Chunkymonkey and Chubbyhubby Feed the Force!! A May 2015 TR - Update 10/29 Trip Epilogue!

[disney2mom]

I've rented points one time before for only 2 nights! So you can rent points for any number of nights. I think it's a great way to stay at a deluxe resort for a fraction of the cost. Some work is involved but it's worth it! I'd never be able to stay at the Poly if it weren't for points! Good luck if you do try a point rental!

Thank you for all of the info, you are always SO helpful and sweet!!! This info will help me so much in deciding if we want to rent DVC or just wait for the Spring offer!

Your Dopey is super cute, you are a good artist! I love Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, I will be so sad if the rumor is true!! I always leave teary-eyed, its so emotional!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Thank you for all of the info, you are always SO helpful and sweet!!! This info will help me so much in deciding if we want to rent DVC or just wait for the Spring offer!

Your Dopey is super cute, you are a good artist! I love Walt Disney: One Man's Dream, I will be so sad if the rumor is true!! I always leave teary-eyed, its so emotional!

No problem! I hope you get what you're looking for!

Thank you! It was fun! Have you tried it yet?

It was a great exhibit! I wish I had gone earlier...there were so many opportunities to go on previous trips...sigh. But at least I did it once!

 

[disney2mom]

Thank you! It was fun! Have you tried it yet?

I've never tried it, I don't like to draw But it does look like it would be fun for those who do like to draw!

 

[cajunfan]

Um, you left off AT REBEL HANGAR??? What??? I need pictures...you know in case I need to steal (um, borrow) them for my next installment (cause I took no pictures from this event)

It sounds like they may eventually relocate the drawing class somewhere. But who knows where or when! I did not do it this last visit, but I usually enjoy it. I am sad to see so many things closing all at once. But I am sure it will come back bigger and better!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Great update!!

I can't wait to hear about the Rebel Hangar! I am just about to start my first SWW update in my TR and I'm pretty excited to write about it. Think I'm addicted to SWW now.

 

[chunkymonkey]

I've never tried it, I don't like to draw But it does look like it would be fun for those who do like to draw!

I think even if you don't like to draw you should give it a try! They really guide you every step of the way. I am FAR from an artist...I am not the crafty or artsy one in my family but I thought it was a great and fun experience.

Um, you left off AT REBEL HANGAR??? What??? I need pictures...you know in case I need to steal (um, borrow) them for my next installment (cause I took no pictures from this event)

It sounds like they may eventually relocate the drawing class somewhere. But who knows where or when! I did not do it this last visit, but I usually enjoy it. I am sad to see so many things closing all at once. But I am sure it will come back bigger and better!

LOL yes, the cliffhanger TR!!! I was actually going to post a double feature yesterday but I got caught up at work and didn't get to post the Rebel Hangar part. I MAY be able to post it tonight.

Yeah, I'm hoping they have a bigger area for drawing and character meets and an even bigger exhibit for One Man's Dream. I'd be really sad when they are gone. DHS will pretty much be half under construction when it happens. I wonder what they will do to entertain guests so they don't just go for a few rides and then leave!

Great update!!

I can't wait to hear about the Rebel Hangar! I am just about to start my first SWW update in my TR and I'm pretty excited to write about it. Think I'm addicted to SWW now.

Thanks!!

I am writing about it right now...it was probably one of my favorite meals at Disney ever! It was so much fun. I know...I am sooo wanting to go to SWW again!!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Day 6 Part 2: Rebel Hangar, a Star Wars Lounge Experience

Before we headed over to Backlot Express, we managed to snag some FP+ to RnRC for later...yay! Now, it was time to check in for the highly anticipated meal at Rebel Hangar!

The Backlot Express had been completely transformed. I was really impressed with the decor. It was no longer a quick service depot...but more like a Mos Eisley's cantina meets backstage prop tour...but for REBELS only!

We sat indoors which was a relief since it was pretty hot, but you can also opt to sit outside if you wanted to.

This was the bar area. It was all table service, so you didn't have to get anything yourself but since the Backlot Express doesn't normally have a bar, they had to set it up somewhere temporarily.

R2, say "Cheese!"
R2: "Bleep bleep Bloop!"

The menu was full of clever names and even better sounding food. I could seriously eat everything!

We ordered drinks first. I just about died when the CM told us we could order any of the drinks with any of the Star Wars-themed glow cubes?!? I wanted one of everything!!

I got the Degobah Swamp Juice
Midori, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, sweet and sour, topped with lemon-lime foam
It came with an X-wing glow cube which is conveniently a clip too! It tasted like a Midori Sour - which I used to drink a lot right after college. It brought back memories. Good times.

DH got the Tatooine Sunset
Stoli vanilla, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, pineapple juice with grenadine
It came with a Millenium "Chewie, we're home" Falcon glow cube. This tasted like a cheerful tropical drink.

Chunkysis didn't get a drink and instead got an iced tea which our CM gracefully added a Death Star glow cube to. That was really nice of her because I thought you didn't get glow cubes unless you purchased a specialty drink!

My sister was gracious enough to give me her glow cube because she could literally see that I was jumping off my seat with a "pleading" look.

Best sister ever, or what? #onlyanactoftruelovecanthawafrozenheart

All the glow cubes change color. I love glow cubes. #easilyamused

We ordered the following food to share among all of us. I like the idea of lounge/bar food as you can taste a bit of everything!

Pilot's Pomme Frites with Garlic Aioli

Really great fries dusted with garlic with a garlic mayo dipping sauce. Very Belgian. Very tasty. The Chewie stamped "sail" was actually a Parmesan crisp or something. It was edible!

Fruit and Cheese “Sabers”
Featuring Tillamook cheddar, Brie, goat cheese, pickled vegetables, crostini, cheddar crackers, blueberries, raspberries, honeydew melon, strawberry, olives and gherkins

The cheddar crackers were really adorable! It was otherwise just a regular fruit n cheese platter, but since it's a Star Wars fruit n cheese platter, it is 10x better.

Ensalada Naboo
Seared chicken breast, bibb lettuce, grape tomatoes, watermelon radish, almond frica, and a parmesan-peppercorn ranch dressing

OMG this salad was delicious. I could eat this for lunch every day. I'm not sure what almond frica is but I assume it's the toasted almonds that were sprinkled on top. The lettuce in this salad was crisp, the watermelon radish added color and bite, the chicken was warm and juicy, and the tangy creamy dressing really brought everything together. Yum.

Lightsaber Bites
Hand-dipped corn-battered knockwurst sausages with house-made chips and mustard dipping sauce

OMG it just keeps getting better! These corn dogs were delicious! They were hot, crusty, and the knockwurst sausage was really good and added something different than just a regular hot dog. We all loved this, and the smaller size meant we could each eat one without getting too full. The hand-fried chips were also yummy too.

And finally, we come to the Dark Side...I mean

The Dark Fried
Chicken and Darth Vader waffles served with maple syrup and sweet barbecue sauce

I am a huge fan of chicken 'n waffles and an even bigger fan if they happen to be Disney waffles: Mickey, Simba, and especially Darth Varder waffles. If the end of the world was right after this meal, I'd be ok with it

Let's get a close up of that waffle:

They were very good! The chicken tasted like the regular chicken nuggets in the park, but I happen like them so they worked for me! I always like to dip the chicken in the maple syrup for that sweet-salty taste. Mmmmm.

Throughout our meal, we got some visitors!

I heart Chewie hugs!!

We tried to trade with a Jawa...and got totally screwed. I pulled out a pen I had in my bag. The Jawa accepted the pen...and gave us a folded piece of paper.
Here's a video of the trade:

I thought it might have been a piece of paper wrapped around something else...but no.
It was literally just a piece of paper.

Just a scrap of paper from a coloring book. SAD!
I should have known better than to trade with a Jawa...

Here's more shots of the interior of Rebel Hangar:

Note, during the regular Backlot Express hours, before it becomes Rebel Hangar, it's a regular quick service place but the decor is still up so even if you didn't have a reservation you could still take a look inside. It looked like this during the day:

Here's one of the exterior seating area.
It was warm during the day but I'm sure it's better in the evening.

Needless to say, having not heard much about this event before we made ADRs, we were just blown away by our experience at Rebel Hangar. The ambiance and decor suited the theme perfectly, and the food was really delicious and exceeded our expectations. I loved the character interaction too! I hope they decide to do this again next year because I may just have to fly down just for this!! I wish I had Chunkysis's teleportation powers!

Coming up, the rest of our day at DHS!

P.S. We will be away this weekend visiting Boston (where me and DH went to school). We're hopefully going to check out the Pixar exhibit that is currently at the Boston Museum of Science! I'll be sure to post pics if we do go! Have a great weekend!
​

 

[bcwife76]

I'm reading this while sitting on the couch next to DH so of course show him the cool photos - he's like WHY are we doing to Disneyland??!! Why aren't we going to WDW??!!! I want to eat at the Rebel Hangar!!! lol

 

[pookersmom]

Well now I want some chicken and Darth Vader waffles.

 

[chunkymonkey]

I'm reading this while sitting on the couch next to DH so of course show him the cool photos - he's like WHY are we doing to Disneyland??!! Why aren't we going to WDW??!!! I want to eat at the Rebel Hangar!!! lol

LOL, when I saw pics of the food I knew I had to go. Luckily they offered it during the week and not just SWW because I couldn't get a reservation for the weekend. I was so excited about this because it was a new experience and we didn't know what to expect. Tell your DH that there is always SWW next year! I hope they do this again, I think it was a success this year!

Well now I want some chicken and Darth Vader waffles.

You and me both....

 

[cajunfan]

Glad you all enjoyed your experience. We were seated at a table that had no fun table décor, and we ended up having absolutely no character interaction. They all seemed to stop just short of our table and the one next to us. I had the corn dog things and loved them too. We also had those garlic fries that I wish I could have everyday! Mat had the thermal detonators, which he enjoyed. Sabrina had the fruit & cheese plate. She did not enjoy this. I have to say, I tried a bite of the CP3O cheese wafer(cracker?) thing and it pretty much tasted like sawdust. But Matt ended up with all three glow cubes too...and yes we were very amused that they changed colors. (these have since been chewed on by his dog, lol) We each had a drink from the bar before going in, and those things were strong! Neither Sabrina nor I could finish ours...but Matt helped us out there. We would definitely do this one again. And it sounds like your trade with the Jawas went like Matt's trades at The Sci_Fi Galactic Breakfast! LOL!

 

[disney2mom]

Great update Su-Lynn! Love all of the pics from the Rebel Hangar and the video of that sneaky Jawa, Lol!! Have a safe trip to Boston!

 

[deedee2177]

I'm all caught up!!!! Love your report so far! Especially your review on 'Ohana!! I will be eating there for the first time during our November Trip....can't wait! Looks so yummy!

My DH saw me reading your review on Rebel Hangar, he is a huge Star Wars fan and got all excited...poor thing was sad when I told him it was only during the Star Wars event. Who knows maybe they will work this in as a permanent thing with all the Star Wars updates that are rumored to be happening!

Looking forward to the next update!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Hahahaha, I'm not sure if it was intentional but I love the wink with the stormtrooper picture!!

Isn't Rebel Hanger just the best thing ever?!?! We ended up getting a bunch of food to share too.

And how amazing is it that Chewie is in there? That is like...an hour wait or else a rope drop sprint to see him on the regular SWW.

 

[allybabba98]

Everything looks so good! I love that Chewbacca was there, what a great photo. My boys would love this. Looking forward to reading more.

 

[kastoney]

CS's outfit was cute today:

Love her dress!!!! Any idea where she got it?

We then had FP+ for TSM! So we made our way to Pixar Place.

This is a great photo of you 2!

Then we went to Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular! We had an FP+ for this so

Is it bad that with so much closed at MGM, I thought Indiana Jones was already gone. Haven't seen it in years but gonna have to work it in next time before they really do get rid of it.

We all just split a pizza so that we wouldn't get too full. We weren't that hungry anyways. I've always liked the pizza here...it's the best "fast-food-not-authentic-new-york-pizza" IMO.

What do ya know not authentic, non-new york, fast food is my favorite kind of pizza

Back at the Animation Academy we waited to join the class. We were one of the last people in so we didn't get our own table but we got drawing boards and sat in the front. Today we were drawing Dopey!

Here's mine:

Wow, this is really good. So sad it is gone.

It tasted like a Midori Sour - which I used to drink a lot right after college. It brought back memories. Good times.

Man, I hadn't thought about a Midori in years. It and Amaretto sour's definitely got me through a few years of college ; )

Pilot's Pomme Frites with Garlic Aioli

Really great fries dusted with garlic with a garlic mayo dipping sauce. Very Belgian. Very tasty. The Chewie stamped "sail" was actually a Parmesan crisp or something. It was edible!

This looks delicious. Though eating parmesan chewie seems a bit odd.

Lightsaber Bites
Hand-dipped corn-battered knockwurst sausages with house-made chips and mustard dipping sauce

Um, yum! Any chance I can one of those right about now.

I thought it might have been a piece of paper wrapped around something else...but no.
It was literally just a piece of paper.

Wow, that is some impressive piece of paper.

The Rebel Hangar looks great. I love places where you can just eat appetizers or tapas. How were the prices?

P.S. We will be away this weekend visiting Boston (where me and DH went to school). We're hopefully going to check out the Pixar exhibit that is currently at the Boston Museum of Science! I'll be sure to post pics if we do go! Have a great weekend!

Hope you have a great weekend! Sounds like fun

 

[EvilQueensRock]

I'm in love with CS and your wardrobes! Where did she find all the cute dresses?

 

[Dugette]

I rented DVC points once a long time ago when we stayed at the Aulani in Hawaii. It was great but it was only for 2 nights so it wasn't a big expenditure. The main reason I'm hesitant is the lack of cancellation policies. I'm sure that I'd have to buy some trip insurance - but I've never bought travel insurance before so not sure how/when to do it. Anyone rent DVC points before and got travel insurance?

Glad to see you ended up getting something lined up before I read this. But I will just throw in that we also rented DVC points for Aulani (last November) - found that person on another forum (mouse owners). She was so great that we rented points from her again for the May trip we just took (Boardwalk & Beach Club). For that trip, she allowed cancellation up to a certain date (we booked before we were certain of the trip) and we paid $1/point extra to have that option. We also lined up a third point rental from her - for our return to Aulani next January. Poor gal barely has any points left to use for her own family. Anyway, it was a pretty easy process, but I don't know if I lucked out or if that's normal - sounds like you had a great experience renting too. Your pricing sounds on par with ours too. We did get travel insurance for each of these trips, just in case - we used the one I'd seen recommended somewhere (I think on mousesavers?) - that was Allianz Travel Insurance. Easy, fairly inexpensive, seems fine - but we haven't had to make a claim. Good for peace of mind. For others asking questions about renting, here's a nice write-up I liked about the rental process: http://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/#rentpoints

Then, we decided to brave waiting in stand-by at Peter Pan. The wait time said 35 minutes! And it looked like there was no line...but the new queue is deceiving. It snakes around and is quite long. At least there are interesting things to see along the way.

Sorry you had a wait, but at least you had the new queue to see. I still haven't seen it - always have FP+ there, I guess.

From February 27th to March 5th 2016 we're staying at...a deluxe standard studio room...at the...

POLYNESIAN VILLAGE!!!!






OMG I'm so excited! This trip is really shaping up to be the WDW trip of a lifetime!

Sounds amazing!! Congrats!

BTW, this post marks my 1000th post on the DIS Boards!!

Woohoo, nice work!

Super cute dress! And perfect for that meet with Minnie!

Chunkysis didn't get a drink and instead got an iced tea which our CM gracefully added a Death Star glow cube to. That was really nice of her because I thought you didn't get glow cubes unless you purchased a specialty drink!

Our waitress told us that you could get a glow cube with any drink. We'd each already gotten a specialty drink (well, not Izzy ), so we just ordered a Diet Coke and got the third glow cube. They are really cool!

Throughout our meal, we got some visitors!

Wow, that's awesome! We actually went to the Rebel Hangar twice and never even saw a character. We still enjoyed the food and theming, though.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Glad you all enjoyed your experience. We were seated at a table that had no fun table décor, and we ended up having absolutely no character interaction. They all seemed to stop just short of our table and the one next to us. I had the corn dog things and loved them too. We also had those garlic fries that I wish I could have everyday! Mat had the thermal detonators, which he enjoyed. Sabrina had the fruit & cheese plate. She did not enjoy this. I have to say, I tried a bite of the CP3O cheese wafer(cracker?) thing and it pretty much tasted like sawdust. But Matt ended up with all three glow cubes too...and yes we were very amused that they changed colors. (these have since been chewed on by his dog, lol) We each had a drink from the bar before going in, and those things were strong! Neither Sabrina nor I could finish ours...but Matt helped us out there. We would definitely do this one again. And it sounds like your trade with the Jawas went like Matt's trades at The Sci_Fi Galactic Breakfast! LOL!

Wow I can't believe that you didn't have any character interaction! That is odd that they didn't stop, very unlike characters!

The corndogs were delicious! I don't eat corn dogs that much but this one really was one of the best I've had. Can't go wrong with garlic friends and these were really good! I do admit that the fruit n cheese were unmemorable compared to everything else. It was just blah but we were attracted to the C3PO sawdust crackers! I thought they were just ok. It was definitely a dish that was more visually appealing than tasty.

That is too funny about the Jawa trading. But it is fun to say that you traded with a Jawa!

Great update Su-Lynn! Love all of the pics from the Rebel Hangar and the video of that sneaky Jawa, Lol!! Have a safe trip to Boston!

Thank you!!!

I'm all caught up!!!! Love your report so far! Especially your review on 'Ohana!! I will be eating there for the first time during our November Trip....can't wait! Looks so yummy!

You guys will have so much fun! When you're there for Wishes, they will dim the lights and pipe the music in. It's our favorite place!

My DH saw me reading your review on Rebel Hangar, he is a huge Star Wars fan and got all excited...poor thing was sad when I told him it was only during the Star Wars event. Who knows maybe they will work this in as a permanent thing with all the Star Wars updates that are rumored to be happening!

Aww, guess you'll just have to make another trip during Star Wars weekends! I can't see how this won't return. It was really popular and maybe when they build a "permanent" Mos Eisley Cantina-type restaurant this will be a featured theme. Can't wait t see what they will do on the rumored Star Wars land!!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Hahahaha, I'm not sure if it was intentional but I love the wink with the stormtrooper picture!!

Thanks, and it WAS intentional! I thought I'd be different in this one pic. LOL

Isn't Rebel Hanger just the best thing ever?!?! We ended up getting a bunch of food to share too.

OMG one of the best experiences of the trip!! I mean, we had so many, but this one stood out because it was new and we didn't know what to expect.

And how amazing is it that Chewie is in there? That is like...an hour wait or else a rope drop sprint to see him on the regular SWW.

I know!! I totally would pay for this meal again just for the character interaction!

Everything looks so good! I love that Chewbacca was there, what a great photo. My boys would love this. Looking forward to reading more.

Thank you!! It was an amazing trip and the Star Wars meals and festivities were a highlight.

Love her dress!!!! Any idea where she got it?

It's from Torrid! She got it online though. She said the stores didn't seem to have it.

This is a great photo of you 2!

Thank you!

Is it bad that with so much closed at MGM, I thought Indiana Jones was already gone. Haven't seen it in years but gonna have to work it in next time before they really do get rid of it.

I know! Seems like the clock is ticking on everything except for TSMM, ToT and RnRC.

What do ya know not authentic, non-new york, fast food is my favorite kind of pizza

Hahaha, everything outside of NY just doesn't compare (although I do happen to like Chicago deep-dish pizza too but they are different breeds).

Wow, this is really good. So sad it is gone.

Yes

Man, I hadn't thought about a Midori in years. It and Amaretto sour's definitely got me through a few years of college ; )

Totally!!!

This looks delicious. Though eating parmesan chewie seems a bit odd.

Soooo yummy. Even parmesan Chewie was good!

Um, yum! Any chance I can one of those right about now.

I loved the food! So good!

Wow, that is some impressive piece of paper.

Hahaha...indeed. It could have been just a blank paper then I'd really feel bad.

The Rebel Hangar looks great. I love places where you can just eat appetizers or tapas. How were the prices?

Prices were actually quite decent. The plates range from 11-14 dollars and totally shareable. We definitely over ordered by one dish I think but we still ate everything...

Hope you have a great weekend! Sounds like fun

Thanks! We did! Ate too much as usual but it was fun!

I'm in love with CS and your wardrobes! Where did she find all the cute dresses?

She shops at Torrid and ASOS.com for most of her clothes. CS and I just purchased matching Darth Vader dresses from HerUniverse.com as well!

Glad to see you ended up getting something lined up before I read this. But I will just throw in that we also rented DVC points for Aulani (last November) - found that person on another forum (mouse owners). She was so great that we rented points from her again for the May trip we just took (Boardwalk & Beach Club). For that trip, she allowed cancellation up to a certain date (we booked before we were certain of the trip) and we paid $1/point extra to have that option. We also lined up a third point rental from her - for our return to Aulani next January. Poor gal barely has any points left to use for her own family. Anyway, it was a pretty easy process, but I don't know if I lucked out or if that's normal - sounds like you had a great experience renting too. Your pricing sounds on par with ours too. We did get travel insurance for each of these trips, just in case - we used the one I'd seen recommended somewhere (I think on mousesavers?) - that was Allianz Travel Insurance. Easy, fairly inexpensive, seems fine - but we haven't had to make a claim. Good for peace of mind. For others asking questions about renting, here's a nice write-up I liked about the rental process: http://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/#rentpoints

That's great! I think most people's experiences have been positive with point rentals. Thanks for the link! I will be sure to check it out. I love Aulani! Can't wait to go back! We're going to Oahu in November this year but sadly not to Aulani. We may swing by for a visit though.

Sorry you had a wait, but at least you had the new queue to see. I still haven't seen it - always have FP+ there, I guess.

Yeah me too. Always have FP+ so didn't think to ride stand-by. At least it's not boring!

Sounds amazing!! Congrats!

Thank you! So excited!

Super cute dress! And perfect for that meet with Minnie!

Yes it was! She just bought another one that similar to it! She's bringing it on the cruise next Feb.

Our waitress told us that you could get a glow cube with any drink. We'd each already gotten a specialty drink (well, not Izzy ), so we just ordered a Diet Coke and got the third glow cube. They are really cool!

I know! They are so much fun!

Wow, that's awesome! We actually went to the Rebel Hangar twice and never even saw a character. We still enjoyed the food and theming, though.

Oh that's weird! Maybe they only did characters for a little while? Glad you enjoyed it enough to go back twice though! Lucky!