D23 day 1, Trader Sams

Today was a full day of events.  Actually I only go the opportunity to do two events due to the mass amounts of people showing up for the first day.  These two events were the Disney Legends Awards, and the Parks and Resorts.   I expected the Parks and resorts to be very interesting, and the Disney Legends to be boring.  It was actually the reverse.  I got lucky to get into each one.  We were the last people admitted to the Legend award, and waiting 1 1/2 before show in the line for the Parks and Resorts only to be told we were on standbye only.  The Disney Legends ceremony celebrated Anika Noni Rose, Jodi Benson, Paige Ohare  the Sining voice for Mulan and Jasmine, and the voice of Jasmine, who's names escape me at the moment.  They were all very grateful,  then we received a treat of hearing all the singers do numbers from their movies, and then all four came out and sang "some day my prince will come" together as a quartet.  It was very awesome.   Regis  also got an award,  but honestly he came across as being very arrogant and said a rather inappropriate story about how his family couldn't get into the park while getting his award, basically complaining to the company that was just giving him a very high award.   The founder of the Disney Store, The man who played Zorro both of which who have passed received awards.  Jim Henson also recieved an award and we were treated to a little classic sketch comedy puppetry from Brian Henson,   Followed by a performance by Kermit and Rolf (two of Jim's characters) singing Rainbow Connection.  That was awesome.  Tom Bergeron did a great job hosting the event.

The Disney Parks and Resorts was hosted by Tom Staggs who honestly didn't have the ability to keep the room interested and seemed very awkward on the stage.  We did get treated to an appearance of a live talking Mickey voiced live by Bret Iwan.  They really didn't say much about what we already know,  Then Aulani was discussed and a Hawaiian band along with several little girls danced and singed on stage for us.  In addition wee also get a virtual ride of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  A test animation for the new Lumiere animatronic and a brief discussion about WDW's Arial attraction.  Then the focus went to California.  We got a photo tour of progress on cars land, as well as what California Adventure will eventually look like.   We also got a very interesting look at what currently is in the close to blue sky project of Shanghai Disneyland.  Including how massive the castle will be there and it will be the first to have a ride in it.  It will be three stories tall and focus on all the princesses and not just one.   They had also mentioned how Club 33 was so hard to get into and that changes were coming soon but thats all they could say about it, and teased that in the future you might be able to experience classic attractions.   They are doing a slight expansion to fantasyland that will focus on the princesses and have personal experiences with them.  WDW has tried that many times... it never lasts.  All in all though I found the Parks and Resorts kind of boring, and felt my time would have been better spent taking in some of the booths and exhibits in the hall.

I did score the one thing i wanted and thats the die cast Tron Monorail.   It's awesome.  They also had the red Disneyland monorail playset.  I may have to go back and get that later.
All in all I can tell you one thing.  Expect to wait in lines.  We waiting in like for 30 minutes just to get food for lunch.  It's a whole lot of waiting.  Tomorrow is the Studio exhibit and rumor has it it's going to be a whopper.  We are hoping to get into it.  It's going to be tough.

I was able to experience Trader Sams tonight.  It's a new Enchanted Tiki Bar located by the pool at the Disneyland Hotel.  It's Jungle Cruise and Tiki Room Themed.  When you order special drinks, it triggers effects in the room, like the volcano outside erupting when you order a Montazuma.  The drinks were good and although it was a bit pricey I scored to very cool souvanier glasses.  We also ran into Bob Gurr, the man who designed the monorails.  He was a very nice man.