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A Grand Dream Squad Experience!!!

Talk about being at the right place at the right time. Our friend Erin Morehouse was definitely in the right place at the right time when she was visiting Downtown Disney (Disneyland). While seated on a bench outside the Jazz Kitchen she was approached by a pair of Dream Squad Members who informed her she had just won a stay in Mickey's Penthouse Suite at the Disneyland Hotel! She and four members of her family were able to take part in the park for the day, and the penthouse that night. She was also the Grand Marshall of the parade. Here's the e-mail she sent telling us about her wonderful day (and some great pictures too!) The suite is FANTASTIC!!!! In the foyer is a mirror where Mickey magically appears and talks to you. This only happens when the lights by the mirror come on. That's your cue to go to the mirror and ask Mickey to come out. He did this twice during our tour and once in the morning. We tried all night to figure out how to get it to work but never did.
There were TV's everywhere. 3 in the TV area, 1 in the master bath (in the mirror) and 1 in the second bedroom. The master bath has a huge steam shower with 7 shower jets. The second bathroom has glow in the dark grout. The whole suite was amazing!!! They left us a goodie basket of snacks, a fruit basket, a fridge full of water and sodas, and a gift basket of Disney stuff. It was time for the 6 of us to head to New Orleans Square for our dinner at The Blue Bayou (part of the prize package). They seated us immediately, gave us special menus (with no prices on them) and fed us some really great food and dessert. The dessert looked like a pirate ship, complete with a pirate flag made out of sugar (or something edible).
The Dream Squad takes us to the beginning of Main Street where the parade floats come out and introduce us to our driver Vern and the Mayor of Disneyland. We hop in to the fire truck that they usually run up and down Main Street. It's all dressed with balloons and a sign on either side stating that I am the winner today. Our Dream Squad escorts take our cameras and tell us that they will take pictures of us all along the parade route. The parade was led by a banner, then a group of dancers, then us, followed by Mary Poppins and Bert, Pooh, Eeyore and I can't remember who else. People were lined up along the route, all the way back to Small World. The Mayor of Disneyland kept announcing my name over a microphone to the crowd telling them I was the prize winner for the day and my guests. The crowd waved and cheered. The Dream Squad kept running (yes, I said running) ahead of us to stop and take pictures of us with our cameras. My Mom started calling them our own private paparazzi.
At Small World we go in the gates to the backstage area and exit our vehicle. All of the characters that have been following us give us hugs and congratulate us. We take plenty of pictures with them. The Dream Squad gives me the balloons and the 2 signs off of the side of the car and one of them offers to take them back to the suite for me but we decline as we are headed back to the suite for the evening. We have decided as a group to not partake in the rest of the evening planned by the Dream Squad. We could have had special seating for the next parade, seating for Fantasmic, and seating for the fireworks but we decide that those are things that we can do anytime and we want to enjoy the suite instead.
We all go and grab some goodies from the concierge lounge and bring them back to our suite to sit and wait for the fireworks. There is piped in the music for the fireworks so we can enjoy them as if we are sitting in Disneyland. We have 4 sliding glass doors, which are all opened. What a view!!! It was spectacular!! We wake up to breakfast from the concierge lounge and then sit until the last possible minute watching TV, drinking coffee, and reading the newspaper. None of us want to leave. Mickey even talks to us for a few minutes from the magic mirror. What a wonderful, MAGICAL, experience!!!! I will not forget this for years to come. Disney truly outdid themselves.

A New Warehouse is Just Around the Bend

It's the question many have been asking - when is the new warehouse going to open? The answer is... September. We know that is a little while, but it will be worth the wait, because this is not going to be just any warehouse.

Consider what it would be like if you could combine a Disney Collector's Museum with a store where you could buy some very special and one-of-a-kind Disney pieces to add to your collection. That is what we are creating!

The opening in September will coincide with the NFFC Convention, of which we are a proud sponsor.

We won't leave you totally in the dark, here's a sneak peek at some of the things you will see when we open for business!

Road Trip to Club 33

Surplus Kingdom at with Trevor Carlton at Club 33.
Trevor Carlton fans, check out my most recent visit to Disneyland! Trevor Carlton and I took the time to grab lunch at Club 33, where he also showed off one of newest pieces of art! I don't think Tinkerbell has ever looked so vibrant, and also a little like she's ready to get in trouble.
Also I got to meet a stable of New Orleans Square. Charlie the blues player. He has been playing on the balcony of Club 33 and on New Orleans Square at Disneyland for over 20 years!
And what trip is complete with out a ride on the Lilly Bell?