AllEars® Team Blog

by Michelle Scribner-MacLean

Every Sunday for the past two years I’ve had a ritual – I play tennis with two close friends for two hours early in the morning. I absolutely love this time and, even though I’ve been training for the Disney Half Marathon for the past year, I have never given this up.

As we were walking off the court today, I said, “Well, guys, this time next week I’ll either be in the hospital or I’ll have my medal.” We all laughed, but I thought to myself, “I’ll be fine. I WILL have my medal from Disney.”

Friday marked the last of my long runs, a ten-mile run at my local Y (weather here has not been cooperative, so I had to make do with the indoor track). I will probably do one more 2-3 mile run this week, but my coaches tell me that I need to scale back and allow my body to rest and prepare for the race.

I can’t believe that I’m done…during the past several months I’ve spent hours and hours running, thinking about running, thinking about what gear works for me. I’ve had aches and pains, I’ve noticed my body getting stronger and my stamina building. I’ve had hours of conversations about training, diet, strategy, and I’ve seen the race map and even got a tour of the race route when I was at MouseFest (after running in New Hampshire, it looked blissfully flat!).

I’ve had the support of my family, who had to lose me to yet another activity. I’ve had two terrific coaches, who have checked with me daily, offering advice about how to get around various obstacles such as weather, minor injuries, and working around a busy schedule. I’ve also had the support of my wonderful friends who have been there with an encouraging word and I’ve even had the support of many All Ears readers, whose emails have meant the world to me.

So…when I was leaving that tennis court today, I came to the realization that I’ve put in the hard work and I’m ready to tackle my 13.1 miles. I do so with a bit of trepidation, but lots of enthusiasm and confidence. I know the hard work all these months will pay off.

What’s left to think about? Well, when I was at MouseFest, I had the pleasure of meeting Melanie, her sister Julie, and their very nice mom. These Colorado ladies were kind enough to share their Disney running experiences (and their hopes to run more Disney races).

This family was so special and full of enthusiasm, they really touched me… and yesterday I was fortunate enough to find a note from Melanie in my email box.

She reminded me about something that I’d forgotten that I need to do….She said, “…for a few minutes (or maybe even a few hours) try to be a little selfish. Try to soak in your accomplishment. Be proud, you have worked hard for this and you deserve the elation you will feel when you cross the finish line. It is the most amazing feeling in the world. I have said repeatedly that I wish I could bottle my feelings at the end of the race because you will feel like you can accomplish anything (and you just did)!”

Thanks, Melanie. I will be sure to take that time to soak it all in. I am proud…of this journey…that I didn’t give up, and that I’m ready to go. Mostly, though, this experience has reminded me how lucky I am to have such a wonderful support network in my life.

Good luck to all of my follow runners! Looking forward to seeing you there at the finish line!

Signed,
The Not-So Reluctant Runner
Michelle

by Mike Scopa and Michelle Scribner-MacLean

Capture the Magic is a Tagrel Community MouseFest ritual that answers the age old questions: How many people can you find with Disney tattoos in the Magic Kingdom, is it possible to persuade guests to form a chorus line and do high kicks, and can you convince cast members to use their bodies to spell out the word “Mickey” in Liberty Square?

Picture this: several Walt Disney World veterans wearing matching shirts, running all around the World in a photo scavenger hunt for which the only prize for winning is a year’s worth of bragging rights.

We decided to tag along as our All Ears Team, composed of our fearless leader, Deb Wills, and team members Linda, Gloria, Laura, Andrea, and Lisa tried to score points and beat the clock in this 90 minute challenge.

Two AllEars reporters grabbed their camera, notebook, and running sneakers as we tried to catch up with this energetic crew. Here are a few of the memories that we captured as they tried to work as a team to Capture the Magic.

AllEars team takes off!
With time of the essence, the AllEars team rushes to their first clue led by team photographer Lisa Berton. They were fast – even though both reporters are training for Disney races and found it a challenge to keep up with this determined crew.

The Eyes Have It
At one stop in Tomorrowland, the AllEars team members consider changing the name of our website to AllEyes.net.

Sharing Disney knowledge
The AllEars Brain Trust deciphers the next clue.

Abbey Road
The AllEars rendition of the Abbey Road album cover, as they follow their fearless leader to the next task.

When You Least Expect It, Disney Magic Happens
The AllEars Team shows that there is strength in numbers as they lift Merlin’s Sword.

Wishes
Are there enough coins in the world to ensure our beloved AllEars team wins this scavenger hunt?

The AllEars Rendition of the Dream Team
What exactly is it about the Hall of Presidents that makes you sleepy? Even being outside this attraction (currently closed for refurbishment) seems to make our fearless team members want to take a nap.

Checking to See What is Left
Keeper of the clues, Linda Eckwerth, keeps the crew on track while she checks to see what is left.

A Cast of Thousands Tried to Help Them Meet Their Goal
During the competition, the AllEars Team and some cast members got a big kick out of this stop on the scavenger hunt.

They’re a Little Bit Country
A country jamboree AllEars style!

Really Minnie Mouse?
With 15 minutes to go and exhaustion setting in, the AllEars team apparently started to see imaginary characters (your humble reporters, however, noticed nothing….hmmmm).

Doing the Holidays the Disney Way
When on Main Street, U.S.A., it’s always the right time to break out into hardy renditions of your favorite holiday classics.

See Ya Real Soon!
Although they may not have won, the AllEars crew had a wonderful team-building experience and got to see the Magic Kingdom in a different way.

We are very proud of their efforts on behalf of the entire AllEars team and these reporters are grateful to have tagged along during this spirited (and, at times downright strange) trip through the Magic Kingdom.

Musings From A Newly-Dubbed MouseFest Veteran

by Michelle Scribner-MacLean

[cue fanfare]

I’d like to make an announcement. I am now a MouseFest veteran. After three years, I finally feel like I have to chops to give myself this title. Am I allowed to give myself this title? I’m not really sure. There may, in fact, be some sort of a MouseFest Committee that approves these sorts of things, but in lieu of presenting my case to such a committee, I will leave it up to you, dear reader. I will make my case as I describe my trip and allow you to decide if I’ve moved from newbie to veteran status.

Fact #1: Arrived Early

In years past, I arrived at MouseFest on the day everything was getting started. Bad move. It was like getting sucked into a whirlwind and I never really caught my breath. This year, however, I decided to arrive a day before things actually got started.

Early Wednesday morning I met my AEN buddy Mike Scopa at the airport and headed off to Orlando very early. (Mike and I make up the New Hampshire Bureau of AllEars). This was a good chance to compare schedules, chat, and for me to hear about the 107 meets that Mike was hosting (okay, it may have been more like 8, but it was making me exhausted just hearing about all that was on that guy’s plate!).

After we got to Orlando and checked into our respective resorts, we headed to Downtown Disney to meet Mike Newell (MouseWorld Radio and WDW Today podcast) and some other friends for a very relaxing, though noisy, lunch at a new restaurant that we all wanted to try, T-Rex.

Overall, I was underwhelmed by the restaurant, which template is largely based on The Rainforest Café: from the store on the outside to the podium where you check in, there are a lot of similarities. The theming has some interesting elements including a very large, animatronic octopus, an ice room, and a periodic meteor storm, but there are a few things other things that detract from the experience. As I mentioned, it was also very loud and not a good place to chat with friends, but also, it was pretty expensive (my salad was $13.99 and it was okay, but not worth that money).

Fact #2: Spent Time With Old Friends, Made New Friends

The first year I went to MouseFest, I knew almost no one. As with any new experience, it was sort of a risk to go there, but I did go and had a nice time. I met up with a few people and left with the notion that it would be a good idea to get more involved in the Disney community: listen to more podcasts, read more of the writers, and join some of the Disney online boards so that I could get to know a few more people who had the same passion for Disney that I did.

Year two of MouseFest I was lucky enough to know a lot more people before I got there, but I also spent time with some MouseFest veterans, who introduced me to even more new experiences.

For year three, I found that I was approaching my planning in a new way: with my friends in mind. We spent months making plans, emailing schedules, planning ADRs. This year I knew that, rather only than run from meet, I wanted to make spending time with friends a big part of my experience. So I did.

I met some old friends, including Masayo from Japan, and delighted when several people came up to her, knew her name, and asked to have their photos taken with her. Masayo’s generosity, enthusiasm, and love of all things Disney are legendary.

I got to know some friends a bit better. One person who comes to mind is fellow AEN staffer Fred Block. I knew Fred a little bit from MouseFests past and from Magic Meets, but there I always see him race from place to place on a Segway. Fred and I are gadget lovers and got to have fun conversations about that, but on Monday we both participated in the recording of the WDW Today podcast Sip and Snack episode.

Basically, the idea is to choose one drink or snack as you travel around each of the countries at EPCOT. After spending several hours with Fred, I’ve decided that he is one of the most hysterically funny people I’ve ever met and I think he should have his own sitcom: The Fred Block Show. Watching him eat marzipan in Germany was just priceless (although I’m still not convinced that Fred actually knows what marzipan is even now).

I also got to meet some new friends, people who I will look for when I attend future MouseFests. Two people who quickly come to mind are Colin and Elisabeth from Georgia, who were spending their 5th anniversary at WDW and attending their first MouseFest. They brought so much enthusiasm to every meet that we went to that it was a pleasure to watch them enjoying themselves.

Through the kindness of Deb Wills, I was able to offer Colin and Elisabeth a “wish,” tickets to attend an AllEars Illuminations dessert party. As we stood there and watched the show together, I found myself looking forward to meeting up with these friendly WDW fans again.

Fact #3: Took Time to Relax

I’m not going to pretend that I got all of that much sleep at MouseFest – that is one MF skill that I’ve yet to master. However, I did take time during the week to do some really relaxing and fun things, away from the regular meets and meetings that I attended. First, I took the time to look at the holiday decorations at the different resorts. One afternoon I spent some quiet time at the Yacht Club, looking that the toy train set with a Disney touch.

Although I wasn’t staying at DVC resort during this trip, I did take about 30 minutes sitting by Storm-Along Bay at our home resort, Beach Club. It was wonderful, quiet, “me” time and I decided that sitting by this pool is is one of my “happy places” at WDW.

Finally, the most relaxing time of all during the week was courtesy of Deb Wills, who spoiled the AEN staff with a delicious dinner at the Gaylord Palms. While spending several hours chatting with friends was relaxing in itself, we were further spoiled with a visit to Ice. We live with lots of ice in the northeast, but never saw anything like this. I highly recommend this experience.

Fact #4: Tried New Things

I always try to do some new things when I’m at WDW. Even with all my trips, I’ve yet to experience everything there is to do. In addition to attending several new meets, I tried out a few other new things. During the Sip and Snack, an AEN colleague recommended that I try the green tea ice cream in China. Here’s my reaction.

If you're unsure of what that face means, it means "not my cup of tea." (Pun intended). Thanks for that, Mr. Scopa.

It was also my first time trying the Illuminations Dessert party, a few other new restaurants, and it was my first time co-hosting an AEN meet at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which was a lot of fun and a huge honor.

So, dear reader….I will leave the verdict to you. Am I now a MouseFest veteran? I think so.

Regardless of your vote, I hope to meet you there next year.

by Debra Martin Koma
AllEars® Senior Editor

At the outset, I have to say one thing: I am very excited to announce that I was the very first non-Disney cast member to set foot in the brand new American Idol Experience that is nearly set to debut in Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Yes, when Disney held its special Annual Passholder tour for the new attraction on Sunday, I was the very first person in the very first (10 a.m.) tour to set foot in the place. It was pretty exciting. For me, at least.

So, what did I learn on the tour? Well, lots of things. Most importantly, I guess, is that the new attraction is scheduled to open on February 14, 2009! Whatever the new attraction may be like, I'm always thrilled when something new opens.

What else can I tell you? Well, I'm sorry that I wasn't allowed to take photos on the tour, so I'll try to relate as much as I can remember.

Since they couldn't really let us see the actual show that guests will experience come next February, they walked us through both backstage and in front of the stage.

When you enter the backstage area, you'll first encounter the auditioning booths... two as soon as you enter, another two further down the corridor. The whole area is very sleek and contemporary, done in royal blue carpeting, light wood, glass block and chrome. Though it wasn't there yet, the area will also eventually have a plasma screen TV, which will show an introductory video featuring American Idol's host, Ryan Seacrest.

But wait... Maybe I should back up a bit. For those of you who want to try out to be a performer at the American Idol Experience, you'll be able to pre-register online on Disney's site, before you come down to Walt Disney World, or you can just simply turn up to audition on the spot. (You'll have to be at least 14, though.) Those who audition will sing, a cappella, for a casting director in one of the four soundproof rooms. They'll be allowed to bring one guest with them throughout the whole process.

If selected during the audition process, the contestant will next spend some time in the producer's lounge, where they will be given an iPod holding 113 songs. They'll have up to 20 minutes to listen to the tunes on the iPod to decide which one they would like to sing at the next step in the process -- in front of the producer.

The producer's room is slightly large than the basic auditioning booth. There the contestant will sing with accompaniment and will learn whether they are passing on to the next phase -- to perform in front of an audience. There will be three to five contestants selected for each show.

Once the contestants are selected they will be given a special "vote for me!" lanyard to wear as they walk around the park for the remainder of the day, until they are tapped to perform. Contestants will receive a phone call about an hour before they are due to perform for the American Idol Experience -- that gives them time to talk with the stage coach, vocal coach, and hair and makeup people.
As the tour guide told us, everyone will truly be set up for success.

On the audience side, though, no special skills are necessary. As you're waiting in the outdoor queue, a crew will be filming you -- excerpts will then be intercut into a video that will somehow be used during the show. (Justin Guarini, runner-up from the first season of American Idol, will be featured in this video.)

When you enter 1000-seat theater you'll find quite a sight. More sleek furnishings, blue carpeting and upholstery, but more than that -- the set is identical to the REAL American Idol show. Understandable, really, when you discover that it was designed by the same person who designed the set for the television show, Andy Walmsley.

This "smart theater", as the tour guides called it, is equipped with some impressive technology. For example, the LED lights that it uses save enough energy to power 60 houses each day. In addition, during the performances, the contestants will wear a transmitter that will enable the lighting to follow them automatically -- no worrying about stepping out of the spotlight.

After the contestants perform, they will be evaluated by three judges, who will be patterned after the familiar format used on the American Idol television show. One judge will be the hip, cool judge, one will be nurturing, and one will be the "tell it like it is" judge -- you know, like Simon Cowell. However, as our tour guide reminded us, it IS Disney World, so this judge won't be quite so nasty. And, just like on the television show, while the judges have their say, it is the audience's vote that counts. Members of the audience cast their vote using the keypads embedded in their armrests.

There will be seven preliminary shows per day, each running about 20-25 minutes. The eighth and last show of the day will be the grand finale, which will last about 45 minutes. During the finale, the seven winners from the day's earlier shows will perform, vying for the big prize -- a Dream Ticket that gives them the chance to go before a producer of the actual American Idol show. As one of our tour guides described it, it's like a FASTPASS to AI -- it doesn't guarantee you'll be on the show, but it gets you past the auditioning process and directly to a producer.

Other participants who don't win the Dream Ticket will receive special commemorative souvenirs, too, but it sounds like the experience alone will be a fantastic memory to take home.

Our tour guides concluded by telling us that a Passholder Preview is coming soon -- no date given, though. If you're interested in going, be sure you're registered on Disney's passholder site, as the announcement will be coming by email.

Overall, I'm anxious to see this new show -- I'm probably one of about 10 people in the World who has never watched American Idol on television, but still, I think seeing the new live "Experience" will be interesting -- but only from the audience! There is no way I would ever audition for something like that myself!

Running Disney With Gadgets By Michelle Scribner-MacLean

Among my friends, I have a bit of a reputation for loving electronic gadgets….in fact, I have earned the nickname Gadget Gal because I really do enjoying playing with my technology toys.

I was happy to find that there are many ways to connect my love of gadgets with my preparation for the Disney Half Marathon. In fact, I have found several things that have made my training more organized and my running more fun.

Web Gadget: Map My Run

MapMyRun (www.mapmyrun.com) is a wonderful website that helps runners with journaling workouts, figuring out pace, and even number of calories burned. The most interesting tool on the website, is the feature that allows you to find out how far you’ve run by “drawing” your route on a map.

In addition to calculating your distance (I, for one, like to know if I’ve run 3.2 versus 3.5 miles!), it also allows you to save your runs and share them with friends. The best part is that, although, you need to provide a username and password, but MapMyRun is free. Because you have a free account, you can save your runs and view your progress.

iPhone Gadget: iMapMyRun

I’m a die-hard iPhone owner and recently discovered a new, free application for the iPhone that is related to MapMyRun – it’s called iMapMyRun (available at the iTunes Store in the Applications section). When you got out to run you can bring your iPhone with you and turn on iMapMyRun which uses the iPhone’s GPS features to pick up satellites which tracks your time, current speed, average speed, as well as your route.

When you return from your run you can save it and it will upload it to your MapMyRun account, as well as show you a map of where you ran. There is even a feature to allow you to post your running route on your Twitter account (Twitter is free “micro blog” social networking tool). I use this constantly now in my training and when I return from my run, I still find my gadget-loveself saying, “This is so cool!” It is cool, but it’s very useful.

Music Gadget: Your MP3 Player Plus iTunes

The final gadget that is indispensable is my Disney running list on my MP3 player (which, for me, is integrated into my iPhone).

Over the years I’ve collected many Disney songs that a fun and inspirational….and just keep me moving over those long distances. Some of the songs on my playlist include: Will and Elizabeth (Pirates of the Carribean), Go the Distance (Hercules), Colonel Hathi’s March (Jungle Book), Just Can’t Wait to Be King (Lion King), Under the Sea (Little Mermaid), Grim Grinning Ghosts (Bare Nake Ladies), Go With the Flow (Finding Nemo: The Musical), Jalan Kopo (pre-show music for EPCOT’s Illuminations), and, of course, the Mickey Mouse March.

You can share your list of running songs by building publishing a playlist on iTunes for free. You can view some of my Disney Running Playlist and download songs at: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=296681342

Gadget Holders

Now you’re probably envisioning me running with gadgets strapped all over me, that isn’t the case. There are many device holders available on the market into which your phone or MP3 player can fit safely. With mine, the nylon case straps comfortably around your arm with Velcro and stays snug during running.

Safety First

It’s certainly fun to have gadgets, but safety has to come first. I make sure that even when I’m listening to music, the volume is low enough that I can hear cars, pedestrians, or other runners.

During many races (Disney included), you’re not permitted to use MP3 players because of the number of runners. I might miss my gadgets, but they have been very helpful for training and getting ready for my half marathon. And anyway, I know the sights and sounds of Walt Disney World will allow be all I need to keep me moving to the finish line.

Jack Marshall just returned from a trip to Walt Disney World. He stayed at Old Key West and reports that all the villas have received new patio furniture!

Jack also spotted this sign at Downtown Disney!

Our last breakfast was at Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian, but it seemed a bit lonesome since not everyone was there. Some of our tour family had very early flights and were already gone; others had much later flights and were sleeping in on their last day. But for those of us there, it was a bittersweet time.

I can't say enough nice things about everyone in our group. We had all sorts of personalities and a wide variety of ages and interests, but everyone just meshed together perfectly. If any of you happen to be reading this blog, thank you for the pleasure of your company and thank you for helping make this trip so memorable.

Gary and I left the Grand Californian in grand style, a shiny black town car to take us back to LAX and our totally uneventful trip home.

If you've followed along this far, you've probably done so because you might be considering this or another Adventures by Disney trip.

I cannot begin to tell you how first-class the Adventures are. Prior to booking, when we looked at the cost of the trip, it was definitely in the "pricey" range. After having actually been on the Adventure, I know why. Everything was absolutely top notch and that is the "signature" of all the Adventures.

We were met at (and returned to) the airport in a private town car. Our meals were wonderful. The accommodations couldn't have been any better. The Hollywood Renaissance Hotel where we spent the first two nights was connected directly to the Hollywood & Highlands center and the Kodak Theater (where the Oscars are presented). Perfect location; perfect tours.

There was not one little item that our guides Quinn and Julie did not think of and take care of for us. Thirsty? Here's a bottle of water. Hungry? Here's a snack. Too hot in the sun? Here's an umbrella to use.

Second, if you are a pin collector, the trips are the only way you can get pins specific to your trip. We received one pin each day. I'm assuming it's probably the same on all the trips.

Overall, our Adventure exceeded every expectation I had for a "tour." I did virtually no planning and just went with the flow.

A number of attractions at the park were under refurbishment. Since this is probably the only trip I'll make to California for a long time, I was disappointed not to be able to see the Haunted Mansion, Fantasmic, The Main Street Electrical Parade, Small World and the Aladdin show. If you take the tour at another time, you probably will not experience as many closures. But, as I said, that was a bit of a disappointment. I wish I had known beforehand; I might have booked for a different date.

A minor disappointment was with the "backstage" part. I loved everything we did; I just wanted to do more. When I took the day-long Backstage Magic tour at WDW, we went into costuming, the paint shop, the carpentry shop, some of the storage facilities, computer central for the MK parade, etc. I was expecting this same sort of backstage experience, but it wasn't there.

I asked our guides about this and they pointed out reasons why those types of experiences were not included. First (and probably foremost), the upper management at the California parks has a different philosophy about "backstage" than does the management at the Florida parks. They are more protective of the "magic" and are less willing to share how the magic is made; they do not want to spoil it for the guest.

Second, Adventures by Disney tours are designed for families with children as young as 5. (They do not design a special tour when it's adults only.) At WDW, you must be 16 to go on the Backstage Magic tour ...so, sights (like rows of Mickey Mouse heads) that might be interesting for teens and adults would be totally inappropriate for smaller children.

There is also a safety factor, especially when children are in a group as well as a "space constraint" factor. Disneyland does not have the luxury of space that the Florida resort area has. We had 24 on our tour and often had to split into two groups. (Some tours have as many as 40.)

Even with the rehabs and less of the "backstage" than I would have liked, this Adventure was wonderful and worth every penny. Could you go to California and see the parks for less money? Absolutely! Could you have the same experiences? Absolutely no way!!

Would this trip be right for you? Maybe yes, maybe no. Think about what you want to get out of your trip. If you want to go and spend maximum time in the two parks, ride every ride, see everything there is to see, then, no, it's probably not for you unless you add on a day or two more to your trip. Yes, you can see a lot, but there's no way to see it all in the amount of free time you have.

Do you like Disney history and learning about the company philosophy passed down by Walt Disney himself and how it shapes the parks today? If so, this trip will be a dream come true. On the other hand, if you could care less about the history, then skip the Adventure and just go visit the parks.

Do you like a good bit of structure to your trips? Your Adventure is VERY structured for most of the time. Yes, you do have some free time on your own, but often it's just a couple of hours. You do have to be up early for breakfast and morning activities. You do need to meet with the group on time for various elements of the tour. You do walk a LOT, but it's a "comfortable" trip. Sneakers and casual clothes are appropriate most all the time.

So back to that earlier question, is this trip right for you and your family? Only YOU can make that determination, but I give the Adventure an A+ and I give our Adventure guides Quinn and Julie and A++ for their knowledge, their willingness to share, their hard work and their wonderful, warm and welcoming personalities.

If you have specific questions, you can e-mail me at ggkons at gmail dot com and I will try to answer as quickly as I can.

All Ears team member Glo from Miami and her husband Gary continue their report on their Adventure by Disney - Backstage Magic! Click here for all of Glo's reports! Scroll down for most recent entries.

Today is the last full day we had on our tour and it was packed full of wonderful experiences.

The day began early again (7 AM) with a great buffet breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Resort. I would be remiss if I didn’t stop to tell you that they fed us very well on the trip …maybe too well ;-) The various breakfast buffets were wonderful as were all of the other meals. Also, throughout the day, if appropriate, Quinn and Julie would make cold bottles of water and juice as well as other snacks (granola bars, cookies, fruit chews, etc.) magically appear. We did not go hungry or thirsty, for sure!

After breakfast, we headed to Disney’s California Adventure for a couple of backstage activities before the park opened.

First was Soarin’ over California at Condor Flats. Although the building façade looks different and some of the queue is different, this is exactly the same attraction that was installed at WDW in 2005. We split into two groups and while one group “soared,” the other group did a backstage activity.

From Soarin’ we went directly to the animation building and had a private talk with Crush. This was not the Turtle Talk with Crush show that many are familiar with, but rather, just a conversation with Crush for our group. I was hoping they would explain some of the technology of this attraction and was a bit disappointed when they didn’t, but it was still a wonderful experience.

We also went into studio where we were taught how to draw Mickey Mouse. Some of us had wonderful Mickey’s, but others agreed that their Mickeys looked more like Chip or Dale. No matter, it was a fun experience and those drawings magically appeared in tubes to be taken home on the last morning.

As an extra and special activity, our group then headed over to the Tower of Terror and rode as a group using some sort of “Magical Fast Pass” our guides possessed.

We then had lunch and the rest of the afternoon and early evening on our own, but were left with instructions to meet at the Hyperion Theater where we would walk to the location for our farewell dinner. I can’t remember where we were supposed to have our farewell dinner, but wherever it was, that location was closed and a buffet was set up for us in the “props room” of the Hyperion. It was a great location and obviously constructed to be used as a private group dining facility.

As with all the other meals, the food was delicious, but there were a number of other surprises in store for us. An animator, Stacia, who has been with the Disney Company for some 30 years, drew characters per our requests. What a fun experience.

We also watched a slide show of all our various adventures and had a visit by a couple of very special characters. I’ll never tell, but I’ll bet you can guess.

…but that wasn’t all the magic for our last night. Once dinner was over, we had an hour or so before we met back in Disneyland to view the fireworks from our special viewing area …and special it was! Perfect view of the castle with no one in front of us.

You know those dirty looks you get when you use a Fast Pass on Rock n Rollercoaster when the stand-by line says 90 minutes and you just waltz by a zillion people? Yep, we got lots of those kinds of looks as we sat on the strategically placed benches behind a rope with two cast members “guarding” our view saying, “This is a walkway, move right along. You can’t stand here.”

For a few minutes we thought we might not get to see the fireworks show. According to Guide Julie, they are canceled more often than you’d think because the park is located so close to the freeway. So, if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, the debris from the shells falls on the moving cars and this is not a good thing. They will delay the fireworks up to 15 minutes, hoping the winds die down enough, but if that hasn’t happened by 9:40, they cancel the show because local ordinances restrict the noise after 10 PM. Those of you who know me personally, know I LOVE fireworks and I was so hoping they wouldn’t be canceled …and they weren’t.

The show begins much the same way as “Wishes” in the Magic Kingdom at WDW, but then takes all sorts of spectacular twists and turns. Tinker Bell flies from the top of the Matterhorn, down to the castle, past the castle, around the castle, back toward the Matterhorn. It is much more impressive than the “flight” at WDW …and so were the fire jets from the castle parapets! All in all, it was a wonderful show and a wonderful way to end our adventure.

All Ears team member Glo from Miami and her husband Gary continue their report on their Adventure by Disney - Backstage Magic! Click here for all of Glo's reports! Scroll down for most recent entries.

I think for the remainder of this blog, I am going to just give a short outline of what we did and not go into too many details.

This is the real "backstage" part of the tour and I want to give those of you who might be considering the trip enough information to help make a decision, but I don't want to spoil all the "magic" for anyone. Also, it is obvious that our tour (and some of the amenities received) differ from some of the earlier tours. My guess is that once in a while things have to be changed due to circumstances. I know personally I was looking forward one a tour element I read about in one of the earlier reports and, guess what, we didn't even go near that area ...a bit disappointing because I had built it up in my own mind ...and I don't want that to happen to you if you go on the tour.

Our morning began in the lobby at 7:45 AM when we all met for our "march" to Disneyland. Park opening was at 9 AM, but we got to enter at 8 AM and only had to share the park with the maintenance vehicles still about. After walking down Main Street and having pictures taken in front of the castle, we walked to the Plaza Inn for breakfast with the characters. Unlike WDW where the characters are all from the same theme (princesses or Pooh and friends or Mickey and friends, etc.), there is no "theme" in Disneyland.

Our "dining room" was a part of the beautiful Victorian "inn" that used to be closed off and reserved for Walt and his guests, but today it is open to anyone who happens to be lucky enough to be seated there.

After breakfast, we headed to the Indiana Jones attraction and went "backstage" for the first time. We were able to see one of the vehicles up close and learned about the design, the maintenance, the computers, sounds and, yes, the ride itself. Then we went to the head of the line and rode the attraction. Again, as with resorts and restaurants, I'm not going to offer reviews of the individual attractions since reviews are so readily available.

From Indy, we went to the roundhouse where the trains are housed and learned probably more than I personally wanted to know about steam engines. One interesting thing to note is that these engines were originally designed to run on wood or coal (or in one instance, sugar cane), but they have been retrofitted so they now run on a clean burning and "green" biofuel. Disney is even experimenting with running the engines on compressed garbage, but that's not quite a go yet.

Next we went to the horse barn where currently there are some 30 horses in the herd. Although there are new stalls, the barn itself is the same structure that was used when Walt was there. We learned how the horses are cared for and trained to be used on Main Street and also for Fairytale Weddings and other functions.

Lunch (which came way to soon considering we had a big breakfast) was at the Port Orleans Cafe and was wonderful! They need to bring those Monte Cristo sandwiches back to Columbia Harbor House!

According to our schedule, we had the afternoon and evening free after lunch, but Quinn and Julie had a couple of other surprises up their sleeves for us including a train ride in the "Lilly Belle," a beautifully restored coach car on the Disneyland Railroad.

From there we went across the street to the Main Street Firehouse, up the back stairs and into the private apartment that Walt and Lillian used when they stayed at the park. Here (as well as all other backstage areas) cameras were prohibited and everyone in our group respected tat request. Out guides did take some pictures for us, but so far we haven't seen them.

Our last surprise for the day was a roped off area at the train station terrace, right up front and in the middle where we were able to watch Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams. Although much shorter than the ones at WDW, this is really a beautiful parade. Gary and I saw it the first night and again in the afternoon. It's different, but equally beautiful, at the different times of day.

After the parade, we were on our own for the rest of the day and evening. Many in our group made reservations at Napa Rose, the Grand Californian's signature restaurant. Gary and I chose to spend the evening at California Adventure just walking around, getting the lay of the land and (for me) the first obligatory ride on California Screamin'.

We had planned to go back to the magic Kingdom for the 9:30 fireworks, but decided our pillows were calling our names very loudly. By the time the fireworks were over (We could hear but not see them.), we were ready to crash!

One thing I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around is that you can walk from Disneyland to California Adventure to Downtown Disney and back again all more quickly than you could walk from the front of Epcot to the International Gateway.

Tomorrow is backstage at California Adventure. Stay tuned.

All Ears team member Glo from Miami and her husband Gary continue their report on their Adventure by Disney - Backstage Magic! Click here for all of Glo's reports! Scroll down for most recent entries.

If you’re following along, you’ll know this is the day we had to be up 7 AM for breakfast, bags packed and ready for our hotel change to the Grand Californian and our tour of Walt Disney World Imagineering and the Disney Studios.

Imagineering is on the “Glendale campus” and each of the buildings that belong to Disney are discretely marked with address markers that have the same shape as cast member badges.

The Imagineering building is #1401 and our guide for the tour was Dave Fisher, one of the imaginers, a story writer. Dave gave a brief background presentation, interspersed with pictures and video clips of various parts of the Disney Company history. He explained that Walt’s real gift was as a storyteller and that he surrounded himself by others who could help tell the story the way HE wanted it told and even today, it is Walt’s storytelling gift that has been passed along to the entire company.

The most wonderful part of this tour was an up-close-and-personal encounter with Lucky the Dinosaur, a new type of audioanimatronic figure that is capable not only of the normal motions we've come to expect, but also locomotion. All on its own, Lucky can walk forward, backwards, turn corners, etc. This "traction" was at Walt Disney World for an all-too-brief period of time before it was moved to Hong Kong Disneyland. I never had the pleasure of meeting Lucky before, but it is certainly something I will fondly remember from this trip.

He also explained that Walt’s original concept for a park was a 20 acre area to be called Mickey Mouse Park, but it soon became apparent that 20 acres were not enough to contain all the ideas Walt has in his head, so plans were expanded and the original Disneyland was built.

Amazingly, construction began on July 16, 1954 and Disneyland Park opened on July 17, 1955, one year and one day later. This is so unbelievable that they could build a whole park in one year in the 1950’s but in the 2000’s it took 5 years just to build Expedition Everest at the Animal Kingdom!

Imagineering encompasses 140 different disciplines, including, story writers, sculptors, technicians and sound effects specialists.

Our first stop on the tour was Studio C, a sound studio designed to produce the sound effects for the various circle vision films. We also saw a developing technology not quite ready to “go public” yet called D-Snap. With this D-Snap you would purchase a piece of software that would enable you to stand in various locations throughout the parks and have your picture taken by a remote camera, a bit like PhotoPass, but without the photographer. Then, the camera would either e-mail or text message the picture directly to your cellphone.

From there we toured the sculpting studios and learned a bit about how clay models can be turned into larger models and how the larger models are used to actually design everything from the giant icons at All Star Movies to the actual attraction structures themselves.

One other thing we saw that was very interesting was the layout model for a new part of Disney’s California Adventure called Cars Land, scheduled to open sometime in 2012. This expansion will be placed where the current Timon and Pumba parking lots are located for those of you familiar with the California parks.

Another very interesting Imagineering demonstration was an A100 audioanimatronic figure with no clothing or “skin.” The figure is purported to be Joe Cocker and move to a Joe Cocker soundtrack. It is absolutely fascinating to see what goes into those moves that seem so life-like.

There was a bit of time for shopping at Mickey’s of Glendale where some of the merchandise is exclusive to this particular shop and very highly sought after.

Although lunch was supposed to be at the Studio’s commissary, it ws switched to the D-Café at Imagineering. Weather was absolutely gorgeous and most everyone chose to eat at the tables outside.

From Imagineering we headed down the road to The Disney Studios. Truthfully, this part of the trip was a bit of a let-down. Yes, it was exciting to actually be ON the Disney Studios lot and our guides had lots of information about what happened here and what happened there. However, other than the Legends Plazas (old and new), we didn’t get to actually SEE very much.

One of the newer buildings at Disney Studios has a roof line “supported” by the seven dwarfs. This is a tribute to the movie “Snow White” which many consider to be the movie that “built” the Disney Studios due to its huge success.

Since the 75th Anniversary of the Company in 1987, Disney annually honors a number of “legends,” people in many different disciplines who have been instrumental in the success of the Disney Company. The dedication plaque says (in part) that Legends are those people “whose imagination talent and dreams have created the Disney Magic. Each honoree has a square bronze plaque with their hand prints (if alive at the time the honor is bestowed), the year and an embossed graphic that depicts their particular discipline or area of contribution.

We did spend a bit of time in the Frank G. Wells Building (where the archives are housed) and got to see an actual multiplane camera. An interesting fact is that the last time the multiplane camera, a technique invented by Walt Disney, was used in 1989 on “The Little Mermaid.”

Next was about an hour’s drive on the Los Angeles freeway system to Anaheim, the location of the Disney parks and our home for the next three days, the Grand Californian.

There's really not a lot to tell about the afternoon and evening of day 3. I'm not going to give you a review of the Grand Californian or the restaurants where we ate. You can find those in lots of other places. Suffice it to say, the Grand Californian is a beautiful resort, very similar to Disney's Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World, but more "craftsman" than "mission" for those of you who are architecture buffs and with all the amenities of the Grand Floridian. It's a rather unbeatable combination in my book.

We had a wine and cheese reception in the Vineyard Room of Hook's Point and then went upstairs for a lovely dinner.

After dinner we were on our own until the next morning. Some of our group went to the parks, some walked around Downtown Disney and others went to bed ;-)

One thing I will say for this tour is that it is not for anyone who tires easily. Although our guides have built in plenty of bathroom breaks and relaxing meals, the rest of the time you are walking and standing. By this evening, a number of people were starting to mention tired feet.