Discovering Another Mad Dash (Oct 14): Heading Home and Finally finishing this TR #1523 (05/03)

[PrincessInOz]

Love DSs T-shirt! And congrats on making rope drop AND the high score!

Thanks! I didn't think I was going to make rope drop....imagine my surprise!

A great morning indeed! Is Soarin at the land different to the world?

Soarin' is the same at the land and the world. I think the land came first and then they moved it to the world.

What tips did you follow for TSM? Aiming high? I absolutely LOVE the pictures of Donald, especially the one where he butts in with the chipmunks.

Aim high and keep pullin'. Yes - Donald and the chipmunks were just so much fun that day. I'm glad I pulled the boys to go in and see them!

Great Pictures! I'm glad you directed me to your trip report! It looks as if there simply must be a DL trip in the future with our family!

Bobbi

Hi Bobbi! Glad to see you made it over here. I still have the rest of the one day to get through on DL (and then the road trip and Silicon Valley)....hope you'll keep stopping by.

I love your pics. Even though it is crisp outside you all look so happy and enjoying each other. Cant wait to hear about lunch.

Thank you. We had a great day.....in fact it was a great holiday all round!

I love your pics and even though it is crisp out side you all look happy and enjoying each other. My stomach would have been dropping on the big wheel. Cant wait to hear about lunch. Keep it coming.

You know - I love the big wheel....my stomach doesn't.

No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.

Beignets by Anne Burrell

Thanks! Perfect!

Who made them?

Is this PIO's TR or the Old Fogie Thread?

I'm going to leave this one well alone! You two old fogies (and Anne Burrell) can sort it out!

A short update coming up first....before we hit lunch a bit later!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Across the Promenade into Disneyland and Score Two to ME!

One of the things I love most about being at the Disneyland Resort is the close proximity of both parks and DTD. Everything is walkable and there is no need to worry about Disney Transportation to get from one park to another or to a resort. And because bag check happens before the main promenade area, there is no need for another round of zipper teeth attacks.

Providing you have a Park Hopper ticket, getting from one park to another is as simple as out one gate, stopping to get your hand stamped by a Cast Member, and walking across the promenade to the other gate. Once at the other gate, you pass your Park Hopper ticket through the feeder and walk through. If there is any regular Disneyland AP reader lurking on this TR, can you please tell me if the CM EVER checks the hand stamp?

Thanks to the clock at the railway station, I can tell you that we’d pretty much moved out of DCA and headed towards DL close on noon.

On first entry into Main Street I was again struck by the sheer amount of Pixie Dust excuses that was around Disneyland. Perhaps it was because it was off-season or because of the amount of change planned, it just didn’t seem like Disneyland to me. It was a complete reconstruction zone. Even the Castle was boarded up and the normal feeling of excitement that hits me when I look down Main Street to the Castle…well, there was an abnormal feeling of disappointment instead. Don’t get me wrong….I am always delighted to be at a Disney Park; no matter what state it is in…and I knew that there was reconstruction occurring – it has to happen sometime – but knowing that it is going on before you get into the Park and seeing it in reality are two completely different things. One you reason in your mind; the other you cannot reconcile with your heart. I haven’t told DH this but seeing the park in this state…I made a decision there and then to return after the 2012 CarsLand opening so that I could immerse myself in pure Disney magic again. At this point, I didn’t even have the heart to take any pictures…and I am so regretting that decision right now.

I reminded myself that this trip was going to be special, nevertheless. Thanks to franandaj, we had a lunch invitation at Club 33. To me, this was like finding the Holy Grail for Disneyland. Lunch was at 12.30 pm; so we had a bit of time up our sleeves.

Just as well we did…

Perhaps to make up for the over-Pixie Dusting excuses, there just seemed to be more characters out and about in the Main Square than normal.

And DS was in the mood to catch up with a couple of friends he hadn’t seen in a while.

I did mention that we had Bad Line Karma at LAX….well, it seemed like we had our allocation in the one hit there. We happened to be standing at exactly the right spot when the Mouse came (back) out….

…..and we were first in line for the meet and greet.

Mickey was suitably impressed with DS attire and attachment…

…and we all got in on the act for this family and friend photo.

DS then casually walked across the square and somehow managed to walk straight into the arms of an obliging Pluto.

We also saw the Queen of Hearts…and DS showed no interest in making her acquaintance; despite the fact that there was no one else arund.

I think maybe she was rather perplexed by his reaction.

I dashed into the Halls of President, in search of a presidential related photograph.

I wonder if my shot of Capital Dome would do instead?

By this stage, our window of opportunity for meandering slowly towards Club 33 was diminishing…

….but I still pushed the boys down Main Street for another one of those detours….

I know this one was on the list! I had noticed that stand-by wait time was 5 minutes; which meant that it was walk-on.

We waited for the crowd to disembark…

…before we got on.

Did I mention that I’m the reigning queen ...er...princess of this attraction in my family? And that my highest score is in the region of 665,000? This time, I was determined to shoot…..pictures!

As I was sitting behind the boys, I could see their scores. Even when we got round to the second Zurg, they still hadn’t broken 50K. I just couldn’t help myself at this point. I gave in, picked up the ray gun and fired off about 20 shots.

I still whooped the boys and maintained my Princess reign for this attraction with a score of over 275,000. The boys couldn’t believe it either….neither broke the 6 figure mark.

Score TWO to me!


We had just enough time left to grab FP for Indiana Jones on our way over to Club 33.


Up Next – Lunch at Club 33. Yes, that Club 33


(I make no apologies for the detailed account of my time at Club 33 and it is likely to cover a few posts…I took quite a few photos and thought you might be interested to see them. So, I’m gonna pause here and come back shortly with the next update, which I am still working on...Not too long now.)

 

[usnuzuloose]

No need, I was watching the Food Network this morning and one of my favorite chefs made them.

Beignets by Anne Burrell

I leave you a note on your TR about ann

 

[tiggrbaby]

Across the Promenade into Disneyland and Score Two to ME!

One of the things I love most about being at the Disneyland Resort is the close proximity of both parks and DTD. Everything is walkable and there is no need to worry about Disney Transportation to get from one park to another or to a resort. And because bag check happens before the main promenade area, there is no need for another round of zipper teeth attacks.

Providing you have a Park Hopper ticket, getting from one park to another is as simple as out one gate, stopping to get your hand stamped by a Cast Member, and walking across the promenade to the other gate. Once at the other gate, you pass your Park Hopper ticket through the feeder and walk through. If there is any regular Disneyland AP reader lurking on this TR, can you please tell me if the CM EVER checks the hand stamp?

Thanks to the clock at the railway station, I can tell you that we’d pretty much moved out of DCA and headed towards DL close on noon.

On first entry into Main Street I was again struck by the sheer amount of Pixie Dust excuses that was around Disneyland. Perhaps it was because it was off-season or because of the amount of change planned, it just didn’t seem like Disneyland to me. It was a complete reconstruction zone. Even the Castle was boarded up and the normal feeling of excitement that hits me when I look down Main Street to the Castle…well, there was an abnormal feeling of disappointment instead. Don’t get me wrong….I am always delighted to be at a Disney Park; no matter what state it is in…and I knew that there was reconstruction occurring – it has to happen sometime – but knowing that it is going on before you get into the Park and seeing it in reality are two completely different things. One you reason in your mind; the other you cannot reconcile with your heart. I haven’t told DH this but seeing the park in this state…I made a decision there and then to return after the 2012 CarsLand opening so that I could immerse myself in pure Disney magic again. At this point, I didn’t even have the heart to take any pictures…and I am so regretting that decision right now.

I reminded myself that this trip was going to be special, nevertheless. Thanks to franandaj, we had a lunch invitation at Club 33. To me, this was like finding the Holy Grail for Disneyland. Lunch was at 12.30 pm; so we had a bit of time up our sleeves.

Just as well we did…

Perhaps to make up for the over-Pixie Dusting excuses, there just seemed to be more characters out and about in the Main Square than normal.

And DS was in the mood to catch up with a couple of friends he hadn’t seen in a while.

I did mention that we had Bad Line Karma at LAX….well, it seemed like we had our allocation in the one hit there. We happened to be standing at exactly the right spot when the Mouse came (back) out….

…..and we were first in line for the meet and greet.

Mickey was suitably impressed with DS attire and attachment…

…and we all got in on the act for this family and friend photo.

DS then casually walked across the square and somehow managed to walk straight into the arms of an obliging Pluto.

We also saw the Queen of Hearts…and DS showed no interest in making her acquaintance; despite the fact that there was no one else arund.

I think maybe she was rather perplexed by his reaction.

I dashed into the Halls of President, in search of a presidential related photograph.

I wonder if my shot of Capital Dome would do instead?

By this stage, our window of opportunity for meandering slowly towards Club 33 was diminishing…

….but I still pushed the boys down Main Street for another one of those detours….

I know this one was on the list! I had noticed that stand-by wait time was 5 minutes; which meant that it was walk-on.

We waited for the crowd to disembark…

…before we got on.

Did I mention that I’m the reigning queen ...er...princess of this attraction in my family? And that my highest score is in the region of 665,000? This time, I was determined to shoot…..pictures!

As I was sitting behind the boys, I could see their scores. Even when we got round to the second Zurg, they still hadn’t broken 50K. I just couldn’t help myself at this point. I gave in, picked up the ray gun and fired off about 20 shots.

I still whooped the boys and maintained my Princess reign for this attraction with a score of over 275,000. The boys couldn’t believe it either….neither broke the 6 figure mark.

Score TWO to me!


We had just enough time left to grab FP for Indiana Jones on our way over to Club 33.


Up Next – Lunch at Club 33. Yes, that Club 33


(I make no apologies for the detailed account of my time at Club 33 and it is likely to cover a few posts…I took quite a few photos and thought you might be interested to see them. So, I’m gonna pause here and come back shortly with the next update, which I am still working on...Not too long now.)

Really looking forward to your Club 33 pics! You are a great photographer, and that's a place I'll never get to.

 

[JH87]

I am loving your TR!!! Great pictures! Can't wait to hear about Club 33!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Really looking forward to your Club 33 pics! You are a great photographer, and that's a place I'll never get to.

Thanks. I'm still a baby photographer compared to some of the others on the photo sub-forum. But I'm learning from them and hanging out there is expensive.

Club 33 coming right up!

I am loving your TR!!! Great pictures! Can't wait to hear about Club 33!!!

Thanks for reading my TR. Club 33 coming right up...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Club 33 – Yes, THAT Club 33

We were heading to our luncheon destination of Club 33, located at Royal Street, New Orleans Square. Our host for the lunch is franandaj. She has GREAT contacts...and managed to do some sweet talking to get us in. I think it must have been the Australian connection that did it!

It is a very discrete doorway and even though I knew exactly where the club was, I still had to ask a Cast Member exactly where the door was! I’m sure that CM got a good laugh that day as it turns out the door was directly behind me….d’oh!

We arrived outside the door at exactly 12.25 pm and wondered if we should be waiting outside or if we should be heading inside to meet her.

Despite all our PMs and communication on the matter, I quickly realized that there was one minor detail that Alison and I had forgotten to work out. Where we were specifically meeting….

I had already received a text from her saying that she and Fran were in the park; so I assumed that I should head in and check if they were inside.

There is a ‘secret’ panel…and you raise the brass plate, press the button and wait for someone to speak to you over the intercom.

We gave the secret password….and voila! Open Sesame…

It was all very exciting, even to my Quasimodo persona; and despite having been to Disneyland many times in the past, this was most definitely a ‘first’ for us. Turns out, we were the first of our party to arrive and the Cast Member advised that our table would be ready in a little while. It gave me some time to admire the foyer and soak in the ambience of it all.

The beautiful vintage French wooded elevator dominates the foyer of the entrance.

And there were a group in front of us taking it up…

We were given the option of walking up the stairs…

…I wonder how many people actually take the stairs UP! We politely declined and opted for the lift.

And before too long, it was our turn to take the elevator up.

I took the opportunity to take a picture of the stairs from the elevator window…

On the second floor, the door was opened and 3 Cast Members greeted us. One of them led us to our table.

We walked through the Lounge Alley, where the fully operational telephone booth used in the Happiest Millionaire was located.

At the end of the alley, was this gorgeous table.

There were pictures of costumes designed for Mary Poppins on the walls…

…and we walked past a beautiful side table…

..before turning the corner into the Bar and Buffet area.

Our destination was the Main Dining Room…

…and we were shown to our table….immaculately dressed, and we sat there waiting for Alison and Fran to arrive.


I took the opportunity to take this picture of the restaurant table with menu…

…and the table presentation, complete with the special Club 33 plates.

Uh Oh! Slight miscommunication.

Turns out Alison and Fran were waiting for us outside, whilst we were waiting for them inside! It took them 10 minutes to decide that they should come in…and whilst I had received the text from Alison asking where we were, there didn’t appear to be any AT&T service from where I was sitting and I didn’t realize there was no service until too late. So the text I tried to send them just looped around and eventually sat in my saved folder.

The thing about DisMeets is that you already have this wonderful on-line friendship with the person and through pictures you already know what they look like. So, I recognized Alison and Fran immediately.

Alison and I immediately picked up our conversation from where we had left off on the Boards – talking about Canned Cream Corn (sad, isn’t it?) and the Trippie that (still) has no Name – whilst I had a mild panic attack about making a good first impression with Fran. It was initially a strange conversation…because we were so used to having a box in front of us and the Ethernet buffering the messages that I think we both spoke at the same time before realizing that we were meant to pause between sentences so that the other person could interject!

My lovely prince of a DH took this photo whilst we were still chatting about CCC.

I couldn’t initially work out if we were good (or bad) with Fran; Alison turned out to be the chattier of the two and Fran was the silent one.


These two pictures of our dining companions and us were taken after our meal; but I thought they fit in better here than later.

I’d like to think that Fran liked us by this stage…


(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Club 33 Food Porn Part 1


Lunch was just…well… simply brilliant at the Club. It was really wonderful to see how the other half lives at CLR and to be part of the experience albeit for a short while.

In the end, we enjoyed our lunch over a very leisurely 2.5 hours. I was amazed that DS made it through to the 2-hour mark and by my standards, he was really well behaved. Yes, this lunch did cut into our thrill seeking enjoyment of rides; but DH and I had figured that there may well be other trips to a Disney Park…and there were no guarantees of other invitations to Club 33.

But you’re all waiting for the food porn, aren’t you? So, lets start, shall we?

After a suitable period, the Cast Member came to take our drinks order. I ordered pomegranate lemonade and at this stage of the day, I was still trying to be polite and so only ended up taking a picture of my drink and no one else’s.

The service at Club 33 was superb.

We were advised that the soup of day was Mushroom and 5 serves of this soup miraculously appeared on the table…without any need for anyone to yell out Soup’s On!.

Made from a chicken stock base, the mushroom flavour was just beautiful and nicely balanced against the cream.


After we had enjoyed our soup, a Cast Member came to take our orders for main course.

We then proceeded to go examine the buffet for our appetizers.

There was the usual salad offerings, which I somehow missed taking a picture of. With so much other delectables on offer, it was easy to do. There was also a selection of vegetable options.

And a lovely looking tomato and bocconcini mix with balsamic vinegar and finely sliced basil on top. For my money, I missed the fresh whole basil leaves layered between the tomato and the cheese…

There was also a selection of fruit.

In my view, fruit as an appetizer is something that is so Americana. The Aussies usually have fruit for dessert.

There was a great platter of yellow cheeses….

…and another platter of deli meats.

For me, the highlight of the buffet would be the selection of cooked seafood, seemingly endlessly available during the lunch service.

The crab claws were delightful.

…as were the lobster tails and prawns.

The seafood was all perfectly cooked and tasted really fresh. I took some of the tartare sauce…it was creamy thick and wonderfully tart at the same time. The perfect accompaniment for the fresh and beautifully cooked seafood.


I tried to go easy on the buffet as I knew we still had a full 2 courses ahead of us but to no avail. I would have been perfectly happy to dive into desserts at this stage…when our entrees arrived.


Fran and I ordered the same dish…chateaubriand steak, medium rare. When cooked properly, this is the most tender of any cut!

Had to grab a shot of the Club 33 emblem on the plate!

It is my personal preference to eat my meat pink, warm but with no dripping blood. Especially when the cuts of meat are meant to be tender and flavoursome. Those of you that have read my previous TRs will know that I usually have a whinge about American chefs that do not understand how to cook a steak medium rare. You may remember that in one of the TRs, I got a response indicating that medium rare cooking of steak in the US is considered to be a liability from a potential food poisoning perspective; which is why everything comes out well done or burnt.

If this response is true, then Disney may have a major problem with liable cases in the future. Turns out that the Chef at Club 33 had been classically trained in France and I finally found a chef that really understood how to properly cook a steak medium rare. I was in tender meat-lovers heaven and I cannot find the words to describe how good the Chateaubriand was!


Alison ordered the roast chicken.

I felt a pang of order-envy when I saw Alison’s meal…particularly when I realized that she had a truffle mac and cheese side.


DH ordered the salmon, which by all accounts was superbly cooked and wonderfully flavoured.

DS got Parmesan cheese, with the Mickey pasta with Marinara sauce. He got a entrée size serving and scoffed the whole thing down.

The cheese must have been good!



The legendary Club 33 service came to the fore again. We all wanted to try the truffle mac and cheese and the chef sent out a big bowl of the stuff for the table.

Are you frigging kidding me??? Black truffles…at about $9000 per kilo!
And look at those thick cut chunky truffle mushroom hunks all over the place! Thunks Chef! Exquisite.Ambrosial.Lusciousness!



I was pretty much ready to slide under the table for an old fogie snooze by the time I finished my entrée.



(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Club 33 Food Porn Part 2 - Dessert


I figured I’d already gained about 5 lbs over lunch and that was just for appetizer and entrée. I still had dessert to go at Club 33.


It’s been a while since I’ve doled out any sugar so here’s your ration now.


I have had the pleasure of attending the Wishes Dessert Party at WDW and found the selection and quantity of never ending mouth poppers at that party staggering.

The selection and quantity at Club 33 was only just a little bit less staggering than the Dessert Party …but the quality…well, the quality is in a completely different league of itself. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a range of dessert of the quality that exceeds what was on display here for lunch.



The buffet looked like this.

And I honed in for some close-ups….

The raspberry delight.

The gooey pastry of lemon profitteroles

The magnificent chocolate trifle.

DH went with these options – the lemon tart and that raspberry delight.

I hope no one from the W.I.S.H sub-forum is looking at this…but I certainly held back (not) and restrained my plate to only these selections. I’d picked the chocolate fondant/fudge, tira misu, lemon profitteroles, chocolate trifle and a raspberry friand.

And so you can see the other side, I turned the plate round and took the shot from the other side.

I was too busy with my morsels to work out what DS or anyone else got. I think DS got one of those chocolate trifles…I really should go and check sometime.


I do know that Alison ordered one of these alcoholic drinks. By this stage, I was way past comatose and into sugar oblivion. So I don’t remember what it was called. It was chocolate based and I’m hoping that Alison will let me know what the name of this drink is so that I can go post it on the scavenger hunt thread. I think it was aptly called Chocolate Oblivion...

We ordered coffees and I just wanted to sit there, enjoying the feeling of a wonderful meal with good friends.

But there were still a little bit of the Club to see….


(Continued in Next Post)

 

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)


Life on the Outside of Club 33

We had just finished lunch and I was heading on a comatose sugar trip when Alison wanted to take a tour round the Club. So, we headed out.

I was particularly interested to head out to the balconies.

I managed to capture the sunlight in this one. I had originally thought it was the sugar trip when I looked at it on my camera...but no...it really was sunlight!

Looking out at the balcony directly above Café Orleans.

Looking down into the outside seating for Café Orleans.

If you looked between the trees, you could just about see where Fantasmic! might play on the Rivers of America.

The view down, over where the entrance of PoTC is.

Beautiful Mardi Gras beads decorate the railings on the balcony.

I also got this wonderful window scene from inside the Club looking down into New Orleans Square.

This is the outside balcony view down of inside New Orleans Square.

I took the opportunity to hone in for a close up of the piano.

And the exquisite painting on the inside of the cover.

Alison and I also wandered into the trophy room, which was exquisitely decorated. Sadly, I only took this picture of the light fitting…complete with microphone right in the middle.

Apparently, Walt had thought it would be funny to listen in to conversations of the visiting guests.

Most of my shots of the furniture were taken at this stage, but it was appropriate to include them earlier. I also have in my collection potty pictures...and not that I'm adverse to being potty-mouthed....this is the Dis we're talking about and I decided to hold off...unless pressed to post one of the Gents and one of the Ladies..

I wanted to buy a Club 33 pin as a souvenir of my visit; but DS was keen to get going. So, DH took him out whilst I stayed back to complete the transaction.

DH settled up the bill, which came with these mint chocolates.

I couldn’t eat them then and we brought them home with us. We only ate them the other day and they were yummy!

We said our goodbyes to Fran and Alison but not before asking them to call us when they left so that we could see them again.



I walked down the stairs and headed out the Exit.

Such a surreal experience and I will always fondly remember my lunch at the Club. Thanks Alison and please thank your connections for me as well!






[Up Next – Our DL afternoon Must Do’s and then some!]


(I’m working on the next a couple of posts that will cover the DL afternoon; but have just loaded up my pictures of World of Colour on photobucket. Just to tease some of you into thinking to hang around my TR some more, here are my test patterns from World of Colour….

Vertical hold…

Horizontal pattern.

More to come… later ... )

 

[DisneyFirefly]

God... I would love to go to Club 33! That looks amazing, even for someone like me who tends to prefer homestyle type food

 

[franandaj]

I do know that Alison ordered one of these alcoholic drinks. By this stage, I was way past comatose and into sugar oblivion. So I don’t remember what it was called. It was chocolate based and I’m hoping that Alison will let me know what the name of this drink is so that I can go post it on the scavenger hunt thread. I think it was aptly called Chocolate Oblivion...

Actually it was simply called a Chocolate Martini! Great pictures and nice how you chronicled the whole experience. I'm able to get there often enough that I don't see it through eyes like that. C'mon, you gotta at least post the pictures of the ladies room. I don't remember what the men's room looks like, but the ladies room is quite unique!

 

[shushh]

Thank you so much for sharing your Club 33 experience. I really enjoyed reading about it. SOOOOO envious. And the photos are just divine.

 

[skier_pete]

OMG, that looks AMAZING...I am so jealous - something I'll never get to do. I will live vicariously through your pictures. We have had truffle mac and cheese a few times, but never with so many truffles!

I would be curious as to the cost of that meal, too! Don't blame you if you don't want to share.

I might have been the one you were thinking on the "not rare" meat, but my comment was regarding hamburgers, which are ground beef and thus exposed to air throughout...many places won't cook them unless it's all through. You CAN get a medium rare steak in the US, but restaurants are very inconsistent in how they cook them, I find. A good steak house will usually get it right if you describe how you want it, though.

Peter

 

[kylieh]

The magnificent chocolate trifle.

One word - YUM


PS - I'm really enjoying all of the trip report...

 

[usnuzuloose]

Club 33 is fantastic. Yeah the womens restroom something else huh? The food is excelent in there. I wish everyone could have the experience one time. Michael sat still looking at all the desserts he could devour. Waiting for the hunchback. I am LOL now Great pics and I love how you are wording it all. Cant wait for more.

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

Have just finished catching up on your trip report. Looks like you had a great time despite feeling a little let down at main street.

Club 33 looks absolutely amazing! I am so jealous of you going. Thanks for posting so many wonderful pictures.

Can't wait for your update on World of Colour.

 

[skiingfast]

The painting on the piano truly reminds me of Epcot.

The Club33 chocolates you brought home was a great idea. I find bringing home food extends the trip a bit. But after you eat your souvenire, you don't get a taste of Disney until you go under those Welcome signs.

 

[hjd0411]

Looking good so far!!! I love the food porn from Club 33 - that place looks amazing.
Thanks for sharing and I'm anxiously awaiting WOC pics!!

 

[tiggrbaby]

Your pics of Club 33 - just WOW!