what is the most exclusive / coolest Disney place you have been?

[mandymommy4]

Well not that exclusive, but in HS I was in Candlelight every year and got to meet so many of the narrators..... the best had to be Mr. Rogers!

MY coolest has to be that our HS ( I went to a local arts school) was invited to take part in the opening ceremony of Animal Kingdom..... we rehearsed for a month in the HS gym learning dance moves and music, the opening number in Lion King was really hard to learn all the African chant like lyrics, and then spent 3-4 days at rehearsals in the AK parking lot! WE got to also meet Jane Goodall, Roy Disney, Drew Carey and many other celebrity's!

I have always been a Disney geek and just being part of the opening of a park is such an honor for me! AK in not my fav park but it has a special place in my heart!

 

[two-foxes]

Although it is not really exclusive...you just gotta have good timing to get tickets, is the balcony viewing for Fantasmic at DLR. It is so nice to be sipping on a Mint Julep eating whatever desserts you can get your hands on with a perfect view of the BEST Fantasmic (sorry WDW!) while watching the crazy mob below you.

Oh, and my very first WDW trip in 2001 for my cousins wedding, Mickey Mouse came to the reception and danced with all of us. It was pretty cool. Unfortunately, my wedding followed hers a year later....couldn't quite match that one!

 

[BriarRosie]

I just went last month on the Backstage Magic tour by Adventures by Disney, and the tour of Walt's apartment is one of the exclusives. I would never have sat on the furniture, though. I felt it would be disrespectful or something.

Another exclusive from the tour is the Jim Henson Studios, and I actually got to practice what it's like to puppeteer with one of their puppets. Loved that.

While I haven't been to Club 33 (because I don't have any connections to get me in!), I have done the balcony dessert viewing for DLR's Fantasmic back in 2003. I wanted to win a night in the Dream Suite so I can have that same view again! And I've also done the Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's a couple of times, and those are special evenings.

But I think one of my favorite trips was when I was a cast member at The Disney Store in the mid-90s. The Disney Store offered a cast member trip package to their cast members, and in May of 1996, I did it. We did visit the studio in Burbank, just like I did recently with Adventures by Disney, but we had a more extensive tour that included a visit to the Archives.

In fact, here's a pic of me back when I was blonde (I'm a redhead now) of when I was able to pose with one of Academy Awards that Walt won. Dave Smith (Director of the Disney Archives) can be seen standing behind the desk.

Another special moment of that trip was meeting in the Animation building's screening room where Don Hahn (producer of many Disney films; Google him lol) gave us a presentation followed by a screening of the first 15 minutes of "Hunchback of Notre Dame", finished only the previous day.

I feel I've been lucky to have experience so many unique Disney moments.

 

[JVL1018]

I haven't done anything really big, but we did get invited back to the control room of Expedition Everest and we got to see all the shots from the cameras they have and how the track flips over to send the cars in a different direction. That was pretty cool.

PS Hi-1st post on the podcast board!

 

[disprincessatheart]

Well, my most favorite has to be the Disney wedding I waited 20 years for! On our first trip when I was 10 I told my parents I was getting married in the Castle. 20 years later I managed to get married at the WP and made sure I got plenty of pics with the castle in the background!

The other 2 cool experiences were 1 - going backstage at EPCOT for a private menu tasting when planning our wedding (some of the best food I've ever had) and 2 - going in the MK tunnels with my college boyfriend (yes, he broke the rules and snuck me down there.

 

[BilltM]

Me too Mindy. Also, I was able to lower the flag in MK with an honor guard and march up main street to retire the flag for that day. Cocowum set it up for me. It was pretty cool.

Flag retreat is one of those activities that get overlooked because everybody is running from attraction to attraction.

Score one for Cocowum!

Bill

 

[funkehouse]

I guess I am kind of boring to most but my most magical moment was taking the sunrise safari on my 15th Anniversary with my husband and new baby. Our guide was Joe the man featured on The travel channel fans guide to Disney world.

not boring at all, the point of this thread was to list things that were cool to YOU ! could be simple as FINALY getting to try a Dole Whip, or Seeing the Castle even. These are all Special moments IMO.

 

[funkehouse]

I just went last month on the Backstage Magic tour by Adventures by Disney, and the tour of Walt's apartment is one of the exclusives. I would never have sat on the furniture, though. I felt it would be disrespectful or something.

.

i wouldnt have sat in the furniture either, but they made us ! it was a training class and they told us where to sit. I wasnt gonna say no and be the wierd outcast guy, i was very new to DL at the time. I just did what they told me. we didnt harm anything though. Im so Jealous of the Club 33 people ! so exlusive, im sure you all have seen the Costs to be a member, i dont have that kind of money, so im gonna have to wait to find a rich friend !

 

[Northern_Julie]

But I think one of my favorite trips was when I was a cast member at The Disney Store in the mid-90s. The Disney Store offered a cast member trip package to their cast members, and in May of 1996, I did it. We did visit the studio in Burbank, just like I did recently with Adventures by Disney, but we had a more extensive tour that included a visit to the Archives.

In fact, here's a pic of me back when I was blonde (I'm a redhead now) of when I was able to pose with one of Academy Awards that Walt won. Dave Smith (Director of the Disney Archives) can be seen standing behind the desk.

You have lived my dream!! I am an archivist and this is the one place I would do anything to see...actually until now I didn't know it was even a possibility of coming true. I am seriously jealous.

 

[exwdwcm]

Since i worked there, i saw a lot of backstage areas which were fabulous, including the utilidors. I loved it all- it never lost the 'magic' for me one bit, just made me more enchanted by all the hard work involved in making the magic.

a favorite memory is working during the WDW 25th anniversary party- yeah, pink cake castle and all. I worked at Hollywood and Vine at the studios and we hosted a private press event that night at the park- oct 1, 1996. Our restaurant was serving desserts and champagne to the press. I was able to sneak out with my boss to watch the special parade they had and I met/saw tons of celebrities there for the night too. Got to go over on my break and watch the village people perform. it was a pretty special night.

a roommate of mine got an after hours, off the books tour of Horizons, her favorite ride (and mine!)- she got to walk through many of the scenes. i was so jealous.

 

[paulasillars]

We were repeat visitors at Conservation Station back in '06 as my Mother is an ex-vet nurse and also works at our local wildlife park and was very keen to watch the various procedures they were doing. The CMs started to recognise us on our almost daily checkin to see what was up and when they found out we were from New Zealand said one of the vet techs was going to NZ the following year.

She came out to see us and then at the end of our conversation asked if we'd like a guided tour though the labs, surgery areas and also the various recovery rooms - what a wonderful experience! She was really interesting to talk with and clearly enjoyed the work she was able to do at Disney. She said no expense is spared for the health and wellbeing of their animals.

 

[DisnyMama]

When I was in high school I was in the Los Angeles High School All City Band (tall flags) and we got to march down Main Street at Disneyland. That was an experience I will never forget.

 

[krissy2803]

Riding TSM over and over and over, no wait, after park hours, with 500 of my closest friends.

Yea..that!
I am quite sure that I wll NEVER have another night like that. It was super special!

 

[BriarRosie]

You have lived my dream!! I am an archivist and this is the one place I would do anything to see...actually until now I didn't know it was even a possibility of coming true. I am seriously jealous.

I don't think we would have been in the Archives if we hadn't been a group comprised of cast members. We didn't get to see the Archives when I went with Adventures by Disney.

But still, it is an awesome experience.

 

[DISengineer]

For me the coolest place was back in the power plant back by where the monorails sleep. I work on utility power consulting and did some work for Reedy Creek. I know it's geeky but it was so cool being back where the magic starts. People don't realize the infrastructure it takes to make it the most magical place on earth.

 

[GBShorts]

Can I start off by saying thanks for starting this thread? What a neat neat thing to read. I'm really enjoying seeing Disney through others' eyes!

For me I'd have to say that my most memorable experience (not necessarily coolest/most exclusive place) would have to be the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. Even though I knew some of the trivia, it was neat to actually see it in person.

Another thing that stands out for me is walking into Disneyland the day after Halloween in 2008 and there being practically nobody there. We literally walked on every ride we wanted to go on and didn't have to dodge people. What an amazing time!

Another thing I wanted to add, and it's a bit weird... today we went to the local new home builder's show. There's a local builder here who is obsessed with Disney...to the point that he went to Florida to search out former Disney animators to animate a new cartoon feature he wanted to put on television. Well, while we were there today, he (the owner) noticed my sweatshirt (Disney, of course) and said "we have an animator here if you'd like to talk with him! He worked on the Little Mermaid and he's an expert regarding the princesses." I walked over and he was drawing Cinderella...it was amazing! I'm sure that if it had been anywhere near finished he would have given it to me, as he didn't have any spares lying around from previous days or earlier in the day (He must have given them away as he finished them). It was quite an interesting conversation!

 

[SunnieRN]

Well my experiences can't really compare, but when I was just out of High School I paid for a trip to Disneyland for my brother and I (1975 first job and still lived at home).
We stayed in the disneyland hotel and one morning we asked to ride in the front of the monorail. The driver stepped out for a second and asked if someone could join us. Of course we said o.k. It was Michael Landon and two of his children, We were awestruck to say the least.
That night we were leaving the park as slowly as possible. It was about 15 min. after closing. There was an announcement that there was a private party in the park and the guests still present could stay and enjoy disneyland for three additional hours. Since it was during the week, off season there were probably less then 1000 people in the park. It was wonderful and we rode the matterhorn about 6 times without even getting off. Great day!
I got to see fantasmic from the balcony on my birthday during disneylands 50th birthday celebration!! It was wonderful and it will never be that good again..lol.
My favorite memory was staying up all night in DCA on July 16th to be in the first 500 people to enter Disneyland on July 17,2005. We were led across the esplanade by CM's and then when we entered, main street was lined by CM's waving and saying "welcome home."
It was certainly hard to see with all the tears running down my face. In fact that is one of the best things about my first DVC trip, as hearing "welcome home" brought back all of those wonderful memories!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I have had a ton of them. Many, due to the wonderful Official Disneyana Conventions, and some due to being a Disney Store CM - back in the day when we had all access.

1) Being one of the only brides ever allowed into Disneyland with a wedding dress on that didn't pay to get married in the parks. I have a very dark nighttime photo of it, too! (December 23, 2001) I did have a leather jacket on, but you should have seen the oohs and aahs when folks realized. I also had a tuxedo laden entourage, so it was pretty obvious.....

2) Watching the mechanics in process from underneath the massive Epcot fountain in Future World.

3) Hanging out in the Train Roundhouse at WDW at 5:30/6am in the morning, visiting a family friend who runs the place. I always rented a car, so I could do this every trip. We have photos of us hanging out in the cab of the smaller engine they never used (and later sold).

4) Parking backstage at any park because it was quicker, going underground to eat in the cafeteria, ducking behind the Animation Tour in the Studios to get a quick snack, or going to Company D, just because.

5) Seeing the waterways in the conservations areas and knowing most definitely that there are alligators in the waterways!

6) Riding Big Thunder with glasses of water in our hands - with the mandate that we had to see who could keep as much water in the cups! Ride Physics 101 (Disneyana 1997, I think)! Unfortunately, the guy 2 cars in front of us decided to do a non-Disney things and toss his water at the last minute. We were soaked! That was one of the best Disneyana lectures!!!

7) Oh yeah, Brunch at Club 33 - Disneyana special convention for the 40th anniversary of DL. Have photos of the toilets....

8) The special Disneyana After-Hours in the parks parties. The scavenger hunt in the Studios was my favorite - I still have the packet with the complete activites that we had to do!

9) V&A - 6 times - 1 chefs table in all of those times. InnagaddaDavida on the harp is way fun...... all I have to say....

10) After hours at Epcot - in the rain in the World Showcase - seemed like only me and my umbrella. Magic - sheer magic.

11) Pushing the button and launching boats on Small World - during a Disneyana party - because we were Disney Store CMs - they let us do it for 15 minutes or more.

There are so many more, I just can't think of all of them, but gosh - I've lived a full and priviledged life!!!!

 

[MerMom60_94]

I feel like I am nowhere in the league of the other posters here, but my daughter got pulled into the parade twice in one trip at MK and danced with some of the characters. This was back when she was in Kindergarten. She must have been especially cute that year because we also were given a secret password by a CM at BTMRR so we could walk straight through and bypass the lines as many times as we wanted - we just had to tell them Take 5.

 

[OKW Lover]

For me the coolest place was back in the power plant back by where the monorails sleep. I work on utility power consulting and did some work for Reedy Creek. I know it's geeky but it was so cool being back where the magic starts. People don't realize the infrastructure it takes to make it the most magical place on earth.

Wow, another utility guy. I've been working for a utility for 36 years now - wish I could retire and get a part-time job with Reedy Creek, but I do mostly rates/regulatory work and I doubt they have a need for that.

I've been back there to see the CT too, and inside their system control center. But of course that was a long time ago before we realized how important it was to secure the grid.