I was a guest at a private event that was held on the Mark Twain Riverboat inside the Disneyland Theme Park. This was an early-morning event that was held prior to the theme park's opening. Buffet stations were set up on the dock, as were various tables and chairs. But the guests grabbed their food and enjoyed it on the boat instead (myself included). A band played as we sailed around on the Rivers of America. It was a very relaxing cruise and a lovely way to start the day. I have one or two photos of this event. If I can find my photos, I'll post them. It was a simple but memorable event.
I need to note that I don't know if the above event is bookable today, but it is something that is worth looking into. I also think it would be very fun as a late-night cruise. That one would appeal to me more, especially since I am not the early-morning type. I'm more the night-owl.
Okay, I promised that I would dig up a few photos from the private event that I attended on the Mark Twain Riverboat inside the Disneyland Theme Park.
Click here to go to my on-line photo album.
For this event, the guests had to meet in the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel at 4:45 AM (
that is where everyone was staying).
Yes, you read that right. 4:45 A.M. Disney Cast Members were waiting for us there, and they escorted us to the Downtown Disney monorail station.
Since the theme park was closed to the general public at that early morning hour, security was tight. After we produced our event credentials, we were allowed to enter the monorail station. We walked up to the platform and stood there for several minutes. Everyone was excited about attending the special breakfast event inside Disneyland that morning.
The first monorail didn't leave the station until around 5:30 AM. It felt strange for me to enter the theme park in this manner for a private event, but I must admit that it also felt kinda fun. Whenever I have attended a private event in Walt Disney World, I have either entered on foot or via private transportation that took me directly to the event's venue. I've never arrived via a private monorail ride. It was a first for me, and I'm sure many of the others as well.
When our monorail arrived inside the theme park, Disney Cast Members were waiting for us. They escorted us to the Mark Twain Riverboat dock. The walk took a few minutes, and it felt odd being inside the theme park so early in the morning. The place was empty except for the event attendees and a handful of Cast Members who were preparing the park for the day.
It was 6 AM when we arrived at the riverboat dock. I immediately noticed that tables and chairs had been set up on the dock. I also noticed the buffet tables. They were filled with hot & cold breakfast foods and hot & cold beverages. Disney had set out quite a spread for our event. Everything looked lovely.
The guest list was small. I didn't take a head count but I think there were less than 50 of us that morning. Most of us had met during various private functions that had been held over the prior two days. It was nice for me to see my new friends again, but also a little sad since everyone would soon be parting ways.
I walked around the dock and took a couple of quick photos. My digital camera had been giving me trouble that week and I hoped that I would at least get a couple of decent shots out of it. (
I apologize for the shots in my on-line album that are a little blurry.)
I eventually put my camera away and got into the buffet line. It moved quickly. And the food that was laid out on the tables was plentiful. I normally do not eat breakfast and thus had a hard time deciding what to put on my plate. I hate it when everything that I see looks scrumptious. But I made a couple of selections and then got myself a glass of orange juice.
Even though tables and chairs had been set up on the dock for our use, no one wanted to eat there. They wanted to eat onboard the Mark Twain Riverboat. We asked the Cast Members if that was okay and they said that it was. I think just about everyone took their food aboard the boat.
I should mention that while we were standing on the dock, we were being entertained by the Side Street Strutters jazz band (
click here). They were playing on the second deck of the riverboat. It was a lovely surprise especially since the band is extremely talented. What a wonderful touch to our event.
Once onboard the riverboat, everyone began enjoying their breakfast. The theme park was especially quiet since it was still closed to the general public. There was only one other event going on that morning, but that event was being held inside the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square. Even though I knew those attendees were enjoying their event, I wished they could have been outdoors with us in the fresh air. It really was an absolutely lovely way to begin the day.
Shortly before the Mark Twain pulled away from the dock, the Side Street Strutters came down to the main deck. They took their places at the bow of the boat and soon began entertaining us. The riverboat then slowly pulled away from the dock. We were on our way.
As we began traveling down the Rivers of America, I noticed a photographer along the shoreline. I couldn't tell if he was hired by Disney as an official photographer or if he was a press photographer. He waved hello and I snapped his photo before he could take mine.
As our boat passed in front of the French Market, I could see some guests milling about. They waved hello and we waved back. Then I noticed a few more guests a little further down the shoreline. They were shouting out their greetings and then quickly taking photos of our riverboat. It was like we had our very own paparazzi. It was cute.
Our boat continued traveling along the river at a leisurely pace while the band continued to play at an energetic pace. I was thoroughly enjoying myself and so were the rest of the guests. But as with everything good in life, it was over before we knew it.
As the Mark Twain pulled into the dock, we were greeted by the other event attendees. They waved their hellos and asked us how our cruise had been. We responded in kind. It was nice seeing so many happy Disney fans that early in the morning. It sounded like their event had been just as much fun as ours had been.
When we left the dock, we were handed a special surprise. It was a commemorative scroll that stated the following:
"In joyous celebration of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland Park, this certificate verifies and authenticates that the bearer of this proclamation was in fact present and did add to the Magical Memories set forth on this the Seventeenth Day of July in the Year Two Thousand and Five."
The scroll had been signed by the president of the Disneyland Resort. It was a lovely keepsake.
In closing, I don't know if a cruise such as the one that I attended can be booked by others, but it is something that is definitely worth looking into. It is an extremely unique way to celebrate an auspicious occasion. After all, Disney chose it to help celebrate the official 50th anniversary of their most famous theme park. That's got to tell you something.
