Disneyland and D23, September 2009

[KeithS]

I'm back!!!!

But I've been enjoying Sandie's commentary so much that it seems a shame for me to post the real story!

I did actually post a really big update on my last day in New York - but the update was so big, that my internet connection timed out and it lost the whole thing (grrrrr....) so you all missed out.

And when I got to Anaheim, Gerard & Sandie were doing such a good job updating, that my posts would have been redundant!

That said - I'll start to put together a report with pictures on the weekend. In the meantime, did Gerard mention we saw:
Bob Iger
John Lasseter
Nicholas Cage
Jerry Bruckheimer
Robin Williams
Johnny Depp
Tim Burton
Kelsey Grammar
Miley Cyrus
Ed O'Neill
Robin Williams
Robert Zemeckis

plus lots of other Disney people like Dick Cook, Marty Sklar, Dave Smith, Andreas Deja, Paige O'Hara, Margaret Kelly, Alice Davis, Eric Goldberg, Ron Clements and John Musker (plus many more?)


By the way...WHAT IS GERARD'S SECRET???

[sandie]

So are you coming on Saturday?

[mushu mama]

Welcome back guys.

Looking forward to hearing the stories.


Lisa. */

PS: whoa... quick off the mark with the new ticker there Keith

[churros]

1. Della - could you not find some better specimens?

Specimens of what?

[churros]

I'm back!!!!

How can you possible be back! We have been counting down for so long and you only just left surely!!!

... did Gerard mention we saw...

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

...plus lots of other Disney people like...

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Yes but have you seen Up?

[KeithS]

Yes but have you seen Up?

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah



Here is something to keep you all amused:
http://parklink.disney.go.com/parklink/ ... 7c6a84105f

This is from the future exhibit in Innoventions.

As I mentioned earlier, I'll do a full report on Sunday once I have gone through the photos and have re-read our journal - I can't remember everything off the top of my head with that, and it is at Della's house at the moment (the journal, not my head...).

But I'll give you a few highlights here.

1. New York - if you haven't been, you should. It is an amazing city! Della went nuts in the shops - FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, World of Disney, Build-a-Bear, Macy's, Century 21, Saks of Fifth, The Apple Store, Swarovski, etc.
2. Baseball - go to a game. I have no interest in baseball at all, and find it boring to watch on TV. But at a Major League Baseball game in the US, it is just a crazy, brilliant, fun and exciting event! Yes, we ate hot dogs in the stands, and chocolate ice cream out of baseball helmet bowls, while waving our big finger into the air. Too much fun for this little puppy!
3. Mary Poppins - biggest surprise of the holiday for me (although I guess I shouldn't have been surprised) - this was brilliant! We are definitely going to see it again in Melbourne next year now. And yes...Della cried, so you'd better take your tissues...
4. Fantasmic - Murphy the dragon was awesome! The show updates here are something to behold. I took some shaky-cam video, if I can figure out how to post it, I will.
5. Disney's California Adventure - I've never seen so many construction walls, but it gives the park a great expectation and vibe of what is to come. I didn't find it off putting at all, it just added to the anticipation.
6. Toy Story Mania - wow - is this attraction fun or what! Can't wait for the Wii Challenge at one of the meetings next year (at least I hope we have a Wii-TSM Challenge!)
7. Submarines - I've listened to people who don't like it, and those who do like it. I'm in the latter category - I really enjoyed it! Not quite as good as 20,000 Leagues in Tokyo Disneysea, but it is up there.
8. D23 Expo - totally amazing. The highlight for me (after the Disney Studios presentation with Johnny Depp of course) was the showing of the Sherman Brothers film "The Boys". Not only did we see the film, we met the directors (the two sons of Richard and Robert Sherman) and Richard Sherman himself came on stage and played and sang about 10 songs! The film itself is one of the best documentary movies you'll ever see - a DVD will be coming out soon - buy it! The other highlight of the show was just seeing big names from Disney mingling with the crowd. And I really mean mingling, for instance, Tony Baxter - head of Disneyland Imagineering, was just queuing up with the rest of us to get into sessions - no special concession for him or a front of the line pass. All the time we were walking around the show floor and we'd be saying "I know that guy..." or "I've seen her on a making of DVD..." etc. It was just cool.
9. Weather - and here is the hit or miss portion of every holiday, and did we get lucky. No rain at all! Everyday was clear blue sunshine and a temperature of between 25-32 in both New York and Anaheim. The week before we arrived in New York it was wet - the week after, it was wet - our timing was perfect

So there are just a few things

[KeithS]

PS: whoa... quick off the mark with the new ticker there Keith

I need something to look forward too!!! I am suffering post Disneyland depression after all!

[churros]

Every time I try to look at the video it freezes up my computer! Great summary of your trip now we need the extended version!

[KeithS]

Every time I try to look at the video it freezes up my computer!

You might need to download the latest version of Apple Quicktime.

Great summary of your trip now we need the extended version!

It'll come - I can't wait to share some of the photos!

[ajp]

You didn't look very happy in the video Keith. Was it the thought of flying in the jetson's style spaceship or the fact that you didn't have to pack your own suitcase?

[mushu mama]

Funny Video guys... I did one of those too, but had forgotten about it, but I don't think there was any way to save it at the time.. lucky you... I just took photos of the screen.

[churros]

I didn't know you could get the video. We only got the photos.

[KeithS]

I didn't know you could get the video. We only got the photos.

After we viewed the video at Innoventions, an option popped up to have it emailed to your home. I put in my address and when I logged on this morning, that link was in my inbox

[Mel]

In the meantime, did Gerard mention we saw:

Johnny Depp

I'm afraid this would have brought out my inner stalker

[churros]

After we viewed the video at Innoventions, an option popped up to have it emailed to your home. I put in my address and when I logged on this morning, that link was in my inbox

This might not be available at Spaceship Earth