The goal was to catch an hour nap before we were due back in the parks but that didn't work out so much. Tracey and I got more like 15 - 20 minutes.
Be forwarned. I'm a napper. I love to sleep. I NEED to sleep. K?
So we headed back with less than ideal cat naps had. These topiaries are right outside the back doors of the Fantasy tower.
We headed back into DCA to meet some new-to-us friends at 1:00 in front of the Carthay Circle restaurant. But we weren't going to Carthay Circle today. No, we were being escorted into 1901, a private lounge for Club 33 members who upgrade their membership to include this offering. Our new friends very graciously reached out to me after I participated in a random discussion about the one of the club offerings fairly recently. It was explained to me that part of the value these amazing members gleen from their membership is the opportunity to share it. Club 33 proper in Disneyland is currently closed for it's complete transformation and expansion. The offering we'd discussed was the special train car that Walt had commissioned for his Lillian to have when she was at the park, the Lily Belle. Until recently the Lily Belle was available to anyone who went to City Hall to inquire about it and get on a list. Very limited. Well, there had been problems with people vandalizing and taking things from inside the train car. Also, disgruntled guests raising a stink when they'd see the train car, see people escorted onboard, and angry they couldn't ride there, too. So it was withdrawn and is now an offering for Club 33 members and their guests to sign up for. The Lily Belle had to have some repair work recently due to the beating she'd been receiving so it wasn't running today. Otherwise, our new friends would've taken us on it.
I know it sounds kinda bad and I even brought this up with new friends because I'm not the kind of person that solicits for extras. I've seen people post on other forums outright asking for favors from any available Club member. It comes off tacky and I don't want to be that person. Did I want to meet these new friends? You betcha! Was it because they could escort us into places most park guests cannot access? No. That's the truth. I would've sat outside on a bench with a churro and had a perfectly fabulous time connecting with other humans that are THAT kind to complete strangers. They are Disney-fried fans not unlike me and my family. I look at our new friends as a shining example of what people should aspire to be. Do you have something wonderful and special that you could share with a total stranger? Would you? Yeah. Club 33 membership is, first of all, a long process to have the opportunity to join. Second, it's very expensive to join. Third, it costs a good deal of money to pay the annual membership dues. Fourth, members still have to pay for what they order in the club restaurant & lounge(s). Fifth, there's an additional cost to have the 1901 lounge add-on. Wrap your brain around all that. Now, imagine if a lot of the value you find in spending that kind of money (regardless of your socio-economic situation because these are not overtly wealthy people, not all members are) is the joy and excitement you get in sharing it with someone you don't know. I'll quit yammering. Faith in humanity restored if only briefly. Beyond the opportunity to see a place so exclusive, the real gift is in knowing other human beings that are this good in their souls. That's the gift.
So, 1901 Lounge! The "secret" (it's not!) door is right next to the entry door for Carthay Circle restaurant. We walked in from a busy, bustling street to a quiet, elegant yet toned-down and calm lounge area. We looked around a bit without disturging the other family that was enjoying their respite. I didn't take pictures of that side of the lounge. Can't be the tacky tourist. Children are welcome here. They even have a cabinet full of games for kiddos to sit on the floor and unwind as they play. The missus had me try her favorite comfy chair. Even with the style being so retro cool and the surface leather, that was such a comfy, soft chair! I could nap here! But, you know, I have to at least pretend to have some amount of couthe. Even if I don't. I can pretend pretty well.
This is the bar area. Note the chairs. There's designated chairs for Roy, Edna, Walt, & Lillian. As it should be. The bartender was making ice spheres. They're perfect balls of ice, no air bubbles inside, that are served in a few of the signature martinis.
On the wall to the right of Lillian's chair are these great charicatures of the Nine Old Men.
Everyone else had ice water or the like but, of course, lush-y me had to try at least one cocktail. Come on! If I'm never in 1901 again at least I can say from now until I'm dead "I had drink in 1901!" This is the "Street Car".
We had the best time visiting with our new friends. I surely hated to run off and leave. I wish we hadn't scheduled what was next on the agenda but I did and I'd lose a pretty penny if we didn't show so we said our goodbyes and ran (literally) across the esplanade into DL. What's the hurry? Well, THIS:
Instagram!
Oh yeah. We're going to
Walk in Walt's Footsteps today and see his influence on his park. Walt's park. I still cannot believe I was finally there, where Walt had been.
How's everybody holding up? Fellas? Y'all wired and ready to go???
As we got started on the tour, walking through the crowds of day guests, Chandler said he was feeling kinda secret service cool. So he had me take a picture of him doing his Secret Walk in Walt's Footsteps Service thing.
We could hear our guide through our earpiece which was a good thing. Remember, this is a locals park. It's 2:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday. The locals have come out to play. There were a LOT of people now. See?
I won't go thru the whole tour spiel with you, just the stuff that stands out. We're now by the castle.
And walking through the castle.
I am hoping we get to DL in 2016 to run the half marathon. I loved your beach trip too! Dan and I will definitely be doing that when we go to CA. We love the beach here in NJ but would love to see the Pacific!
Counter service. 
They were laughing and trying to call me over, "Come here! You gotta see this!!!" But I'd already heard them carrying on over there and I knew what was going on. I'm not deaf. I could hear the splashing. 
Next thing I know, I look back and there's an older couple stopped to see what the fuss is about. The wife just rolled her eyes. The husband was trying not to laugh. I swear, I can't take these boys anywhere! 
In this picture we just left the monorail station and the big hat is the DLH. 
The CM doing the pre-show spiel did the whole thing in a fantastic tiki God voice. It was so funny. "Please be sure to carry all the paper and plastic objects you carried into the theater outside and place it in the garbage receptacle where it will be magically transported to the land of fill." Magically transported to the land of fill. Land fill! Get it?!?! 