Christmas Fun at the Grand Californian Hotel

Disney goes all out for Christmas and the Resort Hotels are no exception.

The other night my wife and I went over to the Grand Californian Hotel after an event she attended at the Convention center across the street.   The second you step inside the Grand Californian –you are in awe of the lobby on a normal day…During Christmas Time that sense of awe is double.   The enormous Christmas tree sits in the middle of the giant lobby.   

Santa Claus takes residence to one side of the tree as a piano player plays Disney and Christmas tunes.  People sit near the giant fireplace sipping cocktails from the Hearth Lounge or during the Holidays from the Christmas drink trolley which features many Holiday Treats   

This year the hotel features a Giant Gingerbread House….














 



The Gingerbread house served as the backdrop for a delightful musical group The Beverly Belles –which performed some holiday songs with a cool retro flare.  

Here is a link to The Beverly Belles webpage
http://www.thebeverlybelles.com/

We grabbed dinner at the Hearth Lounge and hung out in the Lobby for awhile just soaking in the Christmas environment.    I perfect little Holiday evening without even having to venture into the parks.   I only wish we were staying here for the night –so I could have a second Hot Chocolate with Rum

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Christmas Treats at the Candy Shop

It is always Candy Time at the Candy Shop on Main Street USA.

I'm sure you have heard about the Giant Candy Canes that people line up for during the Holidays.  They are always making something sweet on Main Street and during my trip there this last weekend  Carmel Apples and these sweet Chocolate covered treats were being made.....Stop by and you can watch them through the window inside the shop.

So that is how they achieve the perfect  drizzle 

After watching them make the treats the temptation to eat one is difficult to ignore.   Look at those Apples covered in Carmel.

And the treats above in all their drizzled glory.

YUMMMMMM!

You can find the Candy Cane Dates listed below in as posted by the Disney Food Blog
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2015/11/15/2015-disneyland-candy-cane-dates-announced/


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Star Wars Launch Bay: Meeting Chewie

I had one goal on my return trip to Seasons of the Force this past weekend to meet Chewie.   

Parking in the Toy Story parking lot ---was a sign that it was a busy day.  The line for the bus from the lot to the park was long so I decided to walk the couple of long blocks to the park.  The entrance lines weren’t bad –but Disneyland itself was packed  (and preparations for Candlelight were going on).  You couldn’t even walk down Main Street –but were instead ushered back stage all the way to the corn dog cart.  Disneyland must have been near capacity ---crowd control was in full effect. 


I made my way into Tomorrowland (It is so cool just walking around with John Williams in the background) .  I went straight over to Star Wars Launch Bay and entered the building.  
The line for Chewie was only about 25 minutes according to sign. (this picture of the sign was from the other day I went to Launch Bay).

 

While I was  in line I felt like 7 year old all over again.  The same  age I was when I first saw Star Wars In a Drive In theater.     

While waiting in line they had some cool artifacts to keep my attention.  

 Rebellion helmets from the movies. 

Here is Poe's Helmet

"Get out of here Wedge ---You aren't helping anyone back there."

Luke's Helmet

Even Sabine from Rebels

Lightsabers from the Jedi

Obi Wan

Yoda's Saber

You enter what looks like a Rebel Base walking down a few corridors and then you turn a corner and Chewie is right in front of you.

I have been jealous for years of all the kids that get to do the Jedi Academy.    Where was that kind of experience when I was a kid?But now with Star Wars Launch Bay---Adults can get an opportunity to meet a couple of their favorite characters from the films.

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Disneyland Photo of the Day: Christmas Music on Main Street

Disneyland Photo of the Day.   Christmas Music on Main Street

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Disney/Pixar Animated Short Reviews: #67 Wonders of the Deep 2015 9+ out of 10

Wonders of the Deep   2015 9+ out of 10

One of the latest Mickey Mouse cartoons really hit home for me. This cartoon stars the big three Mickey, Goofy and Donald and features a guest appearance Professor Ludwig Von Drake.  This cartoon features the gang on a Submarine Voyage (which hits home because when I worked at Disneyland I was a Submarine Voyage Captain).  The Professor takes them on a Voyage into the Deep Blue and all they see is a guppy at first until Mickey wants to go deeper to see the real mysteries of the deep.  And see the Mysteries of the Deep they do...This cartoon brings out the best of each cartoon as they search the deep ocean for mysteries .  We get to see Mickey's wide eyed wonderment.  We get to see Goofy --be well Goofy and Donald has one of his  classic temper tantrums.   The Professor gets accidentally ejected into the ocean and is swallowed by a Giant Clam.  Mickey and Donald go out to rescue him while Goofy messes with the equipment on the Sub.   Mickey and Donald think they encounter some Mermaids --but it turns out they were just hallucinations do to lack of oxygen.  Instead of Mermaids they find themselves face to face with a Kracken.   The cartoon was nearly perfect and had everything you could want in a Mickey cartoon.    I loved this cartoon.  Partly because of it's connection to the Submarine Voyage which I used to spend 8 hours a day driving around the lagoon.  I loved it mostly because of the fact that it gave all three Disney Stars a moment to shine like the old Mickey, Goofy and Donald cartoons.

This cartoon short was about 7 minutes...Twice as long as most of the cartoons in the series..

You can check it out on Disney Online or the Disney Channel.

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