At the end of the parade, Disney threw a media party at the Disneyland Hotel.
Most of the guests appeared to be upper-level Disney employees, retirees and their families and guests, but more than a few photographers, videographers and TV and radio hosts walked across Downtown Disney for the free music, food and booze.
With all the freebies out in the courtyard, not that many folks were heading in to Trader Sam's, the popular new tiki bar at the Disneyland Hotel that some have called the west-coast resurrection of Pleasure Island's Adventurer's Club.
The hotel's new monorail-themed watersides looked ready to go, though no one was taking advantage during the party.
Instead, the entertainment was provided by a live band.
Security was tight, of course. No interlopers allowed.
Celebrating the opening of Star Tours and The Little Mermaid made for a bit of an odd theme to the festivities. So Disney kept the mermaids in the pool, well away from the Stormtroopers.
But the big attraction at these shindigs is the food and drink. Chefs were grilling all the kabobs you could eat.
Or, you could select one of the prepared appetizers, such as "King Triton's Surf and Turf" - "Duo tridents of shrimp with sweet garlic chili sauce and grilled beef with tangy BBQ sauce"
And you could wrap up your noshing with a trip to the Star Tours-themed dessert bar, complete with lightsabers.
Tomorrow morning, it's the opening ceremony for Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, followed by a "What's Next" presentation as we get a look behind the construction walls at Cars Land. We'll be there, and the coverage will be here.
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Very cool press party. Does Disney host conferences at any of their hotels? They seem like the perfect company to have cater a huge conference.
Close-ups from the front just look like a couple women in the pool. What's the point of that? Well, okay, I know the point of that, but you couldn't tell that they were supposed to be mermaids.
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But come on Robert… Couldn’t you have gotten a better picture of these fabulous creatures..?
I only wish there was one that looked like Ariel with Red hair……..