May 22-24th: Something to Celebrate: A Kuzcochik Trip Report

[Kuzcochik]

(Edit: I finally get my dates right and forget the rest of my title *face palm*)

Hi there! I'm in the middle of sorting through over 800 pics from WDW & my Disneyland trip last week and trying to put together a trip report for both trips. I only have like two and half days to get them done/started b/c Thursday night I'm leaving for the Gumball Rally weekend and won't be back until next Tuesday!! I know! I'm crazy!!!

Anyhow, I thought I'd try to do the shorter of my two Trip Reports first. That would be this last weekend, when Darkwingchuck, Nela25 and I headed to Disneyland for my birthday!
We had planned to try to hit up the resort Friday, but we ended up hitting a ton of traffic and we had plans in Hollywood that night so we headed straight there.

And what were these plans? Well about half a year ago I caught wind of a show that I desperatly wanted to go to. It's called Puppet Up! Uncensored and it's put on by the Jim Henson Company (check it out here The Jim Henson Company) and it's performed once a month at the Avalon theater in Hollywood. Imagine my surprise and delight when I found out the show was being out on my birthday weekend ^_^


this excitement... right here in this picture


We had third row seats and it was honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen! On stage were the puppetters, but they also had monitors so you could see what the puppets would look like if it was an actual piece for television or whatever


The guy with the alien is Brain Henson, Jim Henson's son


The best way to describe the show is "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" but with puppets. (Here's all the puppets they had to choose from)



The highlight of the show though, was during the second act. They had been doing audience participation all night and the host came down into the audience to look for someone. The people in front of us where loud and annoying and crazy and the host basically ignored them and I realized he was making eye contact with me. He told them you can't look super eager to go up and then walked over to me and grabbed my hand pulling me on stage.

Next thing I know, one of the girls is putting a mike on me and Brian freaking Henson is putting a puppet on my hand! I got to control a puppet in a skit about a shrinking glacier and an ice maiden!!! It was insanity, I'm amazed i made any sense during it.




The whole thing was recorded, but youtube's being a jerk and taking forever to upload it. I'll post it here as soon as I can... it's ridiculous!!!

More pics from the show.
The search for the perfect Taco


The pep rally for Rush Limbagh High School


which basically consisted of insanity and hot dogs


The end of the show


And a final piece w/ hand puppets... like literally hand puppets


On a high from my brush with fame (the funniest part was the random audience members that told me I did a great job later) we headed to the Soda Fountain.
It was all ready for Up (as am I cause I get to see it tonight ^_^)




And The Boys was playing


Pic of the Conan billboard on Hollywood & Highland. Darkwing Chuck and I have tickets to his first show next week and we're super excited ^_^


And that was it for Friday Night. We got back to the hotel and totally crashed.

We started Saturday early and headed into Disneyland. On our way in we ran into Aladdin who joined our group for the day.
After and Indy Fastpass and some Pirates we headed to the Mansion. We kept slowing down so I got some good pics
Poor guy! Connie is so irrisitable he lost his head


Some graveyard fun


A swinging wake


Darkwing Chuck & Aladdin were afraid the ride might never start again


Finally escaping that haunted place we rode Indy and then headed to Big Thunder.


Then we headed toward Main Street to get a locker for our jackets and to see the Dapper Dans


"Hi there, how you all doin'?"


He's trying to remember something really important... may it's the words to the song


Because they saw my bday button I got called up to have a song sung to me. It was some random ladies birthday too so she was also sung too... I have no idea who she is but Disneyland makes everyone friendlier


This is the part where they showcase their fancy hats


Darkwing Chuck w/ the Dans


And me w/ the Dans


It was on to get Space Mountain fast passes and as we left we noticed HISTA was about to start. Darkwing Chuck has never seen HISTA (something about it replacing Captain Eo and being an abomination *shrug*) so the three of us made him go.
He was upset


And needed some persuasion (and for us to block the exits)


Getting thru that horrid experience (well for Darkwing Chuck at least) we headed over to DCA. We got Tower FPs and rode Monsters and then headed to Animation for a while. We waited in the lobby for Turtle Talk to start


I *heart* Herc/Meg!!


Back on Tower we had one of the coolest bellhops ever. He kept messing with everyone and as he was about to close the doors he saw my bday button and started singing happy bday. The doors closed and we went through the ride. When we got back he finished the song. It was awesome!


Pic of an on ride photo... I think I'm acting like I don't know these people


We had lunch at the Winery and met up with Dana (you might remember her from my last TR) then headed over to the Pier for some single rider Mania
Final Score


Toy Story Maniacs!


Nela25 wanted to try out some of the games of the Boardwalk cause she hadn't gotten to yet.


she tried her hand at striking out Casey


Over at one of the shops, Darkwing Chuck showed us the proper way to wear a hat... yeah, sometimes I wonder about that boy


Then it was on to impending doom


Aka the Maliboomer. Here we are taunting Dana & Aladdin for not coming along


Kuzcochik, queen of the attractive facial expressions


Darkwing Chuck couldn't figure out his seat belt


Nela25 and I loled at him


Still waiting to launch


KA CHOW!


Coming back to earth and gunning for YOU!


Trying to get out


I honestly can't remember the reason for this picture


Or this one


I think we were waiting while Nela25 tried to shot some hoops


Then it was on to catch the Pixar Play Parade... but that will have to wait b/c I've already given you too many pics to peruse and I'm still waiting for my freaking video to upload (stupid Youtube! it's been like an 2 hrs.)
Anyway... more to come tonight after Up ^_^

[Micoofy Duck]

Fun Trip Report full of Fantasmic moments.

[Melonballer]

I am so jealous of you getting to be a muppeteer. Congratulations.

[Barbossa]

Originally Posted by Kuzcochik

Kuzcochik, queen of the attractive facial expressions

You're supposed to make a facial expression like this:



But, you're only entitled to make the Samberg face after the ride is over.

Fun trip report.

[Coheteboy]

Awesome report! I've always been meaning to catch that puppet show! I really gotta see that. And congrats on Conan's first show! I sat in a test last week and it was bloody hilarious. You're gonna have a good time.

[Kuzcochik]

Puppet video finally got uploaded (3 hrs later.. freaking youtube!)

Now I can't get it to post on the thread right... any suggestions?

[Barbossa]

Originally Posted by Kuzcochik

Puppet video finally got uploaded (3 hrs later.. freaking youtube!)

Now I can't get it to post on the thread right... any suggestions?

Just post the URL that is posted on the right side, the one just above the embed link.

[Kuzcochik]

Originally Posted by Barbossa

Just post the URL that is posted on the right side, the one just above the embed link.

Yeah, but I wanted to embed it rather than just post the link. I know there was (or is) a tag for that but I can't remember

[Barbossa]

Originally Posted by Kuzcochik

Yeah, but I wanted to embed it rather than just post the link. I know there was (or is) a tag for that but I can't remember

The way Micehat is setup now, when you post the link, it will automatically embed the video when you hit the submit reply button. Don't worry about the Youtube tags. Just post the link and the video should embed itself.

[pratt55]

Although I am jealous that 1st you were in Disneyworld, then got to go to the Muppet Puppet Show, Disneyland and got to be with some other great Zonies (Nela, Chuckie and Aladdin) I will get over it because you are sharing your trip.

To embed youtube videos Monorail Man (AKA da Man) has made it possible that all you have to do is copy the link into the thread and it will embed it. Yes, it is really that simple.

[Kuzcochik]

I lied, I had some extra time so I'll post a bit more.

Here's the puppet video btw! Thanks for the helpful hints my friends guess I missed that change :P

YouTube - Puppet Up! Uncensored: The Ice Maiden

But on to more pics. After a stop at the corn dog castle, we headed over to secure a spot for Pixar Play. First up was the Up pre-parade!

Carl & Russell are too cute! (we met them in WDW but I'll get to that when I finally get to that monster of a TR :P)


I seriously just love Carl cause he's Ed Asner! And I love Ed Asner!


Doug was the most fun part cause he kept jumping and yelling "Squirrel!"


And here comes the parade


McQueen's personal mobile car wash


Monsters playing patty cake


She only has eyes for you... all three of them


KITTY!!! (I *heart* Sulley)


And Mike Akowski


Mrs. Incredible gives me the eyes... I think Bob was jealous


We geeked out a little cause the Syndrome girls got new costumes (Dana use to work w/ the parade so she was super psyced ^_^)


The costumes are super cute and I want one!


A Syndrome guy caught in a lovely lense flare


I can't remember who this is... :P


It was fun to learn that the big nerd glasses are actually part of the Marlin Costume. Like it's too funny to me


Meeting some smaller fans


A jelly girl. Seriously, I love the costumes in this parade!!


Bugs just want to have fun


The bug girl cracked me up! She was playing with Slim the whole time. He kept chasing her around and dancing with her.


Then she got a beach ball and they were playing with it. This is her spitting on her hands to get ready to throw it


Just look at her face! too funny


I like how one army man looks like "Stop having fun soldier" and the other looks like "Aww Nerts!"


the flying toy people amaze me!


good bye from the end of the parade


While we waited for parade crowds to ebb we wandered into PT Flea. And OMG I WANT ONE!!! (just the Giselle pin... but you can't buy just it... you have the buy the whole set... and it's over $100 )


On that note, I shall leave you again with more to come later tonight Enjoy!

[pratt55]

YouTube - Puppet Up! Uncensored: The Ice Maiden

OMG The Ice Maiden rocks!

[denice25]

awesome report! i really enjoy reading it.. thanks for the share!

[dland_lover]

"If we drink enough, we won't notice it's melting!"

FTW

Awesome report, as always! Can't wait for the rest!

[Nancy Carey]

Thanks, as always for the hilarious trip report. I just love reading yours. And how awesome that you got to see/participate in Puppet Up! YOu looked like you had a blast.