Susan B. James: El Capitan

My wasband, Barry Corbin, got me and our younger son, Chris tickets to the Planes 2 premiere at The El Capitan.

Decisions. Decisions. Stay home and write or . . .Oh Come on!

I drove Barry to Residuals Bar in Studio City where we met up with Chris, and Barry’s friend Kelly Stephens. Chris drove all of us and parked at Hollywood and Highland, across from the El Capitan.

When we emerged onto Hollywood Boulevard, the barricaded street was lined with Gawkers. (I’ve been one of those Gawkers. When I was pregnant with my older son Jim, Superman premiered at Mann’s Chinese. Barry and I walked down from our apartment on Franklin Avenue and peered through the holes left by a press of bodies to watch the arriving stars. I climbed on one of the iron tree fences to see better.)

We crossed the street and went up to security. Cries of “Barry! Barry! Over here.” Came from fans behind the fences. Barry stopped to sign stuff.

Security detached him from the barriers and led him on to the Red Carpet.

The Red carpet was long. First there was the crowd of Papparazzi: There were fifty two separate video camera stations, starting with the big ones like ET and CNN and passing on to lesser known ones like ETV China, ending with the Kids one.

Loved the balloon planes

Middle of the line

End of the Reporter Line

Barry stopped and talked to everyone. It took him about an hour and twenty minutes.

Clara wrangling for Barry

Each star had a handler who accompanies him along the line. They have a sheet with pictures of the voice actors which they show to the camera crew that's next up. That way the crew is prepared and know which part the voice actor played. Clara, Barry's handler, says she tells the newer Disney kid stars that the people at the end of the line just starting out may someday be the big people like ET and she was very happy Barry went to every one. Clara worked with Barry on The Big Easy TV series in New Orleans years ago before coming out here to work for Disney. This is her fifteenth year with Disney and she and her friends volunteer to handle events like these.

My coconut water souvenir. Delicious.

They gave us loot: Planes ball cap, Coconut water, little planes candy fans. I

forgot to take food pics. They had Pizza, Poquito Mas, little hot dogs, trays of cotton candy, and baskets of Ghiradelli Raspberry chocolate squares.

The Voice Cast For Planes2
Front Row (?Maybe Danny Mann) Brad Garret, Julie Bowen, Barry Corbin, Dane Cook, Hal Holbrook, Erik Estrada,
Back Row Ed Harris, Fred Willard, Wes Studi, Stacy Keach and Dale Dye

On the way to our seats, they passed out 3D glasses, Fire and Rescue popcorn buckets and bottled sodas. I loved the picture. This is the first of the Cars Series I've seen. The voices were all so well cast.
After the picture, they conducted up to a secret room under the El Capitan Theatre.

Guardian of Secret Room

Stairway to secret room

They have a party room down two flights of black metal stairs.

The one in the ball cap is Brad Paisley

In the party room wine, beer, water and sodas were available at two stations / The long buffet table held an assortment of fruits and cheeses and canapes: Curried chicken on a stick, Bread squares with steak topped with a dab of bleu cheese and a fig compote with some kind of cheese on top.

The Toast speech. Producer in Front. Dane Cook in background.

They toasted the voice actors and the director and the producer. I got to talk to Fred Willard and Brad Paisley. Afterwards two Disney security guards escorted us to our car They wouldn't let anyone else in the elevator with us. It was cool and weird.

I’m grateful I had the opportunity to join in the fun.

I’d like to give away some myself. I’m giving away three prizes: A twenty five dollar gift card to Fandango so you can choose your own movie fun, and two copies of Time and Forever. This is my first Rafflecopter. Contest ends Saturday and I will email gift card or book to the winner.