New York Dreams DVC exclusive trip report

[Judyat]

Nice pictures. We did this trip last July and I see you are doing many of the same things. Just wondering who your guides are?

 

[calypso726]

Was that a real rose at the memorial? Trip report is great. Thanks for sharing.

Yes it was real. Glad you are enjoying.

Loving it.NICE! I was able to get my 2 pre nights at Manhattan Club..whoppee! Looks lovely.

It is very nice and very conveniently located.

Nice pictures. We did this trip last July and I see you are doing many of the same things. Just wondering who your guides are?

Thanks! Our guides are Zoe and Stefan. Zoe was our guide for Scotland and it is wonderful to see her again!

 

[calypso726]

This morning we went to the Good a Morning America studio.

Our super surprise was a trip to Central Park to the Summer Concert Series and front row to see Lady Antebellum!!!!

 

[SingingMom]

Glad you are enjoying our favorite city!!! Did you enjoy Newsies? We saw it six times with the original cast! Isn't Sardi's a neat place to see? Expensive, as is everything in NYC, but the atmosphere is all things THEATRE!!!

Try to get to Schmackery's for wonderful cookies and the best mocha brownies in the world!! Juniors coconut lemon cake is also to die for!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Anthony1971]

Thanks for the real pictures of the 9/11 memorial.... I am a NY'R and will likely never go.... viewing from the 29th floor of a building on 39 street which is thankfully where is was then...
Enjoy NY
if you get some time walk down some of the side streets especially in the upper mid upper 30's near Macy's and look up.. something might fall on you no seriously the detail on a lot of the buildings is amazing....

 

[Judyat]

We also had Stefan last year as a guide along with Whitney who often does the Montana to Alberta roaming the rockies adventures. Really loved The Ride. The pictures bring back lots of fun memories. They really pack a lot in the 4 days.

 

[calypso726]

Yesterday was a very long day. After seeing Lady A we went on our Harlem tour. It is a shame that places like The Cotton Club and The Savoy were not preserved for future generations.

We went to The Apollo. We got to hear about the history and Mr. Apollo himself is a fantastic story teller. Afterwards, we got a chance to perform on stage. I have no talent for singing but did shock myself by performing a duet with DH on stage. I mean, when else will I have the opportunity to say, "I performed on stage at The Apollo." Much fun was had by all. No video (thankfully) but ABD did take pictures so we should get to see them after our tour.

Wall of signatures. These few walls are signed by every celebrity that comes here. It was pretty amazing to see.

We went back to Central Park for our walking tour which was very nice and thankfully the weather held up.

Part of The Alice in Wonderland statue.

Our trip to the Tenement Museum was surprisingly very enjoyable! I would have never thought to do this and wasn't exactly interested. Imagine my shock when once again, something I'm not really intrigued with and rather skeptical about doing winds up being a highlight for me! Ingenious method of presenting history, combined with entertainment and food!

We went to meet several people who actually lived in the tenement aftre arriving to this country. We are taken to their apartments which have been preserved as they were from the time period represented by each person protrayed. We get to speak to them about their struggles, hopes and dreams. These real people are represented by actors who are amazingly talented. It was almost like being whisked back in time.

 

[calypso726]

Glad you are enjoying our favorite city!!! Did you enjoy Newsies? We saw it six times with the original cast! Isn't Sardi's a neat place to see? Expensive, as is everything in NYC, but the atmosphere is all things THEATRE!!!

Try to get to Schmackery's for wonderful cookies and the best mocha brownies in the world!! Juniors coconut lemon cake is also to die for!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Yes! It was wonderful. I still have some of the songs in my head LOL. Sardi's was very cool and the food was really good!

Thanks for the real pictures of the 9/11 memorial.... I am a NY'R and will likely never go.... viewing from the 29th floor of a building on 39 street which is thankfully where is was then...
Enjoy NY
if you get some time walk down some of the side streets especially in the upper mid upper 30's near Macy's and look up.. something might fall on you no seriously the detail on a lot of the buildings is amazing....

There were parts of the museum that I was unable to enter. I could see what it would entail from the outside and knew that I would have been a mess had I ventured inside. Several times I had to walk away from something because it was just so emtionally wrenching. I could only take it in small doses so I didn't see everything and I am not sure I would want to.

OMG the architecture is AMAZING!!! Yes, I have had to stop and simply gawk at some of the buildings. The detal is just awesome!

We also had Stefan last year as a guide along with Whitney who often does the Montana to Alberta roaming the rockies adventures. Really loved The Ride. The pictures bring back lots of fun memories. They really pack a lot in the 4 days.

Yeah, they sure do! Stefan is wonderful and of course we adore Zoe! It has been an awesome trip so far and we wouldn't hesitate to do one of these shorter aventures again.

 

[SingingMom]

Yes! It was wonderful. I still have some of the songs in my head LOL. Sardi's was very cool and the food was really good! There were parts of the museum that I was unable to enter. I could see what it would entail from the outside and knew that I would have been a mess had I ventured inside. Several times I had to walk away from something because it was just so emtionally wrenching. I could only take it in small doses so I didn't see everything and I am not sure I would want to. OMG the architecture is AMAZING!!! Yes, I have had to stop and simply gawk at some of the buildings. The detal is just awesome! Yeah, they sure do! Stefan is wonderful and of course we adore Zoe! It has been an awesome trip so far and we wouldn't hesitate to do one of these shorter aventures again.

We got to know the two leads of the original cast , Jeremy Jordan & Kara Lindsay. Kara had the cast sign a birthday card for dd on her 19th birthday and left it with a candy bar at the stage door. Lol. We sat with Jeremy's grandmother at a cabaret concert he sang at. We really adore Broadway!

DD is planning on spending time this summer at the 9/11 memorial museum to do research as the dramaturg for a new play next semester. I'm glad to hear people are finding it very moving.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Awesome pictures! This ABD looks like a lot of fun!

 

[calypso726]

Yesterday was our final day with ABD. Our morning began with a walk over to Ellen's Stardust Diner for breakfast. When we arrived the tables for our group were already set with orange juice and fruit cups. We had pre-ordered our meals a couple of days before. Zoe and Stefan were coordinating with the staff to get our breakfasts out to us quick and hot. One of the couples in our group were unable to make it to breakfast that morning due to not feeling very well and decided to take it easy and meet up with everyone that evening. I was really impressed when I saw our guide Zoe packing up that couple's breakfast orders to go and running back to the hotel to deliver it to them! I wasn't the only one in the group to notice and when we met up with the couple that evening they expresed how impressed they were too.

The servers sing while waiting tables at Ellen's Stardust Diner. They all aspire to make it on Broadway. A good number of them apparently have as well. It is very entertaining. They do periodically come around with a bucket for donations. They are not paid to sing. The donations are split amongst the singers and the moeny goes to their acting, singing, dancing lessons and professional pictures. Stefan told us that Disney had already taken care of them with repect to the donation bucket but anyone was welcome to chip in more if inclined to do so.

These two singers did a delightful duet of Love is an Open Door.

After breakfast we walked over to The New Amsterdam Theater. We were given a private tour and talk about the history of the theater which was really wonderful. The theater is simply breathtaking. There is so much detail in the design.

A view of the box seats

The ceiling.

If you notice within the circle of the first picture of the ceiling there are figures that form a cross. This is a close up.

Stairs which are the original stairs of the building.

Close up of the detailed carvings in the stairs

Afterwards we were taken inside a prop room that had props and costumes from a number of musicals. We were told interesting stories about each of the musicals represented. Then, everyone was invited to try on some costumes and take pictures with or in the props.

Prop from The Little Mermaid

Costumes also from The Little Mermaid

Once we left The New Amsterdam theater we walked to a dance studio. There we were met by Disney Instructors. As a group were were taught part of the opening number of Aladdin. Not only did we learn part of the song, but the choreogrpahy to the number as well. Now, I think it is safe to say no one in our group has aspirations to Broadway None the less the instructors did an amazing job of teaching us the steps. They were really great about building everyone up from "I can't sing, act or dance" to actually performing it together and doing a pretty good job despite no natural talent and very limited time! It was really a lot of fun. I think we all have a new appreciation for what goes into the wonderful performance we get to enjoy on Broadway.

After our Broadway choreography lesson it was "on your own" time for the rest of the afternoon. DH and I went for The Russian Tea Room for high tea. It is another place I had heard of my whole life on tv and movies so we went.

That evening everyone met back again at The New Amsterdam Theater for our VIP Aladdin experience. We had a wonderful VIP reception before the public was allowed in the theater. We were served hors d'oeuvres, drinks and given souvenier Aladdin cups for non alcoholic beverages. We received VIP lanyards and our tickets were in the FRONT ROW!!!! The show was sold out that night and is often sold out from what I have been hearing and reading. It was absolutely AMAZING!!! I would watch this again and again. After the show we are asked to stay in our seats. Some of the cast came out to meet with us as well as the percussionist from the orchestra. It was really great to see them and talk to them after their amazing performances.

All in all it was a fantasic trip! I would definitely do another of these shorter ABD trips again. After this, I think we will try to squeeze the San Francisco trip in next year. They really pack a WHOLE lot of stuff into just a few days. Yes, I can easily tour New York on my own. There is no way I would have been able to do everything we did though. Some of the stuff would not have occured to me to try or I would not have known about it. Then there is all of the exclusive stuff no one would get to do unless they are traveling with ABD.

Our guides Stefan and Zoe were phenomenal. They really help make the trip so much fun and bring a bunch of strangers together and make everyone feel like a family.

I don't think the hardest part of these trips is leaving whatever amazing place you've visited. I think the hardest part is saying goodbye to all your new friends and especially your guides.

 

[calypso726]

We got to know the two leads of the original cast , Jeremy Jordan & Kara Lindsay. Kara had the cast sign a birthday card for dd on her 19th birthday and left it with a candy bar at the stage door. Lol. We sat with Jeremy's grandmother at a cabaret concert he sang at. We really adore Broadway!

DD is planning on spending time this summer at the 9/11 memorial museum to do research as the dramaturg for a new play next semester. I'm glad to hear people are finding it very moving.

Oh that was so nice! I love Broadway too. However, we usually only get to see the shows on tour. I really liked the Manhattan Club and it seems to be pretty reasonable with DVC points. I can see flying up and staying here for long weekends every so often just to catch shows on Broadway in New York!

Yes, it really was. Some folks can take it all in. For me, small doses. Way to emotional to take it all in.

Awesome pictures! This ABD looks like a lot of fun!

Thanks! It really was! I am so glad we did it! Now I want to do the one in San Francisco. I don't know if we can do it next year since we booked the Norway/Iceland/Scotland DCL cruise on the Magic.

 

[sayhello]

Loved your report! I'm so glad this trip is now available to non-DVC members, and I definitely plan to take advantage of it sometime soon!

Sayhello

 

[Calfan]

Great trip report, calypso! I have to admit that I was a little unsure about this itinerary (even though I love New York), but after reading your trip report I am much more interested. Could make for a great getaway with DH.

 

[NCjenn]

Wonderful trip report! I was SO excited to see this offered to non-DVC people next year. I haven't pulled the trigger on booking it yet as I am trying to justify the cost for my family of 4 but your trip report is sure swaying me to want to do it!

Thanks for sharing!

Jenn