Disneyland 101: First-Timer Tips with Stephanie Breeden

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What about the spinning wheel of death?
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Do you like the spinning wheel of death?
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So when I go on the spinning wheel of death, I get in the non-spinning car.
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All right, that's fine.
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But it's one of my favorite photo spots, so it's phenomenal.
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Wait, you're talking about the Ferris wheel thing.
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Yeah, but the one that moves.
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Did you have to do options?
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You can get in a stationary, yes, where you can get in a elliptical loop.
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Half of my family goes with me on the stationary.
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The other half goes to their doom.
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See, I wouldn't be able to ride it because I don't do heights very well.
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But I just recently saw a TikTok where they didn't tell the grandma about the ride and she was freaking out.
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I'm like that would be me.
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I would kill my family if they did that.
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To me.
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It was, it would not be pretty, but I'll never ride that.
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There's no way.
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Welcome back to another episode of Going Beyond the Castle.
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We're super excited to be here.
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As always, I am your host, fred Briley, and with me, as always, is my fabulous co-host, podcast princess, lori Calimo.
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We have a special guest with us this week, but I'll let Lori dive into a little bit about her a little bit later on.
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Before we dive into today's episode, I want to give two shout outs.
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One, first of all, to all of those that are joining us, watching with us each week, listening along, as always.
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You know we super appreciate you guys.
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It is a blessing to be able to do this every week and just get to talk about things that are super passionate to us, and it's even more of a blessing to have people that are right there beside us, just you know, enjoying the excitement with us.
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So definitely shout out to you guys.
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Second, shout out to Park Ears.
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For the dudes that are out there who have always been envious of the females because they get ears.
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You should definitely check out.
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Park Ears Recently found out about them.
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Absolutely fabulous company.
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They have magnetic ears that will go on top of your hat so you can join in with your wife, girlfriend, your daughters, whoever it is, so you can join into the park fun.
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And, of course, I got this cool hat off of it that says I'd much rather be at disney, which is always true.
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So, yeah, definitely check them out if you guys are looking for some ears to wear for the men.
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But with that being said, I I will turn it over to Lori.
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Lori will introduce our guests.
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She wants to dive into some announcements.
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I'm going to get Josh and Braden some of those ears for me.
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We'll see if they wear them.
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Yeah not going to happen, so we've had some guests on before.
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But I am super excited because this is one of my favorite people, stephanie.
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Stephanie and I met through our agency.
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We both are agents for Mouse Counselors and so that brought us together and we've become really good friends and so I'm super excited to have one of my TA besties.
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As I call on the show, stephanie is going to give us a little trip report on her recent trip to Disneyland.
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She's been many times, but we're super excited to talk about Disneyland, especially with someone who has been there, so you can give a little more insight than than Fred and I have done.
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So super excited to have Stephanie with us today.
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So we'll go into a little bit of announcements and then we'll kind of kick off our episode.
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Not too many, cause I want us to have a lot of time to spend with Stephanie and it's she's an hour ahead of us, so it's a little late.
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So we'll get rolling here.
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Fred and I like to go off on a deep end sometimes.
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Mostly me so we'll get started.
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So just recently, if you have a Disney Visa card, they released a new promotion for free dining.
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It is on select dates, but starting in June and through December there are some blackout dates.
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So if you have a Disney visa, if you already have a trip booked, make sure you look to see if you qualify for that.
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If not, then you can reach out to Fred or I and we can help you get that taken care of.
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And then I don't know if you guys knew this, but when I was doing some quick research they announced some new information on the Spaceship Earth lounge, which Fred and I kind of talked about a little bit before.
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I'm not really a lounge person when I go to Disney, but I didn't realize this is an adults only lounge.
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Yeah, no, I don't think it was supposed to be.
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I think they changed it to be an adult.
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Because I was like when I saw that, I'm like I didn't see that.
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So it says adults ages 21 and up.
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So it'd be interesting to see how many.
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I guess Epcot, though I could see it, cause it's more people.
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Leave my kids at the door and be like bye.
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Can't they need to have like a little play area at the front, like drop your kids off?
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Um, there's, uh, a few, three new dining experiences coming to Disneyland.
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They have paint the Night dining package at Plaza Inn, so you can have lunch and then get a reservation for Paint the Night.
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The nighttime parade, there's Donald's Tale of Adventure Buffet at Storyteller Cafe and then the Docking Bay 7 food and cargo nighttime gathering.
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So that's new things that are starting.
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They kind of randomly one's in April, the other two are starting in May, I think.
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So where I just lost my, I lost you guys.
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Here we go.
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Okay, sorry about that.
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And then the screen just went blank.
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And then the only other thing I'm not going to like really talk about them too much, but they are putting out so much stuff about Epic right now that I'm like so excited I cannot wait, like right now that I'm like so excited I cannot wait Like all of the videos and all the stuff.
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So if you haven't been looking on social media, go check it out, because there's so many new things being shown about Epic.
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So I guess, that's the point to get everybody pumped up because it's opening soon.
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We're at 59 days and counting.
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Yeah, I'm excited.
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I'm so excited to do that in December.
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I'm excited for it to open in May because I will be at Disney World when it opens.
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So I'm hoping everybody goes that way and I can just enjoy.
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Disney World myself.
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Get less crowds.
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Yes.
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Yeah, so anyway, all right, so let's jump in so we can get some good conversation with Stephanie.
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So just some kind of background information.
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I know you said you've been to Disneyland a good bit, but give us a little history of your Disneyland adventures and kind of how you started with that.
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Yeah.
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So I joined the Navy in 2001 and my grandparents had moved to Southern California before I did that and so my grandmother was like super nervous about me going to boot camp and this was in March of 2001.
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So not really like a huge time to be nervous, just kind of being grandmotherly, and she's like why don't you come out for a visit?
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You know, hang out, we'll go to Disneyland.
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I had never been.
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And she took me and of course we had this magical time three nights, two days in the parks with my grandma, right before I left for boot camp.
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And after that I was stationed on the West Coast twice in Everett, washington, and I would drive all the way down the five from Seattle down to Southern California to visit my grandparents often and we would go.
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We would always stay at the Disneyland Hotel.
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I was like helping sort out all of her things.
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She passed away three months after my grandfather did so, both of them within three months, so we were sorting out their house and everything and we went once then and then since then we've been back five times.
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I absolutely love dis Disneyland.
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So it's hard being an East Coaster and loving Disneyland as much.
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I did take my entire family all three of my four daughters, my husband and my best friend went out last July.
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So it was the first time my husband had been and the first time my two youngest girls had been.
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So it was really fun too.
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But this trip was great, great.
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We were there for the first day of the food and wine festival at california adventure, so that made it extra special.
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There's not necessarily I don't think there's a bad time to visit southern california.
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Um, when I went two years ago it was the end of march.
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It was a little drizzly and dreary, but even then it was.
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The weather was so much better than it was back home sweet I forgot, um, I forgot that you were military too.
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I mean that just to connect, because fred is also military.
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So lots of, uh, military and it's all different branches, because you're no, you're army, right, fred.
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Yeah, that's what I was, too, so anyway so this army?
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so I gotcha, so I'll claim a little big, happy family, not during the army we can't all be perfect to join the Army.
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You know, this is okay.
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Here's the way we sidebar One of my family members because I didn't do the Marines.
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And so, like one of my uncles, like we would fight over the holidays because I didn't do the Marines, like him and my grandfather did.
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So I'm like, look, you're lucky I joined anything, because I wouldn't have made it to a Marine boot camp and anyway, so your recent trip you just went recently.
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How long was your stay there and who did you go with?
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So we went February 26th through March 1st, so three nights, four days and I took one of my best friends from here.
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He's a huge Disney fanatic named Kim and she went with me two years ago also, so it was really cool.
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She had gone with her daughters in between, so she's kind of like my go-to traveling buddy for Disneyland because she loves it just as much as I do.
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We actually did the main street tour when we went two years ago, so like we went into Walt's apartment.
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She's the kind of friend that like didn't make fun of me or ever bring it up again, that I was like bawling tears streaming down my face, you know having a moment like breathing in walt disney's, like dust laying around, because she was doing the exact same thing.
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So it's a lot of fun to travel to disney with her yeah, well, next time y'all go, let me know, because I'm I'm tagging along.
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I was like man, I should, I want to go, um.
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So that was that was it for my section, friend, man.
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Man, you've been a strong suite.
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All right, so we'll dive next into where you stayed at Disneyland.
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So when you guys went back to February, what resort did you guys stay on property, I assume.
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And then, because who stays off property?
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Like, let's be honest here?
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A lot of people at Disneyland it's like it's crazy and I get that the prices are high, but you cannot beat that off.
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ability like zero percent able to beat that, especially with how close everything is at disneyland anyway, before before we take another plane ride, uh.
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So where did you guys stay and what made you pick that resort?
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so we actually did a split stay.
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So we did the first three um or the first two nights at Grand Californian and well, technically we got in super late because, again flying East to West coast and we got in by the time we got settled it was like 11 PM.
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So we did stay off property the first night because we got an 11 PM and it didn't make any sense to like check in on property, so we stayed at the Marriott Convention Center that night.
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So then the next two nights we stayed at Grand Californian in just a regular standard room and then the last night because I had stayed at Disneyland Hotel so many times in California and before stayed at Pixar Place, so that that way I had a chance to visit all three resorts and we stayed club level in a full view room there.
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So what would you say?
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So I'm staying the grand california when I go in may.
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What would you say is like the vibe of the grand california definitely.
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In my opinion it's almost like the wilderness lodge versus like the grand floridian, right, because a lot of people will be like, oh, oh, it must be just like the Grand Floridian.
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But because you've got this majestic forest fame going on, california is so noted for Chip and Dale are kind of like the mascots, if you will.
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So very laid back, very crunchy, if you're into like labeling people as though they're going to be granola-esque on the West Coast.
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Muted tones throughout the whole hotel.
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They're going under extensive refurbishment right now so they did actually move our room, uh, because they were working on the room right above us.
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Both kim and I are very susceptible to migraines, so they were kind and moved us to the other side of the property, but like right now.
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For example, I will tell you one of the best perks of staying at the grand california is that entranceway directly into Grand California Adventure Park, but it's currently closed.
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Yeah.
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You got to walk a little bit further down to the Pixar Pier entrance and I think it's supposed to be back up before you go.
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That's what we're hoping.
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We'll see.
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We go May.
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We check in on May 4th, so we'll see.
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It's supposed to like go right to the beginning of may, so it'll be.
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I was thinking like the first or second, but that might.
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Yeah, disney likes to do things on disney's time sometimes and uh yeah what?
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how would you say like, how was the club level experience at pixar?
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so I would not stay club level again at pixar.
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I wouldn't pay the extra money to do it, honestly, and one of the reasons I did it was because I had heard through a bunch of like different circles with other TAs, but it was kind of subpar and so I wanted to see for myself.
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I didn't want to just take everybody else's word for it.
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It wasn't bad, but for the extra money.
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Honestly, the Disneyland Hotel is so iconic and nostalgic I would rather stay there than Pixar.
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And the walk is just a little bit further, and if you don't tell anybody, you can always exit out the Pixar exit.
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Nobody's going to stop you because they don't check when you exit, so that's not a big deal.
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I will say the coolest thing that happened, though and you can't beat this, and I think you would only find this the grand Californian literally almost bumped into Gwen Stefani in the lobby.
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Californian literally almost bumped into gwen stephanie in the lobby like she was there while we were there and I was walking and I like almost shoulder bumped somebody and I was like, oh my gosh, I turned around and she had like her iconic space fun.
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But I was like I looked at kim and I was like kim looked at me and I was like, was that gwen stephanie?
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She was like I don't know, it looks like when stephanie.
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And then we saw her again in the park and then she posted on her socials that she was there and I was like this wouldn't happen, doesn't happen at disney world like this.
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But like literally nobody was like I loved it, nobody was running up to her, everybody was giving her her own space.
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Ah yes, so definitely love grand california and so going back to the grand california right, it looks like a massive resort it is pretty big is it?
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Is it as big as it looks?
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oh funny, you asked because I had a bunch of stuff out and I was like looking at it earlier.
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So that's basically what the shape of it looks like.
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And then you know like a third of it butts up to downtown disney, and then a third of it on california adventure and then, like the last, maybe a little less than a third is kind of along the disneyland drive road, gotcha yeah I'm excited to stay there.
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I'm super excited.
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I was originally gonna stay off property because I was the only guy going and I was like there's no way I'm paying for a room by myself at disneyland.
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And then our like head travel agent lady was like there's another guy going.
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I was like give me his number or we're both, we're splitting a room yeah, I mean let's go with grand california and I was like so it's crazy because the good, no, go ahead.
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The chip and dale theming just like is really cute.
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And I have another one of our mouth counselor friends.
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Her daughter collects chip and dales and so like I was picking up little pins and little like magnets and everything for us, we were walking through oh, that's cute.
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Yeah, I was just gonna say how funny it is when, like with these agency trips because that was what I did the first time too is like the person that lived the closest.
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I'm like, okay, let me call them up and say, hey, let's go, because there's um one counselor that lives about an hour, she lives in mandeville, and so we're like hey, you want a room together?
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My family were like you don't think that's weird?
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I'm like, nope, nope, not at all never met this person, but we're gonna be besties for three days, right right.
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And then that's how I met stephanie and when we went in october we all shared it was what five of us in in the one room I mean we had the suite so it was sick, but, um, but yeah, no, absolutely, I'll stay with with my friends we will say, especially because we talk so much, pixar place is super cute.
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So like besides not wanting to say club level again and if you have somebody in your family who's a Pixar fan, they're just going to totally lose their mind you walk in and there's the big lamp and ball and everything like in the lobby and like I got I want to probably one of my favorite hats that I'll ever own.
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It's just a white hat with a pixar lamp and ball on the front of it and that's it doesn't say anything else.
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So it is super cute.
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So I would definitely put somebody there, recommend somebody stay there.
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um, I just wouldn't pay the extra money for club, for club again yeah, yeah, I think that my family would love it, would love it there, especially brayden.
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He's a pixar pixar kid.
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I think that my family would love it, would love it there especially Brayden.
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He's a Pixar, pixar kid, I think that's my section, yep.
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The next one's get a little bit longer, okay, so how many days did you spend in the parks and did you park hop?
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Yes, so we had three day park hoppers with advanced lightning lane multi-pass purchase and then full disclosure.
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I am a disabled veteran so I have like a VA rating and I have.
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I did the interview for the Disability Pass for Disneyland.
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So what I will tell you is, knock on wood, I've been really lucky in my experience with being able to advocate for myself and receiving accommodations.
00:17:01.503 --> 00:17:05.732
This time was such an outlier, it was the easiest thing I've ever done.
00:17:05.732 --> 00:17:16.048
They literally said we can see, you already have it for disney world, so we're just going to go ahead and add it on and I like my jaw the floor and I thought I was going to pass out.
00:17:16.048 --> 00:17:19.576
That has not been the experience that a lot of people have had.
00:17:19.576 --> 00:17:22.094
So and I have an annual pass to disney world.
00:17:22.094 --> 00:17:33.856
So I don't know if, maybe because they had lengthened the amount of time for it since I went last July, because, like, I had it for Disney World but they wouldn't have seen it because it wasn't hadn't extended as much.
00:17:33.856 --> 00:17:47.549
So I will say we had the lightning lane multi-pass which we always, always get, but we get it in addition to the DAS pass, which changes kind of like my trajectory of how I view my day a little bit.
00:17:47.710 --> 00:17:52.313
But absolutely we've done the DAS pass before and it it totally changes how you think about, which changes kind of like my trajectory of how I view my day a little bit.
00:17:52.373 --> 00:17:55.035
But absolutely We've done the DAS pass before and it totally changes how you think about your park days.
00:17:55.035 --> 00:17:55.255
Yeah, sweet.
00:17:55.275 --> 00:17:56.096
So did you Go ahead?
00:17:56.096 --> 00:17:58.917
No, I was going to say so and we definitely hopped every single day.
00:17:58.917 --> 00:18:00.019
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:00.038 --> 00:18:05.323
I know that the parks are smaller, but I still feel like I don't know.
00:18:05.323 --> 00:18:08.705
I go back and forth with.
00:18:08.705 --> 00:18:09.628
I don't think I could do base tickets anymore.
00:18:09.628 --> 00:18:14.429
At one point I'm like I just want to go and just stay, but now it's like no, I like being able to switch it up a little bit.
00:18:14.429 --> 00:18:15.751
So do you guys?
00:18:15.751 --> 00:18:18.657
Are you a rope drop family or sleep in?
00:18:20.586 --> 00:18:28.838
I can't remember from well, I think we kind of slept in so at this point, at this point, so like, if so, I'm going to epic in what did you say?
00:18:28.838 --> 00:18:31.568
There's 59 days until it opens.
00:18:31.568 --> 00:18:48.346
I'm going in 71 days to universal and, like, I will be a rope drop to park close as much as I possibly can be for that, right, yeah, I've been to disneyland enough, I've been to disney world enough that I'm like, uh, I'd like to get there for pre-park opening.
00:18:48.346 --> 00:18:50.173
If we have the, we have the perk.
00:18:50.173 --> 00:18:57.434
But I'm probably gonna need to come back in the middle of the day and I may or may not make it to the nighttime activities.
00:18:57.855 --> 00:19:01.711
Um, because I don't worry, a lot of times you guys don't make it to the nighttime activities.
00:19:01.711 --> 00:19:24.652
I am, but it's only because I've seen them before, right, so like if I hadn't experienced them before, then I really pushed myself, but I'm just tired and broken and sometimes, yeah, but this trip Kim went and she actually went off on her own for a little bit while I had something else that I was taking care of and she rope dropped.
00:19:24.652 --> 00:19:30.426
She did early entry and rope dropped, and then the next day, um, we both went at early entry.
00:19:30.426 --> 00:19:35.807
Like we were actually in line 20 minutes before I think they were even opening the first night.
00:19:35.807 --> 00:19:42.048
I stayed for the world of color, one we had like a specialty viewing area that we were in for, that which is super fun.
00:19:42.409 --> 00:19:49.865
I will tell you that phantasmic is my absolute favorite, favorite favorite nighttime show at disney world.
00:19:49.865 --> 00:20:05.253
I like it at disneyland, but if nobody's been before and fred, like if you haven't heard this, you don't have this grand stadium right like you're just sitting on the sidewalk, and so we always do the blue bayou every time we buy a dining package it.
00:20:05.574 --> 00:20:07.679
It's like on Rivers of America, isn't it?
00:20:07.984 --> 00:20:13.224
Yes, it's on Rivers of America and you sit on the concrete and it's like it's flat.
00:20:13.224 --> 00:20:17.336
So if you have something tall in front of you, you got to like reconfigure your party.
00:20:17.336 --> 00:20:25.251
At one point in time, when you did the dining package, they would give you like little garden knee pad things to sit on, but they don't do that since COVID.
00:20:25.251 --> 00:20:40.314
It's phenomenal and fantastic and there's a whole pirates element to it that you don't get at disney world, but for me it's like a two to three times and done because it's my bones are hurting but, we try to get up.
00:20:40.673 --> 00:20:42.718
You know 45 after it starts.
00:20:42.718 --> 00:20:44.165
Um, so we did see.
00:20:44.165 --> 00:20:45.809
We did see that we did not.
00:20:45.809 --> 00:20:49.136
Um, we watched the fireworks from pixar.
00:20:49.136 --> 00:20:49.877
You can watch it.
00:20:49.877 --> 00:20:52.432
Um, we went up to the rooftop.
00:20:52.432 --> 00:20:55.582
So the interesting thing about pixar's club is on level three.
00:20:55.582 --> 00:21:01.446
The other two resorts, their club level is like normal walt disney world club level, where it's a higher floor.
00:21:01.446 --> 00:21:08.546
So at pixar if you want to watch the fireworks and you have club, you actually go up to the rooftop pool area still instead.
00:21:08.826 --> 00:21:10.390
That's cool, yeah, what else do we?
00:21:10.390 --> 00:21:11.532
Have um.
00:21:11.532 --> 00:21:12.775
So are there any?
00:21:12.775 --> 00:21:13.175
Any?
00:21:13.175 --> 00:21:21.906
When you talked a little bit about the shows, are there any rides that you're like okay, I'm gonna hit this one first or like ones that you know you're not gonna miss when you go?
00:21:22.507 --> 00:21:26.470
so indiana jones is a multiple ride during the day.
00:21:26.470 --> 00:21:43.063
For me it is by far my favorite ride attraction other than Guardians of the Galaxy, cosmic Rewind at Epcot now, which I think is the best ride ever made at anywhere in the universe.
00:21:43.505 --> 00:21:49.348
Now I haven't seen this epic universe yet, but as of now, cosmic Rewind is phenomenal.
00:21:49.348 --> 00:22:02.298
Indiana Jones has one of those things that it's always been super nostalgic for me personally, just because a lot of people don't go to Disneyland when you're from the East Coast and so I love the sense spectacular.
00:22:02.298 --> 00:22:04.960
But man, we wrote it three times.
00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:09.883
The one day we rode it with Lightning Lane and then Standby and then the DASS.
00:22:09.883 --> 00:22:13.474
So if that tells you anything, that's how often.
00:22:13.474 --> 00:22:15.051
Also, pirates of the Caribbean.
00:22:15.788 --> 00:22:16.451
It is so different.
00:22:17.726 --> 00:22:20.796
At Disneyland, in my opinion, you actually have a spot where you go outside.
00:22:20.796 --> 00:22:22.612
The storyline is a little bit longer.
00:22:22.612 --> 00:22:29.598
The other two big differences I would say between Walt Disney World and Disneyland is Tiana's Bayou Adventure, the ride vehicle.
00:22:29.598 --> 00:22:31.551
Now it looks a little bit different.
00:22:31.551 --> 00:22:40.336
It's like a log flume, it's one person Like you sit four people back, Whereas at World it's two people and then two people and two people.
00:22:40.336 --> 00:22:49.698
And then the opposite is true at Space Mountain it's two people, two people, two people versus the log flume at World.
00:22:49.698 --> 00:22:52.855
So it's really kind of cool to compare them.
00:22:52.855 --> 00:23:03.156
And then for anybody that's a pin collector, for a couple of those rides that they have on both coasts and the railway, you can actually get a coast-to-coast pin.
00:23:03.156 --> 00:23:04.892
It's like a little spider pin.
00:23:04.892 --> 00:23:10.333
It'll have the world and the land, and so we started collecting a couple of those when we went last time.
00:23:10.373 --> 00:23:16.910
My kids love pins oh, that's awesome I would also say avengers campus cannot be beat.
00:23:16.910 --> 00:23:25.201
We are a huge mcu family and the fact that they own the rights on that side of the mississippi phenomenal they're actually expanding.
00:23:25.201 --> 00:23:36.454
So one of the things that I got to do while I was there was get a little bit of updated information and I know they released it at D23, but they're doubling the size of Avengers Campus, which I cannot wait to see.
00:23:36.454 --> 00:23:39.512
We got to one thing that we saw this time that I hadn't seen before.
00:23:39.512 --> 00:23:40.436
We'd always seen the shows.
00:23:40.436 --> 00:23:42.967
We'd always seen Spider-Man hanging around.
00:23:42.967 --> 00:23:55.655
They actually did like a little thing for kids where Captain America came out and then brought like a bunch of his Avenger friends and they took some kids from the audience and like taught them how to do like their famous moves.
00:23:55.655 --> 00:23:56.678
So that was pretty neat.
00:23:56.924 --> 00:23:59.787
I had not seen that show before the other.
00:23:59.787 --> 00:24:11.400
So San Francisco adorable, the updates that they did last year there for San Francisco and just tying in a franchise that I think historically gets lost a little bit with Big Hero 6.
00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:18.535
Especially for the boys that are going, I feel like sometimes they feel left out when they're at Disney.
00:24:18.535 --> 00:24:19.326
What about the?
00:24:19.788 --> 00:24:22.896
I don't know, and this is in notes, but I'm just curious about the Incredicoaster.
00:24:23.164 --> 00:24:26.231
I love the Incredicoaster, so it's fun.
00:24:26.231 --> 00:24:28.425
The only I like roller coasters.
00:24:28.425 --> 00:24:32.489
The only roller coaster that I really absolutely hate is Hulk at Universal Orlando.
00:24:32.489 --> 00:24:34.991
I black out on that thing every time I get on it.
00:24:34.991 --> 00:24:38.473
So, incredicoaster, the story is super cute.
00:24:38.473 --> 00:24:45.640
You go through and you see Jack, jack and Jack Jack throughout this whole storyline and it's just, it's thrilling.
00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:46.840
We really like it.
00:24:46.840 --> 00:24:52.330
The other thing that I would say is it was closed while we were there this trip.
00:24:52.330 --> 00:24:53.634
It's a small world.
00:24:53.634 --> 00:24:54.876
Walt disney world.
00:24:54.876 --> 00:25:01.516
It's a small world, doesn't hold a candle to the one at disneyland, which again goes outdoors.
00:25:01.516 --> 00:25:07.779
Right, you have like a section outdoors and it is based on the original world's fair model.
00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:16.689
So hopefully I can't remember when the refurbishment ends, fred, but hopefully it's back up before you guys go, because I'm hoping so top notch um.
00:25:16.869 --> 00:25:24.147
And then the other thing is there are a lot of rides at disneyland that don't offer express lightning lane.
00:25:24.147 --> 00:25:52.651
So it's a little different than world and it's a lot of the ones like the snow white mr toad's wild ride, like if you have the das pass there is, you know you go to the exit to go in, but it does, it's not on the traditional lightning lane the storybook boats, so a lot of those smaller rides and as much as I love magic kingdom, I will say there are 30 plus rides with no height restrictions at Disneyland.
00:25:52.651 --> 00:25:54.664
Like it's kind of amazing.
00:25:54.664 --> 00:25:56.792
It's such a family-friendly park, fun.
00:25:57.807 --> 00:25:59.093
What about the spinning wheel of death?
00:25:59.093 --> 00:26:00.671
Do you like the spinning wheel of death?
00:26:00.845 --> 00:26:04.371
So when I go on the spinning wheel of death, I get in the non-spinning car.
00:26:04.592 --> 00:26:05.334
All right, that's fine.
00:26:05.644 --> 00:26:09.395
But it's one of my favorite photo spots, so it's phenomenal.
00:26:09.806 --> 00:26:11.184
Wait, you're talking about the Ferris wheel thing.
00:26:12.209 --> 00:26:13.272
Yeah, but the one that moves.
00:26:13.664 --> 00:26:15.051
Did you have two options?
00:26:15.051 --> 00:26:20.355
You can get in a stationary car where you can get in an elliptical loop.
00:26:20.355 --> 00:26:26.791
Half of my family goes with me on the stationary, the other half goes to their doom.
00:26:27.334 --> 00:26:31.796
Yeah, see, I wouldn't be able to ride it because I don't do heights very well.
00:26:31.796 --> 00:26:39.309
But I just recently saw a TikTok where they didn't tell the grandma about the ride and she was like freaking out.
00:26:39.309 --> 00:26:43.335
I'm like that would be me, like I would kill my family if they did that to me.
00:26:43.335 --> 00:26:46.230
It would not be pretty, but I'll never ride that.
00:26:46.444 --> 00:26:54.145
There's no way I can't so if you're in the stationary and not afraid of heights, it's not bad I'm just now okay on the skyliner.
00:26:54.247 --> 00:26:55.529
I've been on it a million times.
00:26:55.670 --> 00:27:00.797
Like I can ride it now without having a meltdown since we're on the topic of lori, let's stay on that topic.
00:27:00.797 --> 00:27:03.105
Real quick and just fly that plane around a little bit longer.
00:27:03.105 --> 00:27:06.913
Did you see the video of the new werewolf ride over at epic universe?
00:27:06.913 --> 00:27:09.980
It looks like it's going to be fabulous for you, like the whole.
00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:13.087
Like cart just turns on, a roller coaster just spins.
00:27:13.127 --> 00:27:15.096
You're gonna love it I mean it's, I mean I could.
00:27:15.096 --> 00:27:16.000
I love guardians.
00:27:16.060 --> 00:27:18.929
Guardians is my favorite and I'm like this is different.
00:27:18.949 --> 00:27:23.930
It's like wow, yeah, I'm gonna definitely have to take some I'm boonied before I get on it.
00:27:23.930 --> 00:27:28.767
Yeah, I'm gonna ride everything because I'm gonna try it you have to we'll see.
00:27:29.027 --> 00:27:34.048
We'll see how it goes and josh has to get video footage of it all well, he's not gonna be there we'll attach a goat.
00:27:34.048 --> 00:27:40.448
We'll send you with a gopro stephanie, stephanie can uh I can use that my gimel to there we go
00:27:41.088 --> 00:27:50.672
yeah, I was thinking about getting one of those before the trip, so we'll have to talk yeah, I love mine, absolutely love it, but we'll land that plane yeah, we can move on to the foodie, foodie stuff.
00:27:50.832 --> 00:27:54.607
I'm gonna, I'm gonna stick foodie real quick and I'm gonna go back to.
00:27:54.607 --> 00:27:55.048
Also.
00:27:55.048 --> 00:28:03.901
Something that you mentioned earlier was what the nighttime show over at California Adventure is world of world of color the dessert party.
00:28:03.901 --> 00:28:05.726
Have you done the dessert party?
00:28:05.826 --> 00:28:16.095
because I've been blessed that two of the three last times I've gone we had a private viewing area and my kids will not eat.
00:28:16.095 --> 00:28:18.025
They're now 10 and 11.
00:28:18.025 --> 00:28:21.556
So they're like just over the threshold for the adulthood.
00:28:21.556 --> 00:28:26.895
My wallet cries when I have to spend adult prices for them.
00:28:27.155 --> 00:28:27.517
That's fair.
00:28:27.517 --> 00:28:30.252
There's a bunch of us doing it when we go, so I was just curious.
00:28:30.513 --> 00:28:30.974
It'll be fun.
00:28:30.974 --> 00:28:32.934
Well, and the one thing that I forgot to say.
00:28:32.934 --> 00:28:44.811
I mean talking about it's kind of the difference between, but one of my favorite favorite parts and something that I would seek out every single time almost over a ride the wandering characters at Disneyland.
00:28:44.811 --> 00:28:45.990
Right, the wandering characters at Disneyland.
00:28:45.990 --> 00:28:54.364
Right, so it's not necessarily an attraction, but the fact that they wander, you don't have to like go in a room to like wait in the queue to see them.
00:28:54.364 --> 00:28:59.176
They do queue a little bit more than they used to, especially like the photo you guys used.
00:28:59.176 --> 00:29:05.547
For instance, mickey, like is just standing by a fountain, right, they let like 15 people into the line, that's it.
00:29:05.547 --> 00:29:15.625
You go up, you see him and you see him dressed in that was a California inventor, so he's dressed as like 19 days California filmmaker Mickey.
00:29:15.625 --> 00:29:22.813
I've met Geppetto, we met the Evil Queen walks around, peter Pan walks around, wendy walks around.
00:29:22.813 --> 00:29:28.215
Like all of these characters that I think are just missed opportunities at World really shine at Land.
00:29:28.376 --> 00:29:29.278
Yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
00:29:29.278 --> 00:29:32.816
I've heard a lot of good things about characters at Disneyland versus Disney World.
00:29:33.345 --> 00:29:35.874
So I have to hide you while you're there, so I don't get jealous.
00:29:36.224 --> 00:29:38.548
I'm just going to FaceTime you the whole time.
00:29:38.548 --> 00:29:41.334
There you go All right, so cool, just kidding.
00:29:41.334 --> 00:29:43.017
Let's talk food.
00:29:43.017 --> 00:29:44.038
Where did you eat?
00:29:57.085 --> 00:29:58.256
And did you snag any dining reservations or did you just wing it with mobile orders?
00:29:58.256 --> 00:29:58.784
Yes to all of it, excellent.
00:29:58.784 --> 00:30:03.904
So we, we ate everywhere, because I'm a foodie, um, and so I will say, if people aren't like super knowledgeable about disneyland, even when you stay on property, it's not day you check in.
00:30:03.904 --> 00:30:08.358
Plus 10, it's an, every morning, up at 9 am, east coast time.
00:30:08.358 --> 00:30:17.227
Uh, to dinner dining, but that's the one plus is that's the time east coast time comes in handy, right yeah so my favorite places to eat.
00:30:17.327 --> 00:30:18.410
I love blue bayou.
00:30:18.410 --> 00:30:21.657
So blue bayou is on the inside of pirates of the caribbean.
00:30:21.657 --> 00:30:27.449
Upscale dining a little bit more expensive, but the the food quality, in my opinion, is on point.
00:30:27.449 --> 00:30:35.515
It's something that I would spend probably the same amount of money on at a non-Disney restaurant, maybe like five to ten bucks more.
00:30:35.515 --> 00:30:45.063
Love Blue Bayou Lamplight Lounge at California Adventure and over at Pixar Pier Really cute, good food kind of more like laid back.
00:30:45.063 --> 00:30:47.585
We like to eat there for lunch, so we have lunch there.
00:30:47.984 --> 00:30:52.275
Trader Sam's one of the hardest to score dining reservations on the planet.
00:30:52.275 --> 00:30:58.386
I'm convinced I think I've gotten Victoria and Albert's more often than I've gotten Trader Sam's when looking for reservations.
00:30:58.386 --> 00:31:02.196
We scored another reservation there that allows you to go inside and eat.
00:31:02.196 --> 00:31:03.207
You can always.
00:31:03.207 --> 00:31:08.858
The other cool thing about land versus world is they have a lot of walk-up waiting lists that you can join.
00:31:08.858 --> 00:31:13.757
But when you do that, or when you do walk up at Trader Sam's, you're automatically seated outside.
00:31:13.757 --> 00:31:18.134
So anything inside will always have to be a confirmed reservation.
00:31:18.134 --> 00:31:19.196
So we did that.
00:31:19.196 --> 00:31:20.667
We also did.
00:31:20.667 --> 00:31:26.679
We were originally going to do Napa Rose at the Grand Californian but then we were just tired.
00:31:26.679 --> 00:31:31.630
And another amazing thing about Disneyland hotels they have room service.
00:31:31.630 --> 00:31:37.631
So we ordered room service because we were both like we're done, so we're ordering room service.
00:31:37.631 --> 00:31:38.913
So that was pretty fun.
00:31:39.114 --> 00:31:42.630
We did, I'm trying to think of, like, because it was food and wine the last day.
00:31:42.630 --> 00:31:54.205
So I had a sip and savor pass and I was going to show it to you guys and then I realized, um, so the sip and savor pass, you either pay for four or eight um snack credits, if you will, at any of the booths.
00:31:54.205 --> 00:31:58.596
And so I had one that had eight credits on it and I had only used six.
00:31:58.596 --> 00:32:03.977
And I met a little boy in the elevator at the Pixar Place Hotel who was there for his birthday trip.
00:32:03.977 --> 00:32:09.568
So I actually gave my pass to him and said happy birthday here, use the last two on here.
00:32:09.568 --> 00:32:11.231
But I would have shown you guys.
00:32:11.231 --> 00:32:15.367
But it looks very similar to like on a lanyard type thing.
00:32:15.367 --> 00:32:17.615
You wear it around your neck, it's nice.
00:32:17.615 --> 00:32:25.115
They used to have pull tabs on it, but if you pulled the tab it was considered like expired, like you voided it.
00:32:25.115 --> 00:32:33.180
Um, so they got smart this year and going forward, they scan your code on your pass and then you enter the four digit pin that comes with your pass.
00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:36.372
Highly recommend that for anybody that's going for food and wine.
00:32:36.372 --> 00:32:38.538
Um, so we did that a lot.
00:32:38.941 --> 00:32:43.851
Um, we ate wine country trattoria this time as well good food.
00:32:43.851 --> 00:32:45.212
A lot of people knock it.
00:32:45.212 --> 00:32:46.335
I don't think it's bad.
00:32:46.335 --> 00:32:50.648
I will say snacks are my favorite at disneyland over disney world.
00:32:50.648 --> 00:32:53.275
Churros actually taste like churros.
00:32:53.275 --> 00:32:58.096
They don't taste like with cinnamon sugar on them and mickey pretzels.
00:32:58.096 --> 00:33:01.085
You can actually it's at the churro stand over by.
00:33:01.085 --> 00:33:03.368
It's a small world close to the matterhorn.
00:33:03.368 --> 00:33:12.171
They sell guava cream cheese dip and they technically sell churros, but it is chef's kiss on a Mickey pretzel.
00:33:12.171 --> 00:33:15.319
It is so good so we always try those.
00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:30.973
Obviously, we got Dole Whip while we were there, because you just can't, and actually there the Dole Whip area that's right behind the Enchanted Tiki Room they sell bao buns as well and that's one of my favorite places because we'll go get bao buns and dole whip.
00:33:31.384 --> 00:33:38.376
We did eat at one of the newest restaurants it's at Downtown Disney called Din Tai Fung.
00:33:38.376 --> 00:33:40.193
It's, it is.
00:33:40.193 --> 00:33:44.330
It's like a disease really, really they have.
00:33:44.330 --> 00:33:45.433
Um, it's the.
00:33:45.433 --> 00:33:46.696
That's gonna be a clip.
00:33:46.696 --> 00:33:51.417
Have you guys seen like the soup dumplings?
00:33:51.417 --> 00:33:53.644
Yeah, they're like all the rage these days.
00:33:53.644 --> 00:33:56.390
So they're called yeah, wow and um.
00:33:56.390 --> 00:33:57.270
So we got that.
00:33:57.270 --> 00:34:01.038
They all said sushi, really just amazing food and was.
00:34:01.278 --> 00:34:01.925
Kim was impressed.
00:34:01.925 --> 00:34:13.369
She said she was a little nervous when we went in, but she left saying that she was so glad that was one of the times we actually had a second Trader Sam's scheduled for lunch and we were like we're just not feeling it, we need a little bit of a nap.
00:34:13.369 --> 00:34:14.730
We're going to cancel it.
00:34:14.730 --> 00:34:17.672
We canceled it outside of our two-hour window and then we woke up.
00:34:17.672 --> 00:34:18.715
We were like famished.
00:34:18.715 --> 00:34:28.570
We're like let's walk around Disney Springs and that's where we and it was pretty, it was pretty great.
00:34:28.425 --> 00:34:30.590
They also have like a chocolate bowel bun like with liquid but not molten chocolate on the inside for dessert.
00:34:30.590 --> 00:34:36.820
I would put it up against almost any dessert across Disneyland property, except maybe salt and straw.
00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:39.753
So I know there's one at Disney Springs.
00:34:39.753 --> 00:34:42.153
I think a lot of people are scared to go in there.
00:34:42.153 --> 00:34:43.572
I adore it.
00:34:43.572 --> 00:34:46.153
I adore their crazy ice cream creation.
00:34:46.153 --> 00:35:01.545
Pear and blue cheese and balsamic, strawberry, black pepper were the two flavors that I got this time, which are some of my favorites I've heard disneyland has better quick service than they do table service I think so with that statement.
00:35:01.565 --> 00:35:02.806
Yeah yeah, absolutely oh.
00:35:02.806 --> 00:35:12.514
And tiana's Palace opened up last year too, so I will say we didn't go this trip but we did go last July Most pretty on point, you know, obviously.
00:35:12.514 --> 00:35:14.715
But that's a great option.
00:35:14.715 --> 00:35:17.657
You honestly can't go wrong anywhere.
00:35:17.657 --> 00:35:24.643
I don't think the food is just great and at California Adventure so much of the food is like infused in that SoCal vibe.
00:35:24.643 --> 00:35:29.469
Even in san francisco you've got like asian fusion with like california food.
00:35:29.829 --> 00:35:40.632
so I'm excited for the food that I'm gonna eat over those two days on pims test kitchen at a vendor's campus too oh, I've heard great things about that pims is pretty great too, and you can mobile order there.
00:35:40.711 --> 00:35:41.777
There's a shawarma cart.
00:35:41.777 --> 00:35:43.664
Shawarma cart is pretty phenomenal.
00:35:43.664 --> 00:35:45.789
If you like shawarma, they have have good breakfast.
00:35:46.231 --> 00:35:46.913
I think she answered.
00:35:46.913 --> 00:35:48.757
I dropped out for a second, sorry.
00:35:49.164 --> 00:35:56.692
The menu at Oga's is a little bit more like, just slightly more robust than at World, like you can get a sharp degree of reward.
00:35:56.692 --> 00:35:59.224
Yeah, instead of just like nuts and alcohol.
00:35:59.284 --> 00:36:03.967
I always think about getting a dining reservation there, and then I just look at the menu and I'm like why yeah?
00:36:04.266 --> 00:36:05.268
Just for the ambiance.
00:36:05.527 --> 00:36:07.590
Yeah, I'd rather be riding Rises.
00:36:07.750 --> 00:36:08.130
We went.
00:36:08.130 --> 00:36:10.192
That one time Was that last.
00:36:10.192 --> 00:36:19.259
I forget the years that we went, but that was the only time that I went in when we went on the Mouse Counselor trip and we were all separated, though.
00:36:19.259 --> 00:36:23.101
Yellow shop for tea, tea tree dish, fun stuff.
00:36:23.686 --> 00:36:23.967
All right.
00:36:24.007 --> 00:36:27.242
Back to you, laurie, all right, yeah, and what some of these questions?
00:36:27.242 --> 00:36:29.708
We'll just kind of generalize this topic.
00:36:29.708 --> 00:36:33.896
Um, what about like shopping and any like extra stuff?
00:36:33.896 --> 00:36:37.371
Like, how are the shops and things over at disneyland?
00:36:37.510 --> 00:36:42.108
love downtown disney, um, and so we're talking earlier and I don't know the exact.
00:36:42.108 --> 00:37:01.518
Like I'm a disney fan, but I am not as much of a fanatic as some people, I would guess that it's a football field in between the entrance of Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, and then like a football field in the half until you're at the entrance to Disney's downtown Disney.
00:37:01.518 --> 00:37:03.632
So it really is so different.
00:37:03.632 --> 00:37:08.347
Like you don't have to take a bus from the park to get to the shopping and entertainment district.
00:37:08.347 --> 00:37:13.246
Um, they just opened a brand new suite store there that was pretty fun to walk around.
00:37:13.246 --> 00:37:19.628
A new avengers store, um, and then a new kind of like it's called designed store on the back end.
00:37:19.628 --> 00:37:22.333
The world of disney that's there is great.
00:37:22.333 --> 00:37:24.038
Um, of course, we shopped there.
00:37:24.038 --> 00:37:26.128
They have a disney home store that we really liked.
00:37:26.128 --> 00:37:31.440
Highly recommend mobile checkout no matter where you go at shopping at disney.
00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:35.327
Honestly, um, mobile checkout is just phenomenal.
00:37:35.327 --> 00:37:46.237
The I actually I tried really hard to like save money this time and not overspend, because at world I have my ap discount so I get 20% off.
00:37:46.237 --> 00:37:51.007
Disney Visa discounts only 10% off, so I was like missing that 10%.
00:37:51.007 --> 00:38:05.393
Um, yeah, we'll say that, my favorite thing that I've ever done at any Disney park was that tour of the main street, walt's main street tour, and it wasn't this trip.
00:38:05.733 --> 00:38:14.215
But you have a VIP, essentially guide, take you up and down Main Street, go over, like the history of the little quirky things.
00:38:14.215 --> 00:38:21.873
If you guys don't know about the light bulb on Main Street, then you learn about the light bulb on Main Street and even if you do know about it, they point it out.
00:38:21.873 --> 00:38:28.896
If you don't know about the penny, about the penny arcade and the significance of that, it's actually something I put in my scavenger hunt for clients.
00:38:28.896 --> 00:38:33.717
Just all these little tips and tricks, talk about all the names on the like the dentist.
00:38:33.717 --> 00:38:35.050
I never realized before.
00:38:35.050 --> 00:38:39.768
But the dentist has somebody like fake screaming out of the window of the dentist's place.
00:38:39.768 --> 00:38:43.833
That's on the second story on Main Street and then you end up back in the apartment.
00:38:43.833 --> 00:38:46.547
You get to no photos, no video.
00:38:46.547 --> 00:38:49.891
They'll have a PhotoPass photographer come in and take some photos of you.
00:38:49.891 --> 00:38:56.077
But you get to hear a little bit more about the history and you get to actually see where the Disney family hung out Sweet.
00:38:56.617 --> 00:38:59.159
I don't want any worries Like anything.
00:38:59.159 --> 00:39:02.445
I'm expected on this trip Like extra.
00:39:02.445 --> 00:39:08.467
So we saw a hummingbird and my friend Kim and I like just really immersed in this hummingbird.
00:39:08.467 --> 00:39:12.884
There's a family next to us like probably a pre-teen girl and her mom.
00:39:12.884 --> 00:39:17.376
We're all like staring at this hummingbird and all of a sudden we hear, oh my, is that a hummingbird?
00:39:17.376 --> 00:39:33.786
And we turn around and anna's like just standing right there like look at, just like it's so surreal because that doesn't happen at world right, and she's just like chatting for a couple minutes and then she's like bye friends, I have to go now to go see some other people.
00:39:33.786 --> 00:39:37.715
And it's just super cool and gotta love it that is awesome.
00:39:38.094 --> 00:39:38.315
I know.
00:39:38.315 --> 00:39:48.777
It's like when you get in those moments it's because I've talked about, like the first time braden met buzz lightyear or live met cinderella, and you're like you know my gosh, these people.
00:39:48.777 --> 00:39:50.527
I'm like, okay, snap out of it.
00:39:53.054 --> 00:39:53.735
It's a person.
00:39:53.976 --> 00:39:54.277
Yeah.
00:39:54.847 --> 00:39:59.594
My daughter just got accepted to the Disney College program, so like it's going to be people she's going to meet right.
00:40:00.619 --> 00:40:01.101
Yes.
00:40:01.402 --> 00:40:02.184
That's really cool, I know.
00:40:02.244 --> 00:40:04.253
I cannot wait to find out what she gets to do.
00:40:04.253 --> 00:40:05.847
That's like my dream.
00:40:05.847 --> 00:40:07.329
I I know I cannot wait to find out what she gets to do.
00:40:07.329 --> 00:40:07.769
That's like my dream.
00:40:07.769 --> 00:40:08.331
I'm like am I too old to?
00:40:08.411 --> 00:40:09.032
do the Disney College program?
00:40:09.032 --> 00:40:09.612
No, there's not an age limit.
00:40:09.612 --> 00:40:10.375
I've thought about it.
00:40:10.394 --> 00:40:22.271
I've thought long and hard about going AWOL from the Army Because technically I graduated college like two years ago, so I could have done it after I got my master's.
00:40:22.271 --> 00:40:23.373
That was the same with me, fred.
00:40:23.373 --> 00:40:28.164
I graduated with my master's in May of 23, and I was like, oh, I could go make 17 an hour at disney.
00:40:28.164 --> 00:40:32.172
Totally worth it to support and I was proud of my children taking away.
00:40:32.193 --> 00:40:34.137
Yeah I'll send it back.
00:40:34.217 --> 00:40:41.547
I'll send it back to rachel's dad I got my masters when olivia was 10 months old and she's 17, so I think it's been you did it the right.
00:40:41.887 --> 00:40:43.672
I say that the girls were that old.
00:40:43.672 --> 00:40:46.217
Oh, oh, no, I was 34 or 35.
00:40:46.277 --> 00:40:46.978
So I was older.
00:40:46.978 --> 00:40:48.610
Yeah, I had Olivia when I was older.
00:40:49.005 --> 00:40:51.414
I graduated in like May 22.
00:40:51.414 --> 00:40:57.315
So the girls were like eight months old, so I was typing my dissertation and all that stuff while rocking a child.
00:40:57.315 --> 00:40:58.818
Fun times, don't miss it.
00:40:59.065 --> 00:41:00.063
Yeah, same same.
00:41:00.063 --> 00:41:01.628
I was like, what was I thinking?
00:41:01.628 --> 00:41:06.356
I told Josh I was like, if I ever try to go back to school, tell me, no, like this is stupid.
00:41:06.717 --> 00:41:07.179
Absolutely.
00:41:07.844 --> 00:41:10.632
Anyway, yeah, and I know we kind of Land that plane.
00:41:10.632 --> 00:41:11.114
This is yours.
00:41:11.114 --> 00:41:12.197
Yeah, we landed.
00:41:12.197 --> 00:41:18.487
The next section is yours, but we already kind of talked about Disneyland versus Disney World, so I'll let you decide where you want to go.
00:41:18.547 --> 00:41:20.467
Yeah, I mean, I mean you.
00:41:20.467 --> 00:41:31.956
I mean you know Disneyland is the original park all day, like that is the OG park, you know, and it's totally different from Disney World.
00:41:31.956 --> 00:41:32.695
Like you have.
00:41:32.695 --> 00:42:09.048
Of course you have some, you know some of the same concepts, but even like the rides are different, pirates is different, you know Small World's different, like the character, meet and greets are different, food's different, like would you say like because I have a friend who is diehard, born and raised california, and I'm sending her to disney world in a week and a half and this was a hard process to get her to go to disney world while she lives over here, because she was like disneyland for life and I was like shut up, no, so like would you say that one is better than the other or would you just say they, they're two different parks and is equally as fabulous?
00:42:09.088 --> 00:42:15.815
so I get asked this all the time and my family does not agree with me so their team view all the way, which breaks my heart.
00:42:15.815 --> 00:42:19.186
But I will take disneyland over magic kingdom any day.
00:42:19.367 --> 00:42:26.168
Cot has my heart and soul same animal kingdom like I'm a pretty big animal kingdom nut too.
00:42:26.168 --> 00:42:29.150
I know a lot of people write it off, but love animals.
00:42:29.150 --> 00:42:40.567
Not making a safari trip anytime soon, so it's about as close as I'm gonna get and hollywood studios I could just fit back in disneyland, so disneyland over magic kingdom and hollywood studios.
00:42:40.567 --> 00:42:46.708
But epcot the fact that epcot and animal kingdom are in florida like edges it out just a little bit.
00:42:46.867 --> 00:42:49.532
So they each have their own like pools towards.
00:42:49.532 --> 00:42:53.259
You know, there's definitely parts of Disneyland over Disney World.
00:42:54.186 --> 00:43:26.907
Yeah, that's fair and I think, like one of the big things that I really think that they're working on at Land, like, so they're going to be expanding you know, Avengers Campus, but they built this product that is now like the cornerstone of a vacation, but it's not just a Disney-centric vacation like it is at World, it's the cornerstone of a Southern California experience, right, so a lot of people that go to Disneyland, you know, I really do think two to three day park hoppers are the minimum that you can do there, even though the parks are so much smaller.
00:43:26.907 --> 00:43:40.518
Right, that gives you the ability to not be stressed, to not really have to rush, to not worry about like rope drop to park close because the parks close there at like 11 pm still or 1 am.
00:43:40.518 --> 00:43:46.536
Right, they didn't do what Disney World did post COVID and start like this nine o'clock craziness.
00:43:46.536 --> 00:43:49.228
Right, they're still closing super late.
00:43:49.228 --> 00:43:55.693
So if you're trying to do open to close I don't know when you're sleeping, but a lot of people will do that They'll go to Universal in Hollywood.
00:43:55.713 --> 00:43:56.476
They'll go to the beach.
00:43:56.476 --> 00:44:02.389
We, almost every single time we go, except this last trip we go to Huntington Beach while we're there, absolutely love it.
00:44:02.389 --> 00:44:14.425
In July of last year we went to palm springs for three days and we actually stayed at a marriott that's across the street from the sentino I think that's the name of it the disney like housing community that they're building.
00:44:14.425 --> 00:44:20.757
We stayed right across from that so we kind of got to see them building that a little bit.
00:44:20.757 --> 00:44:22.692
But it really is like this cornerstone.
00:44:22.731 --> 00:44:30.873
Now and then you have like they're doing a ton of cultural celebrations there that they don't do anywhere else at any of their theme parks.
00:44:30.873 --> 00:44:37.434
They've got the lunar new year, um, in february they have the gospel black history month stuff going on.
00:44:37.434 --> 00:44:41.487
They have hispanic festivals, they do the sweethearts after night.
00:44:41.487 --> 00:44:45.135
After you know the event.
00:44:45.135 --> 00:44:55.556
I know somebody that did that a couple years ago and you actually like danced with all the couples, like you got to see like all of the prince and princess couples, which is pretty cool.
00:44:55.556 --> 00:44:56.867
You know they're going.
00:44:56.867 --> 00:44:58.592
Are you going to be there for the big Star Wars?
00:44:59.826 --> 00:45:00.751
We will be there.
00:45:00.751 --> 00:45:03.291
We're not doing, we're not paying for that.
00:45:03.291 --> 00:45:05.788
Yeah, the extra Star Wars.
00:45:05.788 --> 00:45:11.572
There's a couple agents that are going to pay for this extra hours, but we're not yeah.
00:45:11.612 --> 00:45:16.476
So I think the cool thing about that is it kind of makes every visit feel like a new visit, even in one year.
00:45:16.476 --> 00:45:27.753
Like I know, there's a halloween party and there's the christmas party at world, but there's just, I feel like land pulls in so much more and it's a lot easier to navigate with strollers.
00:45:27.753 --> 00:45:35.692
You don't have to take your stroller down to get on a mode of transportation unless it's the skylighter or the big ferry mode and it's just.
00:45:35.692 --> 00:45:39.724
Yeah, it's different, but I think it's equally as amazing.
00:45:39.724 --> 00:45:41.306
My turn all right.
00:45:41.347 --> 00:45:46.635
So what is your top piece of advice for someone planning a Disney trip?
00:45:46.795 --> 00:45:48.918
Other than use a travel agent Right.
00:45:49.239 --> 00:46:03.934
I mean like not to sound salesy, but like just, especially if you're not from Southern California because, like Fred said, pulling in Southern California they know Disneyland pretty well, people above LA.
00:46:03.934 --> 00:46:12.751
I have a lot of clients from Central and Northern California Cause I don't think anybody realizes how big California is until you're starting at Land or California Adventure.
00:46:12.751 --> 00:46:34.954
They do it for kids 0 to 4 and 5 to 10.
00:46:34.954 --> 00:46:45.597
I have found so much value in that because my kids are now getting older so it's been a long time since I've had kids that were there when they were 0 to 4 years old.
00:46:47.110 --> 00:46:58.996
I think the other thing is just like world manage your expectations, Know that you have a plan going in, but being sent for Gumby, always flexible and like realizing that you're going to need to pivot at some point.
00:46:58.996 --> 00:47:01.672
The weather's not as big of a deal.
00:47:01.672 --> 00:47:10.072
You don't have those 3 pm showers like you kind of do almost every single day in central florida and just I know that it's more expensive.
00:47:10.072 --> 00:47:21.172
But staying on property that would be my number one biggest tip is the extra value that you get in that there's a reason that it's priced the way it is and rooms still sell out wait I think that's it.
00:47:21.474 --> 00:47:21.793
That was.
00:47:21.793 --> 00:47:22.536
That was enlightening.
00:47:22.536 --> 00:47:26.291
I'm counting down my time to disneyland 42 days, so I'm super excited.
00:47:26.291 --> 00:47:31.771
I'm super excited because you know I'm a diehard Disney World guy, like all day, through and through.
00:47:31.771 --> 00:47:33.110
I've only been to Disney World.
00:47:33.110 --> 00:47:35.634
So, like, disney World is really all I know.
00:47:35.634 --> 00:47:51.097
So I'm really excited to get a different aspect of Disney Seriously like dive into, you know, the MCU side of the house and get to experience, know marvel's campus and, you know, get to experience the food and just the vibes.
00:47:51.097 --> 00:47:52.242
So yeah, I'm definitely, definitely excited for disneyland.
00:47:52.242 --> 00:47:55.188
I wish I could take glory with me, but shame sucks to suck.
00:47:55.188 --> 00:47:58.213
So thanks for it.
00:47:58.213 --> 00:48:01.478
Anyway, stephanie, thanks for joining us.
00:48:01.478 --> 00:48:08.057
It was a pleasure to have you on and definitely appreciate your input on Disneyland and educating our listeners on Disneyland.
00:48:08.057 --> 00:48:10.614
I think this is a first time topic for us.
00:48:10.614 --> 00:48:12.612
We've talked, you know, disney World.
00:48:12.612 --> 00:48:14.291
We've talked Universal.
00:48:14.291 --> 00:48:15.114
We've talked Epic.
00:48:15.114 --> 00:48:16.972
We've talked immersion voyages.
00:48:17.324 --> 00:48:25.355
We have not got to dive into Disneyland yet so this is super exciting for us to be able to dive into that topic, I think for those that are watching, for those that tune in.
00:48:25.355 --> 00:48:29.070
If you have been to Disneyland or Disney World, definitely drop us a comment.
00:48:29.070 --> 00:48:33.407
What is your preference, whether it's Disney World, disneyland and tell us why.
00:48:33.407 --> 00:48:34.612
You know that's your part.
00:48:34.612 --> 00:48:38.769
So, that being said, as we wrap up, what are we talking about next week?
00:48:38.769 --> 00:48:40.711
Because Lori's changing things around on me.
00:48:40.985 --> 00:48:49.146
Yeah, I mixed up the weeks but up the weeks.
00:48:49.146 --> 00:48:55.001
But next we're going to do spring into disney, so I think we'll focus on um like flower and garden festival springtime stuff so excited.
00:48:55.021 --> 00:48:56.143
Yeah, that'll be fun, it's fun.
00:48:56.164 --> 00:49:02.702
Yeah, I love seeing all the new tobigueres when they do the moana tobigueres this year is amazing.
00:49:02.702 --> 00:49:14.492
Yeah, well, I can't wait to see it in person well, yeah, well, yeah, because it'll be up, it's still, yeah, it'll be, it'll be, yeah, it'll still be there when we go in May, so I'll get to see it in person in May.
00:49:14.492 --> 00:49:16.016
Oh, that's right, and you're going in May too.
00:49:16.016 --> 00:49:18.572
So he's going to Disneyland and Disney World in May.
00:49:18.693 --> 00:49:19.014
I am.
00:49:26.985 --> 00:49:28.190
My wife not going to either of them, but that I can't help it.
00:49:28.210 --> 00:49:30.621
Sorry now that I'm gonna do it's all right, I'm gonna come steal you girls, that's fine okay, anything before we wrap up?
00:49:30.641 --> 00:49:31.304
nope, I don't think so.
00:49:31.304 --> 00:49:34.833
I know you already said thank you, but thanks for for joining us.
00:49:34.833 --> 00:49:42.356
Stephanie was good chatting with you uh, on video again, so it's been a while since we've seen each other, so it'll be fun.
00:49:42.356 --> 00:49:43.126
Oh, thank you both.
00:49:43.126 --> 00:49:45.451
Fun chatting, yeah.
00:49:45.811 --> 00:49:47.998
You're welcome back anytime, we love having guests.
00:49:48.224 --> 00:49:49.389
Yeah we love having visitors.
00:49:49.690 --> 00:49:50.052
All right.
00:49:50.052 --> 00:50:01.157
Well, that being said, as we wrap up, if you are looking for more information about going beyond the castle, if you're looking to learn more about Lori and I, look into some of our episodes.
00:50:01.157 --> 00:50:03.507
You know we have a blog now, as I mentioned last week.
00:50:03.507 --> 00:50:06.934
So if you're looking to read our weekly log, don't have time to watch or listen to the episode.
00:50:06.934 --> 00:50:12.208
We do post a weekly blog that drops on Fridays, so you can always check that out at our website.
00:50:12.208 --> 00:50:17.753
All you know, all things going beyond the castle, you find at wwwgoingbeyondthecastlecom.
00:50:17.753 --> 00:50:34.161
If you're looking for any of our social media channels Facebook, instagram, tiktok, twitch if you're looking for ways to listen to the podcast, whether it be on on Apple Podcasts, pandora Podcasts, iheart, all that fun stuff, you can find all that information at our Beacons channel, at beaconsai forward slash, going beyond the castle.
00:50:34.521 --> 00:50:44.052
And then, of course, if you'd like to reach out to us directly, send us an email, whether it be for a vacation quote, whether it be to come and join us on the podcast, or even to recommend a topic for the podcast.
00:50:44.052 --> 00:50:49.257
You can send us an email info at going beyond the castlecom.
00:50:49.257 --> 00:50:52.221
And, with that being said, that wraps up this week's episode.
00:50:52.221 --> 00:50:56.478
Again, thanks to everybody for joining, listening and going beyond the castle with us each week.
00:50:56.478 --> 00:50:59.106
We will talk to you guys next week.
00:50:59.126 --> 00:51:00.108
Bye.
00:51:00.108 --> 00:51:03.976
Thank you for joining us on this magical journey.
00:51:03.976 --> 00:51:16.351
We hope today's episode brought a little extra spark to your day and inspired your next adventure, whether it's a thrilling escape to Universal, a dream cruise getaway or unforgettable memories at Disney.
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Have questions, a topic you'd like us to cover, your own magical story to share, or looking for travel assistance?
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We'd love to hear from you.
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Drop us a line at info at going beyond the castlecom, be sure to check out all our social media links and podcast platforms at beaconsai forward slash going beyond the castle podcast and don't miss the fun in our facebook group going beyond the castle podcast, where we share tips, updates and beyond-the-scenes moments.
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Until next time.
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See you real soon.