Woke up early and headed out to Disneyland. It was a beautiful warm day.
Halloween Time
The tram dropped us off in Downtown Disney
We stopped off real quick to grab some coffee and breakfast.
Now that Cars Land has completed construction. DCA now opens at 8 am instead of 10 am. I really wanted to check out Cars Land before it gets packed. I was also told that fast passes for the new Radiator Springs Racer is usually all out by 9am. We were a bit late getting into the park. We didn't walk in until close to 9 am.
Upon walking in the first thing you notice is the new Buena Vista Street. I'm glad that DCA did the remodel.
One of the new main features is the Carthay Circle
We headed straight towards Cars Land hoping to snag a fast pass. It was a Monday so I was hoping that the fast passes were not all give out. I was wrong. There was no line for fast passes as we walked up because they were already all given out. I couldn't believe it. What are all these kids doing at DCA on a Monday. Don't they have school?
If we couldn't get fast passes we might as well line up for the RS Racer and get it out of the way before the line gets worse.
Cars Land was really well done and is a great addition to the park.
The Canyon they build was amazing. It is huge!
I love the detail that Disney puts into everything. I mean where else can you find a place that paints wood to look like wood?
Also while we were under the bridge we couldn't hear any of the vehicles going over the bridge. It was very impressive.
The wait time for the ride was about 65 minutes.
Spoiler.
Here is a full video of the entire ride in the driver's seat. If you don't want to know about the ride then I suggest you skip the video.
By the time we got off the ride the wait time was about 2 hours.
They had a Tow Mater and Lightening McQueen at the park Really impressive animatronics driving around and taking pictures with people.
After the RSR I grabbed some fast passes for Grizzly River Run and the World of Colors. After that we headed to California Screamin.
After a 20 minute wait for Screamin we had a 45 min wait for Midway Mania. My favorite ride/game in the park. Every time we play this the winner with the highest score gets to pay for the next round of snacks.
Oh yeah I win!!!
After Midway Mania it was time to meet up with our friend Tom. So we headed out of DCA and towards Disneyland.
The firs thing Tom had in stored for us was a ride on the Lilly Belle
It looks like they add some new pictures into the photo album. Some people have been stealing them, but they are now replaced with some reprints.
They also got a new Log Book. We rode the Lilly Belle last year, but I guess that log book got filled and they sent it to the archive and started a new one.
We hopped off at New Orleans Square. The line for the Haunted Mansion was pretty short earlier, but now it was a lot longer. We had a good 45 minutes before lunch so we waited in line anyways.
There is a story behind this little monkey and he is also hidden inside the ride. Try to find him in the attic.
They made a gingerbread house as the center display and you can smell it when you enter the ballroom.
There were a few people in our group that were all new to this so Tom took us behind the Haunted Mansion to show them the hidden pet cemetery.
By this time it was 2 pm and time for lunch at Club 33.
The Disney Dream Suite
Inside Club 33
I have done both the lunch and dinner before at Club 33. I prefer the lunch because you have the cold plate appetizer buffet and the desert buffet. Whereas for dinner you order everything individually and the dress code is a little more strict also.
I had to order a cocktail in Club 33. It's the only place you can do so on a normal day in the park. The special beverage of the day was a pomegranate lemonade. So got that and had them mix it with some cherry vodka.
Peter had the Grey Goose Gimlet.
The cold plate buffet. Changes periodically. This time they had some salads, cheese, meat, some small plate hors d'oeuvres, and lobster, crab claws, and cocktail shrimp.
Also and assortment of breads and the soup they were serving was tomato artichoke.
After the appetizers we wondering around on the balconies while waiting for our main course.
Across the way you can see the private balcony of the Dream Suite.
Chateaubriand Steak with truffle mac and cheese.
I always want to try something new at Club 33, but I just can't help myself. Just look at it!
Cheesecake pop, mini chocolate cupcake, and pineapple upside down cake.
The cupcake was amazing!
It was around 4pm and Tom had somehow arranged for us to tour the Disney Dream Suite. I couldn't believe it. A place I have only seen pictures of and never would have thought that I would personally get to see. So out of Club 33 we go and off to the Dream Suite.
We entered on the side entrance. We took an elevator up and into the Dream Suite.
Our first stop was Walt and Lilly's master bedroom. In almost every room there is some kind of special Disney touch. For this room when you hit the Good Night Kiss button the lights dim, music plays, and mermaids appear on the picture above the bed (which is a picture of mermaid's cove in Neverland). Disney just knows how to put those special touch on things.
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Next was the master bathroom.
The bathtub was so amazing. It's kind of sunken into the wall. The dome above the tub is lined in tile and there are fiber optics that light up like stars. OMG it was so awesome and of course a hidden Mickey slowly appears in the sky.
The powder room.
Next was the living room.
You can't see it, but the glassware is etched with Disney Dream Suite.
Two of the castles that inspired Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
So in the living room The music plays, the clock lights up and Cinderella appears on the face of this clock.
Also the glass slipper and figurine light up.
The living room has a fire place with a digital fire going, if you watch it carefully it would occasionally spark fireworks. Talk about detail. I kind of caught it in the picture on the right side.
So initially when you walk into the Dream Suite there is a painting done from 30 years ago of how they would have decorated the place. So when they decided to do the Dream Suite they handed that photo to the imagineers and said make it happen. The living room was done so well all the was down to the patterns on the chair.
The next room is kid's room.
I don't have to explain what that train does. Just watch the video. The cool thing though is as the train passes some of the other things on the shelf they anime like the paddle on the boat spins, and other stuff.
There is also a map of Disneyland and when the lights go off it lights up to show you what the park would look like at night.
After the kids room we headed to the private balcony.
A perfect view for Fantasmic.
That's the balcony of Club 33 where we were earlier.
The bathroom in the kids room.
Don looks so proper in this picture. LOL
"What is Mickey Mouse's favorite food?....Cheese" -Tom
Our last stop was the private terrace.
Here you can see the device that is used to make the fire flies effect on Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a black servo motor with a line and led at the end. It would wiggle periodically to mimic the flight of the fire flies.
Also those black vents right under the roof are for outdoor A/C. How cool is that!
The Dream Suite was just amazing. It was great to be able to walk through that place.
After our tour Tom took us to a nearby shop. A shop found in Adventure Land that I have been to many time, but this was the first time I have ever seen this. Aladdin's other Lamp. Tom pointed it out to us and I can't believe that I have never seen it. Unfortunately it was not working when we saw it.
It was 5 pm and Disneyland was closing in 1 hr for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Tom was able to get us fast passes to Star Tours before he had to head home. We wanted to get some for Space Mountain but they were already all out.
While waiting in line for Star Tour Tom gave me a call and was able to snap fast pass for Space Mountain. He left it with a cast member at the exit of the ride. What a guy. He goes above and beyond.
We were literally in and out of Space Mountain in 12 minutes.
Parents and kids in costume were starting to show up and the store were starting to close down.
Jack and Parker look so happy with their hats.
I was a bit bummed that I wasn't going to be able to see Main Street at night. DCA was going to remain open until 8 pm so most of the guest that weren't going to stay for the Halloween Party headed over to DCA.
It was 6 pm and it was still warm out. I had fast passes to Grizzly River Run from earlier so we headed in that direction.
A few minutes later this was the result.
Linh had bought a pair of Mini Mouse ears earlier in the day and someone just happen to mention Mini Mouse light up ears, so like a kid she lost interest in the Mini Mouse Ears and wanted the light up ones. So did Amanda.
The rest of the group went on Tower of Terror. Phat and I sat out on that one. While they were doing that I headed to Corn Dog Castle.
By the time I got the Corn Dogs it was 7:15 pm. People were already sitting down for World of Colors. So we decided to grab a spot.
After the show it was time to leave. We had plans to meet with our friend Son for dinner.
a 360 degree picture at the center between Disneyland and DCA.
We ended up having dinner at a well know Japanese Yakitori joint.
Grilled peppers.
Pork belly, beef tongue, beef meatballs, and quail eggs.
Fried Octopus.
Bacon wrapped something, chicken hearts and other stuff.
Cold Sake
TakoYaki! Pretty much batter with pieces of octopus.
Crispy burnt rice.
I forgot what fish this was.
A California roll topped with deep fried rock shrimp.
Tempura shrimp.
And the last picture for the night. I just happened to spot this hidden Mickey on the plate. Not done on purpose, just coincidence.
What a long day we had. Lunch at Club 33 was awesome as usual and it was an awesome treat to be able to tour the Disney Dream Suite. Time for a long rest and tomorrow it's food and shopping at Downtown Disney.
