Unlimited Fastpasses, Two Disney Hotels, and a Chef’s Table – It’s all Good Until Somebody Barfs

I just got back from the Happiest Place on Earth! And oh how I love it there. Disneyland is my home away from home. We spent so much time there when we lived in California and I have so many wonderful memories of it. I don’t get there near as often as I like anymore. So when some training was offered for travel agents, I knew I was there!

Who – Me of course! And Pam, Missy and Dani were coming for training too! There was a whole gaggle of Kingdom Konsultants! Well, is four a gaggle? Maybe not, but it was still fun! Here we all are from left to right Tammy, Missy, Pam and Dani:

When – August 22nd -August 27th

Where – 4 nights at the Grand Californian and one at the Disneyland Hotel

What – Some agent training and some fun!

Catch phrase of the trip – “It’s all good until somebody barfs.” Don’t worry, nobody actually barfed. More on that later…

 

[Crush Dude!]

We'll see if hubby can get away from work for that long, but if we can swing it, I can't wait!!

Fingers crossed

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Fingers crossed

Thank you! Me too!

 

[bradandsarabr]

I have heard that there are still a few pay phones around for travelers wanting toall international calls. It seems that it would be more sanitary to Skype or add an international plan on the cell?!?!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I have heard that there are still a few pay phones around for travelers wanting toall international calls. It seems that it would be more sanitary to Skype or add an international plan on the cell?!?!

Maybe that's what it is! For international calls?

 

[DznyRktekt]

Amazing report!

 

[joanna71985]

Thank you, Joanna! You do need to go sometime!

I know it!! I just need to figure out when

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Amazing report!

Thanks, DznyRktekt!

I know it!! I just need to figure out when

You do!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Then we split into two groups and went off on tours of the three Disney hotels. We didn't really tour the Grand Californian much since we were staying there.

Here’s Paradise Pier:

Here were some of the agents listening to our trainer:

Missy in the lobby:

Theme park view room:

You can see our room too! See the arrow:

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Standard room:

Carpet:

A view of the Disneyland Hotel:

The view out the hallway windows:

I’ve stayed in all of them, so I’m familiar with the rooms, but the suites were new to me, and very nice! Here’s a suite at Paradise Pier:

 

[Disneyfalcon]

We also got to tour an Aulani two bedroom mock up. It was beautiful!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Then it was off to the Disneyland Hotel.

After that we went back to the Grand Californian for a buffet dinner and trade show.
We took our swag back to the room and changed to go back to Disneyland. Missy hadn’t been there yet, and I was determined not to let the time change get me this time! I realized tonight that we made a mistake not bringing Missy here first. She started off in a park that was completely unfamiliar and we didn’t even go through the main entrance of the park! So she was understandably disoriented for most of the trip. I should have taken her right to Disneyland park when she arrived! That’s what she really wanted to see anyway!

I left my camera to upload photos so no photos tonight.

We passed by the crazy long line for Dole Whips since we had just eaten a ton and made our way to Indy. It’s a great ride and Missy loved it too. Then we went on Haunted Mansion. I have been to Disneyland and Disney World enough times that sometimes they kluge together in my memory. I couldn’t remember whether the stairs scene is in Disneyland or Disney World’s Haunted Mansion for instance. So while I showed Missy the ins and outs of Disneyland, she helped me clarify some of the differences.

Fantasmic was starting when we went into Haunted Mansion and of course it was way too late for us to get a great viewing spot, but when we came out it was almost time for the dragon so we stopped along the way. I was very sad I didn’t have my camera because the dragon was his usual awesome self. Disney World really really needs to upgrade to this dragon.

We made a loop around the park and caught some of the fireworks.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I have found on most of my trips we end up with a catch phrase of some sort. Something we hear that makes us all laugh when we say it. On one of our last trips it was “27 minutes!!!” We heard someone complaining at a bus stop that she had waited “27 minutes!!” for a bus. While that’s a little longer than ideal, from the way she was acting it seemed she had been waiting for an hour. The rest of the trip when something time related came up – how long is this bus ride, how long have we been waiting, etc. the answer was always “27 minutes!”

Well tonight we heard the catch phrase for this trip.

We were walking between the Matterhorn and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage when we passed a group of guys.

One of them pointed at the submarines and said, very loudly, “That ride? It’s all good - until somebody barfs.”

Missy and I laughed hysterically. We soon found ourselves using this phrase at an alarming frequency.

We eventually gathered ourselves together and went back to the room for the night. No barfing involved.

 

[imagination30]

your pics are just wow!.. thats all i can say.. i really want to to get out to cali one day.. , and visit disney land,
Question : beast library , do you think they will put that in the new fantansy alnd? it looks really cool,
i too thought the same thing about the rabbit , but i ws like no its sleeping beauty.. lol.. , and your pic from the top of screamin is amazing it captures the beauty of the park. - i havent got to look at all the pics yet!.. still in awe! oh my gosh look at those mountians.. so stunning.. !

 

[Californian Elitist]

I've spent the night in each hotel, except the Grand. I've got to cross that off my list ASAP! Paradise Pier gets a lot of hate but I actually really like that hotel. And the suites are huge! The Aulani mock-ups are gorgeous. These were in Paradise Pier???

 

[Disneyfalcon]

your pics are just wow!.. thats all i can say.. i really want to to get out to cali one day.. , and visit disney land,
Question : beast library , do you think they will put that in the new fantansy alnd? it looks really cool,
i too thought the same thing about the rabbit , but i ws like no its sleeping beauty.. lol.. , and your pic from the top of screamin is amazing it captures the beauty of the park. - i havent got to look at all the pics yet!.. still in awe!oh my gosh look at those mountians.. so stunning.. !

Thank you imagination30!

I have not heard any plans to put in Beast's library. It is very cool!

The mountains are beautiful!

I've spent the night in each hotel, except the Grand. I've got to cross that off my list ASAP! Paradise Pier gets a lot of hate but I actually really like that hotel. And the suites are huge! The Aulani mock-ups are gorgeous. These were in Paradise Pier???

Oh my word! Yes you do need to cross that off!

The Aulani mock up was in a building between Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel. I would guess they take guests interested in DVC back there.

 

[joanna71985]

You do!

I just wish I knew when I could go! I have my cruise in Oct, and of course the cruise next year. I may have to wait until 2014 to get out there

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I just wish I knew when I could go! I have my cruise in Oct, and of course the cruise next year. I may have to wait until 2014 to get out there

That's okay! It will still be there.

 

[DznyRktekt]

Disneyfalcon,
Not only are your photos amazing, but it is interesting to me to hear your perspective as a travel agent. When I was a child, my mom was an agent (long before the internet). It was a time when hotels and airlines treated travel agents like royalty with many upgrades, free stays, and discounts. Needless to say, my family traveled quite a bit and I can remember my mom taking her business card and some other paper work with her to guest relations at the front of the parks, and Disney would give her complimentary admission to the park along with awesome discounts on admission for family members. (It could have been sweeter or not as, but at the age of ten or so, I didn't pay much attention.) Anyway, I can remember staying at Paradise Pier before it was owned by Disney. It was once called the Pan Pacific, and either before or after that it was called the Emerald of Anaheim. We would go to Anaheim much more often then Orlando because back in the day Western Airlines would always let her and/or us fly free standby. We'd fly from MSP and change planes at SLC with our destination being John Wayne.

Not sure why I am writing all of this. Ha. I guess maybe in an age of all of us trying to save a couple of bucks by booking on Hotwire, Orbitz, etc, having someone who is passionate about Disney who is willing to help plan cruises and vacations is wonderful. Someday when my family decides to finally take a Disney cruise, we'll give you a call.

Sorry for the derail....on with the report.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

EEeeeekkk! So much fun! I love love love all the pics!

Paradise Pier looks so cool to me! I love the beach ball pillows and, in the suite, the flip-flop fabric on the pillows and throw. Then, of course, the Disneyland Hotel rooms totally make my heart skip a beat. I want to stay THERE! Well, I want to stay in all the DL hotels but I've got to get there first.

Um, yeah, definitely all fun 'til somebody barfs when you're in a submarine... I concur!

Can't wait to see more!

 

[fractal]

Love all the pics of the rooms - even have Aulani! and that view of DCA is awesome!