A Halloween Adventure in Autism (11/7) Prayer Request for Catie (p.129)

[Poolrat]

I'm really looking forward to the Candlelight Processional and the Storytellers in World Showcase! Not sure if we will do the MVMCP... they run the Christmas parade that week during regular hours and that is what I would want to see the most!

The storytellers and Cp usually run until Dec 30 or so. You can see most of the other holiday parades and stuff until probably Jan 2. I think all the MCMCP will be over by Christmas

We may... and then ring in the New Year as a family!
Perhaps California Grill... I've always wanted to try that!

Very Cool

Hopefully we will have good weather; but I'd rather be cold than hot any day! I can always throw on a Disney sweatshirt!

We had everything- shorts one day, winter coat and gloves the next.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I used TouringPlans.com suggested days for each park, they were right on. I know TGM is fairly similar in the suggested days - so love that membership!

Weather was cool for us, upper 50's, except the 30th and 31st. Beautiful. Especially the 31st. In the 70s. Sitting in that weather on the Poly beach (with other DISers) watching Fantasy in the Sky then the NYE fireworks...

The fireworks are amazing...Holiday Wishes, Holiday Illuminations and of course NYE. I found myself saying "Oh wow, oh wow!!" The best displays I have ever seen....and I have seen NYC's 4th of July show...so that is telling ya something! Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional....all awesome!

 

[burly]

OOOO just read it all. I like. I'm in. All caught up and just waiting now.

 

[KathyRN137]

I went between Christmas and new years and i was ready for crazy all out people everywhere and lines out the wahzoo. You know what ....


I had NONE of that. i would like to think i did some expert planning but really
NOT SO BAD. We had no more thatn 20-30 minute waits. i did see 280 minute wait for Soaring as we strolled up using a FP.

I avoided every line with ease. I don't even think we stood on a bus!
NYE on the beach at the Poly was fabulous

NYE - Go to AK-- no lines.

Awesome!!

The storytellers and Cp usually run until Dec 30 or so. You can see most of the other holiday parades and stuff until probably Jan 2. I think all the MCMCP will be over by Christmas

Oh darn! I love the Storytellers!

Oh well, the parades and fireworks are the best!!

Weather was cool for us, upper 50's, except the 30th and 31st. Beautiful. Especially the 31st. In the 70s. Sitting in that weather on the Poly beach (with other DISers) watching Fantasy in the Sky then the NYE fireworks...

The fireworks are amazing...Holiday Wishes, Holiday Illuminations and of course NYE. I found myself saying "Oh wow, oh wow!!" The best displays I have ever seen....and I have seen NYC's 4th of July show...so that is telling ya something! Osborne Lights, the Candlelight Processional....all awesome!

That's fantastic! Can't wait to read all about it!
Hey, upper 50's is still a lot warmer than what we have in Jersey in December!!

OOOO just read it all. I like. I'm in. All caught up and just waiting now.

You won't have long to wait.....


Kathy

 

[mousescrapper]

Thanks, Brook!



Oh, I've got it bad...

Christmas of 2011!!!

Do you think I am completely insane???

I seriously didn't see this coming...you make me laugh (ho-ho-ho)

No I don't! I would just plan on a different sort of Disney vacation where park time isn't always at the top of the list. I would think that Ed would love to have some relaxing time with Eddie and this just might be the time/trip to do it.

I agree

Well, I figure if we're going to deal with "level 8" crowds during Presidents' Week, we might as well go for "level 9" during Christmas Week.

I'll let you know how we fend in level 9 albeit it will be Thanksgivng week...but give you some perspective from a family who needs the GAC too...

Scrappie J~

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Kathy, I don't think your insane at all! I think, IMHO, that it will be a wonderful, magical, memorable trip! What better time for a trip that, as you said, maybe the last one all together for awhile!?

I think that as long as your prepared and can roll with it you'll be fine!!

 

[carissanboys]

I just came over to get caught up on your PTR and then I realize, Oops! It was a Halloween trip - they've already been and gone!!

So sorry for missing the send off, Kathy. I'm going to catch up and hope you guys had a fabulous time.

 

[KathyRN137]

​

Chapter 10: Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho A Pirate’s Life for Me??


Saturday Night
October 31, 2009
The Magic Kingdom
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party



It was just after six o’clock when we left Casey’s and crossed the bridge into Adventureland, ready to set sail with our fellow buccaneers on PoC. We had an hour until MNSSHP officially got underway; I wanted to get in as many rides as possible before the festivities began (while the non-partygoers were streaming out of the park.) On the way over, Billy began to purposely sing the PoC song using the wrong words:

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho
A Pirate’s Life for me!

To his great delight, we played along and “corrected” him.

“No! No! No!” (We shook our heads and pretend to be disgusted.) “Pirates don’t say Heigh-Ho, they say Yo-Ho!”

He threw back his head and laughed. Now he sang the song from Snow White:

Yo-ho, Yo-ho
It’s home from work we go…

We shook our heads again and he laughed even more when we “corrected” him. "No, no, no! The seven dwarves sing Heigh-Ho!" He did this until we reached New Tortuga and it kept him highly entertained along the way.

(I think I’ve mentioned before that he loves to play this type of game. Just this morning, in fact, he teased me by telling me that we should go to Universal Studios. I answered, “No! No! No! We will go to Walt Disney World!” and it just cracked him up!)

Hmm. Just noticed that their clock is wrong!​

There was no wait at all at PoC… we wound through the entire queue and loaded right onto our own private boat! Of course, the CMs made a fuss over us because we were pirates! Aarrr, matey!

Catie had not been to WDW since 2005, so this was the first time she would be seeing the updated version with Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones. Tricia was excited to show her all the changes! It felt nice and cool as we floated further along, a nice break from the unexpected heat “above.”

I think Billy laughed through the entire ride! Ha ha ha ha… Oooh! Oooh! Ha ha ha ha…Oooh! Oooh! (The last part was when he would hold his belly… it was beginning to hurt from laughing so hard!) Of course, once I heard this I laughed until the tears came!

We exited the boat and took that long walk up the ramp that led out of the underground pirate cave. Ed had decided that he did not want to be bothered with carrying a pirate sword into the park and had planned to get one for himself (and Billy) here at the gift shop. So, we browsed. There were a lot of people doing the same thing… seems the PoC gift shop was more popular than the ride itself! Ed chose two swords and asked me to pay for them while he got Billy outside… he was starting to get a big antsy with all the people crowding around… so I stood in line behind four or five other guests, paid for the swords and met up with the rest of them outside.


I looked to the left past Aloha Isle and saw a tremendous surge of people entering Adventureland. Uh-oh! It’s the party crowd! I wanted to get moving onto the next thing, but first Billy and then the girls asked for a restroom break. Luckily, there was a restroom right there.


After we had finished, I thought that we would remain in Adventureland. “How about the Jungle Cruise?” I asked. Imagine my surprise when I found out that no one wanted to ride it! I mean, come on now! It’s the Jungle Cruise!

Nope. I had no takers.

Billy piped up. “I want Buzz Lightyear, please!” he said, as clear as a bell. Well, in our family, when the autistic child uses a full sentence properly, it’s a big deal. He usually earns a reward. Still, I hesitated.

“But, that’s all the way on the other side of the park!” I complained.

“I want Buzz Lightyear, please!” Billy insisted. Then he threw his head back and shouted, “I want Buzz Lightyear, PLEASE!!” I looked at Ed, helplessly. I had hoped to avoid criss-crossing around the park.

“I’d like to do Buzz Lightyear,” said Tricia. Her cousin concurred. Billy started to stim, “Ya ya Ya ya Ya ya Ya ya!” and nodded his head furiously up and down.

Okay, I guess we’re going to Tomorrowland!


We took the Adventureland Bridge and began to cut across the hub. I wanted to take a picture by the Partners statue, but there was a crowd waiting around to for their turn to do that same thing, so I skipped it. Boo! I got a quick shot of the Castle, instead. The stage is all set up for the Villains Mix and Mingle:

I turned and looked up Main Street. The number of costumed guests I saw walking toward the Castle was a bit disconcerting, to say the least! Tonight was a sell-out party and it was almost seven o’clock. Things were only going to get crazier, so I began to pitch my original plan to the rest of the gang:

“Let’s try to see some of the special characters early on, before the lines get too long!” I suggested. The kids were not too happy, but Ed had my back. Instead of heading to Tomorrowland, we took the path that led into Fantasyland and to Toontown beyond.

My goal was to get on line for Alice and Mad Hatter’s Treat Party, the most character-saturated trick-or-treat path in the entire park.

MNSSHP Map:

Oh. Here’s where all the people are!

A long line was growing at a frightening rate from the far end of Toontown, past Mickey and Minnie’s Houses! I debated with myself. Perhaps we should forget about this! Then I reasoned that the lines would only get worse as the night wore on. I tried to reassure the rest of the group.


“We’ll do this one trick-or-treat path and then we’ll do some rides before Hallowishes,” I reasoned. We stood our ground and the line grew and grew behind us. Exactly at seven, the line began to move and I was very relieved. The kids got out their trick-or-treat bags and we made steady progress toward our goal. Or so I thought.


Dusk had started to fall and it was hard to see very far up ahead. Suddenly, we came upon two Cast Members with a barrel of candy. The kids held out their bags and the CMs dropped a few pieces into each. Then… that was it. The line had ended there!

Whaaaat??


MNSSHP Newbie Mistake Number One: I did not read the map closely enough!


This line had not been for Alice’s Treat Path at all! This was just a secondary line for candy that began in front of Mickey’s House! I looked at the map and realized my mistake. Alice’s Path began at the Toontown Train Station… and the end of that line stretched all the way to Mickey’s House. The lines were so close to each other that I thought it had all been one line! Urrrgh!


I led everyone to the correct line. Billy was getting very fidgety and kept asking to go on Buzz Lightyear. Tricia rolled her eyes. “Are we going to stand on lines all night long?” she pouted. Catie kept quiet, but I could tell she wasn’t having a very good time. Ed began to get irritated with Billy’s constant noise. Things were starting to fall apart.


That’s when I made an executive decision: I had made a logistical error and it had cost us. Now everyone was getting grumpy. What did the kids really want to do more… see characters or go on rides? I realized that no one really wanted to see these characters except me, so I announced that we would go on as many rides as we could until it was time for my DIS-Meet at nine o’clock. My announcement was met with much enthusiasm, so we cruised over to Tomorrowland.


MNSSHP Newbie Mistake Number Two: I should have given the kids a chance to do more in the MK before the party.

Well, I really can’t call it a “mistake,” it was more a consequence of how Halloween fell on the calendar this year. Halloween just happened to fall on Day One of our vacation (Saturday.) If we had more time to play with our schedule, I would have planned to attend one of the parties after we had a chance to visit the MK and let the kids get the rides out of their systems a bit! As it was, the Sunday MNSSHP had been an add-on. If the November 1st party had been available originally, I would have planned to attend the party on Sunday and made sure the kids got a taste of the MK on Saturday during the day. As it was, the allure of the rides far outweighed the allure of trick-or-treating.

If we do any special MK parties again, I will try to schedule a MK day ahead of time.


Anxious to get Billy to settle down, we went to pay a visit to Buzz Lightyear. I can't say it was a walk-on here, but there really wasn’t that much of a wait in the standby queue. (I guess everyone was over with Alice and Mad Hatter!)


Ed and Billy took one car and Tricia and Catie took another. I wanted to ride by myself so I could take action shots, but there was a car out of service between us so it interfered a bit.

​

Once again, Ed gloated about his high score. I don’t think any of us will ever beat him! I reminded him that I had been busy taking pictures and chose not to shoot, so technically I did not lose to him, even though my score was a big fat zero!!


Thrilled that he had finally been allowed to ride Buzz Lightyear, Billy set his sights on another ride. “I want Space Mountain, please!”

Uh-oh.

“It’s working! It’s all fixed!” he insisted. “I want Space Mountain, please!”

Now, we had been over and over this for weeks leading up to the trip. Billy knew darn well that Space Mountain would be closed during our visit… I had spoken to him about it at least a hundred times. But, this was not what he wanted to hear.

“Space Mountain is fixed….Hooray!” He looked at us expectantly.

Talk about believing in the power of positive thinking!

He was upset and Ed had to get firm with him about not asking for something we could not give him. The girls were sweet and told him that they would ride on anything he wanted to next.

“I want Winnie-the-Pooh!” he cried through his crocodile tears. Oy.

Back over to Fantasyland we went! On the way, however, we ran into some familiar faces in front of the Mad Tea Party. The White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts were having a meet-and-greet. The line consisted of only a dozen or so families, so we hopped onto the end of it. I know what you’re thinking… how could these two be at the Mad Tea Party and on Alice and Mad Hatter’s Treat Path at the same time??

Must be Disney magic!

Soon we were ready to bounce along in a hunny pot with Pooh:

Look, Ma! No line!

​

Oh no! MNSSHP Newbie Mistake Number Three!!



Kathy

 

[shannn]

Oh no! I'm scared to see what the newbie mistake was....

Ours was~~~ NO ponchos!! Yes, that afternoon thunderstorm hit right as we were making our way through the park and drenched us in our Halloween gear. Yes, we bought Disney ponchos even though we had perfectly serviceble ones back at the Poly! It flooded for the first hour as we ran from indoor attraction to indoor attraction.

Besides, that the HP was one of my favorite nights ever~ so much fun!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Yay!! An update on a Thursday! I thought I'd have to wait until the weekend, but tonight I get Grey's Anatomy & a Kathy update!!

We didn't attempt much trick-or-treating when we went to MNSSHP so I don't know how the lines compared, but I suspect our crowds on Columbus Day weekend were a lot lower than yours on Halloween night! I do remember that every ride was pretty much walk-on though.

I hope mistake #3 isn't a big one...

 

[KathyRN137]

Hello again!

I just found this as I was cleaning up my binder... sorry it got a bit crumpled... but I thought you might like to see the kinds of Halloween activities that were planned at the resort for those not going to the party or the parks!

I do remember that they were starting the pool party just as we were getting ready to go back to our room and get dressed. There was a D.J. and dancing by the pool, games, etc.


Kathy

 

[jordanyosh]

Great update!

We all mistakes; that's the burden of being the planner in the family.

Your outfits are sooo cool! I mean, I've already seen them, but they really are well done.

 

[KathyRN137]

I seriously didn't see this coming...you make me laugh (ho-ho-ho)

Neither did I!! I will definitely need your holiday touring tips!

Kathy, I don't think your insane at all! I think, IMHO, that it will be a wonderful, magical, memorable trip! What better time for a trip that, as you said, maybe the last one all together for awhile!?

I think that as long as your prepared and can roll with it you'll be fine!!

Thanks for the vote of confidence! (I need it!)

I just came over to get caught up on your PTR and then I realize, Oops! It was a Halloween trip - they've already been and gone!!

So sorry for missing the send off, Kathy. I'm going to catch up and hope you guys had a fabulous time.

Hi Missy, glad you're back on the boards!


Kathy

 

[KathyRN137]

Oh no! I'm scared to see what the newbie mistake was....

Besides, that the HP was one of my favorite nights ever~ so much fun!!

It was fun... I just wish we were there on a less crowded night!

On the other hand, it made for a great Halloween!

We didn't attempt much trick-or-treating when we went to MNSSHP so I don't know how the lines compared, but I suspect our crowds on Columbus Day weekend were a lot lower than yours on Halloween night! I do remember that every ride was pretty much walk-on though.

I hope mistake #3 isn't a big one...

You can see from the last picture that we pretty much got right on WTP!
That was fun!

Great update!

We all mistakes; that's the burden of being the planner in the family.

Your outfits are sooo cool! I mean, I've already seen them, but they really are well done.

Thanks, Jordy!
The good thing about mistakes is that they teach valuable lessons... hopefully if I share my mistakes I share the lessons, too!


Kathy

 

[jordanyosh]

Thanks, Jordy!
The good thing about mistakes is that they teach valuable lessons... hopefully if I share my mistakes I share the lessons, too!


Kathy

We benefit from your mistakes

The Billy Belly Laugh had me laughing as well.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Kathy, you sure are queen of the cliffhangers!

We have been to several MNSSHP now and the one thing we pledge to ourselves is no trick or treating until after the last parade. There are no lines then. We arrive at 4:00, leisurely make our way to Liberty Square, ride HM, eat at LTT, then head to all the rides, etc that we want to do on the Frontierland/Adventureland side of the park. Then we head to Tomorowland/FL during the first parade. We get our seats for Hallowishes (now the dessert party area), and also watch the second parade and the mix and mingle.

Then we head to Toontown for the Trick or treat path. We ride HM again, close to midnight and walk out of a near empty park.

Just bliss.

That way Mother doesn't have to end up carrying all those bags of candy. lol



Your Christmas trip sounds like fun. We want to go again this fall/winter but the kids are getting to the point where I don't like to take them out of school. We are now considering an August trip. lol I must be nuts.

My local friends can't understand why I don't give DL a try. I'm looking into that, but can't imagine how it could stack up to WDW.

I need to decide soon.

Keep the trip reports coming. They are such fun!

 

[mickeysmyboy]

Yippee for MNSSHP!! How did you like the heat that night?! I though we'd just about melt a few times! It wouldn't have been as bad if clothes other then full costumes! By the end of the night DS7 was the only one still in his!

We've been to MNSSHP twice now and I still haven't gotten it right. There's just so much to do in such a short amount of time! One day I will get to do the villain mix and mingle and the dance parties!!

Can't wait for more!!!!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Hi Kathy! I love the Yo-Ho, Heigh-Ho game....so cute that he loves that so much!

I was right there with you on the Jungle Cruise...how can you NOT want to ride that?? It's one of my favorites...I'm a total sucker for the cheesy joke!

Even a seasoned Disney goer makes mistakes! Good for you for being able to regroup and do what the kids needed. That's tough when you have a plan in your head...I totally get it!


The resort really had a lot going on for non-party goers.....IMPRESSIVE!

Hanging on the edge of my seat for mistake #3!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Hey, upper 50's is still a lot warmer than what we have in Jersey in December!!

Exactly! It was -5 in Minnesota. We all agreed 50's weren't so bad.

Wonderful update! Sorry to hear about the Billy meltdown! Crocodile tears are the worst.... I was laughing at his game with the 7 dwarfs and the Pirates though.

You got such great pictures of the girls on Buzz Lightyear!! What a cool idea!

 

[eandesmom]

I know that you understand about the blended -family thing... and the teens-turning-into-adults-all-too-soon thing! Once I decided that we really needed to include Eddie, the choice became obvious.

Not to worry. We are skipping 2010 to save up the $$.
I will be there even if I have to hitch a ride to Florida and sleep in a bathtub!!
Kathy

Years Day is on a Sunday, so they will get Monday off... then it's back to the old grindstone for them.

Eddie goes to NC State, so his schedule is more like yours...

Kathy

Oh I do understand and it's amazing how once you distill all of that down, magically there is only 1 or 2 weeks that even works and it, in an odd way, becomes a lot easier as if the choice has been made for you!

WOW that is a short holiday break, we have a full 2 weeks as well but of course we get out very late compared to most.

Newbies mistakes and all.....just reading about Billy's belly laugh and his songs gives me the warm fuzzies. I know how hard it is to auto correct the plan you have in your mind, kudo's for making that adjustment and going with what the kids want. At least they knew what they wanted! Far better than a bunch of "I don't know's"!