Backstage Magic Tour 4/22 - 4/27 - 1ST POST UPDATED 4/15

[hack2112]

i see. so what's the dress rehearsal exactly? and what's the deal with the fastpasses? that's all i really want to know.

Jimmy Kimmel is squished into the whole El Capitan complex thing. tried not to make that line too small.

The dress rehearsal tour is exactly the same thing as a regular tour, but it's uses are many and include:
-Training Cast Members to be Adventure Guides
-Making sure everything runs smoothly
-After every day we give our opinions on how the day went and what to change and what to keep.

The VIP Fastpassess work as such:
-You get to use the Fastpass at any Fastpass attraction at any time.
-You have 3 per day per guest, so use them wisely.
-They are time stamped so if you don't use them on that day, you lose them.
-If you play your cards right the Cast Members may not take them from you... maybe.

Just so you know, your Adventure Guides (Robyn, Diana, and Quinn (You will only have two of them for any one trip and there may be more Guides coming later in the season)) are the nicest people in the world, so treat them that way.

Any other questions?

 

[bradk]

just one, thanks.. how smoothly did it go?

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Hack2112,

We are coming in a day early and staying at the Renaissance hotel the night before the tour starts because we are flying from the east coast. We would like to do Universal Studios the morning/early afternoon of the first day. Do you think we will have time to do this? According to the schedule, the only scheduled event is the welcome dinner.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[hack2112]

just one, thanks.. how smoothly did it go?

Very smoothly. However there was this bus tour... But they changed it from looking at stuff that's no longer there (This is Walt Disney's first studio. Now it's no longer here, but in it's place is a copy store. I wonder if they do color?) to a tour of famous places in Hollywood (That was one of my suggestions.).

Hack2112,

We are coming in a day early and staying at the Renaissance hotel the night before the tour starts because we are flying from the east coast. We would like to do Universal Studios the morning/early afternoon of the first day. Do you think we will have time to do this? According to the schedule, the only scheduled event is the welcome dinner.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I'm also from the east coast and I also went up a day early. You know what I also did? Universal Studios Hollywood on the day the tour started. You can easily finish the park by 2:30 and be back to the hotel by 3:00, because the dinner starts at 4:00.

Take the Metro from the hotel (Ask a concierge or your Adventure Guides if they are there yet.) and the next stop is Universal City, where you can take a tram to the entrance of the park.

Anything else?

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Thanks! Taking the metro is our plan!

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Hack 2112,

What did you like best?

Thanks!

 

[hack2112]

Hack 2112,

What did you like best?

Thanks!

That's a very had question, but I liked Imagineering the best. It was really cool to see the things they do there. I won't go into the experience, but there are some really cool surprises in store for you!

Save your money for Mickeys of Glendale, the store at Imagineering. You can buy things there that aren't sold anywhere else. That's where I spent a huge chunk of my money.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Getting really excited now! Too bad my trip is not until June.

Great advice about Mickey's of Glendale. I have heard about that store. Do they take credit cards? Also did you get to do any shopping at the Jim Henson studios?

Thanks again. You have been very helpful!

 

[bradk]

to a tour of famous places in Hollywood (That was one of my suggestions.)

excellent. any idea of what specifically? i'm actually going up on the Sat before but I have some things planned, but want to do some 'drivebys' of various things including the Hollywood Bowl and the Walt Disney Concert Hall and will have trouble figuring it all in, so if I know I'll be hitting that stuff later on I won't need to worry about it. I kinda also wanted to pass by the Disney Studios in the early morning to try to get some people free shots of the Eisner building et al. plus i'm afraid that I won't be able to take photos of the building when on the tour.

 

[hack2112]

Getting really excited now! Too bad my trip is not until June.

Great advice about Mickey's of Glendale. I have heard about that store. Do they take credit cards? Also did you get to do any shopping at the Jim Henson studios?

Thanks again. You have been very helpful!

Mickeys of Glendale does indeed take credit cards.

The Jim Henson studios does not have a store. This is because no one is ever allowed into the studios except for business or family purposes. ABD is the only way to get into the Jim Henson Studios as of now.

excellent. any idea of what specifically? i'm actually going up on the Sat before but I have some things planned, but want to do some 'drivebys' of various things including the Hollywood Bowl and the Walt Disney Concert Hall and will have trouble figuring it all in, so if I know I'll be hitting that stuff later on I won't need to worry about it. I kinda also wanted to pass by the Disney Studios in the early morning to try to get some people free shots of the Eisner building et al. plus i'm afraid that I won't be able to take photos of the building when on the tour.

You will be able to take pictures at the Studios, but be aware that there will be many times your cameras will be either taken away from you (Jim Henson, Backstage Disneyland) or not allowed out of the buss at all (Imagineering).

Unfortunately I don't know anything about what the new bus tour will constitute of.

Next question, please.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Hi
Just got a couple of more questions. Really appreiciate you taking the time to answer all these questions.

1) Approximately, how long a trip is it to Universal Studios from the hotel?

2) Are Imagineering and the Walt Disney Studios near each other? I don't really have a feel for that part of the trip and was just wondering.


"Just so you know, your Adventure Guides (Robyn, Diana, and Quinn (You will only have two of them for any one trip and there may be more Guides coming later in the season)) are the nicest people in the world, so treat them that way."


DH and I did Southwest Splendors last year and thought our guides Mike and Rae was outstanding. They could not do enough for us. Looking forward to meeting the above mentioned guides. I am sure they will be great too. The quality of the guides employed by Adventures by Disney was one of the factors in deciding to do another tour. Of course, the tour of the Jim Henson Studios sealed the deal!

Thanks again!

 

[inkkognito]

That bites about the Fastpasses. For what we're paying, I thought we'd at least get the equivalent of a Dream FP, i.e. one FP for each ride that takes one. They need to either rethink the FPs or make this trip a little cheaper.

 

[hack2112]

Hi
Just got a couple of more questions. Really appreiciate you taking the time to answer all these questions.

1) Approximately, how long a trip is it to Universal Studios from the hotel?

2) Are Imagineering and the Walt Disney Studios near each other? I don't really have a feel for that part of the trip and was just wondering.


"Just so you know, your Adventure Guides (Robyn, Diana, and Quinn (You will only have two of them for any one trip and there may be more Guides coming later in the season)) are the nicest people in the world, so treat them that way."


DH and I did Southwest Splendors last year and thought our guides Mike and Rae was outstanding. They could not do enough for us. Looking forward to meeting the above mentioned guides. I am sure they will be great too. The quality of the guides employed by Adventures by Disney was one of the factors in deciding to do another tour. Of course, the tour of the Jim Henson Studios sealed the deal!

Thanks again!

It's about a 30 minute trip from buying your metro passes, getting on the metro, a 5ish minute metro ride, and the tram ride to City Walk/USH.

WDI to WDS is about a 15 to 20 minute bus ride.

That bites about the Fastpasses. For what we're paying, I thought we'd at least get the equivalent of a Dream FP, i.e. one FP for each ride that takes one. They need to either rethink the FPs or make this trip a little cheaper.

Don't be so glib. You're doing things no one has ever done before. Some CMs don't take your FPs. It's all about technique. Ask your Adventure Guide about "the Max Ackerman Technique" today! Oh, and ask about the Buzz Lightyear Great American Churro Challenge. You won't be disappointed.

Please don't hesitate to ask me anything. If you would like a question answered that includes spoilers, please PM me. Really, please do.

 

[jacksparrowfan]

Hack2112...I am actually glad that a group went out so they can test things. I'm so excited! I am really looking forward to Imagineering. Thank you for being candid. So, Club 33? Or, the Lilly Belle? What was the Disney Trivia like? Could everyone participate? Or, just a few?


Are we there yet? Are we there yet?! Two weeks away!

 

[bradk]

i can't really hate on the FP thing anyway. you'll still have your ticket to get more FPs and it really does seem like free time in the park is limited anyway. Plus there just isn't that many different FPable attractions. So riding Indy 4x a night should be sufficient.

the only problem is they probably made the FP out to be more than it really is.

i've done the trek to USH myself. not from that particular stop but from the el cheapo hotel I stay at, which is a block away from the hollywood/western stop which I think is 1 or 2 metro stops away from the renaissance. i'm actually going to do the VIP tour there again the sunday before the trip. it is pretty simple, just taking the red line to universal city and catching the tram. i think the citywalk gates are about a mile away from the station, but it's all uphill.

 

[Politzania]

It helps if I turn the Flight Info sheet over... the departure flights are on the back..

I'm a little concerned we won't get to do Storytellers on Sunday morning, as our departure flight is at 9:40am - any thoughts on whether we'll have time to eat w/ Chip & Dale before being whisked away to LAX?

hack2112 - thanks for the sneak peek info! Are you affiliated with Disney in some way? How did you manage to get on the "dress rehearsal"?

Oh - bradk - I don't know if you'll be able to get pix of the Disney Studios building - when we drove over last May, the guard at the entrance wouldn't let us into even the parking lot area .... Scott hung out the passenger window to grab a couple of quick pix while his cousin was talking to the guard...

 

[bradk]

i won't be driving so i won't have to worry about ditching a car somewhere. i'm going based on this:

http://www.seeing-stars.com/Studios/DisneyStudios.shtml

as well as some other photos i've seen. i figured the worst that happens is i lose some time. as long as i plan for it properly, it won't be time that could have gone to something else anyway.

right now i know this: i arrive saturday, i want to hit the art of cars exhibit. sunday i have universal vip tour, monday i have warner bros deluxe tour, tuesday i'm planning on sony's tour before having to show up at the renaissance. so i have some time here and there to fit in other things, usually before my plans for the day begin. i want to get better shots of the capitol records building this time and visit some of the disney's hollywood studios inspiration such as the crossroads of the world

http://www.yesterland.com/replicas.html

i also want to fit in the hollywood forever cemetary and find some disney walk of fame stars (donald, mickey, disneyland, etc)

ETA: well, turns out disneyland's star is front of the el capitan theatre. won't have to work too hard for that one. looks like Roy O's is across the street too. and donald's is right by.

 

[hack2112]

Hack2112...I am actually glad that a group went out so they can test things. I'm so excited! I am really looking forward to Imagineering. Thank you for being candid. So, Club 33? Or, the Lilly Belle? What was the Disney Trivia like? Could everyone participate? Or, just a few?

No Club 33, sorry.
Yes to the Lilly Belle. That's what you do when the other group is being shown Walt's Apartment.
The Disney Trivia was good. They only did 2 games for us, and it's really for kids and teenagers, but the host is extremely funny. It also helps to have charismatic contestants.

I'm a little concerned we won't get to do Storytellers on Sunday morning, as our departure flight is at 9:40am - any thoughts on whether we'll have time to eat w/ Chip & Dale before being whisked away to LAX?

hack2112 - thanks for the sneak peek info! Are you affiliated with Disney in some way? How did you manage to get on the "dress rehearsal"?

You will most likely not have time for storytellers, and will probably be on your way to LAX at 6:30.

Usually the Dress Rehearsal tours are reserved for CMs, however I am not. A relative of mine works for ABD and let me apply, (Yes, you have to send in an essay to be considered for the Dress Rehearsal.) and I'm happy to say I was let on the tour.

i also want to fit in the hollywood forever cemetary and find some disney walk of fame stars (donald, mickey, disneyland, etc)

ETA: well, turns out disneyland's star is front of the el capitan theatre. won't have to work too hard for that one. looks like Roy O's is across the street too. and donald's is right by.

There is a spot on the tour where you go to Grauman's Theater and the Walk of Fame.

Anything else?

 

[bradk]

the tour actually does that? it's right by the hotel. i figured i'd just get up early one morning and do it all on my own.

 

[jacksparrowfan]

Hack 2112: No Club 33, sorry.



Thank you for the information. I'm sorry to hear that no one can see Club 33. I have been so fortunate to have enjoyed a meal or two. And, celebrated my birthday last summer. It's a very special place and this tour would have been perfect for it. Thats ok, though. We have so much more to see. I still can't believe it!