Happiest Homecoming on Earth

I'm going to Disneyland! I went to Disneyland! Disneyland was FANTASTIC! I was able to be there for its ACTUAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY! I stayed at teh Disneyland Hotel. I had booked a standard room (I figured I'd be looking at the parking lot) but got a corner room loverlooking the bar and pool. It had a queen bed and sliding doors/windows that open to a beatiful view and weather. One night I even ate dinner in my room with the sliding doors open. The bathroom had Disney characters in the topiary pattern wallpaper and Mickey Mouse gloved hands that held the lights by the separate vanity. There was a Tinkerbell border that glowed at night just like the light at the top of the Sierra Tower I was staying in.
I was in line for the Monorail (this is how I almost always entered and exited the park) at 6:30am and entered the park around 8:20am on the 17th. Got my "I was there . . ." pin, golden Mickey ears, and special park map/guide. Saw the "official re-dedication" at 10am in the Hub (watched it from Main Street on the JumboTrons) and was not impressed so I left (that's when I got my pin). I met up with my fellow MiceChatters at the Hub at noon (well actuallly over by the Pavillion Plaza). We officially opened Fantasyland in the name of the children of the world and run over the drawbridge. 70 of us rode the Carousel (imagine the cast member's look at that party number of . . .). Next a smaller group headed over to the Jungle Cruise but it was down so we went on Pirates of the Caribbean instead. After that it was the Haunted Mansion, another group photo, and then over to Its a Small World. We got separated between the Festival area and Small World plaza during the parade and the group got even smaller. Regrouped after IASW and rode the Teacups, then headed to Main Street Square for the real re-dedication at 4:45pm. Mickey Mouse officiated. Then it was over to Space Mountain for another group ride using our FastPasses. I finally got to meet keith-SuPeR K!, leigh-ann, Dustysage, jeffrey orl fla, disneykat, anders, DaryIF, SorcererMickey, aw shucks, TicTocDragon, and Gweryn and lots of others. I met BigPigletFan a day earlier and she was there that day too! I never got to meet up with 1stStarIC2nite.
While I was there I switched over to the Paradise Pier Hotel for the second half of my stay. It was a nice hotel. More space in my room. It had a pull-out couch and a king-size bed. I rode the glass enclosed elevator to my room. It has a more relaxed feel to it. Since I stayed here, I could Disney's California Adventure through the Grand California Hotel. I liked this since I only had to walk across the street.
Took two tours and made reservations for various special events/meals. I went on the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. Nancy was our tour guide and we back-doored to the Enchanted Tiki Room (saw Art Linkletter) and met Ophelia (singing orchid). We were going to ride the Ward Kimball train until it broke down. Entered Club 33 lobby and got my picutre taken in the elevator. Got a special pin and lunch in the Disney gallery balcony. I also went on the From Imagination to Celebration tour and saw the fireworks from the train station platform. Nicole was our trou guide. Brianna (MiceChatter) and her mom were also on the tour. We back-doored The Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, and finally rode the Ward Kimball. Got a group photo, special pin and E-ticket booklet, and a box snack including a Snow White apple. Both tours are a "history" background tour of Disneyland, with some similarities and plenty of differences. I also booked reservations for Fantasmic! desert buffet, lunch at the Blue Bayou, and lunch at Ariel's Grotto (which turned out to be a character lunch).
Disneyland rides I loved: Indiana Jones Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Spalsh Mounatin, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise (now with pirahnnas).
California Adventure rides I loved: Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Grizzly River Rapids, Soarin' over California, Mouhalland Madness.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jQM5-VLyP0U

And the parades and fireworks. How could I forget about the Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams and Remember Dreams Do Come True fireworks? I just love parades and fireworks and I loved both of these (and saw them numerous times). The fireworks just blew me out of the water. Think surround-sound with fireworks!
When I finally get it done, I will post a link here to my trip report with pictures.

Lullaby of Broadway

Okay I think this is pretty cool! I'm in the Summer Alumni Theatre's production of 42nd Street at Bishop DuBourg High School. I was part of The Guild my four years at DB and did lots of shows. Jim Leibrecht was ans is our director. Tonight was our third performance this week. Tomorrow we close with a matinee. Anyway, at tonight's production Norbert Leo But was present along with his family (Wife, kids, mom and dad, brother Tony and his family). You may remember form my previous blog that Norbie won a Tony this year for Best Actor in a Musical. Norbie is also a Guildo and DB graduate, who went on to make it big. The fact that he would come back and us in our show when he was in town is SO COOL! I mean I shouldn't be surprised he is a Guildo and that is FAMILY. Nobody knew he was there at first, but Jim announced it at intermission to the cast and after our final bow, Jim had some words to say about what theatre and belonging to the Guild means to all of us. He also recognized that fact that we had a Guild alumni Tony Award winner there with his family. Afterwards, we got to visit and people took pictures and got autographs and all the other things we "fans" like to do. I got my self an autograph, and my friend Joe was so excited he got an autograph on his $5 prop from the show. And that's cool too, becuase Joe is this 17 year old kid , who was a jock his three years at DB but tried out for a show, got bitten by the theatre bug and says he "hasn't looked back." I am sure my friends, Stacey (DB and Guild alumni) and Christian (Guild member extradonairre) are writing about this experience and you should read their blogs too. They had their cameras and got pictures with Norbert and maybe also an autograph, I know Allison did too.
It's late, I need to get some sleep before tomorrow's final performance, but for all the kids out there in the Guild who dream of making it big in theatre, Norbert Leo Butz is proof that that dream can come true. And for the entire cast and crew of 42nd Street, I am so glad we had this chance to work together. Its been real. Its been fun. Its been real fun. Now let's go and bust our buns one last time!

Okay we're down to the wire

42nd Street opens in less than a week, actually next Thursday, July 7, 2005 and runs until Sunday, July 10, 2005. We still have sets to paint, blocking to re-learn, costumes to try on, props to organize, lights to set, and even more choreography. But through it all I still love it. My friend Stacey wrote about being a Guildo, so I won't do a repeat performance here (at least for right now), but it is about being family. Jim Leibrecht (the director) has a vision for the show and out job is to carry out that vision. Evey time it comes together. I don't know how, it just does.
On a different note, in less that two weeks I will be in sunny Southern California celebrating Disneyland's 50th Anniversary. Everything is pretty much lined up, A Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour on Saturday afternoon, MiceChat Mission 2 DrinkUp on Saturday night, Disneyland's actual birthday on July 17th, a MiceChat Meet beginning at noon on Sunday, Balcony Seating/Dessert Buffet for Fantsmic! on Monday night, From Imagination to Celebration tour on Tuesday evening, lunch at the Blue Bayou on Thursday, lunch at Ariel's Grotto on Friday, (and a possible excursion over to Catalina Island on Wednesday). The rest is left open-ended for wherever and whenever the spirit moves me (or the crowds).