Downtown Disney – Drinks for Halloween (2008)

I arrived at the Grand Californian around 7pm after checking into my Alpine motel.  Come to think of it, this was the first place I stayed at when my parents took me to Disneyland for my 8th birthday. There use to be other little motels along this strip of Katella but they are all gone save the Alpine. Nice, clean, not the Grand Floridian but I just need a place to sleep and this was fine.

Every year for my birthday I try to get to Disneyland.  Usually it is with my BFF "Catwoman" but also love to have dinner at Napa Rose.  This year, money was tight so I opted for a solo park trip along with meeting my friend for drinks the night before.

The first thing that struck me on entering Downtown Disney was the freakin Peruvian Flute Band. NOW I get the South Park episode that was just on. WTF is with the Peruvian Flute Bands? Huh? I mean do we really need them? Are giant Guinea Pigs really going to attack if they go away? Really? After doing a quick recon while I was waiting for Jimmy I decided to keep track of some of the costumes I saw. It was nearly a week before Halloween but Disney was having their annual party and it was the last weekend before Halloween so there were many "festive" people about.  I decided these costumes fit a certain theme. Little kids tended towards the Disney pre-purchased character outfits. Princesses, Jack Sparrows, Captain Hooks, etc.

The "Young Girls" between the ages of 14-20 tended to all be in the “sexy” category. Insert any name and add “sexy” before it. That was their costume. I saw Sexy Dorothy, Alice, Nurse, Stewardess, Cho Chang (yes she was the sexy version). Then there was the knocked up white trash teen outfit complete with a belly shirt and Daisy Dukes. I couldn’t figure out if she was suppose to be Sarah Palin’s daughter or maybe she was not wearing a costume, bless her heart. 

The men were pretty much lame attempts at costumes. I have found that unless men are gay, theatrical or have pushy women in their lives, they don't put much energy into playing dress up.  Jack Sparrows (most just with the wig only) and other variations that sometimes coincided with the “sexy” version of a character their girlfriend/girl they want to bone, is wearing. Like the half assed catepillar that was with Sexy Alice. You know these guys were only doing this to get some pooty once their dates had a few drinks in them.

Then there were the parents. Some in costumes, some just with wee ones in costumes, all looking harried and in need of a drink. Someone should really tell Darth Vadar that his light saber belongs upright in his hand and NOT between his legs like some freaky ass porno, running into people with it. That is a picture I don’t want in my head.

My birthday present from my parents to me were a pair of Juicy Coutre glasses. Now I just need the pink leather hobo bag from Juicy and I am good to go. As I was looking at various Mickey bar things, I saw I had a message on the nerd phone from Jimmy so I had to find him and I knew I couldn’t just run around yelling “Marco”, “Polo”.

Jimmy and I met up over at the bar at the Grand Californian (which is trying to be Wilderness Lodge and failing but it is still the best hotel they have if heinously over priced).

We started off with some basics. Jimmy had a glass of wine and I had some Asian Pear Martini thing. What sold me was the connected chopsticks that held a circle of lime. That made it soooooooooo Asian. (shakes head) Do they actually pay someone to come up with these things?  It did have the GOOD gin in it so it went with the G&T’s I had earlier.

The second round was even more festive. Really.  Jimmy had a drink with a light cube in it that glows.  It almost gives your drink a sci-fi, Deep Space Nine feel.  There is just something special when you have drinks in the lovely bar at the Grand Californian.  Having drinks with great friends like Jimmy is even better.

I usually have the Pina Colava (the signature drink at the Poly at WDW) as it brings back memories of Catwoman and I drinking at the Tambu Lounge.  Of all of the drink emporiums in Disneyland, the Grand Californian is the best hands down.  Check it out and bring a friend.