Sharing the Disney Magic with Family & Friends-DL Diamond Anniversary-DCA F&W Fest Kiosks & The End!

She took these pictures inside the Launch Bay of some of the exhibits. Now that we’ve seen the movie, I think we need to go back and check it out again
Cool! Looks interesting, but I'm not sure if I want to take the time to see it at DHS or not. It's going to be a busy day.

So what did you think of the movie???

And we had the good fortune to be stopped right in front of Jack for quite a long time. I got quite a few shots of him, but only a couple actually came out.
I think it would be interesting to see this overlay. Definitely different, but looks interesting.

The place was practically a ghost town
Wow!

Before our main course, we got a palate cleanser. Ever since my first meal as a kid when we were served one of these, I always liked restaurants that served them. It makes me feel like I am somewhere swanky.
That's because it is swanky! I mean it is an exclusive club!

This was wonderful and tender, melt in your mouth like.
I can tell from the picture. Mouth watering!
 
It was a shame that I didn't spent some time with you at DL that Monday but I had to go back to NorCal that day. I still appreciate the time with you and Fran on Sunday. Hyperspace Mountain was fun along with Launch Bay. Nice to see that you were able to eat at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port for lunch and get the new dish along with the BB-8 sipper. Those are very nice pictures from HMH with the Sigma lens. Dinner looked good.
 
Did I post my last response at the same time you put up the Club 33 Chapter? You must have, since I'm sure I"d have commented if I'd seen it! :P

Regardless, it's another AMAZING looking meal at my Dream Place. Oh, so wonderful looking! Someday.... someday. Maybe. Each course looks delectable and so pretty to boot! WOWZA!
 
Star Wars Launch Bay looks amazing. I don't consider myself a Star Wars fan, but I am looking forward to seeing this.

Lunch looked lovely. Pizza Port has never been on my radar, but I think this needs to change.

Dinner was amazing. There is hope for me yet. When I looked at the menu, there was at least one thing per course that I would eat and sometimes two.

Corinna
 

Notice there are only three pawprints as the fourth is, shall we say busy?

That is so cute! That tour looks like a good time. I love learning about the history & backstories of things like that. And those parting gifts were pretty cool, too!

We also got this Jack Skellington Cake. It was one of the better special desserts that I’ve had.

That looks really good. I love the decoration on top. It looks like it was a chocolate layer cake??

Fran got the Pumpkin Beignets stuffed with Pumpkin Cheese Cake and a Pumpkin Parfait. She thought it was really good. I’m not a big fan of Pumpkin so I wasn’t as thrilled with it as she was.

Totally what I would have gotten. I love pumpkin.

Did you shoot all of F! in manual mode? I've been such a chicken when it comes to the manual mode. I need to just put on my big girl panties and try it out.

Since you're so kind to share pictures of your furbabies, I thought I would share Christmas greetings from mine (he's the one who is now on a special diet).

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Yep, he pretty much hated me for about an hour.
 
Yes, what did you think of the movie??? I'm trying to wait until seeing it on the ship next month but all these amazing reviews are making it hard!

Yummy and beautiful dinner! Wow!
 
Hopefully next time you come out I won't be leaving on a cruise and we can spend more time together. Although F! won't be showing again until sometime in 2018 so you have some time.

That's such a long time to not have F! what new area are they putting there?
 
Love the SW display! Wish I could see it in person.

Your food looks amazing. I would have been totally in sync with the Lobster and Beef and one of the desserts!

Hope your lens works out! The HM shots look like a good way to start.
 
Cool! Looks interesting, but I'm not sure if I want to take the time to see it at DHS or not. It's going to be a busy day.

So what did you think of the movie???

It didn't take much time to go through it for us. It was cool, but not as much to see in DHS as I think there is at DL.

I thought the movie was really good. I can't "rate" it compared to other SW movies because I saw the first three as a kid and was totally blown away by the original. But I was not at all bored, my mind didn't wander and I was totally "into" what was going to happen next, so I think that's pretty good. We don't see a lot of movies in the theater, and the last one was pretty riveting as well. But there were several points where I was totally crying and really enjoyed the air battle scenes and other special effects. The plot was decent as well. In case there is anyone out there who hasn't seen it, I don't want to say too much. We will go back and see it in IMAX, probably next week.

I think it would be interesting to see this overlay. Definitely different, but looks interesting.

It's pretty cool, we now have it what seems like almost half the year, so it's not so much of a novelty for us since they've done it for a long time now.

Wow!

That's because it is swanky! I mean it is an exclusive club!

True. We're going back to celebrate the new year (on the second) and I have a feeling we may be among the only ones there again.

I can tell from the picture. Mouth watering!

Definitely delicious! I would order it again, but then again the lamb is pretty good, although I am fixing that for our dinner tonight on NYE.

It was a shame that I didn't spent some time with you at DL that Monday but I had to go back to NorCal that day. I still appreciate the time with you and Fran on Sunday. Hyperspace Mountain was fun along with Launch Bay. Nice to see that you were able to eat at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port for lunch and get the new dish along with the BB-8 sipper. Those are very nice pictures from HMH with the Sigma lens. Dinner looked good.

I'm sorry we couldn't get out of the house sooner that day, but Fran seems to have this idea that we need to accomplish things around the house and then there is our old apartment we're still moving out of...

Actually that dish has been on the menu since the place opened. I really liked it then and still do now. Yeah. Sigma lens... :rolleyes1

Did I post my last response at the same time you put up the Club 33 Chapter? You must have, since I'm sure I"d have commented if I'd seen it! :P

Regardless, it's another AMAZING looking meal at my Dream Place. Oh, so wonderful looking! Someday.... someday. Maybe. Each course looks delectable and so pretty to boot! WOWZA!

I think you were posting right about the same time that I posted that update. I'm so glad that complaints were hopefully heard, the first year they were really working out the kinks. Portions were tiny, I mean they are still small and that's OK but leaving hungry from a meal that you spend over $100pp is not cool. And now through small changes in the menu there are lots of things that I actually find delicious, in the beginning it was just a little weird. Now there are things that are very tasty on the menu.

Star Wars Launch Bay looks amazing. I don't consider myself a Star Wars fan, but I am looking forward to seeing this.

They haven't said how long it will be there, but I hope that they keep it up for a while. I'm not sure how often we're going to get there over the next few months.

Lunch looked lovely. Pizza Port has never been on my radar, but I think this needs to change.

That's the one dish that I really love there. The rest is pizza and salads, and while I like those well enough, there are so many other foods in the parks that I like. The Chicken Fusilli pasta is awesome though.

Dinner was amazing. There is hope for me yet. When I looked at the menu, there was at least one thing per course that I would eat and sometimes two.

I also found out about a week later, you can substitute that strip loin steak as your main that we had in the lounge as well!

That is so cute! That tour looks like a good time. I love learning about the history & backstories of things like that. And those parting gifts were pretty cool, too!

It was a very fun day, and so much information!

That looks really good. I love the decoration on top. It looks like it was a chocolate layer cake??

It was. Just a simple chocolate cake with layers, much tastier than the Diamond Celebration cake which was actually a mousse.

Totally what I would have gotten. I love pumpkin.

I'm not a pumpkin fan, so I'm glad there is something for everyone.

Did you shoot all of F! in manual mode? I've been such a chicken when it comes to the manual mode. I need to just put on my big girl panties and try it out.

Manual focus on the lens or manual on the exposure/aperture? I always shoot on manual in the dark for exposure and aperture, but for the focus, I use Auto focus on the lens. However the trick that Bret showed me was to let the lens "find the focus" with the lens's autofocus and then to switch the lens to manual mode so that it doesn't keep refocusing as your position and focal point changes. Sometimes I got blurs and sometimes I got great shots.

Since you're so kind to share pictures of your furbabies, I thought I would share Christmas greetings from mine (he's the one who is now on a special diet).

What a cutie!

Yep, he pretty much hated me for about an hour.

That's pretty much how my cats would be if I did that to them.

Yes, what did you think of the movie??? I'm trying to wait until seeing it on the ship next month but all these amazing reviews are making it hard!

Yummy and beautiful dinner! Wow!

OK, if you haven't seen it yet, I won't give any spoilers. It's definitely worth seeing. Riveting and able to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout most of the movie. However for me in some ways, it brought up even more questions than it answered. If you've seen any trailers you'll know that the main characters are a white girl and an African American guy. I liked the new characters, but now I'm looking forward to the next installment even more so.

That's such a long time to not have F! what new area are they putting there?

Here is a good explanation, the best that I've found. Star Wars Land

Love the SW display! Wish I could see it in person.

I can't wait to go back and see it in more detail. Maybe Saturday.

Your food looks amazing. I would have been totally in sync with the Lobster and Beef and one of the desserts!

They were really good. But hoping they have something new and interesting in a couple days.

Hope your lens works out! The HM shots look like a good way to start.

Yeah. I'm hoping things work out to get in some more shots before the train closes. Fingers crossed.
 
We were certainly having one Disney of a week! Friday at the studios, Sunday F!, Monday, Season of the Force, Wednesday we saw Beauty and the Beast live on stage at the Pantages, and here it was Thursday and we were headed back to the park yet again. You see January 10 about 10% of Disneyland is closing down to make way for the new Star Wars land. Some things are closing temporarily and others permanently. Plus they are replacing Aladdin with Frozen, so we had to see that again as well.

We arrived fairly close to the time when we needed to queue up for the show so Fran hustled over and got in line. I wanted to try my new lens again and just six weeks before had been rather disenheartened by my inability to take pictures on Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the rescue. Since the ride was very close to the Hyperion Theater this was a perfect opportunity.

























After saving monstropolis from the 1 child, I met Fran in line and soon we had our seats. I had been much closer the last time I shared pictures of this show. We got the front row just behind the first aisle in the theater. This is my favorite spot for the show, as you have a good view of the entire stage area, and things that go on in the theater.

Granted I was closer last time which worked better for the lens that could not zoom in, but I was able to cover the entire stage and not just up close and personal with the characters. Note, if you’re not interested please just fast forward through all this, I’m posting it more for my own benefit and ability to look back when it’s gone than anything else.



There goes that street rat.



At it again.



That’s a big knife you got there buddy!



Love the effects!



At least the street rat is generous with his stolen goods.



Even if the damsel in distressed was the Princess in disguise.



So the “Diamond in the Rough” heads into the Cave of Wonders.



“Touch only the Lamp”



Oops! Touched a little bit more than the lamp!



Since he doesn’t speak carpet, with a hint from the audience Aladdin decides to rub the lamp.



And who appears, but Genie!



And he launches into one of my favorite Disney songs ever!



And then my favorite scene of this musical starts to come together.



Wait for it…..



My favorite scene, and this would have made Bugsy Berkeley proud.





Princess Jasmine finds out that her “Street Rat” has disappeared.



Only to enter in Prince Ali…









Whom she rejects as quickly as her other suitors. Not discouraged so easily, Aladdin rushes to her chamber for a second chance.







[Continued in Next Post]
 
[Continued from Previous Post]

While Jafar and Iago plot his demise.





They go on a magic carpet ride, and she has a change of heart.







Aladdin is taken prisoner and the Genie has a new Master.

Who wishes to be made Sultan and then an all powerful sorcerer.



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When Aladdin reminds him that the Genie is still more powerful than he, Jafar uses his last wish to become an all powerful Genie.




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Then they put him back in the lamp and toss him to the Cave of Wonders.



The Genie gets his Freedom and he takes a magic carpet to Disneyland.



Aladdin and Jasmine have a spectacular wedding and everyone lives Happily Ever After!


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The cast takes their curtain calls.


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And Genie still gets the last laugh.



I’m really going to miss this show! Even if you just skimmed through the last update, I really did it more selfishly for myself to have something to remember this by when it’s gone. The costumes the staging, everything about it is just so great, I’ve seen it more than half a dozen times and still every time it’s a fantastic show. The Genie is so funny and keeps his jokes topical, you always want to know what he’s going to come up with next. I will go see the Frozen show when it opens, but I doubt that I will keep going back like I have with this show. Thanks everyone for indulging me with all these pictures!

So after Aladdin we had another thing to tick off our list that will be closing now in less than two weeks. I tried to get another reservation in for the next week, but every single day is booked solid for both lunch and dinner. Big Thunder Ranch Barbeque. It’s all you care to eat. They have a show going on while you’re dining under the stars.



You’re served Ribs, Chicken, and Kielbasa in the little bucket. We had them bring back more ribs, but you can have them bring you whatever you like or all of it. They also bring you beans, cole slaw, and cornbread.



My first plate.



I didn’t take any pictures of subsequent plates. Not included with dinner, but I had been told it was not to be missed. They have skillet desserts here and this was the S’mores. There was a brownie underneath with marshmallows browned on the top, they stuck graham crackers in the marshmallows and then poured chocolate sauce on top!



We tried but we couldn’t finish it off, at least in that sitting. Fran took care of that for me in the middle of the night after we got home, either that night or the next day, but unfortunately I never saw this dish again. And never will as they are completely booked up until closing on January 11th.

We thought about doing something else, but the park was closing at 8PM and it was pretty much 8PM at this time. Turns out KOST 103FM had booked the park for one of their “parties”. I think it started at 9PM because we were in the Disneyana shop when folks started “pouring” into the park. It was pretty obvious that most of these folks were only there because they won tickets and were really not Disney officianados, so even if we could have sneaked back in the park there is nothing that I would want less is to be in a park full of Disney neophytes. We made our way out of the park, and back to our car and on our way home knowing that we would be back in less than 60 hours.
 
OH, I will DEFINITELY miss that show. A lot. When I was last there with my aunt who passed away shortly after our trip, we laughed a ton in there. Such a quality presentation. :(

I'm sure they'll do a great job on Frozen as well, but I'll miss Aladin for sure. Thanks for chronicle-ing it for us!
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the photos of Aladdin! I was heartbroken when I heard it would be gone and you just let me relive it again. Thank you again.
Not sure about Frozen yet, as I have not even seen the movie, yet. :rotfl2:
 
Thank you for the great photos :) That was a great show! I'm sad that I completely forgot about it when I was there in October :(

I really enjoyed meeting the animals at the Big Thunder Ranch. I'm still in shock that they're taking out an area that has been there so long.
 
@Pinkocto Ugh we did forget Aladdin in October. :(


Great update! Glad you got to enjoy things that will either be gone or will go into hiding during the upcoming years. We have never eaten at Big Thunder BBQ. I have never seen the Osbourne Lights either (I know it's WDW).

Not sure I told you but we ended up renewing our APs; just Deluxe so we have major holiday black out dates but I am still really happy! :woohoo:

Monsters Inc is one of our favorites. I'd love to get pictures of the memos they have. Michael is always hoping the ride will stop so he can read them.
 
The photos turned out great, both of the ride and the show. I am glad that you managed to see the show again. I was certainly happy that I got another chance to see it when I was over the September.

What a bit of luck that you managed to have one last dinner at Big Thunder Ranch Barbeque. I had heard that getting a reservation there has been an absolute nightmare recently.

Corinna
 
Thanks for your update and pics - loved seeing them.
You have the most amazing trips. Thanks for including us !
Where will the next trip be this year ?
 
I'm sad I never got to try the Big Thunder Ranch Barbeque! The food there looks pretty good! At least I got to see Aladdin last year.

Glad you got in two of your disappearing enjoyments in!
 








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