ABD Backstage Magic 4/17 - 4/22/11

[JWren1234]

I just decided to join this tour. I was originally looking at the adults only date in October, but I booked a New England/Canada cruise with my sister in October so dedided to do this tour in April. My kids are teenagers and tired of Disney (I must not have raised them properly). I'll be traveling solo and looking forward to meeting all of you.

I'm a Disney geek, grew up in southern california and have been to DL many many times. I now live in Colorado and am a big fan of Disney Cruise Line.

I contacted Kevin to book this date and although he is on the Disney Dream right now he responded and said their is still room and we will finish my reservation when returns later this week.

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Karen

Welcome aboard Karen!

Jason

 

[JWren1234]

Just one?

I think the thing I'm most excited about is the Disney Studios tour and Imagineering. We took the Warner Bros tour last year and LOVED it so I think this will basically put me over the top.

We also can't wait to take our daughter on this trip. She's very into behind the scenes DVD extras, how stuff works in the movies & theater and writing scripts and comics. I know she will be fascinated by all the tours. We're giving her the flip cam to document the trip - I'm looking forward to watching that video when we come home!

I'm also really looking forward to the lunch with Marty Sklar. He's one of those people that would be in my answer to the question: "If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead...." (Walt Disney is the first answer, but Mr. Sklar's on the rest of the list)

I loved both going to the Disney Studios and Imagineering on last April's ABD trip...a big part of the reason that I can't wait to go again. Imagineering in particular was incredible, seeing all of the creativity up close was inspiring. It sounds like this trip is perfect for your daughter!

I can't believe that I'm going to be in the same room with Marty Sklar! I'm already starting to think of questions to ask him (although I might be so starstruck that I might be speechless).

Jason

 

[thekylers]

I just decided to join this tour. I was originally looking at the adults only date in October, but I booked a New England/Canada cruise with my sister in October so dedided to do this tour in April. My kids are teenagers and tired of Disney (I must not have raised them properly). I'll be traveling solo and looking forward to meeting all of you.

I'm a Disney geek, grew up in southern california and have been to DL many many times. I now live in Colorado and am a big fan of Disney Cruise Line.

I contacted Kevin to book this date and although he is on the Disney Dream right now he responded and said their is still room and we will finish my reservation when returns later this week.

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Karen

Welcome Karen, I am in the same boat as you are, I am the Disney Geek in the family. I am forcing my husband to come with me, but he is not very interested and we also have a teenage son, who does not care if he ever goes to Disney again. I don't understand what went wrong. I guess I forced my Disney Obsession onto them a little too much. Anyway, just wanted to welcome you aboard. It is going to be a great time!

 

[bigmoonmullen]

I just decided to join this tour. I was originally looking at the adults only date in October, but I booked a New England/Canada cruise with my sister in October so dedided to do this tour in April. My kids are teenagers and tired of Disney (I must not have raised them properly). I'll be traveling solo and looking forward to meeting all of you.

I'm a Disney geek, grew up in southern california and have been to DL many many times. I now live in Colorado and am a big fan of Disney Cruise Line.

I contacted Kevin to book this date and although he is on the Disney Dream right now he responded and said their is still room and we will finish my reservation when returns later this week.

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Karen

Karen,

Welcome aboard!!!

Mark

 

[KarenMom]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to go back and read this thread and catch up. I can't wait!

 

[SusanWasHere]

I just decided to join this tour. I was originally looking at the adults only date in October, but I booked a New England/Canada cruise with my sister in October so dedided to do this tour in April. My kids are teenagers and tired of Disney (I must not have raised them properly). I'll be traveling solo and looking forward to meeting all of you.

I'm a Disney geek, grew up in southern california and have been to DL many many times. I now live in Colorado and am a big fan of Disney Cruise Line.

I contacted Kevin to book this date and although he is on the Disney Dream right now he responded and said their is still room and we will finish my reservation when returns later this week.

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Karen

Hi Karen!!
Welcome! I look forward to meeting you! There are a few of us going solo, but I have a feeling it won't feel like it

DeAnn I love your pic!!!

And Kathy - I can't wait for that feeling of being at the end of Main Street and seeing the castle for the first time! I'm curious if I will have that same feeling I get when I walk into the WDW MK.....

 

[rchristiansen]

Welcome aboard Karen!

Nice to meet you Happy Planning - see you soon!

 

[rchristiansen]

And Kathy - I can't wait for that feeling of being at the end of Main Street and seeing the castle for the first time! I'm curious if I will have that same feeling I get when I walk into the WDW MK.....

It's really cool! It is very much like going to WDW for the first time. But at teh same time we had sort of a strange feeling - at least for us it was, last year. We kept comparing it to MK at WDW and saying stuff like - wait, there's supposed to be a popcorn stand there, and a photopass person here.

 

[deann]

It's really cool! It is very much like going to WDW for the first time. But at teh same time we had sort of a strange feeling - at least for us it was, last year. We kept comparing it to MK at WDW and saying stuff like - wait, there's supposed to be a popcorn stand there, and a photopass person here.

I know what you mean. I did that my first adult trip, I say adult because I was in a stroller on my first visit to WDW. I was comparing everything to Disneyland! We even did it this last trip however we went with "bigger" things - like Space Mountain is supposed to be there, and where is the Penny Arcade? We were joking around mostly this last trip. We have accepted the park differences. Seriously though the parks are special in their own ways. I know everyone will love DL being the Disney fans we are, there is no way not to love DL.

I really enjoy Mickey's Philharmagic, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, and the Peoplemover when I go to MK as DL doesn't have these attractions. We did have the Peoplemover about 15 years ago. It even had a cool light cycle race scene from the original Tron movie. It made you feel like you were going really fast, when in reality you were going really slow through a tunnel. I really miss that ride.

 

[rchristiansen]

I know everyone will love DL being the Disney fans we are, there is no way not to love DL.

Sooooo true! I went to DL when I was in high school (before all the changes) and it was fun, but it was a band trip for only one day and I don't remember much. But I fell in love with DL this last trip - a year ago. I realize I love DL just as much at WDW now. Can't wait to go back! YAY!!!!!!!


I also really love california in general. We are planning to spend Sunday doing some other sight seeing in LA before our dinner that night. We'll have a rental car. Any suggestions? I was thinking the Santa Monica pier maybe? Where else?

 

[thekylers]

Sooooo true! I went to DL when I was in high school (before all the changes) and it was fun, but it was a band trip for only one day and I don't remember much. But I fell in love with DL this last trip - a year ago. I realize I love DL just as much at WDW now. Can't wait to go back! YAY!!!!!!!


I also really love california in general. We are planning to spend Sunday doing some other sight seeing in LA before our dinner that night. We'll have a rental car. Any suggestions? I was thinking the Santa Monica pier maybe? Where else?

I was thinking about the Queen Mary or the LeBrea Tar Pits!

 

[rchristiansen]

The Le Brea Tar Pits museum is a great idea! THANKS! I think we'll do that and then head down to the pier for a few carnival rides before dinner. Our plan for Saturday night is to hang out at the hotel, check out the stars, wax museum (Stephanie loves the wax museum - ) and then maybe lounge at the pool with cocktails!

Any suggestions for a breakfast place on Sunday morning? I know this is still a few months away, but since I'm a disney vacation planner I need to know where I'm going to eat 90 days out.

 

[thekylers]

The Le Brea Tar Pits museum is a great idea! THANKS! I think we'll do that and then head down to the pier for a few carnival rides before dinner. Our plan for Saturday night is to hang out at the hotel, check out the stars, wax museum (Stephanie loves the wax museum - ) and then maybe lounge at the pool with cocktails!

Any suggestions for a breakfast place on Sunday morning? I know this is still a few months away, but since I'm a disney vacation planner I need to know where I'm going to eat 90 days out.

Wow, reading your post right now was scary, I had pretty much the same ideas. We will be getting in around 6pm Saturday night, so we wanted to take in some sights and relax, hot tub. Then I was looking into the Queen Mary or Le Brea Tar Pits, like I said earlier, but I want to see what time we have to meet for dinner first. Just this morning while getting ready for work this morning I was thinking where will we have breakfast on Sunday. I guess Disney World Planners are all the same, neurotic

 

[thekylers]

The Le Brea Tar Pits museum is a great idea! THANKS! I think we'll do that and then head down to the pier for a few carnival rides before dinner. Our plan for Saturday night is to hang out at the hotel, check out the stars, wax museum (Stephanie loves the wax museum - ) and then maybe lounge at the pool with cocktails!

Any suggestions for a breakfast place on Sunday morning? I know this is still a few months away, but since I'm a disney vacation planner I need to know where I'm going to eat 90 days out.

Becky,

I checked out restaurants in the area and I came up with a couple of ideas. At first I saw the Jazz Brunch at Twist in the Hotel, but this may not be going on in April, is expensive and will waste a lot of our free day. I then found Mels Drive-in, which is across from the Kodak Theater. It is to look like a 1950's drive-in. It looks like a lot of fun. I think this is where Shawn and I will go. Here is the website so you can check it out if you want. Melsdrive-in.com

 

[DisneyKevin]

Please welcome KarenMom to the Adventure.

She's now an official member of the PAID IN FULL club!!!!!!

 

[rchristiansen]

Please welcome KarenMom to the Adventure.

She's now an official member of the PAID IN FULL club!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!

 

[bigmoonmullen]

Please welcome KarenMom to the Adventure.

She's now an official member of the PAID IN FULL club!!!!!!

Welcome aboard

Party starts in 79 days....

Mark

 

[thekylers]

Please welcome KarenMom to the Adventure.

She's now an official member of the PAID IN FULL club!!!!!!

Welcome Karen, it's going to be a great trip!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

The Le Brea Tar Pits museum is a great idea! THANKS! I think we'll do that and then head down to the pier for a few carnival rides before dinner. Our plan for Saturday night is to hang out at the hotel, check out the stars, wax museum (Stephanie loves the wax museum - ) and then maybe lounge at the pool with cocktails!

Any suggestions for a breakfast place on Sunday morning? I know this is still a few months away, but since I'm a disney vacation planner I need to know where I'm going to eat 90 days out.

As the resident Burbank local, if you have a car (I haven't kept up with this ABD thread yet), one of the better Sunday brunches in the area is at the Smoke House in Burbank. It's just over the hill into Burbank (5 min from the hotel) next door to one of the Warner Brothers gates and is extremely easy to find. You'll drive by it on the bus back to the hotel from the Studios. I was planning on going there in a few weeks or so, as it's been a while since we've been there. I can look into a few more places for you - just PM me.

The Page Museum at the Tar Pits is one of our favorites and it does share it's grounds with LACMA - LA County Museum of Art. The Petersen Auto Museum is right across the street and even as a non-car lover - I LOVED this museum!

Also, don't forget the Griffith Park Museums - The Observatory and the Autry. www.laparks.org/dos/Parks/griffithpk

Let me know if you have other questions and I'd be happy to help you get real estimates of travel times between activities. Doing the museums and then running over to Santa Monica isn't exactly easy at times. It can take 45 minutes to an hour. I can give you names of some great eateries in Santa Monica, too. The new mall there has a few really good places, as well - and the remodeled Disney Store.

 

[rchristiansen]

Let me know if you have other questions and I'd be happy to help you get real estimates of travel times between activities. Doing the museums and then running over to Santa Monica isn't exactly easy at times. It can take 45 minutes to an hour. I can give you names of some great eateries in Santa Monica, too. The new mall there has a few really good places, as well - and the remodeled Disney Store.

Thanks! I know for certain we want to see the ocean. We've been very bad parents and never took our kid to the ocean during the zillion times we've been to Florida or last year when we went to CA. So we are going to make an effort to do that. I liked the idea of the Santa Monica pier because then we can do a few rides too. Do you have another suggestion for an "ocean view"? Or do you think we should skip the Tar Pits and do something else in that area? I'd like to do both, do you think it's doable or too hectic?

Thanks!