Trip Report: “Disney Parks Around The World – A Private Jet Adventure” Day 3 – Disneyland VIP Tour and Walt Disney's Apartment

Have you ever taken a picture in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle with nobody else around? The answer is probably no, and that rare opportunity is the reason we entered Disneyland Park at 6:30 am on Day 3 of Disney Parks Around The World – A Private Jet Adventure. We spent the entire day at “The happiest place on Earth,” with VIP group tours and a visit to Walt Disney’s apartment above the Disneyland Fire Department. Arriving at an empty park, save for Cast Members busy getting the park ready for its 9:00 am opening, I felt like I was stepping into the Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Disneyland Fun VHS tape I wore out as a kid.

Our Adventure Guides escorted the group down Main Street, U.S.A. towards Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Once there, we were greeted by a professional photographer and lighting for a group photo to commemorate this inaugural Adventures by Disney itinerary. We will receive a copy of the group photo at the end of the trip. Our Adventure Guides then split up to quickly offer every group a cellphone photo in front of the castle with no one else in the background.

We had a little extra time before breakfast, so the most daring among us were taken to Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Not only were we the first Guests to experience the attraction today, but we were also allowed to stay on and ride twice in a row!

Breakfast was held in The Golden Horseshoe, a buffet-style affair with some much-appreciated coffee.

Becky Cline introduced a trio of special guests from Walt Disney Imagineering. President Barbara Bouza, Executive Producer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, and Concept Designer Kim Irvine each spoke to us about their roles and recent projects they worked on that we can experience around the world. Jeff discussed the recent Mickey’s Toontown refresh with the arrival of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and a projection enhancement to the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Kim Irvine mentioned the recent refresh of Walt Disney’s apartment and also looked to the future with visible progress on the Adventureland Treehouse (formerly the Swiss Family Treehouse and Tarzan’s Treehouse). As the daughter of Disney Legend Leota Toombs, whose face and voice are immortalized in Kim’s favorite attraction, The Haunted Mansion, Kim also teased some upcoming enhancements to the classic attraction.

With 9 VIP Tour Guides available and 75 Guests, we were allowed to form our own groups to enjoy 7 hours of expedited access to whatever our hearts desired. Our guide was named Ashley, who did an incredible job of balancing all of the group’s requests. Through her, we experienced the following:

Each Guest received a commemorative Disney100 VIP Tours pin as a keepsake. Our adventure with our VIP Guide concluded with a visit to Walt Disney’s apartment, which was led by another guide named Clariza. Photos weren’t allowed inside the apartment, with the exception of a photo of us with the famous lamp in the window (we will receive that at the end of the trip). I had been in the apartment once before, more than a decade ago, and the changes Kim Ivrine mentioned make the space feel much more lived-in, with a hat on a shelf on Walt’s side of the room and reading glasses on Lillian’s side.

Dean distributed our pin of the day in Walt’s apartment, which featured a mirrored silhouette of the Partners Statue with Disneyland icons behind them.

Lunch was on our own today but included in the cost of the trip. Each Guest received a $100 Disney Gift Card, which could be used at any food or merchandise location in either theme park, as well as select locations in Downtown Disney. To maximize theme park time, dinner was held inside the brand-new Disney Vacation Club Star View Station in Tomorrowland. Guests could stop by anytime between 7:00 and 9:00 to enjoy a variety of savory items. I ate my weight in fried mac & cheese balls.

Thus concludes our time at the Disneyland Resort. During our free time today, we rode Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and on our first day, we enjoyed King Arthur Carousel. All 6 Disney theme park resorts around the world have a carousel and a Dumbo, the only attractions that can make that claim. One of our goals is to experience them at every stop because, while the rides may be the same, the view is guaranteed to change. Tomorrow we will get our first flight aboard the private jet, heading up to San Francisco to explore The Walt Disney Family Museum, and Lucasfilm, plus check in to Skywalker Ranch, our home for the next two nights. Until next time, see ya real soon!

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Disney fans will soon be able to travel the globe from the comfort of their homes with Disney Around the World from Ravensburger. We brought along an early review copy of the game and look forward to playing it during downtime on this adventure.

Coverage is presented by Ravensburger’s Disney Around the World – Coming Soon

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