Backstage Magic Trip Report Round Two: More Adventures!

[jimmymc]

Introduction

Hello everybody, and welcome to my second Adventures by Disney trip report! I've come to really enjoy writing these as a way to reminisce and look at all my photos that would otherwise just sit collecting virtual dust on my hard drive. And I hope that you'll get some enjoyment from reading it, whether that's imagining your first time on this trip or remembering your own.



For some background, this is my second Dis Unplugged-exclusive Backstage Magic trip in two years. I really wasn't expecting to go again so soon, but a few things happened to change my mind. First, John announced there would be a party in California Adventure and live podcast filming. I've previously been to Dis events in Orlando, including parties in Pandora and Galaxy's Edge, and they are always worth making a special trip. But even after the initial announcement, I didn't send in my deposit right away. I figured I would go to the party just for the weekend, maybe spend 2 days in the park, and that would be it. Fast forward to January 3rd, 2023, and I was planning my vacations for the year, when Kevin mentioned that there were still some spots left for the trip. I already had camping trips booked in my home state, but I was avoiding anything really big this year because I have huge plans for 2024. That meant I had plenty of vacation time left, and I took the trip still having space as a sign that I should just go all out. I emailed Kevin and was booked the next day, along with one pre and two post-nights.

Last year's group:


While comparison is the thief of joy, it's also impossible not to compare doing the same package twice in two years, so I will probably mention the differences as they come up, but I'll really try to keep the focus on what happened this time. And believe me, there is more than enough on every trip to fill a report.

For anyone unfamiliar with the Backstage Magic ABD, also called Southern California and Disneyland, the trip follows Walt's footsteps from when he arrived in Hollywood to founding the Disney Studios and Imagineering and finally building Disneyland. The trip includes two nights in the Loews Hollywood Hotel, three nights in the Grand Californian, backstage tours through historical theaters and film studios, a trip to Imagineering and the Disney Studios, a four day park hopper ticket to Disneyland, backstage tours of some areas of the theme parks, and other special activities in the parks. If you're a Disney nerd, theme park nerd, or just want a stress-free way to visit Hollywood and Disneyland, this is a great trip to consider.

Pre-trip goodies

All ABD trips come with a package containing things which could be useful for your trip. A few things are standard, including your lanyard and nametag, luggage tags for when you change resorts, an orange luggage strap to help find your bag at the airport, and some information about the trip.





Each trip also comes with custom pins, and since tours resumed in 2021, they are sending these out before the trip starts rather than during your vacation. Since this is my second ABD, I also received a gold "2" pin, something all returning ABD travelers get with the number trip this will be.



This year, slightly different from last, I also received an Adventures by Disney backpack and water bottle. They are both a bit smaller than what I normally travel with, but it's still a nice treat to help build anticipation for your trip.



From your pre-trip delivery, the only two things you need to bring with you are the luggage tags and lanyards. The tags get your bags from your room at the Loews Hollywood to the Grand Californian, and the lanyard is your ID at some of the sites you visit during the week. I personally left the pins at home to avoid losing them, but some other adventurers chose to wear them on the lanyards, whichever works for you.

Up next, travel day and Universal Hollywood!

Travel Day and Universal Studios: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-64995437

Nintendo World Pt. 2 and Welcome Dinner: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65001535

Theaters and Muppets: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65008827

The Big Day: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65016392

Superheros and Super Speed: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65031148

Seeing the Park as Walt Did: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65053431

Taking Over Avengers Campus: https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...und-two-more-adventures.3927555/post-65080251

 

[Mathmagicland]

because I have huge plans for 2024

Are there more trip reports in your future? Looking forward to reading this one and seeing the differences from your first trip.

Also, it looks like the water bottles have changed a bit, what is that yellow thing on the bottom? Did you add that or did it come with? And, if it came with, did everyone who brought theirs along have the same color?

 

[jimmymc]

Are there more trip reports in your future? Looking forward to reading this one and seeing the differences from your first trip.

Also, it looks like the water bottles have changed a bit, what is that yellow thing on the bottom? Did you add that or did it come with? And, if it came with, did everyone who brought theirs along have the same color?

It won't be ABD, but the 2024 trip will involve some Disney parks, so I might post the report somewhere.

On the bottom of the bottle is a little rubber coaster that came with the bottle. I believe they all come in ABD orange, some people's had there's while others did not.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Following! I only went to the after hours party, which was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to see your take on things.

 

[OKW Lover]

Looking forward to reading all about this trip. I was at the DIS event that followed it so we probably crossed paths at some point during your stay.

 

[jimmymc]

Travel Day and Universal Studios

The day is finally here! I have to admit it kind of snuck up on me this time around. Work has been busy, so by the time I checked in Friday morning I really hadn't done much preparation. Luckily I was working from home, so I could get three loads of laundry done and run to the story for some travel-size toiletries. That night I packed up and was able to get to bed at a decent hour before my 5:45 alarm.

Since I was fully packed, the morning was easy, and I was at the airport by 7:20, well ahead of my 8:55 flight. Delta's check in area was crowded, but luckily they opened up additional lanes and my suitcase was gone in 10 minutes. I walked right through pre-check with no wait and into the Delta SkyClub. Detroit's main SkyClub is huge, with showers, a hot and cold buffet, full bar, and several high-end coffee machines. I get in with the Amex Platinum, and since I usually fly Delta, I make it a point to get to the airport early and grab a meal before almost every flight.

My flight was on a 757-300 direct from DTW to LAX. If you don't know, the 757-300 is a huge single-aisle plane, which means boarding takes a long time, and sitting at the back means it'll be a long time before you can get off too. Fortunately on this flight, I upgraded to Comfort Plus and was able to sit in the bulkheads between there and first class, right at the boarding door. The seat was a little narrow because the emergency door hinge is in your way, but you get the window, all the legroom you could need, and easy access to stand up, so I'm happy I chose it.



The flight was uneventful and came with some nice snacks and hard seltzer. Baggage claim took a while, but after I had my suitcase, the ABD private car was there within 5 minutes. Since I was a day early, the ABD guides weren't available at the hotel yet, which is normal for this trip. For this trip, ABD uses the Loews Hollywood Hotel, which I think is one of the nicer options in the area and convenient to the activities on Monday. Since the trip officially starts on Sunday, I booked this as a pre-night, which is highly recommended unless you live close to southern California. I did not do this last year, since I was only flying from Phoenix, but from anywhere more than a day's drive away it's wise to get there early.

I checked in at the front desk, and because of the tour they were able to waive the early check-in fee. So I ran up to my room, quickly changed into lightweight shorts, and packed a park bag. If you're curious what I use, it's a drawstring bag with my phone, wallet with only the essential cards and hotel keys, metal water bottle, portable charger, sunscreen, chapstick, and face moisturizer.

To start off this adventure, I bought a two day ticket to Universal Hollywood. While I used to be a Universal Orlando annual passholder, this was my first time at the west coast version. On this day, I wanted to try taking the LA metro, which has a station right around the corner from the hotel and is one stop from Universal. The fare is only $1.75 each way, and trains run every 10 to 15 minutes. It's not a particularly clean or fun time, but it works. The train station is downhill from the actual park entrance, so Universal provides a shuttle up to the top, which I didn't have to wait for.

Once at the top, I made it through security with no line and was in the park at around 1 pm. As soon as I entered the park, I saw the QR code to scan for Nintendo World entry tickets, so I got one for 2 pm. These normally sell out early, but I think someone cancelled and I got lucky, because there were not times after that either. Being a Saturday in July, it was crowded, and I was hungry, so I grabbed some food at the place with the shortest line I could find. That happened to be Cletus's Chicken Shack in Springfield. The chicken is nothing special, just your standard theme park tenders, but the fries were hot and fresh with a cajun pepper seasoning and the highlight of the meal. By the time I finished eating, it was time for Nintendo!



For those unfamiliar with Universal Hollywood, getting from Springfield to Nintendo World involves a series of large escalators and takes about 10 minutes. After making it down there, I went right for the back of the lower lot and scanned in with a team member. The entrance to Nintendo World is special. From the outside, it looks like a flat photo op with a painted background. But when you enter the tunnel, you emerge from Peach's castle into a fully-immersive land, surrounded by blocks and 8-bit backgrounds. Mario and Luigi meet guests right in the center of the land, while Peach and Daisy meet in a gazebo near the entrance. The main attraction is Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, and there are mini-games scattered around the land.





If you want the full immersive experience, the first thing to do is buy a power-up band. These are $40 and keep track of your scores as you play games, punch blocks around the land, and ride Bowser's challenge. All of these give you coins and virtual collectibles on your phone through the Universal app. But the biggest reason to play the games is to gain access to Bowser Junior's Castle. Yes there is actually a team member guarding the gate, and you need to beat 3/4 games to enter. I won't spoil what happens inside, but if you're a fan of Mario, it's worth getting the band and taking time to do everything in this land.

I started my day with beating all of the games and just exploring the land, but the castle had a wait, so I decided to save that for tomorrow. The main attraction had a 3 hour wait basically the entire time I was there, but they do sometimes offer a single rider line, which I used and waited 45 minutes in. The ride is also an interactive game, where you race around the track and use green shells to try and take out Bowser's minions. The ride uses augmented reality headsets, meaning you wear a hat with a clear plastic screen that hangs in front of your eyes. While you can see right through it, characters will appear on the screen to make it look like they are ahead of you on the race track. The screen prompts you to turn at certain times and is how you aim your green shells. The ride itself moves slowly, which is honestly for the best, since the screen gave me a bit of a headache. It's a really cool idea with decent execution, but not close to being my favorite attraction.






After Bowser's Challenge, I noticed they just released some dining times at the Toadstool Cafe, the food location inside Nintendo World. I wasn't too hungry, but I had to go inside just to see it, so I got a time about 30 minutes away. I killed that time just walking around the land and checking out the gift shop, which has some pretty good merch of Mario and Luigi. I got a few pins and a mystery cube, which contains a random figure and keychain.

Inside, the restaurant looks fantastic. You are fully immersed in the Toadwood Forest, surrounded by windows that show other Toads preparing your food. all the dishes are very well themed and priced accordingly. Since I wasn't too hungry, I got the Superstar Lemon Squash (Sprite with mango and lemon boba pearls), Cheesy Garlic Knots, and Block Tiramisu. The drink and garlic knots tasted great, and the tiramisu wasn't quite thawed, so it was a little crunchy, but the sugar cookies that made up the block were good! It was an expensive meal, but worth it to get inside the restaurant. If you really want to see inside, just doing drinks and an app is a good way to go.






After leaving the restaurant, I figured I had seen all I needed to that day of Nintendo, so I left and went back to the normal park. I did basically everything in the land, albeit using the single rider line, in around 3 hours. Had I not used single rider, it would've been 5 total, if you're budgeting your day on a future trip. Since I knew I was coming back tomorrow, and had been awake since 2:45 west coast time, I wasn't going to push myself too much tonight. I did get on Jurassic World, an epic boat ride that's like a cross between Splash Mountain and Dinosaur, and Transformers, which is identical to the Orlando version, before taking the escalator back up.





Before heading out, I did really want to see Hogsmeade, so I stopped in there to grab a butterbeer and get on the single rider line for Forbidden Journey. Even on the most crowded days this is rarely more than 5 minutes, so if you've already seen the queue before I highly recommend it. The ride is identical to Orlando's, which means I enjoyed it until we got stuck a few times and the screens towards the end didn't work. No matter, I did single rider again and got the full experience. I completely forgot to bring my wand for performing spells around the land, so I decided to take a quick look through the shops (which they don't have many of) and head out of Hogsmeade.

It was now around 6 pm and I considered heading out, but the WaterWorld show was starting in 10 minutes, so hopped in line and got a pretty good seat with only a few minutes of waiting. This is really cool and unique to Hollywood. You get stunts, boats, stunts on boats, fire, and a seaplane crashing right in front of you, and I recommend it even if stunt shows aren't normally your favorite. By the time I was out of the theater, I was starting to feel the time change, so I made my way back towards City Walk to make one stop before leaving: Voodoo donuts. I love visiting in Orlando, and they made perfect snack for the room.

And with my giant pink box, now it was time to actually head back to the hotel. Doing the reverse of my arrival, I took the bus from City Walk down to the metro, rode the train one stop, and walked through the Ovation Mall back to the Loews Hollywood. I thought about taking a quick swim, but I could see the pool was crowded from my window, so I decided to unpack what I would need for the next two days and get to bed. Tomorrow, I head back to Universal for another early day!

 

[KEK1]

What a great start!

 

[jimmymc]

What a great start!

I'm very happy I went with Universal for a pre-night activity. It's so close to the hotel and a lot of fun.

 

[Steven G]

I did Universal on Sunday with my son, the day the tour began, it was really hot, and super crowded, but we had a great time.
The ABD I believe started the dinner at either 6 or 6:30pm, so we had to leave Universal early. The only thing I regret not doing was Waterworld, but due to the limited time we had, we didn't do that. We also didn't get powerup bands or play the games, or visit the toadstool cafe, but I think next time we will. We only did Universal on Sunday, not Saturday (we didn't arrive until late afternoon on Saturday/)

Jimmymc you have LOTS of great details in your post!

 

[jimmymc]

Nintendo World Pt. 2 and Welcome Dinner

Today is Sunday, when the adventure actually begins, but there is plenty to do before we get there! Today was the second half of my two-day Universal ticket, and also my early entry to Nintendo World. While the main park opens at 8 am, for an extra $20 to $30 you can enter the gates early and head down for an exclusive hour in Nintendo World. Because of the early start, I skipped breakfast and took an Uber from the Loews Hotel to Universal, arriving around 6:45. Security was easy, then there was a short wait to check tickets before getting to the main turnstiles. After scanning my park ticket, I walked through the empty park to another ticket check at the top of the escalators, and finally took the ride down to the lower lot.



It was about 7:05 by the time I entered the land and walked right towards Bowser's Challenge. I really wanted to see the main queue line since the single rider is mostly outside, and the only theming is your view of the land. While I still wouldn't wait 3 hours, the inside of the queue is amazing to walk through. It's as immersive a queue as you'll find in any theme park. I walked right into the room where you receive your visor and just had to wait for the last staircase, maybe 20 minutes total between the walking and waiting. And after trying it a second time, I was a lot better at driving and scoring points, but my opinion of the ride stayed the same. Good, but not great.








I exited the ride at 7:40, meaning I still had some time in the land before it filled up. I used the QR code outside of Toadstool Cafe to get an 8 am reservation and used the keys I earned from playing games the day before to enter Bowser Jr.'s castle. Without spoilers, it was definitely the most fun of the games, and if you're a big Mario or gaming fan, I think it makes the power-up band worth it. One thing I did notice is that even during early entry, the games around the land still had long lines, about as long as the previous afternoon. It'll take at least an hour to complete all of them, which I think you have to do to make the band worth it.



After the final game, it was time to eat! Before entering, I noticed the line for Bowser's challenge reached 60 minutes, so expect that if you show up late for your early entry or use the standard rope drop to get down there. Walking into the cafe again was fantastic, and this time it was practically empty! They don't do a specific breakfast menu, so I ordered another Superstar Squash and the Chef Toad Short Rib special. Braised short ribs on top of polenta with mushrooms and a red wine sauce. While the portion is a bit small, the taste is fantastic. It's also not cheap at $25, but for the theming of both the dishes and where you're sitting, I thought both meals I had there were worth it. Just expect table service pricing, even though you order at the counter before a server brings the food to your table.



After breakfast, I took one last look through the gift shop and around the land before heading out. While small, the designers definitely got the art style right, and I think it really opens the gates for future game-themed lands at Universal and other parks! Walking out, the rest of the rides in the lower lot were all walk-ons, so I got 3 rides on Mummy, which is similar to the Florida version but has a unique coaster section, one more on Jurassic World, and another on Transformers. With that, it was time to bid farewell to the lower lot and head back upstairs.

While unfortunately I don't remember the order, after coming off the escalator I got rides on Simpsons, Forbidden Journey, and watched the Kung Fu Panda show. Simpsons and Forbidden Journey are the same as in Florida, so I enjoyed both. However, the more I ride it, the more I realize there are a lot of bad seats in the Simpsons ride, where the screen is curved or distorted, and I'll usually only ride it if I have Express Pass. Forbidden Journey was still great, and the Kung Fu Panda show was a lot of fun! I'm not super familiar with the movies, but they make use with the 4D effects, and you rarely wait more than one theater to get in.



The other benefit to Nintendo World early entry is you get a one-time express pass to the Studio Tour before 11 am, which I assume is to try and free up space in the land for non-early entry guests. For fans of TV and movie history, this will be a highlight of your day. I'm not particularly into it, but I still loved seeing the town square from Back to the Future and what they called the "seaside town" set which was used for Jaws. They also had a collection of cars from the Transformers and Fast and Furious series on display. The line can get pretty long, but if you have the early entry or catch it at a good time, I think it's definitely worth the 45 minute ride.



After finishing up, I grabbed a quick snack at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. The sticky toffee pudding and cold butterbeer were both nice, and very sweet. Then it was time for the last Hollywood exclusive, The Secret Life of Pets. I had been putting this ride off since it always seemed to have a long line, but it was now or never, and 45 minutes isn't too bad. The queue is nice, going through all the different apartments in the movie. The ride itself I thought was wonderful, one of the best slow-moving dark rides I've ever seen. Each section was filled with animatronics that used realistic fur and specials effects. Even if you don't know the movie, I highly recommend getting on it.



After secret life of pets, it was time to make my way out of the park. I did go through Citywalk, just to see what all was there, before ordering an Uber back to the hotel. Once there, I took a quick nap and headed out to the pool. While it is small, the hotel pool has a nice view of Hollywood and has a little bar and grill attached. I had a beer and just enjoyed the water and sun for around an hour, not in any real rush. It was a nice little break after two fast days in Universal. Right before dinner, I ran down to Walgreens to grab some snacks for the room and changed into a nice shirt for dinner.

After all of that, now the Adventure by Disney actually begins! First off, our guides were Ralph and Summer-Rose. Ralph was on the trip last year, so I knew how great he is for this trip. He's as much a Disney fan as anyone on the tour, and when we see some of the places where Walt stood, he makes it feel like you were there. This was my first time meeting Summer-Rose, although the podcast team had spoken highly of her in the past. Because of how long I was at Universal, I didn't get the chance to actually meet them before dinner, but I had their phone numbers and let them know I had arrived in LA with no issues.



We met at 6:30 just outside the convention center at the hotel. It was the first time I had the chance to actually meet the other adventurers, and after a few minutes we took the elevator up to the 19th floor for our welcome dinner. With a nice view of the Hollywood Hills, we chatted with each other about how we heard about the trip, why we were here, our history with Disney, and about how excited we were to see everything. Beer and wine are included, and after a quick introduction from the guides, we took some photos and grabbed dinner from the buffet. I'm pretty sure it was the exact same spread as last year, down to the salad, drinks, and room configuration, and that was perfectly fine with me. I'm not going to turn down all you can eat steak.

Once I had my food, I finally got to meet Summer-Rose and go over some of the details of the trip. I also selected my meal for the Tam O Shanter lunch, the one meal you need to pre-order. Once everyone had their main plates, desserts appeared at the end of the buffet line, so I grabbed some seconds on steak and some sweets as the Adventure guides bid us farewell. About half of the group stayed and talked until they kicked us out at 9 pm, and I decided to head back to the room for some introvert time. That roughly translates to watching Youtube for two hours and heading to sleep. Tomorrow, the adventure really begins!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Ralph is awesome. We had him on our China trip. I hope he sings for you guys I've also heard great things about Summer Rose although we've never had her. Sounds like the trip is off to a great start.

 

[Steven G]

Spoiler: Spoil

he did sing

....

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Yay!! That's awesome.

 

[Eastridge]

Thanks for the detailed report. Looking forward to hearing the differences from your previous trip.

 

[jimmymc]

Theaters and Muppets

Welcome back to day three, our first real taste of Adventures by Disney (at least for most of the group). We started off with breakfast at Preston's, the main restaurant located on the 3rd floor of the Loews hotel. It's an impressive buffet, with everything from eggs and bacon and an omelette station to a meat and cheese board and French pastries. I can't find the cost of the buffet online, but I would guess around $35, and while that's a lot, I've also seen places offer much less for higher prices. We eat in a private room in the back of the restaurant, so it's easy to chat with other families.

Breakfast was available from 7 to 8, and we left for the first activity right after. The group cuts through the attached mall and across the street to the El Capitan Theatre. It opened in 1926 for live theater before converting to movies in 1941 for the premiere of Citizen Kane. In 1989, the theater had gone through several renovations and was showing its age when Disney purchased it and started renovations. In 1991, it opened looking as close as possible to the way it did in 1926 for the premier of The Rocketeer. The theater has since been the premier location for most Disney and MCU films. Along with movies, it houses a Wurlitzer Organ that's played before movies during certain nights of the week.



This week, the theater was decorated for the new Haunted Mansion movie. In addition to costumes in the lobby, there were photo ops inside Haunted Mansion ride vehicles and decorations all over the theater. As part of our tour, we get complete access behind the scenes. We see the Sherman Brother's dressing room, where many stars get ready for their movie premiers, plus the larger green room, behind the stage, the Mickey Lift (a stage lift originally designed for Mickey to pop out during Fantasmic, now also used at the theater), and a close up view of the organ. We also get to watch the theater's upcoming lazer/curtain show that plays before movies. It's a significant part of Hollywood history that most people enjoy, even if they don't know much about the movie industry.



From the El Capitan, we walk right back across the street to the TCL Chinese Theater, formerly Grauman's Chinese Theatre. This location is probably best known for the dozens of concrete handprints in their courtyard, as well as hundreds of movie premiers over the years. Once inside, we get a quick tour of the lobby, which features original murals on the wall and ceiling and several movie props and costumes. Then we head inside and watch a short film about how the theater was renovated for modern movies. The team dug out the basement to allow for a larger screen and better angles from the seats. Last, but not least, the courtyard stays roped off for another 15-20 minutes so we can get pictures with handprints without the dirt and crowds you get later in the day. Like the El Capitan, it's a fun tour that doesn't last too long for people who aren't really theater buffs.

Upon exiting the theater, we have about 30 minutes to get all the photos we wanted and make our way back to the hotel lobby, which is less than a 5 minute walk. Once assembled, we board the coach and head a few blocks down to Henson Studios. Originally the Charlie Chaplin Studios, this lot was also owned by real estate firm Webb and Knapp and A&M records before the Henson company purchased them in 2000. Now it's home to the offices of Brian and Lisa Henson, the puppet barn where many of their characters are made, the digital puppetry offices, a large soundstage, and an audio recording booth.





Our tour begins with a short video in their screening room, where several muppets tell the history of the lot. We then head inside Brian Henson's office to see his collection of memorabilia and awards and the reception room where the rest of the company's awards are displayed. After that, we meet one of the puppeteers, who shows us how both physical and digital puppets work, and we get the chance to try them both out. And finally, for anyone who is a fan, there is a small shop selling company merchandise that's difficult to find outside of working there. Nothing really appealed to me, but Dreams Unlimited did grab a hat for everyone on the trip, so thank you very much to them!



From Henson Studios, we board our bus and head to the Tam O'Shanter, today's lunch. The Tam, as it's known by frequent visitors, was a favorite of Walt Disney's for lunch and dinner, and a place he would frequently bring his creators when they were stuck and needed a break and some fresh ideas. The outside of the building is a clear influence for the Seven Dwarf's Cottage. While it was built in the 1920's, the original owners specifically wanted it to look much older, so they had the construction workers eyeball measurements and make things by hand as much as possible. Inside keeps the theme going, with dark woods and English/Scottish family crest flags hanging from the ceilings and walls.



Today's lunch is the one meal we order ahead of time, and I chose the prime rib. Other options were a chicken sandwich, fish and chips, or a vegetarian pasta. At my table, we had people order each of the first three, and everyone seemed satisfied. You also start the meal with a small salad and warm sourdough bread, and non-alcoholic drinks are included. At this particular lunch, we also met current imagineer Matt McKim, the son of former imagineer Sam McKim. Sam was an artist who worked directly with Walt Disney, providing sketches, concept art, and storyboards for attractions. But he was most well known as the Disneyland map maker. From opening day until he retired in 1987, Sam drew the maps for Disneyland Park. He also came back in 1992 to draw the Disneyland Paris Opening day map before retiring for good. In 1996, he was named a Disney legend, and in 2006, two years after his death, Sam finally got his dream of a Disneyland window (and it's one of the best ones IMO).





Over the last few years, Matt and his siblings have opened up their dad's old boxes of things and discovered thousands of drawings, notes, color tests, and other artifacts dating back to the 50's. And he was kind enough to bring several boxes worth for our group to browse after lunch. This ended up being one of the highlights of my trip, piecing together the thought process of an imagineer as a project goes from sketches, to art, to story, and finally blueprints. It's also not often you get to see original Disneyland sketches and concepts before the general public. Matt did ask we not take photos of originals, so I don't have many pictures, but believe me when I say there were great. Dreams Unlimited was also nice enough to buy everyone a small pirate-themed souvenir handmade by Matt, so another thank you to them!

I'm going to use spoiler text here, since this next part technically isn't listed on the ABD website, but almost everyone who's interested in this trip knows what happens here.

Once lunch was done, we head down the road to Griffith Park and Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn, home to his impressive model train collection. I was really looking forward to this part, since the barn was closed last year for construction. It's actually part of a larger area now, the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum. In addition to the original barn, moved over from Walt's house in Holmby Hills after his death, the museum also has several of his trains and exhibits showing how they were set up in his yard. And just to throw in one more surprise, another Disney legend Floyd Norman joined us at the barn.

Floyd Norman worked several stints as an animator at Disney. He accrued credits on Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Sword in the Stone, and Jungle Book before leaving to found his own studio, Vignette Films. After working on several movies there and with Hanna Barbera, he returned to Disney to work on Robinhood and the Mickey Mouse comic strip. Following those, he continued work as a storyboard artist in the 90's and early 2000's for Disney and Pixar, and has done work as recently as 2015. He is still technically a Disney employee today, although I think his current work is more like a consultant than artist. We also met Floyd at the Tam last year, although this setting really gave us more time to talk as a large group. In particular, two of the teenagers on the trip were interested in animation and art, and they were hanging on every word he said. Floyd had also worked with everyone from Walt Disney to Pete Docter, so everyone had somebody they wanted to know what it was like working with, and in general everyone was very professional.



In between talking to Floyd, most of the group got to check out Walt's trains and walk around the barn. It was a fun afternoon, and I'm very happy we got to visit this year. There is also a little gift shop here, although I didn't end up buying anything. We boarded the bus again and headed back down to the Loews Hotel for the afternoon, and the rest of the day was on our own. The guides did, however, invite us to an ice cream party across the street at Ghirardelli. Just like last year, the entire menu was open and on them. I got a s'mores' sundae, which was pretty good, although the cherry or chocolate chip mint ones are still my favorite. Also similar to last year, this is one of the best chances so far to get to know your fellow adventurers, so I highly recommend going even if you aren't craving ice cream at this point.

The get together was a lot of fun, and unlike last year, this time I managed to plan something for tonight's on your own time. During our tour of the TCL theater, I noticed that a special projector was installed over an area that's normally seats. With a little research, I saw that they were showing the 70mm Imax version of Oppenheimer. I still hadn't seen the movie yet, and you don't get a better version than that, so before the tour was even over I had booked a ticket on my phone. Still being full from the ice cream, i grabbed a protein bar and salad from Walgreens for dinner and supplemented that with another Voodoo donut and Coke Zero at the movie. The movie was great, and seeing it in the famous theater definitely made it special. And while I'm very happy I saw it there, you honestly don't need Imax to get the full effect of the movie. It's more about the characters, and even the explosion scene would look fantastic in a normal theater.



After the movie, I debated grabbing a drink at one of the bars in the area, but I decided to just head back to the room and get a bit more sleep. I also still had to pack, since tonight would be the last in Hollywood. ABDs definitely aren't for late sleepers! While this day isn't the strongest in terms of activities, having some special guests and being with a great group makes for a fantastic time, and this was a great start for the trip.

Tomorrow is the big one: Disney Studios, Imagineering, and Land!

More photos here:

https://imgur.com/a/81X6DkX

 

[Eastridge]

LA has some amazing theaters. It's great you got behind the scenes access to the El Capitan theater. Was that unique to this trip, since I don't recall other Backstage Magic trips including that? Or is that a standard part of the 6 day So. Cal. ABD now?

Thanks for posting all the pictures!

 

[jimmymc]

LA has some amazing theaters. It's great you got behind the scenes access to the El Capitan theater. Was that unique to this trip, since I don't recall other Backstage Magic trips including that? Or is that a standard part of the 6 day So. Cal. ABD now?

Thanks for posting all the pictures!

The only two Backstage Magic trips I've done were with The Dis in 2022 and 2023, so I'm not sure if the El Capitan is included in all trips. Both years we did the two theaters, and there's plenty of time to see them, so I'm not sure why they don't include both by default.

 

[macman752]

We did this ABD in 2010 and again in 2015. El Capitan was on the tour both times.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm not sure why they don't include both by default.

I think they want to give themselves some wiggle room. If one of the theaters has an event going on that same day they would just skip it.

 

[Steven G]

Ok, as you know Jimmy, I've been on the trip 3 times.

The first time, I do not believe we went inside the El Capitan theater at all (we did the Dolby Theater instead which host the academy awards. As well they really focused on the academy awards that time). The dolby theater tour (inside the theater) was pretty quick, nothing backstage if I remember. We also did the Chinese theater. As well, we had a late night with the group at one of the wax museums (which was not that exciting). The first time was about 6 years ago.

The second time, we definitely did the Chinese Theater, and I believe we had a much, much shortened version of El Capitan theater (i.e. we didn't go backstage at all.). The most we got I believe that was special was up close with the organ. They were showing Aladdin (the live version) to give you an idea of when I went on the second time.

The third time, well, you can see above what was covered.

I believe all 3 times I've been on the trip, the Chinese theater has been near identical in what was covered. Everything other theater has been very different.

The El Capitan behind the scenes tour was definitely one of the best out of all the trips.

Spoiler: spoiler

Also, for the Carolwood barns, each time has been different.

The first time, we did the CarolWood barns, we got to go inside that railcar near where Floyd was talking (they didn't have the exhibit to the side of it at the time), and if I remember correctly, they actually had those tiny trains going around the tracks. It seemed much more active/alive at that time, however obvisusly we did not get Floyd.

The second time, we didn't do CarolWood barn at all, but we did the carousel in griffith park. I'm glad I had a chance to do that before the previous owner passed away, he really loved that carousel and it was so inspiring. It was also the fastest carousel I have ever been on, if all carousels were like that, I'd probably go on them more

The third time, well Jimmy did a great job above.

Just as a warning, I have done the Dolby tour as a separate tour, and thus I am not sure how much of what I remember is from that tour, versus what happened on the ABD tour. The separate tour was way more in depth and we got to see a lot more is all I can guarantee.