For the First Time In Forever.....A Disneyland reopening TR, Dark Ride photos and The End 5/8

It was only a few weeks ago when I was responding to comments about how our only plans for the future were to travel to my parent’s house in September because Fran was not comfortable getting out and about with other people. Well, how things have changed! I’m not sure what changed in Fran’s mind, but a little over a week ago, we woke up Friday morning with only plans to visit my parents, and then next year we booked a Disney Cruise out of San Diego hoping that things would be better by then.

Well we got to talking that Friday afternoon, and I asked if we wanted to consider going to the 2021 Annual Band Convention. Last year they held it virtually and we didn’t participate, but she said to check it out and see if there were hotel rooms left and if registration was still open. There were and by 5PM that day, we were registered, had a hotel room, and flights back and forth, on points no less!

Well I guess the adrenaline for vacation booking didn’t stop there. The next day she said that she wanted to go to WDW, I asked her when and she said 2022! Well, we don’t go to Florida after May if we can avoid it, and I prefer not to book until the end of October because it’s just too darn hot there. I realized that we were rapidly approaching the end of our booking advantage with our home resorts and we got to plotting. It turns out that I’ve rented out so many of our points that we didn’t have much to work with.

In the end, we used the 7 month window with our SSR points at BLT, and then used our 7-11 month advantage to book BCV for the last four nights of the trip. We will be going in February of 2022, and I really wanted to create a ticker for my signature, but I can’t figure out how to put it in there. None of the code from the ticker site seems to show up. I tried all of them and none worked.

We have our cruise almost one month after we get back from WDW, so we entered the month of July with hardly any plans and now we have something going on nearly every month starting this Fall! Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again! Anyways, I just wanted to share that bit of news with y’all. Now back to our day trips to Disneyland!





So the day after we visited the archives, we had a reservation for DCA. Back in April when they opened up the reservation system, I literally threw darts at the calendar and picked random days to go out during the first two months of park opening. Jenny wanted to have a girls day at the parks, as opposed to a day with the kids and family, so she made a reservation for this same day and our plan was to try for Webslingers. We figured that we'd get a group like 40 or 50. We'd pick Jenny up at 9AM (Park opened at 9) and saunter in about 9:30-10 and hang out until our BG got called.

She had been trying for a BG for weeks since the ride opened with no success. She works from home assessing mentally unstable patients who need psychiatric care. She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"

Well she had me all worked up after trying for so many times with no success. So here's our chat that morning.



What follows can not be shared on a family board!



Who would have expected Group Freaking 9!!!!!!

Fran and I were still in bed, not even close to being dressed. I jumped up and told her we needed to get going as quick as we could. We were out the door in about an hour (which is pretty good for us!) We picked Jenny up at her house and her daughter (who just finished pastry school) made us fresh scones that morning. And Jenny had Mickey plates for us to eat them from.



When we were there the week before Fran had bought us the special Webslingers wrist enhancers. On the way we listened to YouTube videos (I watched them) through the car stereo system, to figure out how to wear and use them.



We were about 15 minutes from the park when we got the notification that our BG was called. The park hadn't even officially opened yet!

We hauled butt to get there. It said in the screen return by 9:11AM and it was 9:15 and we were stuck in traffic trying to park! Jenny and I screen shotted the Boarding passes, but it wasn't really necessary, we still made it in plenty of time. They let us in, and even after they scanned our passes we still had about a 20 minute wait.





The ride was totally fun (again). This time I wore my Webslinger device, but I found it cumbersome and like it inhibited me. So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.



Also I got a better sense of the storyline of the ride. The spiders are not trying to take over the world, just the Avengers Campus. Your first "scene" you are in the WEB building. (Worldwide Engineering Brigade). The second scene you are in the Pym Lab. The third you're in GotG, and the last one you are on the roof where the Quinn Jets take off and land. Jenny kicked my butt. I need to get better at this!

After the ride we did a little bit of shopping. Fran got more of those Webslingers. Not sure if she wanted us to have one for each hand. I'm not sure that was entirely necessary.

Jenny wanted to get a drink at the bar and she twisted my arm to get one as well. I think this is when Jenny said.

"Life's always better with a little alcohol."

They encourage you to mobile order everything, we couldn't get a mobile order slot until 12:30 and I think it was 11:00, so we decided to just wait.

They let all the Mobile order people go ahead of us, but in the end we waited about 15 minutes before they dispensed these little babies out of the bar tap gun.



We lucked out because only about a week later they stopped dispensing drinks in these beakers and just use the standard chartreuse cups that all the other alcoholic beverages are served in.

Adult beverages in hand, we decided that it was time for some Schwarma.



Jenny was starving and couldn't wait. She had already cut it up for sharing and was digging in to her piece when I was able to get this picture. We sat in the seating area where the queue for the Hyperion theater used to be..



Next up Jenny wanted to do some shopping. She had secured reservations for the following Monday for her family and her daughter is a super mega Marvel fan, so she wanted to get her some Loki ears and T-shirts that she could wear. Fran is always up for some shopping!



We decided that it might be best if she scooted back to the car and dropped off the packages while Jenny and I rode Soarin'. It ended up being perfect timing. The amount of time we had to wait plus ride time was just right and Fran was waiting for us as we exited the ride.



Fran wanted to check on that Pirate shirt in New Orleans Square again to see if they got any larger sizes, but no luck. We noticed that Pirates was a walk on, so we went to get a return pass, and it wasn't for 20 minutes. We went to the end of the line, and tried having them scan it anyways. They said we were a little early, but let us on anyways.

Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.









I still prefer the original Redhead, sexist or not.









By this point we were pretty tired. It had been a long day and we wanted to go home. I'd be back again soon!
 
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It was only a few weeks ago when I was responding to comments about how our only plans for the future were to travel to my parent’s house in September because Fran was not comfortable getting out and about with other people. Well, how things have changed!

Cabin fever has set in!

We have our cruise almost one month after we get back from WDW, so we entered the month of July with hardly any plans and now we have something going on nearly every month starting this Fall! Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again!

I don't think the country has any appetite for that. But I also have confidence in the vaccines. I feel pretty comfortable traveling now.

She had been trying for a BG for weeks since the ride opened with no success. She works from home assessing mentally unstable patients who need psychiatric care. She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"

:rotfl2: Well, as long as she has her priorities straight.

Fran and I were still in bed, not even close to being dressed. I jumped up and told her we needed to get going as quick as we could.

Fire drill! Fire drill!

We were about 15 minutes from the park when we got the notification that our BG was called. The park hadn't even officially opened yet!

That seems a bit...challenging.

So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.

Interesting. I guess all they care about is whether you spent the money or not.

"Life's always better with a little alcohol."

"little" being the key word there.

We lucked out because only about a week later they stopped dispensing drinks in these beakers and just use the standard chartreuse cups that all the other alcoholic beverages are served in.

Boo. The beakers are really fun.

Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.

That looks like such a great atmosphere for a meal. All I would want is the monte cristo, though.

I still prefer the original Redhead, sexist or not.

Me too...if I'm allowed to say so.
 
Liesa made a similar comment....
Great minds?

Well, hers, perhaps. I just got lucky.
I think that there is just too much misinformation out there and people with crazy conspiracy theories. It may end up just being Darwinian.

There will always be misinformation everywhere. And misrepresented information, skewed information, and UNreported information. :)

I can see your point, but I still feel uneasy around a ton of unmasked people.

Hmm, they said things would be mostly safe at 70% which you are? And the new cases are 99% with unvaccinated with a highly contagious variant. So those that choose not to (the number of those who can't is very, very low) it should sweep through quickly and be over. At least in theory. Also, I think that whoever feels more comfortable with a mask on should absolutely wear one. :) And those that don't shouldn't be made to. Everyone's had MONTHS to get their vaccine and now the onus is on them.

They did a good job recreating the titles of the books too! They really looked like bookshelves, even up close.

On a similar note, reminds me of the titles/books in Skippers Canteen. So clever and fun!
Just shows how the look of stuffed toys has evolved over the years.

So wildly. Isn't there one in 1901? I thought I saw one in there very similar to these.
Well....that was the creepy section of the update.

LOL!!
I do too. I'm amazed at how many of my friends don't even know about them and just walk right by.

People are always in such a hurry and miss the BEST parts of the parks.
It's pretty obscure, it was only a short part of the film....

Very true. :) Still a super cool dress!
 


I believe most of California is between 68-70% and so is our area.
Both shots? Really! That's a high percentage. Very surprised you guys are having a spike!
Fox - I guess you don't know about them up there.
Ohhh... Sorry. Yes, I know about Fox. I'm just dense. :sad2:
That wasn't the only thing.
What else was served upside down???
Well, get on it! Take care of yourself!
Look what I got! Eating later tonight.
C153AAB6-4A1C-4160-AF42-88E13FB8DF9B.jpeg
 
Well we got to talking that Friday afternoon, and I asked if we wanted to consider going to the 2021 Annual Band Convention. Last year they held it virtually and we didn’t participate, but she said to check it out and see if there were hotel rooms left and if registration was still open. There were and by 5PM that day, we were registered, had a hotel room, and flights back and forth, on points no less!
Look at you guys! You're returning to normal activities!
In the end, we used the 7 month window with our SSR points at BLT, and then used our 7-11 month advantage to book BCV for the last four nights of the trip. We will be going in February of 2022
Nice! I'd like to stay at either BLT or CR just to be able to sashay over to MK whenever I feel like.
and I really wanted to create a ticker for my signature, but I can’t figure out how to put it in there. None of the code from the ticker site seems to show up. I tried all of them and none worked.
Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.
Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again!
Please... no...
She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"
:lmao:
What follows can not be shared on a family board!
You posted nude selfies of each other? Odd, butt, you're all adults, so fine by me.
Who would have expected Group Freaking 9!!!!!!
Apparently... not you!!
We picked Jenny up at her house and her daughter (who just finished pastry school) made us fresh scones that morning.
Hello?!?!? Pastry school graduate??? Perhaps she'd like to meet a friendly Canadian with a sweet tooth at some point.
We hauled butt to get there. It said in the screen return by 9:11AM and it was 9:15 and we were stuck in traffic trying to park!
You must've been sweating bullets!
The ride was totally fun (again). This time I wore my Webslinger device, but I found it cumbersome and like it inhibited me. So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.
Interesting. I would've assumed you'd have to be wearing it. Too bad you found it bothersome.
After the ride we did a little bit of shopping. Fran got more of those Webslingers. Not sure if she wanted us to have one for each hand. I'm not sure that was entirely necessary.
Sounds like she got bitten by the... spider, I guess.
Jenny wanted to get a drink at the bar and she twisted my arm to get one as well.
Had to twist real hard I'm sure. :rolleyes2
I think this is when Jenny said.

"Life's always better with a little alcohol."
And you heartily agreed?
Adult beverages in hand, we decided that it was time for some Schwarma.
:headache: Some day I will get this! I should make a point of going to the next football game with an appetite. They have one there but they look so huge that I've never dared.
Fran is always up for some shopping!
This surprises... no one. :laughing:
x21DL0617WJ08.jpg
Holy smokes!! :faint:
We decided that it might be best if she scooted back to the car and dropped off the packages while Jenny and I rode Soarin'. It ended up being perfect timing. The amount of time we had to wait plus ride time was just right and Fran was waiting for us as we exited the ride.
Perfect. :)
Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.
Yusss...

Need to get down there. Just get the border open and the covid numbers lower, okay?
ah well...
Huh. I thought he'd look more like Jack... but just doesn't. At least not in this shot.
 


Be careful what you wish for! :rotfl:

Bring it on!

Cabin fever has set in!

Evidently!

I don't think the country has any appetite for that. But I also have confidence in the vaccines. I feel pretty comfortable traveling now.

I'm still not very comfortable around other people. Look at all those fully vaccinated folks over at the Olympics who keep testing positive, but it looks like we are going to be living with this for a while so we may as well make the best of it.

:rotfl2: Well, as long as she has her priorities straight.

I know, right? :laughing:

Fire drill! Fire drill!

Pretty much!

That seems a bit...challenging.

I was amazed at the timing, but I suppose they are told to let everyone in even if they're late.

Interesting. I guess all they care about is whether you spent the money or not.

Well it did still keep functioning like it was on my wrist even though it wasn't.

"little" being the key word there.

Lest you end up like the birthday party in Liesa's TR!

Boo. The beakers are really fun.

They are! I'm glad I got one!

That looks like such a great atmosphere for a meal. All I would want is the monte cristo, though.

They do serve steak and potatoes....

Me too...if I'm allowed to say so.

Of course! We can both be politically incorrect!
 
n fact on March 14, 2020 we went to a presentation on the music of Disneyland in the museum theater. It was a retrospective of music that Walt intended to represent the various lands when DL opened. She played a number of selections from records and told us some interesting stories.

This sounds like a really nice event., good musician then?


The event was a "mug release" at our local Tiki Bar. We went directly there, got in the queue for the mugs, and had some drinks and food while we waited to purchase the mugs.

I think I remember this, is this the place you got "to go" from drinks later on in covid? (or am I just making that up?)

animator Floyd Norman talked about these desks and mentioned that each one was identical down to the ashtray provided for each animator, who were almost exclusively men.


D gave me a Walt book and I remember reading that. Ahh I remember when ash trays were everywhere...


Commissary menus.

but I've never seen Liver and Bacon, Mutton Chop with Kidney, a Sardine sandwich in the past few years. How often do you see Deviled Ham, Egg and Crabmeat on one menu? The poor chefs must have had to have so much going on in their kitchen.

I really enjoyed reading through these. I also thought, wow doing the ordering for those would be a lot of work!

They look sorta creepy nowadays.

Agree.

Every animated character has a clay model so that the animators can view the subject in 3D and explore all the angles of the Character. I know that there are thousands because at one D23 event we visited a warehouse where they store them.

Wow, how many did you get to see? do they vary a lot in size much, the models?


This figure had been on The Great Movie Ride

Never did ride it...

And everyone knows these guys!


Sure do, nice pic!


Those two are too cute. I thought they did a nice job of them.



We had Lion King so I know it well. I liked the costumes in the background!

Thanks for sharing this event, enjoyed it!
 
Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.
I just googled Disney vacation countdown tickers and the website that is visible on the ticker in my siggie and it walks you through the process. Then you can copy and paste the html code and you can just stash in your siggie as a link? Either that or just copy and pasted. It seems to be working so it's not just an image apparently.
 
There will always be misinformation everywhere. And misrepresented information, skewed information, and UNreported information. :)

And there will always be stupidity as well. :sad2:

Hmm, they said things would be mostly safe at 70% which you are?

Evidently we are not at 70%, and yesterday they were reporting over 3K new cases in LA County.

And the new cases are 99% with unvaccinated with a highly contagious variant.

They're saying that the new cases are actually 80% unvaccinated, but the hospitalizations are 99% unvaccinated.


So those that choose not to (the number of those who can't is very, very low) it should sweep through quickly and be over. At least in theory. Also, I think that whoever feels more comfortable with a mask on should absolutely wear one. :) And those that don't shouldn't be made to. Everyone's had MONTHS to get their vaccine and now the onus is on them.

In the end, it will be a Darwinian solution and since I know that Fran and I are not the fittest, we'll do the masking.

On a similar note, reminds me of the titles/books in Skippers Canteen. So clever and fun!

I've never eaten there. Fran has deemed it weird. I'll have to take a look at the menu again.

So wildly. Isn't there one in 1901? I thought I saw one in there very similar to these.

You're right! There is one on that shelf.

People are always in such a hurry and miss the BEST parts of the parks.

Yes they do.

Very true. :) Still a super cool dress!

It is cute.
 
Both shots? Really! That's a high percentage. Very surprised you guys are having a spike!

Evidently I was wrong. We aren't quite to 70%. They keep saying we haven't reached quite 70% and herd immunity.

Ohhh... Sorry. Yes, I know about Fox. I'm just dense. :sad2:

:laughing:

What else was served upside down???

She was just weird.

Look what I got! Eating later tonight.
View attachment 590991

Yay! Finally! How was it?

Look at you guys! You're returning to normal activities

We even went to an indoor concert last night.

Nice! I'd like to stay at either BLT or CR just to be able to sashay over to MK whenever I feel like.

That was part of the appeal. Also the fact that the 1 bedrooms have two bathrooms.

Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.

I tried what she said. Maybe the DIS was having a bad day. I'll try it again today.

Please... no...

I have a feeling we're going to just have to live with the death since Americans won't comply anyways.

You posted nude selfies of each other? Odd, butt, you're all adults, so fine by me

Actually it was more like:

"Group 9? HOW THE FLIP DID YOU DO THAT????"

Only that might not have been the exact phrase that was used. :rolleyes1

Apparently... not you!!

Nope! I was thinking it would be more like Group 40.

Hello?!?!? Pastry school graduate??? Perhaps she'd like to meet a friendly Canadian with a sweet tooth at some point.

Probably not. :laughing:

You must've been sweating bullets!

We were a little stressed!

Interesting. I would've assumed you'd have to be wearing it. Too bad you found it bothersome.

It just feels weird on the arm. I'll try it again this next week.

Sounds like she got bitten by the... spider, I guess

:laughing:

Had to twist real hard I'm sure. :rolleyes2

Actually before noon I generally prefer not to drink unless I'm planning on going back to bed.

And you heartily agreed?

More like reluctantly....

:headache: Some day I will get this! I should make a point of going to the next football game with an appetite. They have one there but they look so huge that I've never dared.

The ones in Avengers Campus are kind of small, so easy to eat.

This surprises... no one. :laughing:

:lmao:

Holy smokes!! :faint:

She's not messing around.

Need to get down there. Just get the border open and the covid numbers lower, okay?

I'm doing my best to keep my number down and that's all I can control. :confused3

Huh. I thought he'd look more like Jack... but just doesn't. At least not in this shot.

Well they all kind of look the same (he appears like 3 places in the ride). I think they're hoping that you don't see him long enough and it's dark so you won't notice.
 
Evidently I was wrong. We aren't quite to 70%. They keep saying we haven't reached quite 70% and herd immunity.
<sigh>
Any time, planet Earth... any time.
She was just weird.
So not just the pies were upside down, but the whole house was too.
Yay! Finally! How was it?
Ah-mazing!
Been far too long. It was a homemade one too, so I didn't have to go get one. It came to me!
We even went to an indoor concert last night.
oooohhhh... nice!
That was part of the appeal. Also the fact that the 1 bedrooms have two bathrooms.
Not generally a concern for just l'il ol' me.
I have a feeling we're going to just have to live with the death since Americans won't comply anyways.
:sad2:
Actually it was more like:

"Group 9? HOW THE FLIP DID YOU DO THAT????"

Only that might not have been the exact phrase that was used. :rolleyes1
Fudge? Was the word, fudge???
Probably not. :laughing:
:lmao:
It just feels weird on the arm. I'll try it again this next week.
Let me know. :)
The ones in Avengers Campus are kind of small, so easy to eat.
Ah. At the stadium, they're as long as a football and about as thick as a baseball bat.

How very sporting of them.
I'm doing my best to keep my number down and that's all I can control. :confused3
::yes::
 
This sounds like a really nice event., good musician then?

Actually, I'm not even sure if she was a musician. She played records of music that were sold when the park first opened. They were like soundtracks for the various lands in DL, and were available for purchase so that folks could be reminded of the parks when they got home. Much like we all have Disney playlists on Spotify....or at least I do. :rolleyes1

I think I remember this, is this the place you got "to go" from drinks later on in covid? (or am I just making that up?)

Yes, it is! And we just went back there a couple weeks ago with Jenny and Michael!

This was mine and Fran's first round of drinks


She got the Burger and I got the Chicken Sandwich, Michael also got the Chicken Sandwich.




Jenny got the wings. She said they were spicy


We got a second round of drinks,


And I think I was the only one to get a third round.



D gave me a Walt book and I remember reading that. Ahh I remember when ash trays were everywhere...

Yeah, we are listening to a book from the WWII time period and everyone smokes in there too.

I really enjoyed reading through these. I also thought, wow doing the ordering for those would be a lot of work!

I suppose you are talking about the menus, do you mean the person stocking the kitchen?

Wow, how many did you get to see? do they vary a lot in size much, the models?

When we went on the D23 we got to see an entire warehouse filled with them. Most of them were fairly small maybe a quarter metre to half a metre. About a foot tall or less.

Never did ride it...

That's too bad. I really liked the ride. I was sorry to see it go.

Sure do, nice pic!

Thanks!

Those two are too cute. I thought they did a nice job of them.

I did too, they were very ornate.

We had Lion King so I know it well. I liked the costumes in the background!

Thanks for sharing this event, enjoyed it!

I'm glad we got to go, even if it was the week before it closed down.
 
<sigh>
Any time, planet Earth... any time.

Really......

So not just the pies were upside down, but the whole house was too.

It's like she was Turning Turtle....

Ah-mazing!
Been far too long. It was a homemade one too, so I didn't have to go get one. It came to me!

Well that was convenient, wasn't it?

Not generally a concern for just l'il ol' me.

I can see that, but we don't usually share a bathroom at home, so it can be an inconvenience to do so on vacation.

Fudge? Was the word, fudge???

You are 2/5 correct!

Ah. At the stadium, they're as long as a football and about as thick as a baseball bat.

How very sporting of them.

That's pretty huge. These ones are just a little larger than a cell phone, but not flat like a phone.
 

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