Coast-to-Coast Disney 2011 Trip Report: Mme. & M. Bricker's Zany Holiday

WDWFigment · Jun 26, 2011

WDI 1998 said:
Mr. Bricker Sir, When will you stop?!? Not only do you have the best Disney Photos ever, now you have to top that off with taking them while moving in multipul directions at a fast speed? Do your talents have no bounds? Whats next taking pictures hanging upside down by your toes from one of the castle turrets in a high wind?

Seriously you are an inspiration to which I hope to be able to produce pictures half as nice as yours. Love the Trip Report. I look forward to reading the rest of it.

Are you reading my email?! I ask because I assume you saw the order confirmation email for my harness and equipment to help me scale the Castle to hang upside from it to take photos.

Seriously though, if my photos have inspired others to take better photos, I've done my job.

sweetpee_1993 said:
I've put off returning to your TR for a while hoping to save the bliss for a single, very large dose. You never disappoint, Tom. Thanks. :wave:

I thought of lots of little things to say but my memory on a lazy Sunday isn't cooperating at all.

I've never been to Napa Rose or DLR but I felt the need to comment on your beer selection observation. Yes. I, too, wish there were better beer selections at nicer establishments. I've tried to enjoy many different wines and champagne but just can't seem to get into it. They all come off yucky to me. But beer....the glory of the heavens has opened and I know that God loves me because he gave me beer. I love the stuff. I've adored it since I got my first taste as a cantankerous little character of a 4 year old climbing up in the laps of any sucker-of-a-male relative or friend to the family to 'cute' my way into a sip. I simply love the flavor. I enjoy different variations, textures, and tastes. Beer can be every bit as wonderfully diverse in it's offerings as wine is. And you can do things with beer to totally change it into even better concoctions! I don't understand why restaurants will gladly offer wine parings and not beer parings. I honestly believe there's a huge market being totally ignored by this oversight. I'd have eaten at Victoria & Albert's and/or California Grill long ago had they offered beer pairings. That would've appealed in a way that I wouldn't be able to resist.

I had to pause in reading your report to comment on these pictures. I'm sure to you these are fun pictures of your gorgeous wife that are visually interesting because of their kinetic feel. True. However, can I just take a moment to offer you what another girl sees??? Sarah will totally get this, too. I see it in her eyes in these pictures.

Little girls like big twirly skirts. Little girls often will totally gauge the worth of a skirt by it's ability to twirl. As a grown woman (eek! No I'm not!) I often catch myself looking at costumes in Disney stage shows or parades, or even skirts and dresses in stores or on other chicks evaluating the overall twirl-factor. Let me tell you how this works. A girl puts on a new skirt then sways back and forth to feel the swish about her legs and it's fun. Of course, this is always best if done in front of a mirror. But then there's the twirl. There's nothing else in the world like puting on a twirly skirt and spinning. It starts out just a quick, 1-shot circle with a sudden stop to feel the skirt continue it's motion until it stops and swishes back. That's just the toe-in-the-water. This initial spin is but a mere test followed by a sigh or a giggle. If the skirt isn't so full and twirly it will only receive a sigh and that could very well be the only twirl it receives. But if the skirt is a good one, a really full and fun one, it shall be rewarded with giggles or a happy bounce with a squeal. That's when the fun really begins! It's time to spin and spin faster and faster, holding your arms out, looking down to see the skirt flare out as far as it will reach. This, for a girl, is bliss. I don't know why. It's just the twirly skirt thing.

Girls with long hair such as Sarah's and mine...the swings are another sort of twirl with our hair instead of a skirt. It's almost the same feeling. If I sit on a swing at a playground my first instinct is to free my hair if it's pulled up. I'll furiously work to get my swing to fly as high as I possibly can make it go with only one goal in mind: to hold on tight, stretch my legs straight out so my toes are pointing as far out as they can, and lean waaaaay back so the world is upside-down. With each forward swing I feel as if my hair is floating and soaring. It's like a delicate sheet on a clothes line blowing in the breeze. I can't find words to describe how it feels. It's almost ethereal, really. These are the things that make a girl feel like she is completely free of anything earthbound, enveloped only in the bliss of the moment.

These pictures made me think of that, Tom. I bet it's strange to think some random stranger reading your report and glancing over a few of your thousands of awesome pictures can be inspired to go on a little wander thru such trivial moments. I enjoyed it. Thank you. :wave:

I'll be back to soak up more of your report soon. I'm really enjoying it!

I think some restaurants are starting to catch on with the market for craft beers. Given the feel of Napa Rose, it just "feels right" for that place to do craft beer pairings. To do something edgy like beer pairings would be nice press for the place, plus it would probably be economically beneficial. So to the Disney execs reading this, there's my free advice for the day!

I understand what you're talking about with the dress and hair business. I think that's one of the reasons Sarah liked the attraction so much. It might just seem like a simple swing attraction, but it is really well done. Hopefully the makeover to Goofy's Sky School will be as good!

sweetpee_1993 said:
I love this picture! Obviously you crouched down in front of a toon camera shop is cute all in itself...but then there's the 'One Way' sign with arrows pointing in both directions. Love that! I think Toon Town is one of the bigger things I'm looking forward to at DLR next year. I'm almost sad we aren't going this year!

Toontown is awesome. Make sure to take a lot of time to explore it. It closes early due to the fireworks, but it's definitely worth seeing at night (before it closes, obviously!), too.

WDWFigment · Jun 26, 2011

We only did one attraction while in the neighborhood, and that was Gadget’s Go Coaster. It was very underwhelming for us as twenty-something men, but when we got off, we saw the pure elation of a small boy who was told by a Cast Member that he could ride again without having to go back through the queue. This clearly made his day. It’s moments like these, seeing the parks through the eyes of children rather than the surly and jaded eyes some of us tend to develop by fixating on often insignificant problems that are magnified by their over-discussion online, that help to reinforce one’s appreciation for the parks. Society today is so egocentric that it’s easy to forget that not everything in the parks is made to appeal to our demographic.

I started taking photos by it’s a small world on our way out when I got a Beluga message from Sarah that she was on her way. Since I had her Club 33 ticket, Henry and I headed to Main Street and waited for her.

When we met up with her, we decided to go seek adventure. California Adventure! We grabbed some FastPasses at Soarin’, then met up with a couple of Henry’s friends who host the Mousetalgia podcast. Their names elude me right now, but they were nice folks.

We chatted with them for a bit, then headed over the the Redwood Trails. A few days before our trip, it had been rumored that the Brother Bear theming here was getting nixed in favor of Up over the weekend prior to our visit. Unfortunately, that was not the case (although it has since been officially announced and should happen soon). For what it is, I was fairly impressed by the trails.

They’re pretty and offer great vistas of the park. I think it would be nice if it were simply themed like Redwood National Park rather than with characters, but I guess the ability to play outside and explore isn’t enticing-enough to today’s lazy and obese children. Maybe soon Disney will incorporate Mountain Dew and Pixie Stick stops every so often in the area so kids don’t have too much uninterrupted healthy physical activity.

WDWFigment · Jun 26, 2011

I may be a bit old for it, but I had a blast in the Redwood Trails! No one else wanted to go up in the elevated rope areas, and I ended up getting lost from the group for a bit when I did, but I had a great time! The only thing I hope they don’t remove of the Brother Bear-inspired theming is the little palm-spirit-thing that tells you what animal’s spirit you embody. That thing is awesome.

When I finally found everyone else, Henry’s parents and fiancee, Kate, had arrived.

First item on the agenda when they arrived was another stop at the ice cream stand! Well, for me at least. I think the rest of the group stopped to get coffee or something, citing the pre-noon time as some sort of argument against getting ice cream. Foolishness!

After that we went on King Triton’s Carousel, where I was surprisingly allowed to take my ice cream. For a carousel, it’s pretty neat, I guess, but it’s not high on my list of things to do in a Disney theme park. Even with the unique theming of the carousel I can’t get past the feeling that I’ve seen a similar carousel in my local mall in the mid-1990s. To be fair, I’m hardly a carousel expert, so the quality and detail could be far superior in this one, but it still seems a little cheesy.

After the carousel, we wandered the Pier for a bit, and ultimately split off because the rest of the group wanted to see Blue Sky Cellar, and Sarah and I aren’t too keen on seeing so much detail on upcoming attractions. Instead, we headed to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, where we saw California Goofy with no one around him! We were elated to see Goofy in new (to us) attire, so we said hello!

Next up was MuppetVision 3D. We love this attraction as its humor is right up my alley (the number of times I find myself quoting it is absurd; my favorite line is, “a salute to all nations, but mostly America.” Rizzo the Rat as Mickey Mouse is another highlight.), and although it’s not really different substantively between the coasts, the queues are different, so we spent some time exploring the queue before heading inside. Such great wry humor.

fmingo36 · Jun 26, 2011

WDWFigment said:

Crash-test Beaker--I LOVE IT!!!

Disneyfalcon · Jun 27, 2011

WDWFigment said:
What was painful?

Sorry, I should have quoted you! Breaking camera equipment. You said you hoped the pictures were worth it. They totally were.

I'm excited for you that you are selling your pictures now. That's awesome. Your pictures are definitely worth selling. I'm doing lots of seniors, babies, families etc. here and I'm ready to get a business license and start charging. I've been portfolio building for about 2 years, and I'm ready.

I know what I'm doing when I'm processing people pics, but I could really use a class for processing scenery/landscape pics. If you every decide to offer something like that, I'm in. Your processing is stunning to me. So sharp and clear.

It's not like you're not busy or anything, :lol:, but I've taken some online processing classes for people pics and they were super helpful.

I live and breathe by Understanding Exposure, but I know my processing doesn't do my pictures justice sometimes.

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

fmingo36 said:
Crash-test Beaker--I LOVE IT!!!

The queue has some neat (different) gags out there. Makes it fun to explore!

Disneyfalcon said:
Sorry, I should have quoted you! Breaking camera equipment. You said you hoped the pictures were worth it. They totally were.

I'm excited for you that you are selling your pictures now. That's awesome. Your pictures are definitely worth selling. I'm doing lots of seniors, babies, families etc. here and I'm ready to get a business license and start charging. I've been portfolio building for about 2 years, and I'm ready.

I know what I'm doing when I'm processing people pics, but I could really use a class for processing scenery/landscape pics. If you every decide to offer something like that, I'm in. Your processing is stunning to me. So sharp and clear.

It's not like you're not busy or anything, :lol:, but I've taken some online processing classes for people pics and they were super helpful.

I live and breathe by Understanding Exposure, but I know my processing doesn't do my pictures justice sometimes.

Yeah, I could definitely use a processing class for portrait photography. Or just a class in general. It's by far my weakest area. People ask me if I do weddings and I think in my head, "there's no way on earth you want me photographing your wedding!"

I do have a processing tutorial, check it out: http://www.wdwphotography.com/workflow-tom-bricker/

Selling photos is something I've wavered on for a while now. I don't want to come across as money-grubbing, but at the same time, I think my photos are high quality and worth purchasing. I've had a lot of people ask me if I was selling prints, and I always have just said no. Plus, all of this photo gear is expensive, and I really only ever use it at Disney, so it would be nice to help recoup some of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it over the years. I guess if people think that makes me greedy, that stinks, but c'est la vie.

I still only have a trial store on SmugMug, so after 2 weeks, I may decide to drop it if I don't think it'll generate $150 in revenue per year (the break-even point with SmugMug). Unfortunately, due to that $150 cost, I have to make sure I maximize my sales, which means disabling downloads on Flickr. I really hate doing this, as I know a lot of people download the photos for desktops or screensavers.

So far, the best way around this I've found is to offer people the ability to purchase digital copies (which I have enabled in SmugMug). I guess at the very least, all of the people that have downloaded photos in the past for screensavers/backgrounds will still have them. Maybe if there is demand, I will create free backgrounds and add them to our website. I'm not really sure at this point, I'm still sort of testing the waters to see how this pans out.

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

After MuppetVision, it was time to meet back up with the rest of the group, so we headed over to Disneyland, all the way to the back of the park to Hungry Bear. In retrospect I wish we would have eaten at Village Haus, as we had heard it also recently got a new menu, but for whatever reason, it totally slipped our minds every day of the trip. The one bite of the chicken sandwich I had the previous time was pretty good, so I decided to give it a go this time. It was a solid chicken sandwich, especially for counter service. Something I’d definitely order again.

Overall, I think counter service seems to be improving (and I've only taken two trips) at Disneyland. The new Hungry Bear menu is excellent, as are the menus are Trader Sam’s (or whatever the place next to it is called) and Village Haus, supposedly, yet people still constantly knock Disneyland Counter Service food.

People just like to complain about things, and Disneyland CS food has a bad stigma based upon the last however many years. With regard to most CS restaurants, that stigma is simply untrue. I think part of the problem is that people want something to turn their noses up at: "Fast Food? I only eat at Napa Rose and Steakhouse 55." Certainly the latter restaurants are better, but I don't see why people can't appreciate things for what they are. Disneyland's "fast food" is very good, and there's no reason to knock it. To compare it to more expensive fare is ludicrous, and is along the same lines as comparing the Storybook Land Canal Boats to Pirates of the Caribbean. They're a different experience: enjoy each of them on their own terms. Not every attraction is going to be an E-Ticket; likewise, not every restaurant is going to taste like a $50/plate steakhouse. I know there are those out there who would rather eat at some chain on Harbor to save $4, but I’d much rather spend the extra $4 and remain in the “Disney bubble,” and enjoy the themed Disney ambiance. I’m sure it’s not the same for day-trip AP holders, but that’s my philosophy.

The same goes for people who complain that Disney food is overpriced. Most people who complain about this are, naturally, AP holders. Most of these people are Californians. You know what? Compared to the rest of the United States, with the exception of Hawaii and Alaska, Southern California is overpriced. I don’t complain about this. I understand that location plays a key in what things cost. It costs more to eat at any sporting event, in many major cities, etc., yet it’s somehow egregious if Disney charges higher prices for food than the restaurants across the street on Harbor. You pay for the convenience--and clearly the prices are justified based upon the crowds these restaurants draw.

After Hungry Bear, it was Pooh-time! (That joke never gets old!) Not much more to say here, except that Sarah’s enthusiasm for this ride was continuing to grow at this point in the trip. I still didn’t get her infatuation with it, and I probably never will. It’s okay, and that’s about it.

We decided to make our way to the front of the park to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and go to City Hall to see if we could get a spot on the Lilly Belle car of the Disneyland Railroad. On our way, we stopped for a showing of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.

As usual, it was awesome. Seeing it got me really excited for the (at the time--since announced) possibility that this far superior version of the show (I shouldn’t even call them “versions” of the same “show,” that’s an insult to the California show) would be coming to Walt Disney World. It’s crazy to see how popular it is at Disneyland; hopefully it will be equally well received at Disneyland. There’s no reason it shouldn’t. Despite being much older than “Under New Management,” the Enchanted Tiki Room is much less dated, thanks to its songs being timeless and memorable, and not reminiscent of a particular period of time.

We headed to Main Street after this, to make arrangements for the Lilly Belle car. While Henry was in City Hall doing this, the rest of us headed to the street to listen to the barbershop quartet and just generally hang out on Main Street. After a while, Henry emerged, and told us that our train would be about another half hour. Perfect! We had time for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

I was really excited, as we had not done this last time despite it being high on my list. You see, my wife is a communist, and hates patriotic American experiences. She falls asleep during the American Adventure at Epcot, snores during the Hall of Presidents, and spits on the Liberty Bell as she passes it in Liberty Square. Okay, maybe that last one isn’t true. She actually likes the Hall of Presidents, too, but she does unintentionally fall asleep during it. For whatever reason, she doesn’t like the American Adventure, though. In my opinion, that should be a treasonous offense.

In any case, I finally got to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and I was stoked. The show was awesome. While it wasn’t as large in scale or scope as either the Hall of Presidents or American Adventure, it was really cool, nonetheless, and incorporated some cool aspects of both attractions into it, including the song Golden Dream! This is one of my favorite “Disney songs,” so it was great to hear it. I knew we wouldn’t have enough time in Epcot on the second half of our trip to see American Adventure, so it was nice to at least get that mini dose of it via Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Following Mr. Lincoln, we browsed the rest of the Disneyland Story area, including a gift shop with some amazing art in it. Overall, this area was really cool, almost like a miniature One Man’s Dream. It even had some displays (like the model of Disneyland hung on the wall) that were much cooler than most of those in One Man’s Dream. All in all, a nice diversion and definitely a great way to kill some time. If you wanted to thoroughly explore the displays, I could see spending an upwards of a couple hours in there. There was a surprising amount to see.

Our time for the Lilly Belle was fast approaching, so we headed to the second floor of the train station and waited. After about 10 minutes, the train with our car arrived.

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

It was a great experience, albeit a really hot one. The car was beautifully appointed, with rich shades of burgundy throughout. It was patently obvious why this car wasn’t open to the general public. After only a few days of rowdy tourist children riding in it, I can’t imagine it would look nearly as pristine as it did. I know it was recently restored, but still, it looked like it had been in perfect condition since the 1950s or 60s.

Everything from the patterns on the carpet to the victorian tables to the ornate wood panels of the car were impressive. Books and photos sat on the train to add to really personalize the car, and there was even a guest book to round out the experience. All of these little touches really made the car something special.

The was one other party aboard the train with us, and they were “actual” Club 33 members. We talked to them a bit, and it seemed they genuinely cared about Disney, but when the topic of California Adventure came up (as they mentioned a survey they had received about a private dining club there), they turned their noses up at the park, with one of them saying, “Of course we don’t want to join a club there. We don’t care about that park, it’s the park Walt would have never buil,” and, “it wouldn’t surprise me if they did build a club over there if they can find enough suckers to join.” These people were otherwise nice, albeit a little snooty, but these comments really rubbed me the wrong way. For one thing, invoking the name of Walt (“Walt wouldn’t do this”) is a huge pet peeve of mine. Walt Disney is dead. It would have been difficult to predict his actions decades ago when he was alive. Now, in a totally different era in a totally different world, you really have the gumption to state what he would and wouldn’t do? Really?! Even if you don’t like California Adventure, I think it’s really presumptuous to say, “Walt wouldn’t have built it.” I see comments like these all over the internet, and always shake my head at them.

Aside from those comments that rubbed me the wrong way, the people were interesting. They told us a story (I don’t know if it’s accurate, I can’t find anything online besides some vague references on forums to it) about Matt Ouimet seeing the Lilly Belle deteriorating backstage. According to their story, he asked why it wasn’t in use, and he was told that Michael Eisner only wanted it used if a corporate sponsor for it could be obtained. Ouimet apparently said that was ridiculous, and ordered it restored. Like I said, I don’t know the veracity of this, but it’s interesting, nonetheless. They also gave us some advice on menu options, as well as some history about the club, which was all very fascinating.

Laura · Jun 27, 2011

WDWFigment said:
Selling photos is something I've wavered on for a while now. I don't want to come across as money-grubbing, but at the same time, I think my photos are high quality and worth purchasing. I've had a lot of people ask me if I was selling prints, and I always have just said no. Plus, all of this photo gear is expensive, and I really only ever use it at Disney, so it would be nice to help recoup some of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it over the years. I guess if people think that makes me greedy, that stinks, but c'est la vie.

I still only have a trial store on SmugMug, so after 2 weeks, I may decide to drop it if I don't think it'll generate $150 in revenue per year (the break-even point with SmugMug). Unfortunately, due to that $150 cost, I have to make sure I maximize my sales, which means disabling downloads on Flickr. I really hate doing this, as I know a lot of people download the photos for desktops or screensavers.

So far, the best way around this I've found is to offer people the ability to purchase digital copies (which I have enabled in SmugMug). I guess at the very least, all of the people that have downloaded photos in the past for screensavers/backgrounds will still have them. Maybe if there is demand, I will create free backgrounds and add them to our website. I'm not really sure at this point, I'm still sort of testing the waters to see how this pans out.

I was just curious how you will get around the intellectual property copyright laws? I've never been clear on what's legal and what's not when it comes to selling photos taken at Disney. I always thought any pictures that show unique architecture like SSE or the Cinderella Castle could not be sold. So will you only be able to sell photos that don't focus on architecture?

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

Laura said:
I was just curious how you will get around the intellectual property copyright laws? I've never been clear on what's legal and what's not when it comes to selling photos taken at Disney. I always thought any pictures that show unique architecture like SSE or the Cinderella Castle could not be sold. So will you only be able to sell photos that don't focus on architecture?

There is no easy answer to the IP laws issue with regard to architecture on property. It's a grey area of the law.

That said, when the app developer who produces the photo apps I'm involved with designed our app, we obtained consent from Disney to sell prints.

Disneyfalcon · Jun 27, 2011

WDWFigment said:
Yeah, I could definitely use a processing class for portrait photography. Or just a class in general. It's by far my weakest area. People ask me if I do weddings and I think in my head, "there's no way on earth you want me photographing your wedding!"

I do have a processing tutorial, check it out: http://www.wdwphotography.com/workflow-tom-bricker/

Selling photos is something I've wavered on for a while now. I don't want to come across as money-grubbing, but at the same time, I think my photos are high quality and worth purchasing. I've had a lot of people ask me if I was selling prints, and I always have just said no. Plus, all of this photo gear is expensive, and I really only ever use it at Disney, so it would be nice to help recoup some of the thousands of dollars I've spent on it over the years. I guess if people think that makes me greedy, that stinks, but c'est la vie.

I still only have a trial store on SmugMug, so after 2 weeks, I may decide to drop it if I don't think it'll generate $150 in revenue per year (the break-even point with SmugMug). Unfortunately, due to that $150 cost, I have to make sure I maximize my sales, which means disabling downloads on Flickr. I really hate doing this, as I know a lot of people download the photos for desktops or screensavers.

So far, the best way around this I've found is to offer people the ability to purchase digital copies (which I have enabled in SmugMug). I guess at the very least, all of the people that have downloaded photos in the past for screensavers/backgrounds will still have them. Maybe if there is demand, I will create free backgrounds and add them to our website. I'm not really sure at this point, I'm still sort of testing the waters to see how this pans out.

Ooh, I am super excited about seeing your workflow. I'm definitely reading that next.

I don't think it's greedy at all to make money from a talent. You certainly are very generous with your advice and previous uploads without a watermark all over them.

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

^Thanks! Hopefully others perceive it the same way!

...

All in all, it was a very cool experience about the Lilly Belle car. It was something we really savored, as I’m not sure that we’ll ever have the opportunity to ride aboard that car again.

After our loop was complete, we exited the car, and again headed over to the “park Walt would have never built.” We first headed to the Pacific Wharf area and hit up the Karl Strauss Handcrafted Beer Cart. I don’t even remember what I had, but I’m pretty sure it was an IPA. Karl Strauss isn’t really my favorite beer, but I know others like it. I thought it was nothing memorable, but I will give Disney props for including a craft beer here rather than the standard Coors/Miller/Bud.

We sat around here for a decent amount of time just enjoying our beer and chatting before heading over to, what else, but the MONSTERS, INC DARK RIDE!!! I didn’t keep track, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the attraction we experienced the most on this trip. I don’t know what else would be up there. Silly Symphony Swings? Indiana Jones Adventure? Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? It’s definitely right up there if not number one.

WDWFigment · Jun 27, 2011

At this point Team Henry headed back to their hotel to get ready for the dinner. Sarah and I didn’t plan on doing quite as much readying, so we decided to stay and do more playing. Our first stop, at Sarah’s behest, was the Silly Symphony Swings. Despite a 20 minute wait, she really wanted to ride the Swings, so we queued up. Unfortunately, that 20 minute wait time sign was accurate, and we waited for 20 minutes. It may be a fun little attraction, but not something I’d really like to wait more than 10 minutes to experience.

After this, we contemplated using FastPasses we acquired earlier to the Tower of Terror. If it took longer than expected, we’d really have to get ready in a hurry. That obviously didn’t weigh too heavily, as we decided to ride without much hesitation. Thanks to a back-up in the boiler room, we did have a bit of a long wait, but it was well worth it. Such a great attraction. As I said earlier in the report, it’s probably my favorite attraction at Walt Disney World. It’s not quite as high on the list as Disneyland, but it’s still incredible. It doesn’t hurt that the Twilight Zone is one of my favorite TV shows.

Following Tower of Terror, we rushed back to our room, and got ready and changed for Club 33. Our time in the room was only about 5 minutes, which was incredibly impressive, we thought. This would have never been possible in Florida, where the humidity would have forced us each to shower. Once changed, we headed back to the park for our Club 33 reservations.

...and that’s where we’ll pick up next time.

mouselvrmom · Jun 28, 2011

I'm a huge fan of Tower of Terror too. I think because I love the show so much- it actually inspired one of my chilldren's names in a roundabout way. I'm just bummed that only my husband and youngest will ride with me. My other three won't touch it with a ten foot pole!

switts · Jun 28, 2011

o man leaving with such a cliffhanger...i cant take the suspense :brick:

WDWFigment · Jun 28, 2011

mouselvrmom said:
I'm a huge fan of Tower of Terror too. I think because I love the show so much- it actually inspired one of my chilldren's names in a roundabout way. I'm just bummed that only my husband and youngest will ride with me. My other three won't touch it with a ten foot pole!

Now I'm curious as to the inspiration for one of your kid's names! Henry Bemis?!?!

switts said:
o man leaving with such a cliffhanger...i cant take the suspense :brick:

Only a little longer...

switts · Jun 28, 2011

the combination of the suspense/jealousy of not being at the world is killing me....5 more months

WDWFigment · Jun 28, 2011

There was good reason why it only took us 5 minutes to get ready. Because when we arrived in our room, we only had 10 minutes until we said we’d meet the Works (and Katie, Work-to-be). We exited the room with 5 minutes to get from our hotel door to New Orleans Square.

Few thought such a feat could be accomplished, but thanks to our swift legs, we...fell short by about 5 minutes. Usually in these race-against-the-clock scenarios at Disney, we perform surprisingly well. In this case, the heat plus our heavy attire plus Sarah’s high heels made for insurmountable obstacles. We still hurried, which was probably a mistake, as I was a sweaty mess when we arrived in NOS. The frenzied pace turned my already sunburned skin even more red, making me sweaty and red. Perfect!

Luckily, we were still 15 minutes early for our reservation, something we planned so that we could take some photos outside of the restaurant. We spent some time doing exactly this, and about 5 minutes before our set reservation time, decided it was time.

For those unfamiliar with Disneyland history, 33 Royal Street, the location of Club 33, is arguably the most “famous” address among Disney fans. Access to the Club is by membership (or as the guest of a member) only, the existence of the restaurant is denoted only by a cryptic “33” sign near the entrance to the restaurant.

We started our voyage into Club 33 by heading to the doorway where I pressed a speak-easy style speaker-box. After a couple of seconds, a voice came over the other side of the intercom, and asked for our information. A few seconds later, we were buzzed inside. A few minutes early for our reservation, we were held in the lobby until the exact time of our reservation.

No matter how much I had read about the restaurant and despite all of the photos I had seen online, I was blown away as I was enveloped in the sea of rich burgundy and ornate details. Everything about the lobby was lavish. Although I wasn’t around back in the 20s, it felt like what I envision the inside of a ritzy 20s speak-easy looking like.

mouselvrmom · Jun 28, 2011

WDWFigment said:
Now I'm curious as to the inspiration for one of your kid's names! Henry Bemis?!?!

I said in a roundabout way...I was watching a marathon one night on the syfy channel around 1 am when I couldn't sleep because I was so huge and uncomfortable. I happened to see the space one with Roddy McDowell in it. As I was watching the credits, I thought that Roddy sounded like a nice nickname. So I went to the baby names book to find a name that would fit it. I found Roderick (which I'm sure is McDowell's full name since it's an Old English name). Since I went into labor a few days later, that's the name we went with. I don't know if he's lucky I saw that or not....if I hadn't, he would have been named Vladimir. :lol:

barrettismyhero · Jun 28, 2011

Seeing the pictures of the Lilly Belle is something I can really appreciate.. I'm a huge railroad buff so seeing how great of shape its in makes me soo happy.

It's great to see anything vintage railroad equipment that is in great restored shape.. There's so much that I wish never found the torches.

Coast-to-Coast Disney 2011 Trip Report: Mme. & M. Bricker's Zany Holiday

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