, but stayed on this time for me to view them all). I'm in total awe of your tour. I'm sure shivers were running down your spine in Walt's Apartment. I can imagine that being a true treat to be able to see where he lived in the park. I love all of your pictures (even the ones courtesy of your fellow travel mates). This trip is just truely amazing. I hope you're having fun in WDW right now. I'll be waiting patiently for your next installment Sharon. Thank you for taking us along for your tour.

I'm so sorry to hear you never got your Beignets or Breakfast at the Plaza with Minnie & Friends. Hopefully another trip to DLR can fulfill that for you. Believe me, we would be wanting some Mickey Beignets there too, as I love them too only after consuming 2 beignets (in New Orleans).

Sorry about all the pictures, but I know I enjoy seeing them, so I figured others would too. Also, it helps distract you from my constant yammering.

Originally Posted by MeRSiamese

Your Adventures have been AMAZING!!
I am truly having so much fun reading about all the wonderful details!! Your writing is gifted and truly enjoyable to live each moment through your experiences!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the time it is taking you to share them with us!!
I am waiting eagerly for the next report - they are totally addicting! LOL!!

Aww, thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!

Originally Posted by HollyH

Okay, Sharon......this settles it. I want to be you when I grow up!! So jealous of all your trips, but this one is so amazing!! I know you're in WDW now but I hope we won't have to wait too long for an update. I'm hooked!

Yeah, it truly was an amazing trip, and as a Disney fan, it will be hard to top it. But I'll keep trying.

Originally Posted by dsteiny23

A Kidney!!! Great idea!!

Awww...the light in the apartment. Love it! And the Suite is just gorgeous. I would love to stay there just to see the looks on Tyler and Jason's faces when the rooms said good night.
That cream puff and bread bowl of soup look AMAZING!! By the way, did you know today is National Donut Day?? (the cream puff made me think of it. completely useless trivia there for you. )

Dawn, you crack me up, girl! And I had the cream puff and soup the next day for lunch. They were yummy-scrummy.

The next update is ready, so stay tuned!

[PrincessSharon]

Standard disclaimer: This is a detailed TR with many spoilers. If you don’t want to know all the details, stop reading. Also, there are some things listed on the itinerary and some things not listed on the itinerary. For things not listed, I will post an additional spoiler warning, in case you want to read about it but not spoil all the little surprises.

Day Eight – Saturday, April 17
Another awesome day

I slept until Mickey called again this morning. Finally I was officially adjusted to the time zone difference. I got ready and met the group down in the lobby at 7:00. The theme of the day was “Behind the Orange Grove,” and the word(s) of the day was “Forced Perspective.” Today’s itinerary included a behind-the-scenes tour of DCA, an afternoon on our own, and our farewell dinner. Honestly, that didn’t really sound all that great, but it turned out to be really fantastic! And of course, it was starting with breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen, so that was a good thing.

After everyone gathered in the lobby, the group walked over to the Disneyland Hotel for our breakfast.



They had a bunch of tables set up for us in a back room, which allowed us to all see the characters at around the same time. Nobody was nearby, so I hit the buffet first and then the first to arrive at our table was the host!



Once Goofy left, I dug in. Everything I tried was good, but my favorite was the PB&J pizza. Michael said it was his favorite as well and he could eat a whole pie! I couldn’t resist getting another slice. Wish I had some PB&J pizza right now.

During breakfast, a fellow Adventurer handed out some really sweet carvings to everyone. It was about the power of a hug.



It was Walter’s (from the podcast) 50th birthday, and the characters came to wish him a happy birthday.



I didn’t get many more character pictures, but we did get visits to our table from Dale, Mulan, Snow White (incidentally, it was the best Snow White I’ve ever met ) and Goofy again!





Once everyone had eaten their fill, we headed out.



When we got near Soarin’, we were greeted by a very special guest, which I was understandably excited about!



I always love seeing the characters in rare/unusual costumes. Apparently, Minnie also was trying out her aviator duds Minnie hanging around Goofy and dressing in the same kind of outfit – nothing fishy there! I’ll forgive her any indiscretions, since she looked so stinkin’ cute!





We arrived at our destination: Soarin’ Over California.



We were split into two groups and my group was to go backstage first while the other group went on the ride. The park hadn’t opened yet, so we had the whole place to ourselves. We went downstairs where a Soarin’ CM explained a few things about the ride. She told us about the scent pellets - they’re in a container with tiny air holes, and a fan blows through them to spread the scent. She told us the orange scent is actually Hi-C.

Usually there are pellets for us to see in person, but there was a bit of miscommunication that morning. In fact, we were locked out of the backstage room where we were supposed to be while the other group rode, so they got to ride twice. Finally, we were allowed in.



Now, Soarin’ is a really cool ride, but I did not expect to have this kind of experience at all. The screen is somewhat curved and made of metal. It’s constructed of perforated panels, so we could easily see through it. We saw the other half of our group sitting in their seats, and then we saw them lift up and the film began. I cannot possibly tell you how awesome this experience was. Words don’t do it justice, and frankly, it’s hard to imagine how cool it was without experiencing it for yourself. But I’ll say this. Remember how exhilarated and thrilled you felt the first time you saw Soarin’? Well, multiply that by 10. That’s how amazing it was. It actually brought a few of our group to tears (even me ).

Since the screen has holes in it, we could see the entire movie, but at the same time, we could see through the screen and watch the other group ride. Also, the film would sort of leak through, so I could see it on myself. Any little bit of light behind the screen would show to those watching, so it’s completely dark behind the screen (even the lighted exit sign – which is required to be lighted for safety reasons – is extinguished during the movie).

When it was over, I think our cheering coming from behind the screen surprised the other group! We traded places with the other group and took our seats in the theater. Since there were so few of us, we were all seated in the front row. I just happened to be positioned where I was almost dead center. Before liftoff, we got a photopass picture.



It was a unique experience, watching the film after having seen it from behind the screen. It was also fun knowing that the rest of our group was back there watching us now (they didn’t know we were behind the screen while they were riding the second time). Everyone was pumped after that!



While we stopped for a bio break, Joey told us some interesting tidbits about the theming of the area, since he’d been a CM at Soarin’ Over California before working with ABD (in fact, he opened up the attraction and considers it one of his favorite roles with Disney). I took a few pictures of the area. The theme is really the only thing different between the ride at DCA and the one at Epcot.









Continued…

[PrincessSharon]

Once the group was back together, we made our way to the animation building for the next part of the tour.





We got to see Turtle Talk with Crush.





That was fun, as always. Next on the agenda was the Animation Academy. While we waited for our class, I got some photos.









The inside area is just beautiful, and it changes to different films. I could sit and watch it for hours. We got our own private animation class. However, I was slightly disappointed that the animator still went as fast as the regular class.









We drew Mickey, but mine didn’t turn out so great, so I didn’t bother scanning it or taking a photo. It wasn’t comically bad, just mediocre and boring, so you’re not missing anything. We were all given cardboard tubes to place our drawings in (which was a little much, I thought – but later learned the real reason ).

That was the end of our group stuff. All that was left of the ABD was our farewell dinner that evening. SPOILER WARNING! Skip to next post to avoid mini spoiler. We were given that day’s pin – and it featured Goofy!



We also got 5 FPs each, and Michael recruited me to help hand them out since Jaime was on tube duty. He handed me a huge stack of FPs (about 70 or so) good for either park. I was tempted to make a run for it. But I did the right thing and handed each person 5 FPs. I didn’t even keep the extras. Then we were told to meet up with the group for our farewell dinner at 5:55.

Continued…

[PrincessSharon]

We were free to explore either park on our own, but for those that wanted to, the guides offered to take us through the FP line over at Tower of Terror. I hate that ride, so I passed. Hee!









It was a lot of fun riding with the entire elevator full of ABD’ers. We actually filled a couple of elevators! The group broke up into smaller groups after that. The folks in my group all decided to ride California Screamin’, so that’s where we went next. I took pics on the way.

We started by taking the path to A Bug’s Land. This path wasn’t open on my last trip, so I enjoyed the new short cut.











When we arrived, we used one of our FPs to ride. It was so much fun. I love that ride! And it’s nice and long!



I suggested we see the Aladdin show, since it’s so great (and at the time, was scheduled to be closing – now its run has been extended). We walked back over to get in line.







We ended up with great seats, and I enjoyed the show as much as I always do. The Genie is hilarious!





The joke that got the biggest laugh from our group was when Jasmine got mad at Aladdin and stormed off, Genie told him “If you like it, you should’ve put a ring on it.” All the podcast listeners enjoyed that joke because the running joke on the podcast was that John would perform the Single Ladies dance for us (and he never did, dangit).

We were hungry, so we went to the Festival Center next door to get some lunch.



I’d liked yesterday’s choices so much that I got the same thing again – cheddar cheese soup in a bread bowl with cream puffs for dessert. While we were eating, a wine seminar started and I was completely geeked out to discover that it was for the Lasseter family winery, and the Lasseters were there in person!! Including John Lasetter!!! !!! If you’re not me, maybe you don’t know who the heck John Lasseter is. Shame on you! Aside from being Chief Creative Officer at Pixar (his brilliant work includes the Toy Story movies and Cars), he’s also Creative Advisor at Walt Disney Imagineering (he helps develop awesome stuff for the theme parks). And I was in the same room as he was!

I understand most people don’t care – judging by how many people I told “Dude! I saw John Lasseter!!!!1!!! OMGZ!” Only to have them look at me like this…





After lunch, we headed out to ride Monsters Inc.



We joined the queue for Monsters Inc. I love how detailed it is.



















Everyone had crossed off the items on their must do list for stuff at DCA, so we decided to do the Sun Wheel next. Thinking back, it was silly to keep crossing back and forth across the park. This time I suggested we walk the other way, so I could get more pictures.

There’s a lot of construction going on at DCA, and while the walls aren’t the greatest things to look at, they did their best to try to decorate them, and it made me excited for what the park will be like when everything’s complete.



















I’d never ridden the Sun Wheel before, since there’s usually a line. This isn’t a FP attraction, so we waited for it (around 25 minutes). We got one of the moving cars, and it was fun, but I wouldn’t wait for it that long again. And the worst part is that what would be great views are obstructed by the wire around the cars. Fail! While we were up, they were filling in the lagoon for the World of Color show, but I couldn’t get good pictures of it.









After that, I decided I’d had enough of DCA and I didn’t have enough time to get over to DL and do more than one quick attraction before it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready for our farewell dinner. I figured I’d just take a break in the room.

Up Next: But wait! There’s more!

[dsteiny23]

Goofy, Dale, Mulan, Snow White and Baloo??? Is there a connection here I am missing? Or just a random breakfast buffet of characters? LOVE Goofy and Minnie in their aviator-wear. I don't think they realized you've already been onto her for a while now otherwise they may have seen the obviousness (is that a word??) of their 'matching' outfits.
Wow, there seem to be soo many more seats in AA in DL than in WDW. That is a new fave of ours in WDW and I love it there. That must have been very tempting with all of those FPs in your hot little hands. My feet would have been itchin' to get out of there too.

[dsteiny23]

I should alreay by on my way to pick Jason up at day care...but hey, I'm sure he'll be fine.

I would be geeking out as well over Lasseter How Cool!! and What's the MInc. ride?? Looks cute from the cars.

[MayraLR]

WOW!!! What a great trip! The pictures are spectacular!! Such an awesome experience.