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View Full Version : Were you there on May 4th? Wanna tell us about it?



AVP
05-04-2005, 11:43 PM
MousePlanet is compling a reader report from the May 4th event. (Mostly because the staff members who were in the park were too busy working to have fun, and we need to live through you)

If you were one of the lucky people who had tickets to Disneyland on May 4th, and are willing to share your experiences, please e-mail me at avp@mouseplanet.com, or send me a PM.

Note: I'll still be working through May 5th, so probably won't be able to respond to you until Friday, but I will get back to you.

Thanks!
AVP

girl anachronism
05-04-2005, 11:51 PM
I wasn't there, but thank you all of you for your funtime sacrifices! :)

Disney Show Member
05-05-2005, 11:12 AM
I wuz there, but backstage the whole time. I worked on the Parade of Dreams showing for just the VIP's and celebrities in the park after the park wuz closed just for them and not the guests with special tickets and invites. However, the area backstage where we park the floats between shows wuz where limos were picking up celebs after the fireworks. I saw Pierce Brosnan, Kelsey Grammer, Geena Davis, John Stamos, Karl Malone, Drew Carey and Garth Brooks. I heard many many more celebs were there than just the confirmed on the list.

Disneyland4Jamy
05-05-2005, 12:02 PM
Did the folks who won tickets get to see the parade and fireworks earlier that night, or were they just for the VIP's to enjoy?

ae's mom
05-05-2005, 12:09 PM
We did get to see the parade in the morning :D
However, we were allowed to stay only until 5:00, so we didn't get to see the fireworks! But, that is okay. Now I have another reason to go back.....right, like I really need a reason. :p

KarenW2
05-05-2005, 12:25 PM
I entered my hubby and I in the KTLA contest for tickets to the Sneak Peek, they picked his, so we won 4 tickets!! So our 2 friends (MA fellow team members John & Deb), as well as my hubby and I attended the festivities. We could check in as early as 6 am, we entered at 6:25 am (BIG YAWN!!). We even saw the lovely AVP and MA's Frank (kinda sounds like something from MST3K doesn't it??!!), tho not travelling together at the time.

My hubby first saw AVP, while paying for our CD sets at Disneyana. Then I saw & chatted briefly with her, when she passed by us, waiting in the wheelchair section for the parade. She was looking for Frank at the time. We saw Frank alone later and said "hi" to him, while people were crowding all around us, waiting for the Tim Allen "Buzz" presentation.

Sadly, they had no wheelchair section for this, thus, I saw nothing of those festivities, but my hubby did get some photos, since he's taller than I am and he was holding our digital camera up high, over his head, while looking thru the viewfinder from below.

I will email you, AVP!

olegc
05-06-2005, 11:05 AM
I attended with my 2 sons and brother (who came later). I won tix thru ESPN radio. We showed up at 9:15 am and were totally surprised by the lack of folks in the front entrance, only to turn the corner under the bridge and get a huge in your face crowd shot. The parade was starting at 9:30 so I made haste thru the shops to the locker-crossing at Carnaiton Cafe. Luckily the nice folks at TPA let me put the boys in their media area - and after I while I joined them. They boys got to see the parade front and center. It was nice.

One note - we were at back of the Alice float and one of the tall flowers was about to pass out - and made a b-line for the cast member entrance by the lockers. Many managers and cast members sprung into action, making way for him and guiding him to backstage (and making sure Kelsey Grammer and his party of 8 did not get smashed).

My boys got to ride the Golden Dumbo, and lots of other things in a hurry. The empty logs on Splash, even though a warm day, was an interesting site. The park started to empty around 2pm - I wondered if many folks would be guests for the evening event and left to rest. Interestingly - at 5pm the whole place locked down. All shop door were closed and they were quickly ushering everyone out faster than the White Rabbit running to his next gig!

The boys also really liked the Block Party Bash parade. Lots of stuff to look at and energy music. Ok, ok, I liked it too. We spent the remaining hours at DCA.

Issues for the day? events were running late (Remember was 20 min late -and at 9:40 pm and cold that's an issue). Other parades were late too. Also, the fact that Storybook Land and Disney Gallery were closed was a bummer - and no list of the 50 hidden 50s. They told us since 5/4 was a preview day nothing official was going to be released. Gotta love that message control.

At least we were able to get food and some souvenirs (although WOD needs to get re-designed with the inside layout on current merch). I can't say the same for the 5th - YIKES! If you don't know, read the updates here on mouseplanet. You will get the picture (I am sure McDs made a bundle on the 5th). See y'all at the park.

One more add - the 50th tour on the 5th - they had us sign a "guestbook" with a commemorative photo of our tour group. First time they were doing this they said and wondered if it was a good idea. I thought so...

maryxmas
05-07-2005, 07:41 AM
I wasn't there, no way I was going to the park during such crowds.

But I will say thank you SO MUCH for your continuous coverage here on MP. I totally felt like I was there! You covered everything. I am so pleased.

I never expected a play by play almost as it happened. I expected a regular article to appear a day or two later. All I can say is "WOW!". Thanks to all staff, I am sure you guys are tired. Take a vacation, go to DL. ;)

DerrickJ
05-07-2005, 07:58 AM
The 4th was ok, except for the new Jungle Cruise and the Parade, pretty much a slow day in the park. I enjoyed the 5th much more and kind of wish I didn't waste my time on the 4th. Except for the crowds on the 5th, ride waits were not bad at all and the fireworks show was great.

Marox3
05-07-2005, 08:33 AM
We were at the 4th and 5th and had the best time. The joy of the 4th was just being there. I've been reading the posts from so many people here, and I just don't feel the same as many have expressed.

My family enjoyed spending the day with some great people experiencing an event many thousands couldn't.

As in all big events, delays, surprises and disappointments happen. This should not be a surprise to anyone. Media events are frustrating, but this was the day (or days) to market Disneyland.

The park looked great (within all the cameras, lighting, electrical cords, etc), we talked to some very nice, gracious CM's and suits. We also saw many people who were disappointed thinking the day was going to be more than it was. That happens. But, it's what you make it.

Again, I wouldn't have change a thing to be able to have the fun I did at a place we love and with special people that mean the world to us.

We believe people need to appreciate and enjoy what is offered to them rather than wanting and expecting more.

CrazyTrain
05-07-2005, 09:40 AM
I have to agree with Marox. I had a great time on the 4th (though it seemed more crowded to me than what everyone's saying - not that it was CROWDED but there were more people than I was expecting). Just being able to be there (and another thank you to all of the people who made that happen for me!) was enough. Being smooshed into crowds to see Steve or Tim or the new parade, was worth it to me, just to be lucky enough to be there! :D

I also second the great CM and suits remark, they were all very nice and patient with us!

It was preview day - the last day to work out the kinks, the day to get the media and people watching to want to come. Things didn't go smoothly, but at least they went. :D

biolabetty
05-07-2005, 09:49 AM
I agree with you Marox3, we had a great time on the 4th. A 10 minute wait for Peter Pan is just never seen! Sure, some things were closed temporarily for various ceremonies, and there was wall-to-wall media, but that's what I expected. I overheard a man (it was hard not to hear him, he was so loud) who was complaining to the girl selling watches at the watch shop that his day had been horrible. He had won tickets from a radio station and was expecting a special day but it was only special for ABC not for him. He was going to call the radio station and tell them how rotten his day had been, and that they could keep any future promotions. The salesgirl didn't say anything, it wasn't her fault that there was media there.

I don't know why people can't be thankful for something they didn't pay for in the first place. We had no problems getting on any rides, we just worked around the closure schedules. We met some interesting people waiting for the parade and the Buzz ceremony, saw others we would never normally see. All of the CMs we dealt with were in really good moods. We went on the Jungle Cruise and requested to do it again without getting off since there was no one in line. We'll never be able to do that again.

It would have been nice to be able to stay and watch the fireworks, but I would love to have another day to be at DL and not fight crowds. There were no noisy people on Haunted Mansion, eating at Blue Bayou was really peaceful because no one was yelling at you from the boats, it was just a great and really unique day.