Dodie
<font color=green>Survived the big crash<br><font
- Joined
- Nov 10, 1999
Introduction:
As you may or may not know, during the DIS Unplugged’s first Podcast Cruise in December of 2009, another trip was announced. The DIS Unplugged and Dreams Unlimited were going to offer a special Adventures by Disney trip – the Backstage Magic Tour in California – in April 2010. As soon as my husband, Phillip, and I heard the announcement, we knew we had to find a way to be on this trip.
Phillip and I had been planning to return to Disneyland in 2010 anyway (we’d only been once, back in 2001 right after the Grand Californian and Disney’s California Adventure opened) and we were due for another visit. The idea of adding the whole Adventures by Disney aspect AND being able to do it with a group made up of only DISers, led by Pete, Walter, John, and Kevin, made it a must-do.
So way back in May of 2009, I hovered over my computer on the assigned evening, waiting for the link to book to be announced as live on the Podcast Board. As soon as it went live, several of us started booking. My DIS friend kab407 (Kathy) and I began texting each other about how we were both dancing in our respective kitchens as we got through the booking process and got our confirmation messages! We had made it into the group of 36 who would be able to make this trip!
Dreams Unlimited managed to sell out the trip within just a day or two. Considering the apparent struggles that ABD has faced of late, this made ABD sit up and take notice. They even allowed Dreams to extend the total number on the tour to 44, to accommodate a few additional folks who wanted to go along.
This group of 44 spent the year getting to know one another on our own dedicated thread at the top of the Podcast Board.
Our group’s first thread: April 2010 ABD Backstage Magic: California Here We Come!!!
Some of us had been on the first Podcast Cruise or had met at other DIS meets. Over half of us actually ended up attending DIS-a-Palooza in December 2009, where we met in person and gushed about how excited we were that the ABD trip was coming on so quickly. Kevin even opened a special chat room for us on Thursday nights for the month prior to the trip, initially to make the “big announcement that was going to make our heads explode” about a special extra that was being added to our experience. We learned that, thanks to a west coast DISer who is a member, Dreams had been able to coordinate a special breakfast at Club 33 for all of us during the Disneyland portion of the trip! Club 33! A dream come true! One of those bucket list things that you assume you’ll never get to cross off of your list! We were also told that ABD had some other surprises in store for us so, by the time we were ready to go, I think everyone in the group was ready to burst with excitement!
Once it was time for the Adventurers to start heading toward California, a new thread was started for our group.
Our group’s second thread: ABD 2010: DISers Go West - Let the Fun Begin
There was also a “live” thread where folks posted during the trip and friends grabbed Facebook photos and posted them on the DIS: This is the place for live photos and updates from the DIS ABD Backstage Magic trip!
What follows is my very detailed trip report for this Adventure, with pictures. If you are planning to take this trip in the future and don't want spoilers regarding special surprises, you probably shouldn't read any further. Also, remember that this was kind of a "special" trip, so, even if you do go on this adventure in the future, none of these activities are guaranteed. (That's my disclaimer.)
Hollywood, here we come!
As you may or may not know, during the DIS Unplugged’s first Podcast Cruise in December of 2009, another trip was announced. The DIS Unplugged and Dreams Unlimited were going to offer a special Adventures by Disney trip – the Backstage Magic Tour in California – in April 2010. As soon as my husband, Phillip, and I heard the announcement, we knew we had to find a way to be on this trip.
Phillip and I had been planning to return to Disneyland in 2010 anyway (we’d only been once, back in 2001 right after the Grand Californian and Disney’s California Adventure opened) and we were due for another visit. The idea of adding the whole Adventures by Disney aspect AND being able to do it with a group made up of only DISers, led by Pete, Walter, John, and Kevin, made it a must-do.
So way back in May of 2009, I hovered over my computer on the assigned evening, waiting for the link to book to be announced as live on the Podcast Board. As soon as it went live, several of us started booking. My DIS friend kab407 (Kathy) and I began texting each other about how we were both dancing in our respective kitchens as we got through the booking process and got our confirmation messages! We had made it into the group of 36 who would be able to make this trip!
Dreams Unlimited managed to sell out the trip within just a day or two. Considering the apparent struggles that ABD has faced of late, this made ABD sit up and take notice. They even allowed Dreams to extend the total number on the tour to 44, to accommodate a few additional folks who wanted to go along.
This group of 44 spent the year getting to know one another on our own dedicated thread at the top of the Podcast Board.
Our group’s first thread: April 2010 ABD Backstage Magic: California Here We Come!!!
Some of us had been on the first Podcast Cruise or had met at other DIS meets. Over half of us actually ended up attending DIS-a-Palooza in December 2009, where we met in person and gushed about how excited we were that the ABD trip was coming on so quickly. Kevin even opened a special chat room for us on Thursday nights for the month prior to the trip, initially to make the “big announcement that was going to make our heads explode” about a special extra that was being added to our experience. We learned that, thanks to a west coast DISer who is a member, Dreams had been able to coordinate a special breakfast at Club 33 for all of us during the Disneyland portion of the trip! Club 33! A dream come true! One of those bucket list things that you assume you’ll never get to cross off of your list! We were also told that ABD had some other surprises in store for us so, by the time we were ready to go, I think everyone in the group was ready to burst with excitement!
Once it was time for the Adventurers to start heading toward California, a new thread was started for our group.
Our group’s second thread: ABD 2010: DISers Go West - Let the Fun Begin
There was also a “live” thread where folks posted during the trip and friends grabbed Facebook photos and posted them on the DIS: This is the place for live photos and updates from the DIS ABD Backstage Magic trip!
What follows is my very detailed trip report for this Adventure, with pictures. If you are planning to take this trip in the future and don't want spoilers regarding special surprises, you probably shouldn't read any further. Also, remember that this was kind of a "special" trip, so, even if you do go on this adventure in the future, none of these activities are guaranteed. (That's my disclaimer.)
Hollywood, here we come!