Questions about ABD California Backstage Magic

Cinderella's Slipper 2015 · Dec 18, 2015

You actually need to register prior to dinner starting at 5. There will be a desk on the second floor, just outside the restaurant during the early afternoon. Takes about 5 minutes to register. Basically you are letting the guides know you are there and they will check the names off of everyone in your party then spend a few minutes chatting with you.

If you get Michael as a guide you are definitely in for a great time. He was our guide and is Senior level Guest Relations CM at Disneyland.

OKW Lover · Dec 18, 2015

Cinderella's Slipper 2015 said:
If you get Michael as a guide you are definitely in for a great time

Loved Michael. Also, Dean, Hannake or Summer Rose are also wonderful guides.

Cinderella's Slipper 2015 · Dec 18, 2015

OKW Lover said:
Loved Michael. Also, Dean, Hannake or Summer Rose are also wonderful guides.

Michael said Dean is the one that should be doing our Central Europe trip next September. We got to meet him when we arrived at Disneyland.

meryll83 · Dec 18, 2015

So do you have to register between 12 and 2/3, or can you arrive later than that if dinner is at 5?

Cinderella's Slipper 2015 · Dec 18, 2015

meryll83 said:
So do you have to register between 12 and 2/3, or can you arrive later than that if dinner is at 5?

From what I saw, they did not have any of the check in stuff at dinner time. Also the room is preset for the number of people who have checked in. We actually had 1 less person than was originally on the group list but there was not a seat set up for them. I would play it safe and try to be there for the actual registration period.

meryll83 · Dec 18, 2015

Looks like another early morning is the way forward then for the WB tour - was hoping for a lie in pre-ABD! :rotfl:

Cinderella's Slipper 2015 · Dec 18, 2015

meryll83 said:
Looks like another early morning is the way forward then for the WB tour - was hoping for a lie in pre-ABD!

After you check in, take some time and check out the shops on Hollywood Blvd. That way if see anything you can buy it. You won't have much time to shop once the trip starts in earnest. That's what we did. We hiked the canyon, grabbed lunch, checked in then headed to Hollywood Blvd to shop.

DisneyKevin · Dec 18, 2015

meryll83 said:
So do you have to register between 12 and 2/3, or can you arrive later than that if dinner is at 5?

Late arrival can be pre-arranged.

Your check in with the guides can be done at dinner.

As you plan to be out all day, you will need to find out where the dinner is being held. The changes frequently.

meryll83 · Dec 18, 2015

DisneyKevin said:
Late arrival can be pre-arranged.

Your check in with the guides can be done at dinner.

As you plan to be out all day, you will need to find out where the dinner is being held. The changes frequently.

Thanks Kevin - will have a think about using this option.

While I've got your attention :thumbsup2

when/how do I confirm our transfer arrangements?

DisneyKevin · Dec 18, 2015

meryll83 said:
Thanks Kevin - will have a think about using this option.

While I've got your attention when/how do I confirm our transfer arrangements?

You can write to me at Kevin@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com

meryll83 · Dec 30, 2015

It's an old book I've just been reading, but I've just seen something about a daily resort fee at the Grand Californian - is that still the case?

DisneyKevin · Dec 30, 2015

meryll83 said:
It's an old book I've just been reading, but I've just seen something about a daily resort fee at the Grand Californian - is that still the case?

Disney resort guests pay a daily resort fee.

ABD guests pay nothing additional.

The exception would be incidentals.

Examples would be but not limited to long distance charges, room service, spa treatments mini bar charges etc.

meryll83 · Dec 31, 2015

DisneyKevin said:
Disney resort guests pay a daily resort fee.

ABD guests pay nothing additional.

The exception would be incidentals.

Examples would be but not limited to long distance charges, room service, spa treatments mini bar charges etc.

Thanks Kevin.

What about the additional post-ABD nights I've booked with you - is there a fee for those nights? If so, how much? Thanks again!

OKW Lover · Dec 31, 2015

meryll83 said:
What about the additional post-ABD nights I've booked with you - is there a fee for those nights? If so, how much? Thanks again!

We did BSM in July with a couple of extra nights and weren't charged the resort fee.

DisneyKevin · Dec 31, 2015

Jeff is correct.

There are no resort fees.

jsilvers · Jan 1, 2016

DisneyKevin said:
Disney resort guests pay a daily resort fee.

Not to "twist the knife," but the resort fee at Disneyland was abolished FIVE YEARS AGO. See, e.g., http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?182862-Do-the-Disney-Hotels-have-resort-fees.

DisneyKevin · Jan 1, 2016

jsilvers said:
Not to "twist the knife," but the resort fee at Disneyland was abolished FIVE YEARS AGO. See, e.g., http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?182862-Do-the-Disney-Hotels-have-resort-fees.

Thanks for correcting my error.

meryll83 · Feb 11, 2016

Ok, new question.
This is our first ABD - anything you wish you'd known before yours (or this one on paricular) so you could have prepared for it / packed differently?

sayhello · Feb 11, 2016

meryll83 said:
Ok, new question.
This is our first ABD - anything you wish you'd known before yours (or this one on paricular) so you could have prepared for it / packed differently?

There's a current thread that asks pretty much this same question.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/what-you-wish-you-knew-on-your-first-abd.3479115/

Although it's more general, and not specific to Backstage Magic.

Sayhello

OKW Lover · Feb 11, 2016

meryll83 said:
Ok, new question.
This is our first ABD - anything you wish you'd known before yours (or this one on paricular) so you could have prepared for it / packed differently?

I'll second Tobi's recommendation to read that thread.

I'll also reinforce what I posted there. Get to Hollywood a day or so early. This is especially important if you're coming from the east coast, or even the mid-west. Spend some time seeing things around Hollywood that day but don't do too much. Once this adventure starts with the Welcome Dinner you won't get a lot of time to rest. There will be several late nights and early mornings. You don't want to start out in a sleep deficit.

Questions about ABD California Backstage Magic

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