Southern California (& Disneyland): Backstage Magic Meets Thread

[peanut5399]

I feel as though "so excited" is going to be the theme of the next month for all of us! Can't wait to meet everyone!

 

[wishiwasindisneyjen]

Just read on the Disneyland thread that Club 33 is closing for 6 months starting in January 2014 for major renovations....guess we won't get to dine here on our ABD

When we were trying to decide between February and June we were told we'd have a better chance of getting into the renovated Club 33 in June. So lets still hold out hope that we will get to dine there!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

When we were trying to decide between February and June we were told we'd have a better chance of getting into the renovated Club 33 in June. So lets still hold out hope that we will get to dine there!

My understanding is that they are going to do their best to reopen in the timeframe they are telling everyone that it will be done.

My fingers are crossed for you all.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

When we were trying to decide between February and June we were told we'd have a better chance of getting into the renovated Club 33 in June. So lets still hold out hope that we will get to dine there!

My understanding is that they are going to do their best to reopen in the timeframe they are telling everyone that it will be done.

My fingers are crossed for you all.

I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed!!!!!

 

[silmarg]

I will be doing the Dis Exclusive BSM in Feb.

I am kinda bummed about Club 33. But I think I will purposefully not read about other BSMs.... so it can all be a surprise.

Here is my question... I plan to fly in Fri nite, but BSM does not start until Monday. I plan on staying at Grand Cal Villas (hopefully) or Disneyland Hotel. Will ABD provide transfers to Lowes or is that on my dime?

 

[sayhello]

I will be doing the Dis Exclusive BSM in Feb.

I am kinda bummed about Club 33. But I think I will purposefully not read about other BSMs.... so it can all be a surprise.

Here is my question... I plan to fly in Fri nite, but BSM does not start until Monday. I plan on staying at Grand Cal Villas (hopefully) or Disneyland Hotel. Will ABD provide transfers to Lowes or is that on my dime?

I'm pretty sure that's on your dime. ABD's transfers, I believe, are from LAX to Lowes. You could, however, possibly do one of the buses that run between DLR and LAX on the day the ABD starts, and get picked up at LAX. Don't know if that would be helpful or not.

Sayhello

 

[pudinhd]

I will be doing the Dis Exclusive BSM in Feb.

I am kinda bummed about Club 33. But I think I will purposefully not read about other BSMs.... so it can all be a surprise.

Here is my question... I plan to fly in Fri nite, but BSM does not start until Monday. I plan on staying at Grand Cal Villas (hopefully) or Disneyland Hotel. Will ABD provide transfers to Lowes or is that on my dime?

We live in SoCal and this is what we are doing for our BSM in October of 2014. We are driving to the GCH where self parking will be included and were given a meeting time the day the trip starts. I believe a town car will pick us up and take us to the hotel in Hollywood. I would give them a call and make arrangements.

 

[sayhello]

We live in SoCal and this is what we are doing for our BSM in October of 2014. We are driving to the GCH where self parking will be included and were given a meeting time the day the trip starts. I believe a town car will pick us up and take us to the hotel in Hollywood. I would give them a call and make arrangements.

Oh, that's very cool! I didn't know they'd do that. I guess it never hurts to ask.

silmarg, I think you'd want to check with Kevin about that.

Sayhello

 

[Miss SD]

Oh, that's very cool! I didn't know they'd do that. I guess it never hurts to ask.

silmarg, I think you'd want to check with Kevin about that.

Sayhello

DD and I have taken the BSM tour three times (yes, I know, crazy!), and each time we drove up from San Diego. We took our car to the front of the GCH as if we were checking in. We told the person at the Concierge desk that we were there, and they gave us a slip to put on our dashboard. We then drove the car to GCH's lot across the street. A town car drove us to the Hollywood hotel for two of the adventures, and we took a standard passenger van the third time. I think the town car's pick-up time is 1 p.m. (Check on that, of course.) And make sure to confirm with ABD or your travel agent that you will, indeed, need a pickup from the Grand. I called ABD at least twice each time to make sure!

 

[pudinhd]

DD and I have taken the BSM tour three times (yes, I know, crazy!), and each time we drove up from San Diego. We took our car to the front of the GCH as if we were checking in. We told the person at the Concierge desk that we were there, and they gave us a slip to put on our dashboard. We then drove the car to GCH's lot across the street. A town car drove us to the Hollywood hotel for two of the adventures, and we took a standard passenger van the third time. I think the town car's pick-up time is 1 p.m. (Check on that, of course.) And make sure to confirm with ABD or your travel agent that you will, indeed, need a pickup from the Grand. I called ABD at least twice each time to make sure!

Our BSM trip will be our second time, so I'm glad we aren't the only ones doing it more than once. Our first trip was in 2009 and I know there have been a lot of changes since then. I hope it will be just as special as the first time!!

 

[sayhello]

Our BSM trip will be our second time, so I'm glad we aren't the only ones doing it more than once. Our first trip was in 2009 and I know there have been a lot of changes since then. I hope it will be just as special as the first time!!

I know lots of folks who have done BSM multiple times. And have signed up to do it yet again. I have a sneaky suspicion it will be at least as special as the first time, if not more so!

Sayhello

 

[Miss SD]

I know lots of folks who have done BSM multiple times. And have signed up to do it yet again. I have a sneaky suspicion it will be at least as special as the first time, if not more so!

Sayhello

Yes, it is! Our first BSM was in 2009 and our third was in 2012 (with the DIS Podcast team) and the trip changed a little each time. I hope to go again with the DIS, maybe in 2015. The tour itself is amazing, and, since I'm from San Diego and visit at least once in the summer, I don't have flights to worry about. Those five nights on BSM go by quickly, that's for sure!

 

[BethieTink]

Just booked the Adult Departure for October 2014!!

The tour starts on our 12th anniversary. Seems to be a good way to celebrate.

 

[pudinhd]

Just booked the Adult Departure for October 2014!!

The tour starts on our 12th anniversary. Seems to be a good way to celebrate.

Happy Early Anniversary!!

Only 13 more months to go...

 

[Chris931]

My husband and I will be on the Oct 2014 adult only trip too! It will be our first ABD trip.

For those who have done this trip before, I have a few questions...

Did you feel like you wanted more free time in the parks? Enough that you wanted to stay an extra day or two?

We are thinking a red eye back to NY so we would have the full day on the last day but then we would need our own transportation to the airport. Anyone have an idea of the cost of a cab or town car to the airport?

 

[Miss SD]

My husband and I will be on the Oct 2014 adult only trip too! It will be our first ABD trip.

For those who have done this trip before, I have a few questions...

Did you feel like you wanted more free time in the parks? Enough that you wanted to stay an extra day or two?

We are thinking a red eye back to NY so we would have the full day on the last day but then we would need our own transportation to the airport. Anyone have an idea of the cost of a cab or town car to the airport?

Why won't ABD provide the car service? Do they enforce a departure cutoff time?

And we spent the tour's official final day in the parks. We drove our own car to the tour so we didn't ask about late airport transfers.

 

[Chris931]

I thought I read that 4 pm was the latest they would do an airport transfer.

If we stayed an extra night or two we would probably switch to a near by hotel... then we would definitely need a car to the airport.

 

[Miss SD]

I thought I read that 4 pm was the latest they would do an airport transfer.

If we stayed an extra night or two we would probably switch to a near by hotel... then we would definitely need a car to the airport.

OK, I didn't realize they had a cutoff time. That's too bad.

You'll certainly save money staying offsite. You have a lot of choices because so many hotels/motels are within walking distance. Not that we wanted to do much more walking after the tour. It's an exhausting trip, but so fabulous!

 

[pudinhd]

My husband and I will be on the Oct 2014 adult only trip too! It will be our first ABD trip.

For those who have done this trip before, I have a few questions...

Did you feel like you wanted more free time in the parks? Enough that you wanted to stay an extra day or two?

We are thinking a red eye back to NY so we would have the full day on the last day but then we would need our own transportation to the airport. Anyone have an idea of the cost of a cab or town car to the airport?

We are on the trip with you in October, but did it back in 2009. I don't recall feeling like we didn't have enough time in the parks... However, we were annual passholders, so I don't know if we would be a good couple to measure it by. As of now, we aren't planning on having the passes next year, so we are staying an extra night to enjoy the last full day of the park tickets.

I also didn't know there was a cut off time for airport transfer. I would definitely ask if there is any way to work with your plans!

Glad you are joining us!

 

[Chris931]

Ok.. We decided to take the red eye and use the latest ABD departure of 4 pm back to the airport. We will be early for our flight but that's fine.

I have a park pass question.. I want to be sure that we can use the parks on the last day after breakfast for the rest of the day. I asked ABD by email and they said that we get a 4 day hopper pass on Day 3. But then they said we might not want to use it the day we arrive in DL so we can use in on the last day after breakfast.

That doesn't make sense to me... if we get it on Day 3, and it's a 4 day pass.. then Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6... that's 4 days... so it should be fine, right??

Am I missing something?