Day 5 - Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom:
Halloween Party tonight!
If you have something special planned like a tour or the Halloween party (even EMHs), make sure you know where to check in and get there early. That way, you're ensured of getting a wristband if you need it and you'll have plenty of extra time if getting there takes longer than you think.
Take the exit tip
Plans for the day:
Don't take a breath - the computer will think you're done and cut you off. Which is what happened again. ;)
Plans Part I
Finishing up AK
Tough to be a Bug starring Maggot, some food recommendations, parade and off to MK
More MK
I had an educational experience once we got to AK. You already know I own a Pal Mickey; I bought it in the first month they came out, when they were only available for hotel guests. You may also know my frustration in the past year when I found out Disney lied about always getting the new park info without ever needing to buy a new toy or upgrade the current one. I even had it 3 times in writing from them that it wouldn't happen. Then it did. Then I got strung along again with promises of a free upgrade that would give me the missing information like Soaring. That turned out to be a lie too. It's been a very aggravating and bitter experience, having Disney lie like that. I refused to get the new toy and still liked my current one. But I thought I had been soured on it.... until I lost it on the tram that morning in AK. As I scurried around to get it back (a friendly tram CM telling me to check Guest Services where a nice guest turned him in instead of keeping him.) and then my relief and happiness as that CM, with a big smile, said, "Here he is! He's been well kept!".... well, it taught me I still love the little guy. My own personal Mickey taking me through his parks. For example, I'm dying to get one of those Pal Mickey license plates from the buses (and since this trip, I got a CM Pal Mickey polo). And I'm glad to see how many people have also kept their original Pal Mickeys.
Before the Pal Mickey hunt, we got our picture done by the PhotoPass photographer who got us good! He had us kiss and told us to hold it as he got the picture. After the 4th "Hold it...!", John peeked and realized he had finished the picture ages ago and just seeing how long he could make us stay that way!
On our to do list: find the Galapagos turtles. We didn't know they had been moved from the old Discovery Island where we last saw them. Just when you think you've been down every trail...! We go directions from a CM and it happened that our Pal Mickey pointed out a trail we hadn't done before. There they were! We also enjoyed the bench there with a wonderful breeze, and whole different view of the Tree as well as the water and the path across it. It made a lovely spot to just enjoy the view. A CM went by pushing a cart stacked twice her height with trays. We offered to help and jumped up when she got stuck. She thanked us and went her way. Then! A group of guests stopped her to have her take their picture! How could they ignore how heavy and awkard those trays were! Talk about selfish.
We decided to continue our restful theme by enjoying the trails. We did the Pangani Trail and Mahajara Trek. John called me a research scientist because I had a good time talking to the CMs at the different animal enclosures such as the hippos, mole rats, and bats. I figured they might like someone taking an interest in what they do instead of just blowing through, and I do enjoy learning all these different, fascinating things I didn't know before about AK's inhabitants. I have more and more respect for them as I learn more.
On the other hand, John called me a Chubby Wubby so it wasn't all sunshine and joy.
Halloween at MK
Some of our favorite things about Mickey's Halloween party and the few things that went wrong (beyond Disney's control)
One of the fun things about this audio log is that I made it months later. I thought I had done it, but found I was wrong. What a shock, huh? So I recorded it much, much later at home, picking WDW music from Sorcerer 1 for the background. Instead, you hear the dogs playing tug of war over a toy. ;)
Halloween
We went into MK a little early and had dinner at Pinochio's so we could watch the Small World boats go by. We never did get to see the new clock strike the hour. :( Pinochio's wasn't open for the Halloween party, so it was closing just as we got to the line. We were about to leave when the manager gave us in our costumes a smile and said, "Congratulations. You are our last Guests of the day!" It was fun waving to the boats as they entered Small World and gave us a break before starting Halloween.
On our way into the park, we saw a security guard named Tony talking to newlyweds in the Baggage Check line. This guy is great. As he joked with them about the secret to being married, we talked about how we met him the year before on my birthday. He was talking to another guest as we walked by when he quietly said, "Excuse me" to that guest, leaned out suddenly in front of me and sang LOUDLY, "You say it's your birthday!" because he saw my pin. I shot up in the air I was so startled, then laughed and gave him a big hug. John shook his hand, telling him how great that was. Tony's a great CM.
We had hoped to see Cinderellabration at night. We wanted to see how they did the lighting and get a better look at the fireworks. So we skipped the earlier Halloween party show, but the second one was canceled because of rain. :(
In Adventureland, we saw a teenager we knew from back home! He was a CM helping out with handing out candy and worked as a Jungle Cruise skipper on the college program. We had no idea he had come down here!
After talking to Jason, I went up the Swiss Family treehouse. We haven't done this in years! I not only wanted to see it again, but wanted the chance to take pictures from up there. The view was fantastic, especially with it being twilight and the park's lighting for the Halloween party was coming on full force. I saw the large Stitch at the Tomorrowland entrance, the fog and lighting around Partners, the Cruise boat lanterns bobbing by, and I could better appreciate Adventureland's street lighting by being above it. I took a lot of pictures and video! It was the first time in a little while that my ankle bothered me -- all the stairs and being careful with the wet footing. But it was so worth it. I definitely want to do this again.
We ducked back into Fantasyland where I got a photo of the Nautilus carving in Pooh's playground and then rode the ride. After hearing so many good jokes from about rides going through loops ("This tram loops 14 times....", "The train goes through 43 loops...."), we joked with the CM that the Pooh ride has 4 loops. Deadpan, she calmly said, "And the first drop is a doozy." HA!
We saw Philharmagic again (because I can't see that just once!). As we left, we joked with this CM as we did before about selling apple pies and making a fortune after that wonderful scent in the film. She leaned forward like she was giving us a secret stock tip and whispered, "Main Street Bakery has individual apple pies..." and she winked. Off we went to satisfy our craving at last! We've been looking for apple pie since our first night when we saw this movie!
Following that, we saw Stitch again, and sorry to disagree with other people, but we enjoyed it, especially with another chance to watch it. Yes, it could be better, it's not a GREAT ride, but I don't think it sucks like so many people say it does. We paid more attention to the dialogue, the actor who does the robot in the beginning does a wonderful job, and I never noticed Stitch's silhouttes moving around during the show before.
We saw so many great costumes! The best was when adults didn't think themselves too old to be part of Halloween! One family was the fab five with the father in a full Donald Duck costume! Lots of Star Wars costumes (my helmet was very popular), a whole family dressed as the Incredibles, couples as Mickey and Minnie and others.... one little boy was dressed as Vader with Mouse Ears, the logo for this years Star Wars weekends! He was at the Carousel' trick or treat station; we went there and then darted into Space Mountain, where my SW pilot helmet and jacket was a big hit with the CMs and guests who saw me shoot by in the rocket. That was a lot of fun for me; riding a SM rocket with an X-Wing helmet on; talk about being a big kid!
We rode PeopleMover again, both because we enjoyed doing this at night so much the first time that we wanted to see it again. Plus, I wanted to see where the spider was attacking the tracks.
We went out to Partners for the fireworks, and as I said, they were wonderful! I was so enthralled just watching the castle, some nice CMs told me to look around during the full park sendoff. I'm so glad they did, and they were happy seeing us enjoy it so much. And the perfect creepy Halloween touch is that woman doing the "Hurry back...." from the Haunted Mansion. Gave me chills, but I'm a sap.
I must have waited for that parade to start 15 minutes or more, camera ready for the Headless Horseman. Just as he came trotting by, someone stepped on me as they cut in front. I missed it! I only got one glimpse as the Horseman turned the corner! See how I was disappointed, John gave me a hug and said he'd have Casey reenact the scene with a Mickey beanie baby for me.
As we left, Cast Members were in front of the train station, dancing to the music in Mouse Ears and Mickey Gloves. They held up signs saying, "See Ya Real Soon!" and I got a lump in my throat because we wouldn't be coming back to MK this trip. It was time to say goodbye.
That sad feeling wasn't helped by the grumpy, rude people in the boat back to Fort Wilderness and who encouraged their kids to be equally rude. Thankfully, they fell asleep soon after we launched and I enjoyed a nice ride on the water back to the resort.
Favorite pictures (click on thumbnail for larger photo):