We thought it was G-R-E-A-T! Loved it! Highlights:
- Complimentary snacks at various carts: popcorn, beverages, frozen treats (Mickey Bars, Chocolate Bananas, etc)
- Meet the Executives: Ken Potrock and members of the West Coast Management team were present to hear stories, take photos and write down our comments/suggestions/concerns. We spent about an hour between 4 of these folks and really enjoyed this experience!
- DJ Dance Party
- Special Photo locations
- Late night World of Color
- Dueling Pianos
- Character Locations
- A cute "newspaper" special edition handout for the event. Headline: Disney Vacation Club Marks a Milestone.
Our Play by Play:
Arriving around 3P, we started with Gumbo Ya Ya at the Jazz Kitchen. Entering Disneyland on active APs, we grabbed FP for Indiana Jones and rode Pirates, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Nemo (Submarines) and Indy by 6P. We then switched parks. The DVC Event check-in line appeared pretty long, so we entered California Adventure on the APs, enjoyed Grilled Chicken sandwiches at Smoke Jumpers Grill (our first time eating there -- loved the condiment bar with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, etc.!) and played until park closing hitting Screaming and Tower Of Terror "Late Checkout" version (that is, "in the dark"). Once the park closed, the DVC Event check-in process was "immediate, walk up service" and we were quickly assigned our entry tickets and wrist bands. On re-entry, we enjoyed the complimentary popcorn, rode Soarin' (first time since the mid-summer release of Soarin' around the World), spent time with the Execs, savored a frozen chocolate covered banana, rode RSR and were then delighted by World of Color.
For fun, we wore lanyards showcasing only DVC-related pins. These became fun conversation starters in line -- and we loved meeting fellow members, sharing stories and 'glowing' in our common joy of all-things-DVC.
Event summary: Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!