Our 2 Princesses
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Loving your trip report! Your boys are adorable!!
"Stop squeezing Mickey's nose!" - An October 2014 TR *COMPLETED!*
- Thread starter hokieinpa
- Start date
FantasiaMagic
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Subscribing to your TR! Interested to see what you thought of AoA, I'll be staying there in the FN suite this Spring!
Love the character interaction at Chef Mickey's with your boys. They are all so cute!
Love the character interaction at Chef Mickey's with your boys. They are all so cute!
hokieinpa
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joining in! (also my first post after the migration so I hope this works out ok)
We just went to Disney last August for the first time as a 3-kid family - so know how much fun it can be - but also how it can cause the need to adjust and be flexible)
My in-laws live in Central PA (in Perry County - kinda near Mechanicsburg and Charlisle) and have flown to Disney with them in the past (we usually fly out of DC in those cases). Sounds like while a long day, the travel down went fairly smoothly.
Sounds like a fun and productive trip to DTD - so hard to keep the purchases in check at times - especially with some of the new stores like the Co-op Market place
Chef Mickey's is one place we have not done yet (menu doesn't wow us and we have focussed on other character meals - often those with princesses) but do think we need to try it at some point. I don't think I ever noticed that they had plates with "compartments" - that is a great idea for kids though
Interested to hear what you thought of your room/family suite at AoA as I think we could try that out during a future trip.
Everyone has those nerves the first time you use MagicBands. Glad to hear yours worked fine (we seemed to do well with them as well, but can see that as being frustrating for people that have had issues with them)
Cute picture with all three boys giving Mickey a hug
Fully agree with you that I love when the PP Photographers capture the candid moments as well. Some were definitely better at that than others but they led to some great shots for us as well.
Of course there was a 10 minute posted time for Nemo - it takes at least that long to walk through the ~37.4 mile long queue
Fully agree that the FP+ for a lot of the shows is not really helpful. One downside to the system we found is that you have to make 3 FP+ when you might not need that many given the members of your group
Living with the Land is one of our favorite attractions - we hit it up every trip (sometimes more than once). Also would like to do the Behind the Seeds tour at some point in the future.
Your lunch at SS was almost the same as ours. Those fish tacos are pretty darn good. I was a little surprised how spicy they were (generally things are toned down at Disney) but I very much enjoyed them
Wow 60 minute wait for SSE! - good thing you had those super secret special passes
Glad things worked out with taking the breaks and not having any melt downs .... big goal for a successful trip
I think we have trained our kids to go along with Food & Wine but it is definitely most fun as just adults. Wow, having a but kids came in handy for getting a free treat. Bringing glow sticks is such a great idea - and saves a ton of money vs. buying glow toys in the park
A few trips ago we spent some time exploring AoA and really loved the theming and that Nemo themed play area. We also had to get a picture with every. single. car. in the Cars section.
Love the pool area - looks great for kids of all ages
Thanks for joining in!
Taking 3 kids to Disney is no joke! When you reach the point that you are outnumbered, things can get interesting!
I agree that the menu at CMs really is a draw. I think we'll go back for the character interaction. It's a great "first night" activity for us and starts the trip off right!
We really liked the suites at AOA. We used the bedroom and the Murphy bed/table but didn't use the sofa bed. There was plenty of space for everyone and all of the "stuff" you have when you travel with kids. And having 2 bathrooms is a lifesaver!
Thanks for joining in!
Thanks for following along!
We really enjoyed AOA! It felt very "Disney" the entire time! And the Finding Nemo rooms were so perfect! Plenty of space and 2 bathrooms was really nice! And of course, the pool was great!
hokieinpa
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Non-Disney Life Update
It’s been way too long but life conspired to keep me from updating!
- All the boys got sick. Then I got sick. All no fun!
- My hard drive was completely corrupted and we had to wait for a new one from Dell. Luckily, Jim is pretty good with computers and was able to install it himself so we’re back on track.
- Jake had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic he was on from the sickness mentioned above. He’s ok now but we spent a scary night in the ER and I think I’m just starting to recover from the stress!
But back to Disney!
It’s the CASTLE!
After our morning exploring AOA and playing at the pool, we were ready to party with Mickey and his closest friends!
I knew when I planned this trip that I wanted to go at Halloween. Everything I read about MNSSHP sounded AMAZING! I had talked this event up so much that everyone was so excited but I don’t think anyone really knew what to expect.
As for our costumes, I had gone back and forth about what to do. I originally thought of doing some kind of family costume - pirates, super heros, etc. But everything I saw either looked like it would be hot (Florida!), was expensive, or difficult to pull together on my own. I settled on a Mickey Halloween shirt for myself and costume t-shirts for the boys. We were all comfortable and cool the entire night so it worked great for us.
Once we were all ready to go, we headed to the MK bus stop. I think we got down to the bus stop around 3:40. I loved seeing all the costumes as we lined up!
The wait for the bus was relatively short and we were on our way to MK! I’m pretty sure I was literally bouncing in my seat! We arrived at the gate at 4:05. Green Mickeys all around at the gate and we were there!
I loved seeing Main Street for the first time! All of the reading, researching, and planning I had done was finally there for me to SEE!
We turned the corner, and I swear tears came to my eyes. It was the CASTLE!
I think we were all in awe! Now it really felt like we were in the Disney magic! I think Magic Kingdom has the power, you know?
We stopped for an (off-center) PP shot in front of Cinderella’s Castle!
Then it was time to make our way into Magic Kingdom!
When I linked our MNSSHP tickets on MDE, I went ahead and booked 3 FP+ from 4:00-7:00. I thought this was a great use of our pre-party time!
Our first FP+ was for Peter Pan, but the window ended at 4:30 so we hustled back to Fantasyland! I’m not sure I used a map even though this was my first trip to MK in 20 years. I spent so much time looking at plans that I think I memorized the MK layout. Sad?
We got back to Peter Pan at 4:25. Plenty of time, right?
I think the stand-by time was 70 minutes, so it was a great use of a FP+! The boys loved it, of course! We’re big Peter Pan fans so this was a hit.
Our next FP+ was for Pooh but we had some time so we went right across to Small World since the stand-by wait was only 10 minutes. I know this ride can be annoying, but I really love it! So much to look at - toddler heaven for sure!
Nate on our boat, looking hot and tired already!
Colin was already excited!
Jake and mommy selfie. He looks confused!
And all too soon it was over!
Until next time! I think we made it on this 4 times during the trip! And fun preview - we get stuck in the “goodbye” room for 10 minutes on our last ride!
We still had some more time before our Pooh FP+ and it was time for a bathroom break, so I bet you can guess where we were headed!
The Tangled restrooms! I think Disney is the only place that can make the bathrooms into an attraction!
I snapped pictures inside with no shame!
The boys really loved all of the wanted posters!
Next up, we climbed in our honey pot for a trip to the Hundred Acre Woods!
Fun Disney memory - the ride stopped for a few minutes in the most unfortunate room possible, We were trapped in the Heffalumps and Woozles room for a full 4 minutes. Quite a trip!!
The boys had a great time in the little play area! We let them run around there for a few minutes.
The wait for the ride had dropped down to 20 minutes so we hopped in line again. The interactive queue was super fun and kept the boys plenty entertained! Another journey with Pooh and friends and were off to our next destination!
Our next FP+ was for Little Mermaid. We had been in the park for a little over an hour and we had 4 rides, the Tangled bathrooms, playtime in Pooh’s house, and castle gawking under our belt! Not too shabby!
Next up
Under the Sea!
It’s been way too long but life conspired to keep me from updating!
- All the boys got sick. Then I got sick. All no fun!
- My hard drive was completely corrupted and we had to wait for a new one from Dell. Luckily, Jim is pretty good with computers and was able to install it himself so we’re back on track.
- Jake had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic he was on from the sickness mentioned above. He’s ok now but we spent a scary night in the ER and I think I’m just starting to recover from the stress!
But back to Disney!
It’s the CASTLE!
After our morning exploring AOA and playing at the pool, we were ready to party with Mickey and his closest friends!
I knew when I planned this trip that I wanted to go at Halloween. Everything I read about MNSSHP sounded AMAZING! I had talked this event up so much that everyone was so excited but I don’t think anyone really knew what to expect.
As for our costumes, I had gone back and forth about what to do. I originally thought of doing some kind of family costume - pirates, super heros, etc. But everything I saw either looked like it would be hot (Florida!), was expensive, or difficult to pull together on my own. I settled on a Mickey Halloween shirt for myself and costume t-shirts for the boys. We were all comfortable and cool the entire night so it worked great for us.
Once we were all ready to go, we headed to the MK bus stop. I think we got down to the bus stop around 3:40. I loved seeing all the costumes as we lined up!
The wait for the bus was relatively short and we were on our way to MK! I’m pretty sure I was literally bouncing in my seat! We arrived at the gate at 4:05. Green Mickeys all around at the gate and we were there!
I loved seeing Main Street for the first time! All of the reading, researching, and planning I had done was finally there for me to SEE!
We turned the corner, and I swear tears came to my eyes. It was the CASTLE!
I think we were all in awe! Now it really felt like we were in the Disney magic! I think Magic Kingdom has the power, you know?
We stopped for an (off-center) PP shot in front of Cinderella’s Castle!
Then it was time to make our way into Magic Kingdom!
When I linked our MNSSHP tickets on MDE, I went ahead and booked 3 FP+ from 4:00-7:00. I thought this was a great use of our pre-party time!
Our first FP+ was for Peter Pan, but the window ended at 4:30 so we hustled back to Fantasyland! I’m not sure I used a map even though this was my first trip to MK in 20 years. I spent so much time looking at plans that I think I memorized the MK layout. Sad?
We got back to Peter Pan at 4:25. Plenty of time, right?
I think the stand-by time was 70 minutes, so it was a great use of a FP+! The boys loved it, of course! We’re big Peter Pan fans so this was a hit.
Our next FP+ was for Pooh but we had some time so we went right across to Small World since the stand-by wait was only 10 minutes. I know this ride can be annoying, but I really love it! So much to look at - toddler heaven for sure!
Nate on our boat, looking hot and tired already!
Colin was already excited!
Jake and mommy selfie. He looks confused!
And all too soon it was over!
Until next time! I think we made it on this 4 times during the trip! And fun preview - we get stuck in the “goodbye” room for 10 minutes on our last ride!
We still had some more time before our Pooh FP+ and it was time for a bathroom break, so I bet you can guess where we were headed!
The Tangled restrooms! I think Disney is the only place that can make the bathrooms into an attraction!
I snapped pictures inside with no shame!
The boys really loved all of the wanted posters!
Next up, we climbed in our honey pot for a trip to the Hundred Acre Woods!
Fun Disney memory - the ride stopped for a few minutes in the most unfortunate room possible, We were trapped in the Heffalumps and Woozles room for a full 4 minutes. Quite a trip!!
The boys had a great time in the little play area! We let them run around there for a few minutes.
The wait for the ride had dropped down to 20 minutes so we hopped in line again. The interactive queue was super fun and kept the boys plenty entertained! Another journey with Pooh and friends and were off to our next destination!
Our next FP+ was for Little Mermaid. We had been in the park for a little over an hour and we had 4 rides, the Tangled bathrooms, playtime in Pooh’s house, and castle gawking under our belt! Not too shabby!
Next up
Under the Sea!
Last edited:
missangelalexis
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Yay for first time in MK!! Seeing that castle really is magical. WOW you guys really are getting a lot done in your pre-party time!! Sounds like fun so far 
TheMaxRebo
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oh gosh - sorry to hear about the sicknesses and then Jake's reaction to the medication ... I can imagine how stressful that must have been! Truly hope they are all ok now though.
I definitely think the first time you see the Castle every trip is pretty emotionally - especially if you are the one that did all/most of the planning as it is truly the visual wienie signifying that this is the fruit of all that planning.
Peter Pan is one of the best uses of a FP+ as that is just a relatively low throughput ride and is popular due to being Peter Pan and also the uniqueness of the ride car track
Definitely sounds like a productive first hour and also with the heat a good call to not go full-on costume
I definitely think the first time you see the Castle every trip is pretty emotionally - especially if you are the one that did all/most of the planning as it is truly the visual wienie signifying that this is the fruit of all that planning.
Peter Pan is one of the best uses of a FP+ as that is just a relatively low throughput ride and is popular due to being Peter Pan and also the uniqueness of the ride car track
.... I see what you did there
Definitely sounds like a productive first hour and also with the heat a good call to not go full-on costume
Dugette
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- 5,775
Sorry you've had so much stuff to deal with, but glad things are getting better! 
We opted for t-shirts when we did the Halloween party too - worked just fine and we were comfortable!
And it's always fun checking out other guests' costumes on a party night!
How cool to finally be standing there in front of the castle with your family!
You did a really good job of knocking out a lot of things quickly upon arrival!
We opted for t-shirts when we did the Halloween party too - worked just fine and we were comfortable!
And it's always fun checking out other guests' costumes on a party night!How cool to finally be standing there in front of the castle with your family!
You did a really good job of knocking out a lot of things quickly upon arrival!
hokieinpa
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- Feb 17, 2014
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Yay for first time in MK!! Seeing that castle really is magical. WOW you guys really are getting a lot done in your pre-party time!! Sounds like fun so far
I was pretty proud of how much we were able to get done in our first hour! Low party crowds are great!
oh gosh - sorry to hear about the sicknesses and then Jake's reaction to the medication ... I can imagine how stressful that must have been! Truly hope they are all ok now though.
I definitely think the first time you see the Castle every trip is pretty emotionally - especially if you are the one that did all/most of the planning as it is truly the visual wienie signifying that this is the fruit of all that planning.
Peter Pan is one of the best uses of a FP+ as that is just a relatively low throughput ride and is popular due to being Peter Pan and also the uniqueness of the ride car track
.... I see what you did there
Definitely sounds like a productive first hour and also with the heat a good call to not go full-on costume
I know seeing the castle was so special for me since it's my first trip in so many years but I think I'll always have a similar reaction, no matter how many trips we take. Walking down Main Street and seeing that castle is pure magic!
Peter Pan was a favorite for us - a quick, fun ride for sure!
And I think t-shirt costumes are the way to go for us. We saw a couple dressed as Merlin and Madam Mim from Sword in the Stone at the gate and they already seemed miserable!
Sorry you've had so much stuff to deal with, but glad things are getting better!
We opted for t-shirts when we did the Halloween party too - worked just fine and we were comfortable!
How cool to finally be standing there in front of the castle with your family!
You did a really good job of knocking out a lot of things quickly upon arrival!
We saw some fun costumes - lots of Jedis, Buzz Lightyears, pirates. And maybe an Elsa or two!
And the castle really makes it feel real! You're really in DISNEY then!
I was pretty happy with our first hour - low party crowds were great!
RunnerMommyof4
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- Feb 2, 2015
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Subscribing love hearing from another 1st time family! We are in the "planning" phase with our family of 6.
hokieinpa
DIS Veteran
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Under the Sea!
We were really rocking and rolling through our first hour at MK! After our second trip through the Hundred Acre Wood we headed over to see my favorite mermaid!
This was our last pre-party FP+. I think the stand-by wait was only about 30 minutes at this point. People seemed to really be clearing out for the party.
The Little Mermaid is my favorite princess movie. It was the first movie I saw in theaters way back when I was 6 years old. I was so very excited for this ride! Even Nate was excited for me. He kept saying, “It’s the mermaid! We get to see Ariel for YOU, Mommy!”.
Needless to say, I LOVED the ride!
I wish we would have gotten a chance to ride it again, but it was the only time was had FP+ and the stand-by wait time hovered around 30-40 minutes. Definitely going to need to go on this twice next trip!
After the ride, I grabbed a quick shot of the Beast’s castle in the distance!
Next, we headed over to Storybook Circus. The boys were ready to ride Dumbo! And I was ready to check out the cool play area!
I really loved the system they had worked out. There was never a wait (10 minutes, maybe? But that’s really just walking time and waiting for the current cycle to finish) so we never really “needed” to wait in the play area. But we took advantage of the open, safe play area both times.
There is plenty for kids to see and do in Disney, of course. But there is also lots of sitting/waiting - waiting for/riding the bus, stroller time, lines, shows, meals, etc. I loved the areas where the boys could just run and burn some energy!
The Dumbo play area consists of a “toddler” area in the middle (half wall surrounding small climbing area, slides, etc.) and a big jungle gym type thing. The jungle gym looks like the houses that are featured in the clown show in the movie. There are steps, ropes areas, and slides.
Jake really enjoyed the toddler section!
Nate was amazed!
There was also a Dumbo circling overhead, which was cute!
After the boys played, we turned in our pager and headed into line.
Colin and I shared a Dumbo (“A GREEN one, Mommy!) and we were off!
Next up, the Barnstormer!
The wait was about 15 minutes - not too bad at all! I think my Mom took Jake for a diaper change and to check out Big Top Treats at this point. She got some yummy caramel corn for us to share!
After our ride with the Great Goofini, we all took a quick bathroom break. I really liked the restrooms in Storybook Circus. They were large and empty (at least every time we went). Now, that’s the reason you read trip reports. Honest bathroom reviews!
At this point, it was getting close to 7. I knew we needed to grab dinner and then get a spot for the parade. We swung by to see if Merida was meeting but she wasn’t out. I decided to check back right after fireworks and we cut over to Cosmic Ray’s to get something quick.
I’m pretty sure all the boys got nuggets, my mom had the kid’s turkey sandwich, and the rest of us had burgers.
Then we were off to find a parade spot. It was time for some real Halloween fun!
Next up
Boo to You! And guard your spot...
We were really rocking and rolling through our first hour at MK! After our second trip through the Hundred Acre Wood we headed over to see my favorite mermaid!
This was our last pre-party FP+. I think the stand-by wait was only about 30 minutes at this point. People seemed to really be clearing out for the party.
The Little Mermaid is my favorite princess movie. It was the first movie I saw in theaters way back when I was 6 years old. I was so very excited for this ride! Even Nate was excited for me. He kept saying, “It’s the mermaid! We get to see Ariel for YOU, Mommy!”.
Needless to say, I LOVED the ride!
I wish we would have gotten a chance to ride it again, but it was the only time was had FP+ and the stand-by wait time hovered around 30-40 minutes. Definitely going to need to go on this twice next trip!
After the ride, I grabbed a quick shot of the Beast’s castle in the distance!
Next, we headed over to Storybook Circus. The boys were ready to ride Dumbo! And I was ready to check out the cool play area!
I really loved the system they had worked out. There was never a wait (10 minutes, maybe? But that’s really just walking time and waiting for the current cycle to finish) so we never really “needed” to wait in the play area. But we took advantage of the open, safe play area both times.
There is plenty for kids to see and do in Disney, of course. But there is also lots of sitting/waiting - waiting for/riding the bus, stroller time, lines, shows, meals, etc. I loved the areas where the boys could just run and burn some energy!
The Dumbo play area consists of a “toddler” area in the middle (half wall surrounding small climbing area, slides, etc.) and a big jungle gym type thing. The jungle gym looks like the houses that are featured in the clown show in the movie. There are steps, ropes areas, and slides.
Jake really enjoyed the toddler section!
Nate was amazed!
There was also a Dumbo circling overhead, which was cute!
After the boys played, we turned in our pager and headed into line.
Colin and I shared a Dumbo (“A GREEN one, Mommy!) and we were off!
Next up, the Barnstormer!
The wait was about 15 minutes - not too bad at all! I think my Mom took Jake for a diaper change and to check out Big Top Treats at this point. She got some yummy caramel corn for us to share!
After our ride with the Great Goofini, we all took a quick bathroom break. I really liked the restrooms in Storybook Circus. They were large and empty (at least every time we went). Now, that’s the reason you read trip reports. Honest bathroom reviews!
At this point, it was getting close to 7. I knew we needed to grab dinner and then get a spot for the parade. We swung by to see if Merida was meeting but she wasn’t out. I decided to check back right after fireworks and we cut over to Cosmic Ray’s to get something quick.
I’m pretty sure all the boys got nuggets, my mom had the kid’s turkey sandwich, and the rest of us had burgers.
Then we were off to find a parade spot. It was time for some real Halloween fun!
Next up
Boo to You! And guard your spot...
Last edited:
hokieinpa
DIS Veteran
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Thanks for following along! We had such a great first trip. Planning can feel overwhelming but it was worth every second. Can't wait to start planning our return trip!
missangelalexis
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The Little Mermaid ride is so great, I'm glad you loved it!
Sounds like a fun time in Storybook Circus!
Can't wait to hear about the party!!
Sounds like a fun time in Storybook Circus!
Can't wait to hear about the party!!
hokieinpa
DIS Veteran
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- Feb 17, 2014
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Thanks for joining in! We really enjoyed everything about AOA!
Little Mermaid was one of my favorites! And Storybook Circus is so cute - hoping we get a chance to meet the characters next time!
Dugette
DIS Veteran
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Aw, that is too sweet!
Exactly!
All the best bathroom tips on these boards! (Makes me wonder if one of the other boards has a bathroom thread somewhere...)Sounds like you really made the most of your early party time! Looking forward to more!
Sarahgracie
Earning My Ears
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- Oct 6, 2008
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I have loved reading your report so far! When you started, I thought "wow! I was at AoA at the exact same time. I wonder how their trip was?" Then you started introducing your family and posted pictures. I was actually on the bus with you on Monday morning on the way to Epcot. Nate told me about your car, his fish, building droids, and we talked about our red Magic Bands. He was delightful, and it was a great way to start my first park touring day. It looks like you all had a fantastic trip!
hokieinpa
DIS Veteran
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Aw, that is too sweet!
Exactly!
Sounds like you really made the most of your early party time! Looking forward to more!
We were loving MK so far! And how else would we learn such important information unless it was shared here?? Bathroom reviews are a must!
We really enjoyed October! Great weather, decent crowds. And of course - Halloween!
Wow wow wow! How crazy is that? I'm sure Nate loved chatting with you - he loves meeting new people and is not at all shy about sharing his many experiences and opinions!! Were you on a solo trip, no kids? I do remember him talking someone's ear off and all I could think was "She's kid-free! I hope Nate isn't bugging her!" Thanks for taking the time to talk to him!
Glad to have you following along!!
hokieinpa
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Boo to You! And guard your spot…
After dinner at Cosmic Ray’s, I hustled everyone out to so we could grab a good spot for the parade. It was about 7:30 at this point.
We walked over the bridge and through the Hub area. Jim wanted to just get a spot a few rows back. He said the spots “weren’t that bad” and that we wouldn’t be able to find anything better. But I knew that if we just kept going through Liberty Square and Frontierland, we would find out sweet spot!
Sure enough, right in front of the Hall of Presidents we found a perfect corner spot, right against the rope! Persistence (and obsessive reading of TRs) pays off!
Here is a shot of our group right before the parade.
Jake is freaking out because I moved away from him. He was in a big Mommy-only phase at this point (always, maybe?) and cried whenever I was out of his reach.
We were right next a really nice family from England. They had 2 kids that were a little older than the boys and they all had a good time playing before the parade.
We were also helping each other “stand wide” before the parade started. I was amazed at how people tried to push in and get in front of us!!
Before the parade started, my Dad and I took the boys for a quick bathroom break at Columbia Harbor House. We walked over the the TOT spot right near the Liberty Square Riverboat but the line was so long!
When we got back to our spot, we had to squeeze back into our spot. Pretty soon, some dancers came around to get the party started! Then the guys from Phineas and Ferb were there. Colin got up and joined in on the dance.
Then a hush fell over the crowd…
It was the Headless Horseman!
Seriously, one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced!
Then is was time for the parade!
We had a great view! The boys sat in their stroller and could see everything!
The boys loved seeing all the characters in the Halloween costumes.
And the pirates were a hit, of course!
This guy was nice and spooky!
I had seen videos of the grave diggers and loved their routine. Nate was a little scared, especially when one guy jumped out at us!
Then there were these lovely dancers! The parade had just the right mix of fun and spooky!
Vanellope was cute!
A few villians to finish things out!
Then was the rope to end the parade. I had told everyone we were going to follow the end of the parade right to the castle. The plan was to follow the rope then grab a spot for the castle show and Hallowishes. It worked out perfectly!
We parked ourselves a little back and off center from the castle. We were able to stay in one spot and catch the Villains Mix and Mingle show, Celebrate the Magic, and Hallowishes.
All were completely perfect and magical of course. I really loved Celebrate the Magic!
A few shots of Hallowishes!
After the fireworks, there was a mad rush of people going in all directions. We were headed over to the bridge to Fantasyland/Tomorrowland.
Luckily the boys were all in the stroller so there was no fear of them getting swept away in the crowd. Another thing that really helped us were these light up Mickey sticks my mom had gotten for the boys before the parade. I held one up and my parents could follow that and we didn’t completely lose each other in the crowd.
We all met up near the Merida meet. She wasn’t out quite yet so I stood in line while everyone else took a quick bathroom/snack break. Soon, our favorite warrior princess was out. I didn’t know it yet, but we were getting ready for the best character meet of our entire trip!
I'll leave you with a fun preview!
Next up
Brave Warriors!
After dinner at Cosmic Ray’s, I hustled everyone out to so we could grab a good spot for the parade. It was about 7:30 at this point.
We walked over the bridge and through the Hub area. Jim wanted to just get a spot a few rows back. He said the spots “weren’t that bad” and that we wouldn’t be able to find anything better. But I knew that if we just kept going through Liberty Square and Frontierland, we would find out sweet spot!
Sure enough, right in front of the Hall of Presidents we found a perfect corner spot, right against the rope! Persistence (and obsessive reading of TRs) pays off!
Here is a shot of our group right before the parade.
Jake is freaking out because I moved away from him. He was in a big Mommy-only phase at this point (always, maybe?) and cried whenever I was out of his reach.
We were right next a really nice family from England. They had 2 kids that were a little older than the boys and they all had a good time playing before the parade.
We were also helping each other “stand wide” before the parade started. I was amazed at how people tried to push in and get in front of us!!
Before the parade started, my Dad and I took the boys for a quick bathroom break at Columbia Harbor House. We walked over the the TOT spot right near the Liberty Square Riverboat but the line was so long!
When we got back to our spot, we had to squeeze back into our spot. Pretty soon, some dancers came around to get the party started! Then the guys from Phineas and Ferb were there. Colin got up and joined in on the dance.
Then a hush fell over the crowd…
It was the Headless Horseman!
Seriously, one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced!
Then is was time for the parade!
We had a great view! The boys sat in their stroller and could see everything!
The boys loved seeing all the characters in the Halloween costumes.
And the pirates were a hit, of course!
This guy was nice and spooky!
I had seen videos of the grave diggers and loved their routine. Nate was a little scared, especially when one guy jumped out at us!
Then there were these lovely dancers! The parade had just the right mix of fun and spooky!
Vanellope was cute!
A few villians to finish things out!
Then was the rope to end the parade. I had told everyone we were going to follow the end of the parade right to the castle. The plan was to follow the rope then grab a spot for the castle show and Hallowishes. It worked out perfectly!
We parked ourselves a little back and off center from the castle. We were able to stay in one spot and catch the Villains Mix and Mingle show, Celebrate the Magic, and Hallowishes.
All were completely perfect and magical of course. I really loved Celebrate the Magic!
A few shots of Hallowishes!
After the fireworks, there was a mad rush of people going in all directions. We were headed over to the bridge to Fantasyland/Tomorrowland.
Luckily the boys were all in the stroller so there was no fear of them getting swept away in the crowd. Another thing that really helped us were these light up Mickey sticks my mom had gotten for the boys before the parade. I held one up and my parents could follow that and we didn’t completely lose each other in the crowd.
We all met up near the Merida meet. She wasn’t out quite yet so I stood in line while everyone else took a quick bathroom/snack break. Soon, our favorite warrior princess was out. I didn’t know it yet, but we were getting ready for the best character meet of our entire trip!
I'll leave you with a fun preview!
Next up
Brave Warriors!
Last edited:
missangelalexis
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- Apr 27, 2012
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Great parade pics! Can't wait to hear about Merida!
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