You Only Turn 40 Once - A Pre-trip Report

[dolphingirl47]

Glad you added Waimea Falls to your day. It really is a lovely place. I can't remember the walk out at all and what the path was like. But then, it was quite a few years ago since we were there.

It sounds like we will be OK. I am sure if it had been a difficult walk, you would remember.

This sounds like a very worthy addition.

Yes, this should be really nice.

Corinna

 

[franandaj]

Interesting that swimming in a pool with a waterfall is on your bucket list. I'm glad you will get to tick it off. For some reason, I am plenty content to look at a waterfall from afar, but that's why it's great we are all different. Makes the world go round.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Interesting that swimming in a pool with a waterfall is on your bucket list. I'm glad you will get to tick it off. For some reason, I am plenty content to look at a waterfall from afar, but that's why it's great we are all different. Makes the world go round.

I am a big water baby at the best of times and anything a little out of the ordinary draws me like a magnet. I have swam in mountain rivers and lakes when I still lived in Germany. I really wanted to swim in volcanic pools when were were in Madeira, but the surf had other ideas.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have done a number of behind the scenes tour at Walt Disney World, but have never done one at Disneyland. I have decided to put this right on this trip. I found out about this tour when Pam (Pinkocto) did this last year and decided that this is right up my street. I am passionate about history at the best of times and if it is history linked to anything Disney, it is even better. In the past I have had the chance to ride in the Lilly Belle Presidential Parlor Car and and also had the chance to visit the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. I even visited Walt Disney's final resting place.That leaves one last must do as far as Disney history is concerned: a visit to Walt's apartment inside Disneyland. Now this is normally easier said than done as access is severely restricted. However, through Pam's trip report I found out that a visit to the apartment is included in the tour. In the past it also included a visit to the lobby of Club 33, but this has not been the case since the refurbishment. I am OK with this.





The check in is half an hour before the tour starts at Tour Gardens. I have been told that when I get there, I will make my choices for lunch, which will be provided by the Jolly Holiday bakery. The tour will then start promptly at 9:30.

From the various reviews I have read, you are given a headset through which the tour guide communicates with the group and that is also used for snippets of audio of Walt Disney himself. I know that one such snippet is the dedication speech for Disneyland. The tour visits various points in the park that had significance to Walt. The tour also includes two original attractions. In the reviews I read it was either Peter Pan's Flight or Mr Toad's Wild Ride plus The Enchanted Tiki Room or Great Moments with Mr Lincoln. Either of the rides would be fine by me. I don't think I have ever managed to do Peter Pan's Flight at Disneyland as the lines are usually quite long. As far as the second attraction is concerned, I would much prefer Great Moments with Mr Lincoln.





At the end of the tour, we will get the chance to visit Walt's apartment. Unfortunately I won't be allowed to take any photos of this part of the tour, but I have read that they take one photo of you inside the apartment. That will do me nicely. We will then have our lunch and then the tour finishes.

Once the tour is finished, I have to pick up my Photopass+ lanyard. I also assume that this will be the time to find a Photopass photographer to have my photo for the annual pass taken. I doubt that I manage this before the tour. I am also hoping to get some rides done in the afternoon. Haunted Mansion Holiday and It's A Small World Holiday are must dos and Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear and Alice in Wonderland are high on the list, too. I think by about 16:00, I will probably start to get tired and will head back to the hotel. We have no dinner plans that evening. We may head for Trader Sam's or the Hearthstone Lounge for drinks and some light bites or we may have dinner at Naples at Downtown Disney. Whatever we end up choosing, I am sure that we will be ready for our bed once we had dinner.

 

[franandaj]

That tour sounds like a lot of fun and history. I've never done it, though I have had some of the experiences that you get. What day did you book this for?

 

[PrincessInOz]

The Walk in Walt's Footsteps is a very popular tour with the DisAussies. I think you're going to enjoy it.

Glad you booked in for that one.

 

[Chilly]

I got very behind but i'm all caught up now, just in time as its not long till you are off. I'm very jealous as it all sounds fabulous and our trip isn't until November next year, so long to wait.

 

[Pinkocto]

I'm glad you booked this, being in Walt's apartment was beyond magical. The rest of the tour was ok, lots of walking and information that you'll probably already know. Lunch was really good though. We didn't get to ride Peter Pan because it was down, but they gave us FPs to ride it after the tour.

 

[dolphingirl47]

That tour sounds like a lot of fun and history. I've never done it, though I have had some of the experiences that you get. What day did you book this for?

I am really looking forward to this. I have booked this for November 11th. We will have an early breakfast with Stitch at the hotel and then I head straight there.

The Walk in Walt's Footsteps is a very popular tour with the DisAussies. I think you're going to enjoy it.

Glad you booked in for that one.

That was the tour I was really worried about selling out. I did read that sometimes it sells out pretty much as soon as the booking window opens. I was supposed to be on a late shift that day and actually swapped with a colleague that I was home that day.

I got very behind but i'm all caught up now, just in time as its not long till you are off. I'm very jealous as it all sounds fabulous and our trip isn't until November next year, so long to wait.

I think it is going to be amazing and I have yet to post about to other amazing things and one of them will be positively out of this world. I have to pinch myself every now and again to make sure that I have not just dreamed it.

I'm glad you booked this, being in Walt's apartment was beyond magical. The rest of the tour was ok, lots of walking and information that you'll probably already know. Lunch was really good though. We didn't get to ride Peter Pan because it was down, but they gave us FPs to ride it after the tour.

I am not actually sure how much I will already know. When I started to read reviews, I learned a whole lot I did not know before.

Corinna

 

[jedijill]

You will really enjoy the tour! The lunch is delicious (try the Matterhorn Macaroon if you like coconut!) and you'll learn a lot about Walt. I loved seeing the original attractions.

Jill in CO

 

[dolphingirl47]

You will really enjoy the tour! The lunch is delicious (try the Matterhorn Macaroon if you like coconut!) and you'll learn a lot about Walt. I loved seeing the original attractions.

Jill in CO

I love coconut so I have to remember this. Thanks for the tip.

Corinna

 

[petals]

Hey 20 mins until trip month!

When you booked the Walk in Walt's footsteps tour were you able to get a print out of your reservation number anywhere like you would with the character meals or do you just take the written down number to the tour check in area?

 

[dolphingirl47]

Hey 20 mins until trip month!

When you booked the Walk in Walt's footsteps tour were you able to get a print out of your reservation number anywhere like you would with the character meals or do you just take the written down number to the tour check in area?

I had every intention to stay up until midnight, but I crashed shortly after 22:00.

I tried adding the confirmation number to the page with the dining reservations, but this did not work. For this tour and the Holiday Tour I do not have a print out. I have just added the confirmation numbers to my spreadsheet where I have put dates, times and confirmation numbers of all the stuff that I have prebooked and I will just take this.

Corinna

 

[petals]

I had every intention to stay up until midnight, but I crashed shortly after 22:00.

I tried adding the confirmation number to the page with the dining reservations, but this did not work. For this tour and the Holiday Tour I do not have a print out. I have just added the confirmation numbers to my spreadsheet where I have put dates, times and confirmation numbers of all the stuff that I have prebooked and I will just take this.

Corinna

That's why I was wondering because I tried adding it to the website to get a print out but I've written it in what will be my trip journal so I'm presuming that will be ok

 

[PrincessInOz]

I think you've officially ticked over to trip month.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I think you've officially ticked over to trip month.

Yes, I have.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

As Princess in Oz pointed out, I can now officially say that I am going on holiday this month. Today is also my single digit day so this feels really special. I am definitely in the closing stages of the planning process.

My Keen sandals arrived yesterday and I have to say initially I was not quite sure what to make of them. I decided to start the breaking in process when we went to town today and they are honestly the most comfortable thing I ever had on my feet.

I am still waiting on my new debit card, but I am hoping that this will arrive early next week.

I managed to reschedule the Movie Sites & Ranch Tour on the North Shore that it is now at 11:45 instead of 13:00 to give us more time for the rest of the North Shore. This should work much better.

So this is me pretty much done. I still have to print off the last of the documents which I will do once I have done my online check in for Aulani and then I just need to make sure I get everything done at work and pack. This feels pretty good.

Corinna

 

[Pinkocto]

Single digit dance!!!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Single digits as well!!

Woo Hoo!


Hope the Keen's work out.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Single digit dance!!!!!

Thanks.

Single digits as well!!

Woo Hoo!


Hope the Keen's work out.

Thanks. So far, so good.

Corinna