First Solo Trip to WDW for Food and Wine & Hurricane Matthew - OCT 2016 Updated 12/30 Post #165-167

[PrincessInOz]

Seems like it was good and bad with the rearrangements of the day. Good that you got to finally get on 7DMT and eat lunch at Le Cellier. Shame that you had to give up on more F&W booths and also the nighttime events at MK.

You still ended up with decent shots. Well done.

 

[mvf-m11c]

It's hard to do everything when you are only in DW for a few days! It was lucky you got to eat in Le Celliar. It's such a nice restaurant and the food is very good. Do they still do the bread sticks that represent the different regions of Canada?

But, then you couldn't eat more of the stuff at the kiosks and enjoy the wine and food festival........

I'm glad you got to ride the 7 Dwarfs Mine Ride. Your pictures in the cave were good! All of your pictures are so good. I guess that great lens really helps.

I need to try that idea of watching the fire works from the TTC! I did buy a remote for my camera so I'm ready! Now I just have to go back to DW!!!

It is very hard in order to do everything. For the days, I was able to go to the parks for five days. I missed on Sunday since I went to Universal Studios Orlando Resort. We were lucky to get a ressie for Le Cellier. They did have bread sticks during our meal which was good. I was so stuffed from eating the breads, poutine and steak.

I was glad to ride the 7DMT that day even though i had to make changes to the schedule but that was expected when i wasn't able to to things i wanted to do earlier during the trip.

You will enjoy watching the fireworks from the T&TC which is less wait time then being at the MK. You will have to ask the CM's at the dock to be able to move in specific spot for the fireworks. I wrote to Janet @mom2rtk of what to do and she gave me the instructions on how to do it which helped me a lot. Thank you.

Great that you got another chance to get to the Magic Kingdom and better still that your dad came with you.



I was thinking this was like Disneyland when the Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet was still there.



That sounds like a result. I am glad that you got to try this ride and that you enjoyed it.



That was a stroke of luck getting a reservation on such short notice.



That looks amazing. I think I have to show this photo to my husband. While I was at Disneyland in September, he travelled around Canada and developed a taste for poutine. Maybe this will convince him to come to Epcot with me.

What a shame that you missed out on Main Street Electrical Parade, but the dinner sounds nice and the fireworks looked stunning.

Corinna

I had to get there during rope drop in order to ride the 7DMT or wait in that hour queue which i wasn't planning on doing.

The Anna and Elsa meet and greet at DL when it was over there was just crazy and now at DCA, it is not as bad as before where guests wanted to meet Anna and Elsa.

The food at Le Cellier is great and glad that my dad was able to get a ressie. At first, I did saw ressie's for Le Cellier online before the trip (only during lunch) which i didn't want to do since i don't want to be full during the F&W Festival. But it was nice to have lunch that day. Hope your husband will take you to Le Cellier when you go back to Florida.

It was a shame but there was so much going on and dinner was good that night and i was able to take them to see Wishes from the T&TC which they were amazed of seeing it nicely without going in the park.

Sounds like you had a good day even though your plans were completely changed by the people in your party. I wouldn't be able to eat that much steak in a row!

We had a fun day even though there were so much changes to my plans that day. But I was able to do the things i wanted to do except the MSEP and MK at night. I know what you mean by eating so much steak and i wonder that myself as well.

Seems like it was good and bad with the rearrangements of the day. Good that you got to finally get on 7DMT and eat lunch at Le Cellier. Shame that you had to give up on more F&W booths and also the nighttime events at MK.

You still ended up with decent shots. Well done.

It was good and bad just like you said PiO. At least I was able to do the stuff that I wanted to do during that day except for the MSEP. It was hard at first to give up the F&W Festival kiosk and nighttime at the MK but you will have to sacrifice some things in order to do other things.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 1

Third Park of the Trip Disney Hollywood Studios​

After a wild day at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot where a lot of my plans were revised, now it was now day 7 or day 6 in Florida where I will be heading on over to the third park at Walt Disney World which is Disney Hollywood Stuidos. DHS is a nice park to visit but it is my third favorite park at WDW which Epcot and the MK are my top two. It is fun to go to the DHS to see the shows like Fantasmic!, Beauty and the Beast, Indian Jones Stunt Show, etc. The rides are like secondary to me.

I was planning on going solo again since my dad didn’t want to go to the DHS and our neighbors are enjoying the time off. But my dad and Dennis are golfing that day in Orlando. They actually did golf at the Magnolia Golf Course on Sunday. I forgot to write it down on my previous reports. I have golf at WDW a lot in the past with my dad, Dennis, Ann and my brother. I have golfed at all the golf courses from Magnolia, Lake Buena Vista, Palm and Oak Trail. My favorite one is Palm which is right across from the Polynesian Village Resort where Magnolia is together. But I had to take advantage of the WDW trip so I didn’t golf during the trip. My dad did ask me a few times before the trip if I wanted to golf but going to the parks were my priorities.

It was around 8:45am when I left for DHS that morning. I could have gone earlier but I wanted to get there a little later since I have some FP+ to use. I wasn’t able to get Toy Story Midway Mania FP+ since they were out but I was able to get the Great Movie Ride.

I was at the park and the first thing I did was head on over to The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Boulevard. This is one of the rides that I have to go on when I am at DHS where I have to ride Spaceship Earth at Epcot.


I took some pictures around Hollywood Blvd before I went on over to The Great Movie Ride.


It is so different of not seeing the giant Mickey Sorcerer Hat where it used to be that blocked The Great Movie Ride façade.




I used my FP+ for the Great Movie Ride which doesn’t make any sense during the morning time but I wanted to go on it first thing since there were no other FP+ were available like TSMM. I could have gone on the Tower of Terror or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith but I didn’t want to take my equipment on both rides so I went with the shows instead of the rides.

I didn’t took too many pictures on the Great Movie ride but here are some of them during the ride.












After I rode the Great Movie Ride, I walked on over towards the Streets of America to see the last time the Osborne Family Lights. It wasn’t running during my visit in October during the Halloween season which is opened during the Christmas season. It was so weird to see it go after this past Christmas season. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to go back to WDW during the Christmas season to see the Osborne Family Lights for the last time but I was glad to come back here to Florida.
















After I walked out of Streets of America, I head on over to my next destination at DHS. I was just walking around DHS taking pictures of random stuff while I had some time to the next activity at DHS.

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[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 2

Beauty and the Beast and preview of “The Good Dinosaur”​

While I was walking around Disney Hollywood Studios taking pictures of all the different lands. I now was heading on over towards Sunset Blvd to see Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage at 11am. I haven’t seen this show for quite some time and it was going to be nice to see the show when I am at DHS. There weren’t too many rides at DHS which is mostly shows. I know that this is one of the popular shows at DHS. It was also a good opportunity for me to be able to take pictures with the telezoom lens since I will be watching it from the back instead of the front.



I got there a little early in order to get a good spot to watch the show.


Here are the pics from BatB from the 11am show with the telezoom lens.






















I will never get tired of BatB Live on Stage show which is one of my favorite shows at DHS along with Indiana Jones Stunt show and Fantasmic!. I was glad to be able to bring my telezoom lens for the show along with the rest of the trip which it helps using it during the fireworks at the Transportation & Ticket Center.

When I left the show, I now was walking around DHS taking pictures of the different lands around the area.


Tower of Terror is amazing at DHS which I think is better over Disney California Adventure version.




The Hyperion Theater had the Frozen Sing Along show


I went back on over towards the Streets of America and saw that Jedi Training Academy right next to Star Tours is under construction.


After walking around, the one activity that I like to walk in is Walt Disney One Man’s Dram exhibit which had some Disney artifacts and talks about Walt Disney life. This is like a mini version of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.


There were a lot of models, art work, and artifacts from Walt’s life and from the Disney Studios and Disneyland.




I was able to see a preview of “The Good Dinosaur” in the theater. I was able to see the movie in December.


After watching the preview, it was now time to head on back to the room to rest up so I can get ready for the nighttime at WDW that night. When I left DHS, I had to get a picture of the front entrance of DHS which I didn’t get when I got there that morning.


By the entrance, there was a topiary of Anna and Elsa.


I head on back to my car and back to the Sheraton Vistana Resort to rest up for the nighttime. Stay tune to find out what I have done that night.

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[dhorner233]

Wow, there is a striking difference without The Huge Hat! The theater looks great!

Nice shots of the Beauty and the Beast show! You had perfect seats for that zoom lens! Looks like you were right on the stage with them!

Are you not going to go to the Animal Kingdom!?

 

[dolphingirl47]

This looked like a nice relaxing day. I love Beauty and the Beast as well. The hardware for the Osborne lights looks so strange in daylight.

Corinna

 

[franandaj]

It looks so much better now that the hat is gone! I've never seen BatB there at the studios. I'm always too busy trying to ride TSMM, RnRC and ToT! It looks like a good show.

 

[PrincessInOz]

How different that entrance must be without the hat!
Love BatB at DHS. It's on my must-do list whenever I visit.

Look forward to seeing the lights at night.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Wow, there is a striking difference without The Huge Hat! The theater looks great!

Nice shots of the Beauty and the Beast show! You had perfect seats for that zoom lens! Looks like you were right on the stage with them!

Are you not going to go to the Animal Kingdom!?

It is a big difference without the Sorcerer Hat at DHS which blocked the Great Movie Ride.

Thanks Denise. It wasn't the best seats but it was nice along with the telephoto lens.

I went to AK which was on the last day but I will get to that until I finish up this trip report.

This looked like a nice relaxing day. I love Beauty and the Beast as well. The hardware for the Osborne lights looks so strange in daylight.

Corinna

It was a nice day at DHS which I was able to go on the Great Movie Ride and see some shows. It is weird to see the Osborne Family Lights during the day which I have seen it both at day and night.

It looks so much better now that the hat is gone! I've never seen BatB there at the studios. I'm always too busy trying to ride TSMM, RnRC and ToT! It looks like a good show.

I completely agree that the Great Movie Ride is looking great without the Sorcerer hat. BatB show is a nice show. I know you enjoy riding those three when you are at DHS. I have two of the three which I will one day ride TSMM at DHS.

How different that entrance must be without the hat!
Love BatB at DHS. It's on my must-do list whenever I visit.

Look forward to seeing the lights at night.

It is a big difference.

BatB is a nice show to see.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 3

Mickey’s Halloween Party Night Part 1​

After a nice day at Disney Hollywood Studios of going on one ride and seeing some shows, I was ready for the later part of the last full day of the trip with going to the Magic Kingdom that night to participate Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This will be my second time attending MNSSHP which my last one was back in 2012. But this will be my first solo party since DAF was supposed to go with me during the trip but had to miss the trip which was tough for her. I had two tickets for that party which I was about to lose money on that extra ticket. I was able to call Guest Relations at WDW and asked if I could get a refund on the ticket a few days before the trip and luckily I was able to get a refund on the ticket. That helped us out a lot where we got the refund on the second MNSSHP ticket.

My dad was with Dennis, Ann and Aiko that night so I was all by myself. This was going to be fun and odd to go to a paid party event without anyone. If I am so used to going solo at the parks, this is nothing new to me.

The party didn’t start at 7pm but we were let in at 4pm (3 hours early), so I could take advantage of walking around the MK until it was time for the party to start at 7pm. I didn’t leave the Sheraton until 5pm since I wasn’t in a rush to head on over to the MK since there were still the regular guests and the party attendees.

So I left the Sheraton Vistana Resort and head on back to the Transportation & Ticket Center to go to the MK that night.


I went on the Ferry instead of the Monorail since it was a little busy. There were a lot of people all dressed up for the party that night. It will be very interesting in the near future of what will happen with guests dressing up during the party nights with the changes to the security.


When I got on the ferry and about to head on over to the MK, I saw the Bungalow at the Polynesian Resort which looks fun to stay. I don’t think I will ever stay at the Bungalow of what the price is as a DVC member.


The Admiral Joe Fowler passing by which has a lot of guests leaving the MK which they aren’t there for the party that night.


I entered the MK and waiting to get my wristband and treat bag for the party.


The wristband that night was grey which they have different colors so guests won’t be able to sneak in during the party.


When I was in the MK waiting for the party to start, I just walked around Main Street and taking pictures until the party started at 7pm.


When the party started at 7pm, I start to get a spot for the 8:35pm Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween parade. It was about an hour and a half until but I had no problem waiting that night for the parade on Main Street which I wanted to get. I could have gone on some rides that night but I was able to go on the rides at the MK that I wanted during the trip including the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. When I looked on the wait time, it was in that 40 minute wait time.

While I was waiting, I played a little bit with the long exposure with my tripod that night.










A lot of Halloween Balloons






It was almost time for the 8:35pm parade and I was looking up for the first character to approach.


The first was the Headless Horseman


Before the parade came, there were street performers including Phineas and Ferb.


After about 12 minutes when the parade started, the parade is now here on Main Street. Here are some pics from that night. I used the Tokina that night to get the wide angle shots which I was thinking of which lens to use but I did choose the right one that night.

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[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 4

Mickey’s Halloween Party Night Part 2​

Back to the pictures from the 8:35pm Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade at 8:35pm that night.




























After the parade was over, I moved on over towards Main Street past he building in order to get a good spot for the 10pm Happy HalloWishes fireworks that night. Since I have the tripod, I was planning on doing long exposures that night. I was excited to take pictures close this time instead of the T&TC. While I was waiting, the new Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular was going on at 9:20pm which I was planning on seeing the 10:40pm after the fireworks. Also there was one more nighttime show that night which was Celebrate the Magic.

The 9:20pm Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular from the far distance.








Celebrate the Magic is the projection on Cinderella Castle which is a updated version of the old “The Magic, The Memories, & You” show that projected on Cinderella Castle and at Disneyland It’s a Small World”. I have been looking forward to seeing this show at the MK since the show at DL is discontinued.

Pics from “Celebrate the Magic” at 9:45pm that night.














After Celebrate the Magic is over, I stayed at the same spot for the 10pm fireworks. That will be it for this post and stay tune for HalloWishes later on.

Continue to the Next Post​

 

[dhorner233]

Wow! Great update Bret! Love your pictures of the parade and the castle light show!

So you got to the park before 7:00 and spent until 8:45 waiting on Main St. for the parade, then moved a little toward the castle and now you are waiting for the 10:00 fireworks? You are getting great pictures but not much partying.

BTW: How is your aunt now? It's so sad that she had to miss this trip. I hope she is better now and you guys can go again sometime.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Your photos are absolutely spectacular. I do agree with Denise though, that was a lot of waiting around.

Corinna

 

[PrincessInOz]

Beautiful!

Just don't like all that waiting around.

 

[franandaj]

Great pictures of the parade and Castle projections! I love the float and the character's costumes!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Wow! Great update Bret! Love your pictures of the parade and the castle light show!

So you got to the park before 7:00 and spent until 8:45 waiting on Main St. for the parade, then moved a little toward the castle and now you are waiting for the 10:00 fireworks? You are getting great pictures but not much partying.

BTW: How is your aunt now? It's so sad that she had to miss this trip. I hope she is better now and you guys can go again sometime.

Thank you Denise. Mickey's "Boo-To-You" Halloween parade is fun to watch. Way better over the Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade at DL during Mickey's Halloween Party. It was nice to see Celebrate the Magic which is similar to "The Magic, The Memories, & You" show.

That is correct. I didn't spent all my time waiting for the 8:35pm parade that day where I did walk around Main Street including going into the Emporium to look at the MNSSHP merchandise. I did buy the party shirt, MNSSHP LE MagicBand, and the pin. I don't party that much but I am kind of a boring person at times. Maybe it would have been better if I had someone with me that night which would made it better.

She is doing good. It was tough for her to miss it last year but she is doing well. Taking it day by day and hopefully we can go later this year. It will be determine by her health. I still have those airline vouchers to use which I want to use for the WDW trip in October which they expire in mid October this year.

Your photos are absolutely spectacular. I do agree with Denise though, that was a lot of waiting around.

Corinna

Thank you Corinna. That is the thing for me which I got to get a good spot for the nighttime shows. It was expensive to wait that long that night for the parade and fireworks which I spent more than 3/4 of my time waiting for the nighttime shows that night.

Beautiful!

Just don't like all that waiting around.

Thank you PiO.

I know what you mean. We did spent some time waiting for the nighttime shows during MHP back in 2014 but it can be tough when you are a solo person.

Great pictures of the parade and Castle projections! I love the float and the character's costumes!

Thank you Alison. The parade at MNSSHP is way better over Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade at DL.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 5

Mickey’s Halloween Party Night Part 3​

When “Celebrate the Magic” was over, HalloWishes fireworks was not about to begin at 10pm that night. I stayed in the middle of Main Street to get the fireworks trails that night. I used the telephoto lens for Celebrate the Magic but this time, I am going with the Tamron lens where it will be wide enough for the firework trails. I thought about going with the Tokina but the Tamron was wide enough. Also that night, I used my Neutral Density filter 0.9 (3-stops) for the firework trails to give some darkness to the shot where I can set the exposure to long times. I brought my remote control that night which helps me a lot when taking long exposure shots.

Most of the shots were in that 5 sec to 30 sec time where I wanted to get multiple shots instead of going for one big shot which there can be too much in the shots. Here are my pics of HalloWishes fireworks that night during MNSSHP.





























There were some shots from HalloWishes that were good and okay. I enjoy watching HalloWishes at the MK during MNSSHP which is almost similar to Halloween Screams fireworks at Disneyland during Mickey’s Halloween Party but without the sphere on the left hand side of Sleeping Beauty Castle. But overall, it is a good firework show.

After it was over, I started to move closer to the Hub area in order to watch Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at 10:40pm which was about 20 minutes until the show. I was able to see part of the show at 9:20pm when I got my space for HalloWishes fireworks. I didn’t want to go up close so I put on the telephoto lens that night which helps to have a telephoto lens.


Here are pictures from the 10:40pm show that night.


The Sanderson sisters are the stars of the show from the 1993 film Hocus Pocus.




There were also other villains that are part of the show like Dr. Facilier.




Oogie Boogie




Maleficent


Evil Queen

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[mvf-m11c]

Last Installment on the Trip Report

Day 7 – October 22, 2015 – Part 6

Mickey’s Halloween Party Night Part 4​

Back to more from the 10pm Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.

Hades


Cruella De Vil


Captain Hook


Jafar


Lady Tremaine








After Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular was over, I started to walk around the MK that night to get some nighttime shots along with the candy treat lines. I knew to wait later that night to get the candy since first part of the party where all the guests went to go for the candy.


The buildings around the MK had projections during MNSSHP.








Madame Carlotta was outside by the Haunted Mansion that night.








Mickey shape pumpkin projection






I stayed at the MK close to midnight that night which I rarely do when I stay at the parks. But since I was solo that night, it was fun to be able to do everything during the party except for taking pictures with the characters. I rarely take pictures with the characters.


I left the MK when it got to midnight which is about to close and I head straight on back to the T&TC to get my car and head on back to the Sheraton Vistana Resort to call it for the night.

I was glad that I was able to go to MNSSHP that night even though it was supposed to be with DAF. But she told me to go even though I have attended the event in the past. I’m still thinking about if I should have got a refund for that ticket as well. I paid for the nighttime shows that night and one bag of candy which is quite expensive just to see the shows and candy for a solo person. But it was nice to go to MNSSHP that night and I would only do it once as solo since it would be more enjoyable with other people in my party.

It was tough that this was the last full day during the trip in which I only got five full days during that trips thanks to the bump on Saturday. But I am still glad to be able to go in 2015 to WDW even with the 60th Diamond Celebration going on at the Disneyland Resort.

Speaking of Disneyland Resort, I wasn’t there too long ago which I went on February 27 to 28. I went with DAW during the last weekend of AP Days at the Disneyland Resort. Part of the reason we went that weekend was to get away and she was available that weekend so we made a quickie. Here is the link during that short visit. Secret Trip back to SoCal during the last days of AP Days at Disneyland – February 27 – 28, 2016

Now back to this trip report which we are now at the last day of the trip which is always the saddest part. But I did have a great time that week at WDW even though DAF was not with us which was tough.

 

[dolphingirl47]

Your photos are spectacular. I really enjoyed them. I have done most of the parties I have attended over the years solo and I do enjoy this, but last year I was lucky to get to share 3 out of 4 with friends. That was a lot of fun, too.

Corinna

 

[dhorner233]

I don't know what the matter is but I cannot see any of your pictures! Just blue ?'s I can see all the pictures on all the other threads