Complimentary

Our Club 33 “lunch” reservation isn’t until 2:00. Becky and boys are joining Bob & Linda for a bigger breakfast at Molly’s Kitchen again, but I'd rather stay here and conserve my energy. That plus I haven’t had much of an appetite since lunch yesterday.

I ask them to bring me some orange juice from the snack shop when they return, and as long as I stay hydrated in addition, that should be enough to tide me over until the late lunch.

They head out at 8:15. I stay in the room taking it easy, getting ready slowly, and taking the medication I need. There’s a half-eaten bag of Cheetos on the desk by the TV. I’m surprised that they actually sound good to me, so I try one. It’s good, so I finish off the bag. My appetite seems to have come back. There’s another container with some toffee peanuts Becky got for me yesterday. I try a few. And a few more.

Okay, Cheetos and toffee peanuts is not exactly the Breakfast of Champions, but I’m just happy to have my appetite back. I was getting worried that I’d get to Club 33 and not be able to eat!

Benjamin comes back to the room just to deliver my orange juice – nice kid – so I have that too. That all should really last me until 2:00.

When the ten of us discussed plans for this morning, I first thought we might start out in California Adventure, since I hadn’t been there yet. But of course the rest of the group spent most of the afternoon (and for three of them, the evening also) there. My parents and aunt and uncle were briefly in Disneyland yesterday, but only trying to find their way to Goofy’s Kitchen, not to ride anything, so they are understandably wanting to go to Disneyland.

We quickly settle on a happy compromise. Since they all loved Soarin’ Over California and said they’d be happy to ride it again with me, that’s how we’ll start the day. We’ll go into California Adventure when it opens at 10 o’clock, to ride Soarin’ and give me a taste of the park, then we’ll go across to Disneyland and ride stuff there until time for Club 33. Cool.

We leave a little after 9:30 for the ART stop in front of the Sheraton, and before long a bus pulls up for us. We’re on our way! Once at the drop-off area on Disney property – ah, there’s that Disney music again! – we go through the same bag-check booth and into the plaza.

Now here’s where our routine changes. Before we get to the park entrance, we have to pick up our passes from Guest Services. We don’t want to use our 2-day Park Hoppers again today – in fact, I repeatedly suggested to our group that we don’t even bring them just so we don’t accidentally burn the second day.

This is when we find out for real if my friend’s friend actually came through for us. Per the instructions from my friend, we veer behind a concrete wall to the left of the California Adventure entrance, where the Guest Services window is tucked away. I tell the cast member there, “We have reservations for Club 33” – I get a tingle just saying that! – “for two o’clock. Party of ten.” I give her my name, she looks at my driver’s license and then checks her computer screen, punches a few buttons…

…and passes begin dispensing from her printer. She hands me a yellow half-page with information about the Club 33 dress code and policies and a map to find the place (which some of us, having found the place yesterday, don’t need, but others in our group will probably like to have in case we get separated!).

And she gives me ten park passes – and I haven’t had to pay a dime. (Yet.) Each of them is printed with today’s date, the fact that they are 1-day Park Hoppers, and these glorious words: “CLUB 33 COMPLIMENTARY.”

This is so cool!