Oh, I forgot to mention the differences in the Muppet Studio.
Most things were the same, but each time we got to visit a different part of the studios that I didn't see on the others versions.
The below is just what stuck out for me on each one as a highlight.
The first time, we got to visit this large board room, with a gigantic mural of pretty much every muppet on it. This was a highlight of that trip.
The second time, we spent a lot of time with one of the muppeteers. He pretty much was there for the entire tour and had lots of insights and stories to tell. I don't remember seeing anything extra special for this one.
The third time, the highlight was definitely the office of Jim Henson's secretary and talking with her(I'm not sure if it's her office, or the office of Jim Henson.) There were so many cool things in there.
I only ever saw the mural and was in that board room that first time.
Most of the other things were the same or similar (like the starting movie, the sitting on a couch with kermit, etc.)
As well, over all, each time they seemed to take us to slightly different buildings or outside locations, and/or focused on different areas. Each time we spoke or interacted with a muppeteer, but only the second one was that the focus.
Oh, I forgot to mention the differences in the Muppet Studio.
Most things were the same, but each time we got to visit a different part of the studios that I didn't see on the others versions.
The below is just what stuck out for me on each one as a highlight.
The first time, we got to visit this large board room, with a gigantic mural of pretty much every muppet on it. This was a highlight of that trip.
The second time, we spent a lot of time with one of the muppeteers. He pretty much was there for the entire tour and had lots of insights and stories to tell. I don't remember seeing anything extra special for this one.
The third time, the highlight was definitely the office of Jim Henson's secretary and talking with her(I'm not sure if it's her office, or the office of Jim Henson.) There were so many cool things in there.
I only ever saw the mural and was in that board room that first time.
Most of the other things were the same or similar (like the starting movie, the sitting on a couch with kermit, etc.)
As well, over all, each time they seemed to take us to slightly different buildings or outside locations, and/or focused on different areas. Each time we spoke or interacted with a muppeteer, but only the second one was that the focus.
The office we saw was Brian Henson's, Jim's son. Last year we also saw the office and the board room, however the sound stage was being used that day. We also got the live and virtual puppet demos.
We've reached day 3 of the ABD, and this day is the main reason I'd imagine most people book a Backstage Magic ABD. Since we are switching hotels, luggage pickup was at 7 am just inside the door to your room. All ABDs include room to room luggage service during the trip, which is a nice perk for some of the longer trips where you stay in 4 different hotels. Breakfast was from 7 to 8:30, and after my suitcase disappeared I made my way down around 7:45. Same room and buffet as yesterday, which means another great meal and chance to talk with my fellow adventurers about our trip.
We met for the bus in the lobby and made our way over to the Walt Disney Studios, one of the ABD exclusive locations on this tour. Exactly what you see here varies based on what filming or other business is taking place on the day, and due to the actor strike, very little was happening. Our bus pulled in at 9 am, and we met with two VIP guides who would be giving us the tours. Our group started inside the original animation building, which was filled with artifacts from previous movies. Storyboards, background art, character sheets, basically all of the stages in going from script to movie. We also went in the basement to see the tunnel used to deliver cells over to the ink and paint shop across the road. One of the earlier expansions to the studios, Walt realized quickly after opening the buildings that having to walk unfinished cells outside was risky, so the tunnel allowed work to get done in all types of weather.
After exiting the main building, we continued to walk around outside past several soundstages and the Disney Movie Vault. An original copy of every Disney movie since they stopped using nitrate film. Older movies are kept in off-site fireproof vaults maintained by the Library of Congress, since an accidental spark around those would set the whole building ablaze. We posed for a quick photo in from of the Disney Studios Castle Sign and continued on.
Since the sets were not currently being used, we got to walk around inside a real soundstage! The show is Grown-Ish, which before the strike was in the middle of filming it's last season. I personally haven't seen it, but seeing how things are quickly build and made to look just real enough for the camera was interesting. Sometimes the indoor backyard set would actually be next to the house, and sometimes the areas next to each other were completely different. There were staircases to nowhere and entire walls that could swing open for cameras and lighting. While it's not guaranteed on every trip, this was one of the highlights of the day for me.
After exiting the soundstage, we headed to the Disney archives. We didn't go inside the archives lobby like last year, but they had a large display set up in the building entrance, with all sorts of props and park memorabilia. We also got to see one of the last surviving multiplane cameras, one of the first devices used to create depth in animated movies. While you always get to see something from the archives, it varies each trip. Finally, we head outside and spend a few minutes in Legends Plaza. Home to plaques honoring all of the Disney legends, along with a larger version of the actual Legends award and the only partners statue you're able to walk right up next to and pose with. We had time to browse and take photos with any of the names, and our guides were there to assist. As small a thing as that is, having someone always around to get your entire group in a picture is another one of those little things which adds to the value of a group trip like this. There is one more surprise I'm going to keep that way, and then we head to lunch.
Lunch today is at the Studios commissary. We each receive a voucher for our meal and can grab whatever we want. In addition, we also get some time to shop in the Studio store. The front portion of the store is your typical Disney store, maybe better stocked than the ones which used to exist in your local mall. The real treat is a smaller room towards the back, where they have the employee-exclusive merchandise. Definitely make this your first stop before lunch, just to make sure you get the sizes you want, since our groups tend to leave the shelves bare. However, this is only the first exclusive shopping trip of the day, so don't blow your entire budget at once.
After buying a few shirts and exclusive pins, I did make my way across the street to the commissary. I got a bowl of Walt's favorite chili, which I've never tried before, some salmon and rice, cookies, and lemonade to drink. The fish and rice was tasty, and Walt's chili was pretty bland in my opinion, so I added some hot sauce and that made it a lot better. I had managed to finish shopping and eating quickly, so I had a few minutes to sit and relax before we boarded the bus for Imagineering.
This will be a pretty short section, since there are many secrets hiding inside Imagineering that I don't want to spoil. If you really want to, you can find them online from others, and it varies every trip. Two imagineers meet us in front of the building, and our two groups split again to cover more ground. There are two things I will spoil here, since they are pretty widely known about or already public. The first is the Marty Sklar collection. For those who don't know, Marty was one of the original Imagineers who worked directly with Walt and continued working for the company all the way up until 2009. He passed away in 2017, and like many other Imagineers, he kept thousands of artifacts from his time working as Disney. Everything from old in-park newspapers to a media parking sticker from Disneyland opening day. The collection debuted to the public at the 2022 D23 Expo, but our group got a private viewing inside the Imagineering library.
The second spoiler is the sculpture room. This is park of every ABD, and contains hundreds of scale model sculptures Imagineers use to create the larger ones you see in the parks and on the ships. It also contains the original marble statues from Snow White's grotto in Disneyland park. They have since been replaced with replicas outside, but this tour allows you to see and pose for a quick photo with the originals. After seeing some other cool secret things, we meet up outside for the second exclusive shopping opportunity, Mickey's of Glendale. This store is significantly larger than the Studios employee section and filled with merchandise you can't buy anywhere else for attractions, movies, characters, home decor, and on our trip, the 70th anniversary of Imagineering. This is where I personally spend the most money, and I haven't regretted it yet!
These two tours alone are enough to fill a day, however we are now off to the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland! It's about a 90 minute bus ride to the Grand Californian, our home for the rest of the trip. The guides, of course, are prepared with water, snacks, and a movie to make the drive a bit more fun. This is where I like to put my headphones in and zone out, since the tours are a lot to take in and process in a short amount of time. LA traffic wasn't too bad today, and before we knew it the bus pulled onto Disneyland Drive. Ralph and Summer-Rose quickly explained the check-in procedure, and we went inside to get our keys and Disneyland tickets.
For dinner tonight, Kevin personally modified the trip. Rather than eat at Storytellers Cafe, the buffet inside the Grand Cal and usual part of the trip, we all received $40 disney dining cards to use at our leisure. And just like that, we were free to explore the parks. My first stop was Runaway Railway in Disneyland, more to see the new queue than anything else. While I can't remember the exact order, I also got in rides on Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Jungle Cruise, Smuggler's run, several Fantasyland attractions, Big Thunder, and redeemed the Haunted Mansion lightning lane provided by ABD today. Dinner was at Bengal BBQ, where I had one chicken, one beef, and one tiger tail. The chicken was a little dry, but the beef was delicious, and I would gladly make it a point to grab a few of those. For dessert, I went to Tropical Hideaway next door and got a mango dole whip float. It was a delicious combo I would also get again.
As we checked into the hotel, we were also given times to tour Walt's apartment this evening. The times split us up into smaller groups, since it's only around a 400 ft^2 studio. At 7:20, we met with Summer-Rose and one of the VIP tour guides to head backstage and up the stairs above the firehouse. Walt and Lillian personally spent many days and nights here, entertaining their grandchildren and supervising new additions to the park. It's themed to the turn of the century, although it has a modern for the time kitchenette and full bathroom. Walt always made sure to keep plenty of toys around for the kids, a punch bowl for serving guests, and baby bottles for the youngest visitors. This is my second time up there, and it was just as magical as before.
Last, but certainly not least, ABD reserved our group a viewing area for Wonderous Journeys, the new for Disney 100 fireworks show at Disneyland Park. We had a great location, just to the right of the castle, with clear views of the fireworks and projections. Normally I wouldn't make a huge deal out of something like this, but later in the trip I saw people reserving spots for the show over two hours ahead of time, so maybe it was a plus not to deal with those crowds.
I stayed in the park until 11:30 before slowly making my way back to the Grand Cal and went right to bed. The Disneyland days are even earlier than Hollywood, so as tempting as it is to stay in the parks past midnight, it's important to get some sleep. I feel like I used the word "exclusive" quite frequently in this report, because that's really what this day is. You can sometimes see a small portion of what this trip covers through D23, but those spots are difficult to get. No other experience goes as in-depth as we do, and for a Disney fan, that's something difficult to put a price on (not that Disney can't figure it out). This day really cements my opinion that ABD is the best way to see Disneyland.
Just a couple comments:
At first, I felt bad that the group wasn't going to be able to visit the archives (it was closed), but the Marty Sklar private exhibition was so cool. I think that made up for it pretty well, although I do think missing the archives was a slight negative overall.
Also, I think this is the first time I've actually been inside a Disney Soundstage (I've been in plenty of others on other studio tours), so that was very nice. It's possible I was in one for the D23 studio tour I was on, but can't remember.
I do wish that ABD group is able to see Walt's office, but Summer-Rose explained why that isn't really doable (I saw it on the D23 studio tour).
The disney dining cards were nice touch and allowed more flexibility, although in the past we've also gotten them at least on one of my previous tours if I remember correctly.
Imagineering was, as always, amazing. I think the only negative I had here compared to previous trips was the simulation of the Frozen boat ride. Previous trips had a much better use of that room that were more interactive.
We were pretty tired that day, so as soon as the fireworks were over, we left to go to sleep. This day by far is the most exhausting. It was also pretty hot that day.
1) the ABD groups are just too big and would require to be split up into too many smaller groups, since only so many can fit at a time.
2) Kids are no longer allowed in the office (I can't remember for sure if I had my son with me for the visit I had in the office. It's possible I didn't), which would cause problems obviously.
3) The third unspoken reason is that they just can't get clearance to see it. Of course I am not sure if this is true, but I do know it is rare they let people see it.
1) the ABD groups are just too big and would require to be split up into too many smaller groups, since only so many can fit at a time.
2) Kids are no longer allowed in the office (I can't remember for sure if I had my son with me for the visit I had in the office. It's possible I didn't), which would cause problems obviously.
3) The third unspoken reason is that they just can't get clearance to see it. Of course I am not sure if this is true, but I do know it is rare they let people see it.
I'd go with #3. There may be other issues (staffing, conflicts?) that don't allow a trip to the office while the tour is there. There are a very limited number of people who are authorized to conduct tours of the office. Those people are not ABD people. They are (most likely) archive CM's and their duties may preclude their being there when the ABD tour is there.
Just a couple comments:
At first, I felt bad that the group wasn't going to be able to visit the archives (it was closed), but the Marty Sklar private exhibition was so cool. I think that made up for it pretty well, although I do think missing the archives was a slight negative overall.
Also, I think this is the first time I've actually been inside a Disney Soundstage (I've been in plenty of others on other studio tours), so that was very nice. It's possible I was in one for the D23 studio tour I was on, but can't remember.
I do wish that ABD group is able to see Walt's office, but Summer-Rose explained why that isn't really doable (I saw it on the D23 studio tour).
The disney dining cards were nice touch and allowed more flexibility, although in the past we've also gotten them at least on one of my previous tours if I remember correctly.
Imagineering was, as always, amazing. I think the only negative I had here compared to previous trips was the simulation of the Frozen boat ride. Previous trips had a much better use of that room that were more interactive.
We were pretty tired that day, so as soon as the fireworks were over, we left to go to sleep. This day by far is the most exhausting. It was also pretty hot that day.
I agree about both the Marty Sklar exhibit and Archives. I guess you can't see everything every time.
I remember at one point they tried letting a few VIP groups into Walt's office, but I imagine it was starting to show some wear and tear from all the people heading inside, so the Studios cut back.
Last year we actually didn't visit that particular room in Imagineering, so it was neat to see. I actually think that was the only new location I saw. Some of the objects in other rooms were different, but the rooms were the same.
I enjoyed the buffet last year because it did force another small break, but I understand why they did the dining cards instead. It also let's you fill up on snacks if you want to.
And yes, it's a long day. The two tours include a lot of walking.
Thanks for posting the picture inside Walt's apartment. It confirms that they have changed the lamp by the window, the one that symbolizes Walt's spirit in the park.
I was at Disneyland earlier this month and noticed that the lamp seemed different from what I remembered. I'm including a photo from our 2018 visit.
Thanks for posting the picture inside Walt's apartment. It confirms that they have changed the lamp by the window, the one that symbolizes Walt's spirit in the park.
I was at Disneyland earlier this month and noticed that the lamp seemed different from what I remembered. I'm including a photo from our 2018 visit.
When we stopped at the WDFM in San Francisco a few years ago they also had a lamp from Walt's apartment. They explained that over the years several different lamps had been there.
When we stopped at the WDFM in San Francisco a few years ago they also had a lamp from Walt's apartment. They explained that over the years several different lamps had been there.
Yeah,
on one of the tours of the apartment maybe 4-5 years ago, I asked about the lamp, and they basically said that the lamp has changed (and/or is rotated) many times. They stressed that it isn't the lamp that is important, but the idea of what it represents. As long as the lamp looks like something that would exist at that time, and matches the overall ambiance of the room, that is all that matters.
Yeah,
on one of the tours of the apartment maybe 4-5 years ago, I asked about the lamp, and they basically said that the lamp has changed (and/or is rotated) many times. They stressed that it isn't the lamp that is important, but the idea of what it represents. As long as the lamp looks like something that would exist at that time, and matches the overall ambiance of the room, that is all that matters.
You know, I'd never really even thought about it, but when I was there (not with ABD) they even had a lit Christmas tree in that spot instead of a lamp.
You know, I'd never really even thought about it, but when I was there (not with ABD) they even had a lit Christmas tree in that spot instead of a lamp.
Yes, they put a tree in the front window but the lamp is still there, moved to the corner window (behind your left shoulder).
I did a Walt’s Main Street tour last month that includes a visit to the apartment and the patio; the CM guide said the lamp remained lit all through the Covid closure.
Thanks to everyone for the clarifications about the lamp.
When Disneyland reopened, I remember watching a video Disney released just before the reopening. They started with the lamp. It's still posted on YouTube:
Yes, they put a tree in the front window but the lamp is still there, moved to the corner window (behind your left shoulder).
I did a Walt’s Main Street tour last month that includes a visit to the apartment and the patio; the CM guide said the lamp remained lit all through the Covid closure.
Day 4 begins at a surprisingly reasonable time in the Grand Californian lobby. After walking in the room just before midnight last night, we met up at 7:30 and used our hotel's separate entrance into California Adventure. Breakfast for the Disneyland portion varies each day, rather than being inside the hotel, so no need to worry about eating before. The group walked over to Carthay Circle for a quick talk about the history of the original theater and it's duplicate inside the park. If you have the chance to at least walk inside at some point, there are some great pictures of Walt and other early Disney celebrities around the restaurant.
Our first real stop of the day is breakfast at Pym Test Kitchen, located in Avengers Campus. One of the newer restaurants in DCA, they serve food with interesting portions, such as massive pretzels and tiny eggs. Summer-Rose explained what we could order that was included with the trip, and Ralph followed that up by letting us know we could get whatever we wanted (it was a theme by this point in the trip). The breakfast menu is actually pretty small: the giant pretzel, breakfast platter, plant-based breakfast platter, cinnamon french toast, and the dessert candy bar. I had the regular breakfast platter and candy bar, same meal as last year, and a creamy pear drink that I can't remember the name of and don't see on the menu any more. The breakfast platter is OK, not my favorite, but the cinnamon toast would've been way too much sugar that early in the morning.
After breakfast, we all conveniently have a lightning lane for Webslingers loaded on our tickets, so we head in as a group for some friendly competition. Summer-Rose and I had a car to ourselves and just managed to pass 500,000 for the group. While last year I won in a landslide, this year we had some much tougher competition. I was happy with 3rd overall and a score of 250,500. Not my best score ever, but not the worst. I still need to learn some of the secret combos like they have in Midway Mania.
Up next is my favorite attraction in DCA, Radiator Springs Racers. We also had a lightning lane waiting on our tickets for this one, and after a 20 minute breakdown we eventually got on the ride. Everything from the theming to animatronics to ride system on this ride is amazing, and even though I feel like a lot of adults don't care for the Cars movies, they were some of my favorites as a kid. I even left the theater after Cars 2 thinking "I liked that". Lots of fun, although I think I lost this time around. I really enjoy these group rides, even though it seems like such a small thing.
Even though it's pretty well known and happens on every Backstage Magic, I'll use spoiler text for the next group activity:
After getting off RSR, we walk over to the gate between Carsland and San Fransokyo to head backstage. We walk as a group past the parade storage and into the Radiator Springs Racers maintenance bay. This is probably my favorite part of the trip. Since each car is basically an independent self-driving electric car connected to a track, there is a lot of technology in them that keeps the ride moving and safe. They get a complete rebuild every few years, along with regular tire changes, inspections, and greasing. We can also see the monitoring screens for all the animatronics and cars out on the track. This was my favorite part of my previous trip, and still one of the highlights this time around.
After that super-not-so-secret activity, we were free for lunch in the form of a $25 dining card. The guides did take some pictures in front of the Carsland backdrop for anyone who wanted them. I wasn't too hungry at this point, so I hopped right back on Radiator Springs Racers in the single rider line and waited maybe 20 minutes to get on. Now I was hungry, and managed to get a short waitlist for one at the Carthay Circle al fresco dining. The meal began with a Side Car and continued with the North African chicken breast, both of which were delicious. Some of the prices are high here, but the chicken at $26 I actually think is very reasonable.
Once again full and hydrated, I walked down Hollywood Blvd just to see what the situation was with Rogers the Musical, and to my surprise, there was almost no standby line 10 minutes before showtime. I went in the queue and 2 minutes later was directed to the upper deck of the theater (be warned, it's a lot of steps). The musical was sufficiently cheesy and pretty funny if you're an Avengers fan. The singers and dancers also weren't half bad. The upper deck is very far up there, so I was practically looking directly down at the stage, but the steep seating meant I had a clear view of what was going on. Disney does sell premium viewing for $29, which several others in the group did and enjoyed, but I was happy with the option of not waiting and not worrying about a virtual queue. I did check later just to see, and you can get a VQ to the afternoon shows without much of an issue. Definitely try to get a VQ if you can, but it also never hurts to show up and check.
Right before our group split up, the guides did mention a special treat for the afternoon in reserved seating for the Magic Happens parade in Disneyland park, so I decided to hop over there a little before the 3:30 start time. I did not take too many photos, so my memory is a little fuzzy, but I did ride Runaway Railway, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, the Storybook Boats, and Snow White before emerging from under the castle to join up with the group. In addition to the two from this morning, we had 5 more lightning lanes that were good anywhere except Rise of the Resistance and Runaway Railway, so by combining those with single rider lines, you can really cover ground in the parks. Summer-Rose was waiting with a bag full of Italian ices at our viewing spot was next to the churro cart in front of the castle. Wo we had a completely unobstructed view of the show and could really see the details on the floats. It's a great parade and I highly recommend seeing it. If you don't have a reserved spot or want to get there early, right in front of City Hall or Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln has plenty of room last-minute if you don't mind standing for the show.
After the parade, we were now really on our own for the rest of the evening. I continued around Disneyland, getting rides on Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Space Ranger Spin, probably Matterhorn a few more times, and then attempted to get into Cafe Orleans. The waitlist time was 45 minutes, however when I walked by the front of the restaurant, I saw a couple from our group who said they've been waiting 30 minutes and counting past the reservation time to get seated, so I cancelled the waitlist and got a burger at Hungry Bear restaurant instead. It was surprisingly good, with a good sized burger patty and lots of cheese. And more importantly, it had no mobile order wait and was a 5 minute walk away. I wouldn't rush back, but it's a solid backup. They also serve beignets, and I'm not sure if that's temporary due to the julep stand being closed or permanent, but there's no line to get them.
After dinner, I hopped on Big Thunder right as the fireworks were going off. If I don't feel like watching from in front of the castle, this is my second favorite way to see them. After getting off, I made my way back to Galaxy's Edge to take advantage of a 20 minute ROTR wait (thank you fireworks!) and get on single rider for Smuggler's Run. Rise is always great, and anything less than 45 minutes is pretty much an instant ride for me. I think it's also the first time seeing Kylo Ren's B-mode in-person. I've had surprisingly good luck with him working in Orlando. Smuggler's run isn't the best by yourself, or even as a group of two, but the single rider line puts you right inside the Falcon's lounge room with no wait, so it's fun just to walk around there for a minute or two.
On the way out of Galaxy's Edge I grabbed a blue milk, my favorite even though I like them both, and walked over to Fantasyland for the last few rides of the night: Snow White, Pinocchio, and Peter Pan to end it. As someone who spends more time in WDW than Anaheim, it's important to get as many rides in on the classics as you can. Sadly Mr. Toad was down for refurbishment, but thanks to taking this advice last trip, I can practically see the entire ride in my head. Tomorrow is the earliest day of the entire trip, so I walked out of the Disneyland gates around 11 and headed back to the room, but not before taking in the lights on Main Street for a while. The hub and Main Street at night are some of my favorite places in Disney parks. You just feel the magic as everyone else is recapping their days, talking about their best memories. Sticking around as late as possible is my last recommendation for today's report.
I mentioned earlier that the Carsland Surprise was one of my highlights this week. Tomorrow morning is my favorite memory from the whole trip, so stay tuned!
Three points I’d like to add: on my previous two abds, we also did Soarin behind the scenes, which was about as cool as the cars behind the scenes. Not sure why we didn’t do it this time. I,e before this trip, we did both cars and soarin.
the first abd I went on they took us on a tour of the 1903 lounge in Cathay circle, which is club 33 lounge. They don’t do that anymore. i feel lucky To have seen it.
finally, on the cars behind the scenes, we went up to the area where that large screen was so we can more closely look at it, which was definitely a plus. We didn’t this time. The Impression I got from summer rose is that they didn’t do that this time because of the accessibility Issues of some of the guests wouldnt allow them to get up there. Not sure…
thia is my only slight negative on this tour nowadays. I get that some or even most people want to just be let loose and ride what they want at Disneyland. But Ive been at Disneyland enough that I want to see stuff I usually can’t see. And I don’t even mind seeing the same thing as on other ABD trips like the cars ride, you learn something new each time. I didn’t come on this trip for the 4 day pass at Disneyland, there are much cheaper ways to get that. The Disneyland by ourselves should be an nice add on, but it seemed, especially on this day, that it was the main event.
the highlight of the day for me was the parade, but mainly because I didn’t see it before In person. It was so fun.
I saw rogers the musical as well, and it was cool, but not a must see.
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