I've been wanting to comment on all these things, but haven't had time at my computer to actually sit down and find the comments I wanted to say something about. Now that I'm back home and feeling icky and sick, we are taking a TV day (and catching up on two bins of mail) so I've been able to gather my thoughts. It's taken me all day to write this post.
It was a little weird because everything was very similar to WDW but different at the same time. It was a lot of fun seeing all the differences.
This is how I feel every time I go into MK at WDW!
I spied an entrance to the Dream Suite, I didnt' know anything about it but it looked cool.
I've been inside, it's really nice. I have pictures if you want to see them.
Interesting pirates has more but I guess it was the original one before wdw I am guessing as the park is older?
Pirates at DL opened on March 18, 1967. It was one of the last rides that Walt actually had a part in creating, even though he never saw it completed. It is partnered with the Blue Bayou which is a restaurant that is fashioned after a backyard Dinner Party at a Southern Plantation. It fits perfectly into the whole New Orleans Square theme.
When MK was designed the Imagineers thought Florida was too close to NOLA to create a similar land, so Liberty Square was created instead. They planned to put in a ride in Adventureland called the Western River Expedition. However once the MK opened, park goers asked, "Where is the Pirate Ride?" So they had to scrap the Western River Expedition and put in Pirates instead.
Western River 1
Western River 2
Western River 3
We were considering the expo in either 2015 or 2016 maybe our paths will cross!
The Expo is every two years, so the next one is 2015, there won't be one in 2016. The links above were from a seminar at the 2011 Expo.
Yes, Star Tours has been updated like at WDW, I believe DL did theirs first.
They did them concurrently, but WDW's opened a few days before. I happened to be there while WDW did a soft opening. It was a bigger deal in DL, they did Grand Openings, AP special preview days and stuff, but it was about the same week in May when they opened.
I was glad I chanced it because I found the pool shortly. They have all the entrances to the pool gated off where you have to use your room key to get in. It was a little annoying at times, but Im sure the pool would be swamped with park goers if it wasnt gated off.
This is one reason, but the other is California Law. Any pool needs a fence of like 5 feet or higher around it blocking all access. I know this because we just bought a house with a pool.
I had at least thirty minutes to kill so headed into a shop Alison had pointed out the day before. There was this very cool bank vault in there. I thought it was really pretty.
This is the New Disneyana store, they just moved it from the middle of main street, I think to make room for the new Starbucks. This used to be an actual working bank and that was a real vault for the bank. From 1955 to 1993 it was sponsored by Bank of America.
The rest of the tour sounded great and sure that you enjoyed your time in Walt's apartment. I'm glad you were able to go in there. I have some pictures from when we were in the apartment before they didn't allow photos, if you want me to post them.
Yes, I thought the same thing about needing another massage after the tour, I almost booked another one but restrained myself 
lots more to the day though, I went off for more fun after the tour.
I think all the intertwining of the stories is just brilliant!
Jolly Holliday twice? Too funny. 
We went out for Mexican the last night and she got double rice! 
Nachos probably aren't her favorite, but someday I'll have to try them!
Their nachos are so good. Not healthy but so worth it!
