PTR-Cheating on Mickey w/Harry!...OMG! Only a month to go!

[franandaj]

Day 2 – Evening

Once ready we headed into the park and over to the restaurant. We were whisked up the elevator and into a very crowded bar room. We found our table right off.

Then we began to snack on the “Butler Passed Hors d’Oeuvres. The first was called “Individual Princess Salad”, however, it certainly was not dainty to eat!

Next was the Chilled Seafood Gumbo Ballotine, Tomato Fennel Lavash

And the best one of the night, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Eggplant Froth. Since I am allergic to Eggplant, I tried not to eat much of the froth.

We were seated at our table and decided to check out the menu.

My table setting with the first glass of wine.

Our table.

Next they launched into a presentation of how the Club came to be. I’m a little fuzzy on this because it’s been over a week and they kept serving that mind numbing beverage, plus Fran gave me about half of each one of her glasses. However, they talked about how New Orleans square was under construction during the time of the World’s Fair, I suppose they just inserted this photo of the completed NOS to showcase the presentation.

They did say that while Walt was at the NY World’s Fair he learned of other companies that had “wine & dine” rooms at the fair, and he decided that something like that would be very nice at Disneyland. Especially since the park was alcohol free, it would be a good idea to have someplace to take clients in the evenings or after visiting the park.

I’m pretty sure that the Club was incorporated into the building of NOS, though it opened in 1967 and I believe NOS opened while Walt Disney was still alive, just not POTC. Here are some shots of the building of NOS.

I think it was right around this time that WED came into being, because I think they had a different name for the company prior to the World’s Fair.

I believe that this picture is from the opening of NOS and notice Marty Sklar (who was one of our table mates) right behind Walt.

Sorry about the blurry picture, but I think this is a plan for the apartment that Walt was designing for himself over POTC, which became the Disney Gallery and is now the Dream Suite. They might have been sketches for the Club design, I just don’t remember.

These two guys were instrumental in designing the Club and it’s interior design, but heck if I remember their names!

Now these were definitely early sketches on what the Club should look like.

Here’s a shot of Walt during the construction phase.

[Continued in Next Post]

 

[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

I guess those must have been sketches of the proposed apartment since they are showing a picture of the staircase.

Now here are some of the brochures that they distributed promoting the Club to business people

Walt really loved the lift and when the place in England (I think) wouldn’t sell him their lift, he had his imagineers go there and get all the specs to build him one for the lobby.

They told us some specifics about the harpsichord and where it came from but I forgot, but Sir Paul McCartney and Elton John have both played this. Normally guests are not allowed to touch it, but when we entered, during the cocktail hour they had someone playing on it. He played a mix of appropriate music and pop tunes.

It was about this time in the presentation that our first course in the plated meal arrived. It was a Baked Gala Apple Galette, Pecan Steamed Pudding, Carrot Hard Sauce, served with a Lasseter Family Winery Enjoue Rose, Sonoma Valley 2010. It was good because I pretty much ate most of it. Some of the people who went to the Wednesday dinner remarked on FB that it was dessert for the first course, but I didn’t feel that way, it was plenty savory for me.

If you’ve been to the club, you will know that a lot of the artwork on the wall are sketches of various attractions and not necessarily the final sketches. Heinrich Kley did a lot of them and I guess this is a book that features some of the artwork you might find on the walls.

Sorry I’m so fuzzy on the details, unless I actually take notes it’s tough! Ok for those of you who are not familiar with the OTHER dining room, called the trophy room, Walt had a friend who was into hunting and taxidermy. Upon his death he left Walt a number of “pieces” and Walt had no idea what to do with them. He came up with the idea of putting them in the “Trophy Room” and having audio animatronics installed so that they could interact with the guests. I imagine that there are some butterflies left to Walt.

And here is publicity photos for the trophy room.

I’m pretty sure this is one of the cabinets in the room with smaller shots of the various pieces located inside.

OK Now this part I DO remember! Meals at the Club were generally going to be “Buffet Style” and it was going to cost a whole $2.00 per meal. That would include carved side of Beef, several salads, a casserole dish, and assorted desserts. If the diner did not want to pay that much for their meal, the casserole was available for $1.75 ala carte. Some of the items were to be prepared tableside. Back when I first started coming to the club they wore the French Maid Costumes. They also handed out personalized match books. Well actually I never got a matchbook, they had switched to “notepads” the size of matchbooks, now we’re lucky if they even let us steal the pens, but I won’t get into any of THAT! I’ll just be grateful to be able to have such experiences.

These are some of the creatures in the Trophy room that were supposed to talk to you through the microphones in the chandeliers.

Another shot of New Orleans square shortly after completion.

And an article that showed up in the Orange County register soon after the Club was opened.

After this Dave Smith got up to speak about some of the Archives over the years from the Club.

He showed some of the trinkets that have been given out to guests over the years.

This is an artist’s rendering of what the club would look like on the interior.

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[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

Then they served up the second course. Neptune Salad with Lobster, Scallop, Shrimp and Veronique Vinaigrette.

Then our next course came out pretty quickly. I’m sure Dave Smith was probably still talking about stuff, but I was hungry and the grub was good. Truffled Macaroni and Monterey White Cheddar Cheese with English Pea, Chicken Cracklings. O…..M……G!!!!!!!! This course was just to die for. Fried Chicken Skin??????? All the health nuts must have been going insane, I wonder how many people didn’t even try this morsel of deliciousness!

And then the entrée Vegetable Roasted and sliced Chateaubriand, Pommes Dauphine, Marchands de Vin. I have to thank PIO for my knowledge of what the potatoes were!

And finally Dessert Petite Raspberry Ice Gateau, Coconut Covered Banana, Otto’s Swiss Roll

For the rest of this you will have to just enjoy some photos from old times. I can’t remember what they were talking about at all! I know that a lot of this came from Walt getting his idea for the club from other corporations at the World’s Fair.

I believe this was the pavilion he designed for Ford.

More shots of Walt

I believe this is a shot of opening day in NOS, from the Mark Twain.

Perhaps these were some of the original performers.

[Continued in Next Post]

 

[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

And the dedication

Sorry these are so blurry, but it’s hard to get good shots of a Powerpoint presentation.

And then some pictures of construction of NOS

Our “gift” for the night was a set of these three pictures nicely framed.

That was the conclusion of our evening.

 

[rentayenta]

And I'm happy I got some new luggage for my anniversary! Seriously, I read your reports with my jaw on the floor 3/4 of the time! What an amazing evening and trip so far in general. The food looks unreal and for the record, I would have been all over that crispy chicken skin!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thank you Alison for taking the time to take the pictures during your meals. The photos during the presentation were great and I have never seen some of those photos before.

All of the food looks so good. The sliced Chateaubriand looks very nice to eat.

Great update.

 

[ACDSNY]

There is no dress code in the lounge. You can just stop by for a drink and a snack. The host told us some people come in just to use the restroom because it is cleaner than all the rest in the park!

I'll be sure to check out the restroom too, I'll need to do my own comparison!

The Club 33 dinner looks wonderful as usual.

 

[Leshaface]

Oh my gosh. I feel like i've been on a rollercoaster reading your TR; it's been so long.

How HORRIBLE about Arline. I'm so glad I was able to meet her. She seemed like such a sweet person. How are you doing with everything?

Geez, the drinks in the bar at DCA look so good!

So when we went to DCA a couple weeks ago, I was waiting for my family to get on RSR, so I decided to go by Starbucks (LOVED BTW and am so happy it's here!) and watch people's reaction when the park opened at 8 to get in line for FP's. A lot of the faces were pretty much like this and it definitely kept me entertained while waiting! I did feel bad though. For all those folks that didn't know about the early morning privileges and thought there were the first in line to enter the park to get FP's Hopefully i'll be able to ride the rides here in Cars Land soon. I have to say i'm pretty disappointed in Luigi's ride. They could have thought up of something way better than throwing around beach balls, don't you think?!

I always love seeing and reading about the special events at the club. And you are just so detailed (regardless of how much you have drank! ) it's ridiculous!

 

[franandaj]

Thank you Alison for taking the time to take the pictures during your meals. The photos during the presentation were great and I have never seen some of those photos before.

All of the food looks so good. The sliced Chateaubriand looks very nice to eat.

Great update.

I love being able to share all this stuff, and you guys seem to really enjoy reading about it. I have to think that they weren't showing pictures while we ate the courses because I would have taken pictures in between bites. There was a lot of talking and anecdotes going on while we were eating. I know that also I spent a good deal of time talking to the guy next to me (who was a Disney exec maybe in Marketing at some level). He asked me a lot about the cruise line, and stuff. He gave some presentations as well, but I'm pretty fuzzy on a lot of it. I will take good notes this weekend and will wait until the evening concerts (at dinner in the Villa) before I begin sipping the elixir!

What's funny about the Chateaubriand is that we asked them to pack up what we couldn't eat "togo" and the server told us they couldn't because of some stupid thing. Well there was a gal who had been helping us out (making sure that we were at a table Fran could get in and out of easily, and we had talked on the phone several times that day), and we told her what the server said. Well she went back to the kitchen and got us both new filets, green beans and evidently they were plated on top of a portabello mushroom.

The only problem. Fran stopped by the Disneyana store on the way home, while I just went back to the room and passed out. She had the food in her bag and it sat out for about 6 hours before I woke up and realized that it needed to go in the fridge. By that point neither of us wanted to eat it in case it had spoiled.

I'll be sure to check out the restroom too, I'll need to do my own comparison!

The Club 33 dinner looks wonderful as usual.

We definitely need to meet up! It's definitely a nice room, not as fancy as the club, but clean! We can try out a few more drinks. I think that will be the next time that I actually get back there unless by some fluke we go this weekend. I don't see that happening.

Oh my gosh. I feel like i've been on a rollercoaster reading your TR; it's been so long.

How HORRIBLE about Arline. I'm so glad I was able to meet her. She seemed like such a sweet person. How are you doing with everything?

I swear, it has been one of the most weird and difficult things in my life to go through. We have experienced guilt, rage, sorrow, betrayal....at this point we are not sure what to think about our relationship with her. Did she mean to hide things from us? We know the answer is yes, but why? Was she reluctant to admit she was old? Did she think we had already done enough and she didn't want to be a burden? It's really perplexing and we are definitely having a hard time wrapping our heads around the whole situation. The bottom line is, at least we are not in charge of getting her finanaces in order. We need to move on and above everything else, Fran and I learned a valuable lesson. NO MORE STRAYS! Unless they have four legs and a tail!

Geez, the drinks in the bar at DCA look so good!

So when we went to DCA a couple weeks ago, I was waiting for my family to get on RSR, so I decided to go by Starbucks (LOVED BTW and am so happy it's here!) and watch people's reaction when the park opened at 8 to get in line for FP's. A lot of the faces were pretty much like this and it definitely kept me entertained while waiting! I did feel bad though. For all those folks that didn't know about the early morning privileges and thought there were the first in line to enter the park to get FP's Hopefully i'll be able to ride the rides here in Cars Land soon. I have to say i'm pretty disappointed in Luigi's ride. They could have thought up of something way better than throwing around beach balls, don't you think?!

I always love seeing and reading about the special events at the club. And you are just so detailed (regardless of how much you have drank! ) it's ridiculous!

I'm sorry you didn't get to ride, but you will when things have calmed down a bit. You saw the same looks that I did, I was laughing and felt bad for those poor people! I also enjoyed a drink from the Starbucks, but I'm getting ahead of myself. That was Friday Morning which I have a few pics from, but not a lot. I didn't think Luigi's was all that great, but the line was sooooo long and the ride was so short. Also Arline and I couldn't get the car to move.

And I'm happy I got some new luggage for my anniversary! Seriously, I read your reports with my jaw on the floor 3/4 of the time! What an amazing evening and trip so far in general. The food looks unreal and for the record, I would have been all over that crispy chicken skin!

Good for you on the luggage! It was a nice couple nights away from the stress of home and doing some fun stuff. I'm really looking foward to this weekend even though I know it will take me out since I'll be so tired. I wondered how many people knew what Cracklings were, it was SO good! I mean I go to El Pollo Loco to get the Chicken Thighs with the Crispy Grilled Skin, this was just heaven!

I think when we go back and do a special meal, I'm going to request that Marcel make us an entree that definitely includes these Cracklings!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oh WOW! What a lovely evening to reminisce over all that history. And teamed with that amazing food and wine.

BTW - How were your table partners?

 

[dgbg100106]

Alison, thanks again for a beautiful update, and now that I am starving from reading all the wonderful food and seeing mouth watering pictures... I have to go raid the kitchen...



Thanks again and it looks like a wonderful evening...

 

[Pinkocto]

That was so fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing

 

[rentayenta]

El Pollo Loco is my all time favorite and of course we only have one here that's about 90 minutes away and not open Sundays.

 

[bangzoom6877]

I am so so deeply sorry about Arline. I hope you guys are coping OK. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers at a very difficult time in your lives.

On a more positive note, great updates, and I WANT that chateaubriand!

 

[Leshaface]

I swear, it has been one of the most weird and difficult things in my life to go through. We have experienced guilt, rage, sorrow, betrayal....at this point we are not sure what to think about our relationship with her. Did she mean to hide things from us? We know the answer is yes, but why? Was she reluctant to admit she was old? Did she think we had already done enough and she didn't want to be a burden? It's really perplexing and we are definitely having a hard time wrapping our heads around the whole situation. The bottom line is, at least we are not in charge of getting her finanaces in order. We need to move on and above everything else, Fran and I learned a valuable lesson. NO MORE STRAYS! Unless they have four legs and a tail!



I'm sorry you didn't get to ride, but you will when things have calmed down a bit. You saw the same looks that I did, I was laughing and felt bad for those poor people! I also enjoyed a drink from the Starbucks, but I'm getting ahead of myself. That was Friday Morning which I have a few pics from, but not a lot. I didn't think Luigi's was all that great, but the line was sooooo long and the ride was so short. Also Arline and I couldn't get the car to move.

I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Maybe she didn't want to burden you anymore with her health issues, after all you guys had done to get her moved down to LB with you I'm hoping over the next few weeks, things will get better for you

 

[franandaj]

Oh WOW! What a lovely evening to reminisce over all that history. And teamed with that amazing food and wine.

BTW - How were your table partners?

Thanks! Well it was great sitting with an imagineer and the guy in marketing. What was annoying was the club member who was at our table brought his father. They were from Chicago and the father had NO idea who Marty Sklar was, so when he sat down at the table the father was all "Puffed up" about how he worked in construction and yadda yadda yadda. Marty, being the gentleman (and probably liking the focus not to be on him) sat there talking to this guy about HIS job. Heck I didn't give a rats a** about what this construction worker did! I wanted to hear Marty's stories!

I did end up having a lot of nice chat with the guy in Marketing, but I could tell he was "picking my brain" as a high end Disney consumer and when he found out we were taking a cruise this fall that's about all we talked about.

Alison, thanks again for a beautiful update, and now that I am starving from reading all the wonderful food and seeing mouth watering pictures... I have to go raid the kitchen...

Thanks again and it looks like a wonderful evening...

I just love these events. Too bad there aren't any more until later in the Fall when they go back to no being open every night for summer.

That was so fascinating! Thanks so much for sharing

You're welcome, just wait for this weekend!

El Pollo Loco is my all time favorite and of course we only have one here that's about 90 minutes away and not open Sundays.

All day I have been thinking about getting a two piece dark combo with pinto beans and cole slaw. I put all that and the salsa in a little tortilla, and I'm in I used to get the potato salad and put that in there too, but they discontinued it. I better do that tomorrow or I will be in withdrawal all weekend!

I am so so deeply sorry about Arline. I hope you guys are coping OK. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers at a very difficult time in your lives.

On a more positive note, great updates, and I WANT that chateaubriand!

Thanks. I think we've gotten over the hardest part. I still have these twangs of "what if" and the things she missed, like seeing AKL and WDW, but what can we do? The doctor keeps reinforcing that SHE made the choices, and we can't be held responsible, so I just go with that and keep shaking my head.

I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Maybe she didn't want to burden you anymore with her health issues, after all you guys had done to get her moved down to LB with you I'm hoping over the next few weeks, things will get better for you

Yeah, well Fran is over the daily antibiotics infusion so now we just need to do another test and hopefully the MRSA is gone. I've become quite the nurse now and am doing all her simple dressing changes at home, so that means that even if she isn't healed completely, we could still go on a trip as long as I clean the wounds every 24-28 hours. Hopefully things will be better, besides I have a new TR coming up!

 

[franandaj]

As much as our plans were to get up and take advantage of MM, we didn’t even see 7AM, I think it was 8AM before I even stirred for “nature’s calling” and I just climbed right back into bed. I got back to the room at 11:30PM (I knew this because I posted on the Lasting thread and proceeded to go right to sleep). So we just got ourselves out of bed, dressed and ready for the bellman to pick up the bags. We were pretty motivated as we were out of the room by 10:30AM, a first for us! Usually we are pushing the 11AM checkout!

We had some shopping to do and so we started at Elias and Company, well actually we started on Hollywood Blvd or whatever you call that street then went to Elias and Company to look around.

We found Mickey in his 1920’s outfit…

These two are for you Brandi (and I’m sure Jenny appreciates them too!). I still need to send your bag off!

And while Fran was at the register I snapped a few more of the interior of the store.

Unfortunately, we had some real life business to take care of since Arline was in ICU and Fran did have her daily infusion of antibiotics at 1PM, so after purchasing my dose of candy for the next couple weeks, we headed out knowing we would be back in two weeks for Destination D!

 

[PrincessInOz]

WOW! The details inside the shop are fantastic. You are really making me wish that I had a trip planned THIS year.

Nice bags.


Shame about Marty and the construction guy. I would have loved to hear about his stories vicariously as well.

 

[franandaj]

OK Everyone, here it is, a new TR!!!!!

Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animated Features

 

[mvf-m11c]

I love being able to share all this stuff, and you guys seem to really enjoy reading about it. I have to think that they weren't showing pictures while we ate the courses because I would have taken pictures in between bites. There was a lot of talking and anecdotes going on while we were eating. I know that also I spent a good deal of time talking to the guy next to me (who was a Disney exec maybe in Marketing at some level). He asked me a lot about the cruise line, and stuff. He gave some presentations as well, but I'm pretty fuzzy on a lot of it. I will take good notes this weekend and will wait until the evening concerts (at dinner in the Villa) before I begin sipping the elixir!

What's funny about the Chateaubriand is that we asked them to pack up what we couldn't eat "togo" and the server told us they couldn't because of some stupid thing. Well there was a gal who had been helping us out (making sure that we were at a table Fran could get in and out of easily, and we had talked on the phone several times that day), and we told her what the server said. Well she went back to the kitchen and got us both new filets, green beans and evidently they were plated on top of a portabello mushroom.

The only problem. Fran stopped by the Disneyana store on the way home, while I just went back to the room and passed out. She had the food in her bag and it sat out for about 6 hours before I woke up and realized that it needed to go in the fridge. By that point neither of us wanted to eat it in case it had spoiled.

That was neat that you got to talk to a Disney Exec during your meal. Glad that you and Fran had a great time that night.