Matt's 2017 Spring Dapper Day Trip Report

[whoever]

After striking out, we left Radiator Springs and made our way over to the Pier and boardwalk

As we roll up to Toy Story Midway Mania what do we find... It is also down with no ETA of when it will be up. Ugh!!! I guess Mickey's Fun Wheel of death is the next stop as we see it at least moving. As we roll up, what do we find... ALSO DOWN!!! Now we are getting aggravated. We continue our way around the pier only to find nothing else running... except... Ariel's Undersea Adventure. Are you kidding me????? Thanks Disney for not starting attraction checks until the park is already open. Oh well... make lemonade and all that stuff...

By now it was 07:30. A quick check indicated RSR was back up and running with a 30 minute wait so back we went.

While waiting in line, I happened to notice zeitzeuge (a regular on MiceChat) and his spouse in line about 10 parties behind us. It was one of those awkward moments where internet strangers meet as I introduced myself. Good to see people in real life who I met through shared Disney addiction (I've got some real-life friends who happened to meet the same way).

Victoria saw the waterfall right as I snapped this pic

I wonder if Disney will ever fix the permanently tipped over tractor or get the smoke ring working again. I've noticed smoke effects never seem to be working as BTMRR's was also non-functional this trip. For what Disney is charging these days, you'd expect nothing but flawless operations.

Frank waking up never gets old.

One of these days I'll get a clean shot of Mater jumping the moon.

I never noticed one of the cylinders was firing at Flo's until I was processing this pic..

We ended up getting some new shoes to help win the race. (apologies for the horrible quality on this pic)

Love the hidden Mickey here

Victoria was having a BLAST!!

I think we lost this race but it was still GREAT!!

Thankfully since I had grabbed FP, we got to go again!! Victoria REFUSED to ride again for whatever reason, so we split up and it was just Charlotte and I. This time Charlotte was going to drive us.

She must have been a better driver than Katherine was because we WON!!!

After our win, we made our way over to Flo's to meet up with the rest of the family who had eaten breakfast. Both parks now open, we decided to head towards Disneyland before it got to busy and left Radiator Springs at 08:50, but not without a stop up front for a pic.

 

[ddwlms]

Did your DW make the girls dresses? They are so adorable, and love how all 4 match.

I LOVED when mine were little enough to do matching dresses. It was like playing dress up for me. --And cuteness grows exponentially with matching outfits .
-

 

[whoever]

Did your DW make the girls dresses? They are so adorable, and love how all 4 match.

I LOVED when mine were little enough to do matching dresses. It was like playing dress up for me. --And cuteness grows exponentially with matching outfits .
-

The girl's dresses are Costco and Amy made her own from scratch. She also made the hats. They were definitely a cute bunch, but the days of hand-making everything for a family of 5 are long gone.

 

[whoever]

Warning, this installment is pretty much just pictures of the family... a lot of them.

Katherine was still hauling butt with the stroller..

We cruised through the turnstiles and headed for the left underpass, our personal favorite. I always try to enter on the left just because I love that side and the accompanying vista better, but also strategically because if there is a parade going on, it's the only way you are going to make it anywhere past the town square.

Down by Market House, there was a CM with these cute little themed frame you could snap some pics with. Not sure if it was for dapper day or just a new thing.

Down at the hub, first priority was a family picture in front of the castle. The pressure would be off then to keep the outfits together. I really wish I had waited till that guy in red moved before snapping this pic:

I gave my camera to the PhotoPass photog. I have PP on my AP, but it's better to deal with photos I know the settings on and can work with vs. relying on the PP and the low-res jpgs you get with PP+

Our family photos now complete, it was off to Frontierland via Fantasy Faire.

 

[MommyLove]

Another great TR entry. Wonderful photos! Makes me feel like I'm there. Love the pics of the girls on RSR.

Thanks!! Appreciate it.


I really wish we had run into you guys. Your outfits are superb!!!

Thanks!

I can never get the fam to agree to meet ups... they're not on the DIS so they don't care and they're too busy wanting to do all the DL stuff.

 

[whoever]

Another great TR entry. Wonderful photos! Makes me feel like I'm there. Love the pics of the girls on RSR.



Thanks!

I can never get the fam to agree to meet ups... they're not on the DIS so they don't care and they're too busy wanting to do all the DL stuff.

Trust me it's hard even with a Disney family. I've met so many people once and very few twice.

 

[maleficent55]

Super great pictures and wonderful Dapper Day outfits!
It was our first dapper day and we had a blast, most enjoyable was checking everyone else out.

I did see your family one morning by the subs, I recognized you guys from here but of course didn't say hi because Internet strangers! Lol

 

[whoever]

Super great pictures and wonderful Dapper Day outfits!
It was our first dapper day and we had a blast, most enjoyable was checking everyone else out.

I did see your family one morning by the subs, I recognized you guys from here but of course didn't say hi because Internet strangers! Lol

Should have said hi!! I remember a few dapper days back Amy was approached by somebody who recognized her from my pictures.

 

[whoever]

We decided BTMRR was the ticket... unfortunately, Victoria's stubbornness reared it's head AGAIN and she refused to ride, so Amy, K, and Vic sat this one out. I just LOVE that Disney does the best theming even in places you wouldn't expect it.

The new entrance has some cool greebles too.

Charlotte and I seldom get to ride together on our own, so this was a real treat.

Shame that crane is in the shot, but an Iconic view.

That is going to be a BIG show building.

Not sure what part we are looking at here, maybe the train route above with tunnel below? I hope they put a boatload more trees to hide things.

We found Amy and the girls taking a break.

 

[whoever]

Just realized that last pic is blurry as heck. I need to get my eyes checked. Point of focus was in the reeds behind the stroller.

 

[MommyLove]

Shame that crane is in the shot, but an Iconic view.

It would be an easy Photoshop job though, to get that out.

More great shots - how cool you got some Star Wars land stuff while on BTMRR!! Nice!!

 

[whoever]

Charlotte and I exited BTMRR at 09:31, found Amy and the girls waiting for us by the exit and decided it was a perfect time for a float after some cursed treasure...

The float past the Blue Bayou dining room never gets old. I don't know if I like it better empty, or full of patrons. We would be sitting up there, waterside the following evening, so I couldn't wait.

I always try to grab a decent pic of the old timer rocking on the porch as we float by to the tune of banjo music. I honestly don't think I can do any better with the gear I've got. Maybe one of those newfangled bodies with a gazillion grain-free ISO settings would do it.

Noticed this new projection on one of the waterfalls after the second drop. Bad shot, but you get the idea

This guy is always sticking around..

The lighting and seaweed is new on this guy.

Here is where I'm going to say I totally bought in to the Disney Glazed Donut on Pirates of the Caribbean myth. Supposedly a cast member stuck a glazed donut up on the cobwebs on the ride and it was never removed. I will say that there have been shenanigans with props introduced like the lightsaber which used to be in the barrel of swords. I've got some photographic verification of this. I've never remembered to look for the donut before, but I did make sure to this time. And behold:

Wait.... that isn't a donut..

That is decidedly a carved flask. A quick google of carved donut flask and what do I find?

http://www.icollector.com/Two-Deepl...der-Flasks-and-a-Donut-Shaped-Flask_i15827418

Yep... one in the same. I wonder if Disney was the purchaser, or if it was a common piece because that auction listing seems pricey for set dressing.

Dental checkup?

I've never focused on the fort defenders before. Usually looking at the Wicked Wench.

Glad to see this scene not missing anybody.

Not sure who's happier, the pirate or the pigs.

I've never noticed that this guy has a striped sock on his other foot. I really wasn't happy with the spotlight they had on him casting a beam across the entire show scene.

Should I tell these guys that the dog is NEVER going to move?

 

[whoever]

It would be an easy Photoshop job though, to get that out.

I suppose I could. I've never bothered to digitally alter an image, just crop/adjust lighting/color balance.

More great shots - how cool you got some Star Wars land stuff while on BTMRR!! Nice!!

I really hope they disguise it a little better. Those trees won't fill in quick enough!!

 

[whoever]

After we returned from our swashbuckling adventure, it was decided that we needed a beignet fix. Off I went to The French Market to grab some beignets from the window while the girls all did a second pass through the Spanish Main.

They ended up having a few buccaneer-themed items, so I grabbed some of these new lemon-flavored Lost Treasure Beignets (candy sequins even) along with the Jolly Roger Punch to try, and some regular beignets and the newly de-dyed mint julep.

The beignets and julep were superb as always, however they still can't hold a candle to the ones from Ralph Brennan's Jazz kitchen. The lost treasure ones were... sparkly albeit good. The Jolly Roger punch... if it only had rum you could get in some real trouble with a bucket of it. Sooo good.

A CM saw the girls posing and brought out one of the decorative frames...

Victoria is still feral

And Katherine has to try to one-up all the rest.

Our bellies full, we wandered over to the train station. I knew this would be going away soon, so we stopped to get a few more pics with the engine, tender (still haven't done a tender ride), and just enjoy the puzzles/games of a slower pace.

I always wonder what she's thinking when she does this. Maybe my awesome wit just blew her mind..

One of these trips, we might even get to do a real tender ride.

The Lilly Belle wasn't open but that didn't stop Vic from hamming it up and Charlotte pouting about something or other inane.

Toddler train toys fix everything.

That is some red lipstick

Victoria always to be the cute one.

There's a loathsome teenager hiding just under the surface

 

[whoever]

Now satiated, it was time for what else? Haunted Mansion. We dawdled but a moment in Magnolia Square. How I love this still quiet place amongst the hustle and bustle of NOS. Despite moving through the HM queue at an extraordinary pace, I stopped to snap a few pics of the surroundings...

Way overexposed... I was running and gunning..

Is this new?

I hate shooting into the sun without fill flash...but... I don't shoot flash these days since my last SB600 speedlight gave up the ghost (pun intended)...just have to deal

And my favorite... the gargoyles...

Looks suspiciously out of place perched in my family room.

Just hanging around..

I have to say if there's one thing Disney's prop department has down its their candles. Drool...

OK, this shot sucks, but I REALLY want a great, properly exposed shot of this suit of armor out of my own camera. So frustrating...

Another throw-away I tried to salvage of the endless corridor.

I wasn't going to say anything, but that ghost has a big booty.

Now you see me...

Now you don't..

Married to the Marquis of something or other.. I need to brush up on my Haunted Mansion lore for sure...

I do like a good hatchet.

Projections working flawlessly..

Grainy..

The Graveyard always gives me fits.

Cheers!!

Don't go losing your head over it.. it'll be alright.

Did somebody say lose your head?

That's it.. I don't want to lose an arm or a head... I'm outta here.

Me too... you going my way?

 

[MommyLove]

I always wonder what she's thinking when she does this. Maybe my awesome wit just blew her mind..

Hahahaaa!! She is adorable. And Charlotte reminds me of my 9 year old daughter who's into similar poses lately.

Is this new?

I believe it is! I noticed that on my last trip and I'm pretty sure I'd never seen it before.


I love the rainbow bokeh behind buddy.

Now you see me...

Now you don't..

Ahhhhh, you nailed those!!

That attic is my fave part of the ride.

 

[whoever]

Hahahaaa!! She is adorable. And Charlotte reminds me of my 9 year old daughter who's into similar poses lately.

Charlotte and her poses of late I tell you. A few years ago, she always had a leg up this way or that way, now its the hands.

I believe it is! I noticed that on my last trip and I'm pretty sure I'd never seen it before.

I wonder if there's a story behind it.

I love the rainbow bokeh behind buddy.

For once in my life, I actually wish the queue wasn't moving at a feverish pace. It never works out how you want it to. One of these days, I'm just going to hang back in the Indy queue and let others pass by. So much awesome stuff in there I've never shot and you are rushed through the first part due to how they have the FP and outer queue staged outside the building so to make it look more of a line.

Ahhhhh, you nailed those!!

That attic is my fave part of the ride.

So much going on in the attic. I wish it would break down so I could take it all in.

 

[whoever]

Having avoided becoming Happy Haunts #1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, and 1004, we determined some food was in order. A quick trip to the hub for a Turkey leg for Charlotte, but not before a quick trip through the Adventureland shops along the way.

I really wanted these... until I saw the price tag... $150... Holy moly. How they can justify that for a Hawaiian shirt is beyond me.

My tropic attire ambitions thwarted, I retrieved the Turkey leg and made my way back to Adventureland where Amy had got the kids a beef skewer and a pork belly skewer from the Bengal Barbeque.

On my way back to the group, Ostrich leg in hand, I came across this guy sporting a really cool Wall-E shirt

I arrived at a table they had secured and prepared to dissect the smoked T-rex leg and feed it to my waiting children like some sort of ancient raptor tending to his brood of newborn predators. The beef skewer was the normal yumminess. The pork belly was all together awesome and even the slaw and lettuce garnish was wolfed down with the rice wine vinegar sauce which accompanied it. YUM. We are huge fans of pork belly and there's usually some version of it on the smoker every weekend so this was great to see hitting something as mainstream as Disneyland.

My ravenous lot now satiated for the moment, we turned our attention to what we would do before we headed back to the room to get ready for some pool time. Indy had an agreeable wait for the standby line, so into it we jumped, and we progressed through the queue quite quickly. Here is where you guys are going to have to bear with me. I'm only like the world's biggest Indy fan and have a pretty much unsurpassed prop collection from the movies (only missing an ark quite frankly, but that's on the list one of these days). The queue I love, and I've never spent much time in the outdoor portion as we are usually rocking fast passes, so here's more than a few pics of it as I enjoyed its details...

Why did it have to be snakes?

Love the lighting coming through the jungle canopy. The river delta is perfection of theming.

I really wanted to climb this ladder..

Hmm... I get the distinct impression we shouldn't be looking around.

Charlotte was driving so we should have had our eyes closed, but somebody looked and spoiled it.

Can't shut that darn door.

I've taken a fair amount of shots of this over the years. This one is my favorite.

We reunited with Amy and Vic at Tarzan's Tree House (how I wish it was still the Swiss Family Robinson)

Monkey see monkey do

 

[buteraa]

You are a family of awesomeness! Thanks for sharing your trip and pics of your beautiful girls!

 

[whoever]

You are a family of awesomeness! Thanks for sharing your trip and pics of your beautiful girls!

THanks!! We are just getting started. Only through half of day two of a four day trip. More to come!!