Don't Fear the Rain, We Have the "Ducky of Death!"-Jan '14 **Bonus TR DCA 9/1 x2

[Valgoof]

I have never seen this show!! I am not sure how this happened because I love the movie! We just never spend much time in AK. This year we walked the two trails for the first time.
Wouldn't that be cool if Ellen showed up one day?! Maybe when the sequel comes out.

 

[khaleesi]

WOW. Those photos at AKL are stunning. I think it's probably a good thing that a stay there is waaaay out of my budget, because I would have a very hard time dragging myself away to actually go to a park!

The Finding Nemo pictures gives a completely different perspective on the show. I was sitting up a lot higher and not really focused at all on the human element of the show.

There is something completely breathtaking about a black and white photo of the castle. It's very nostalgic but more than that, it's almost like time standing still. Absolutely amazing photo!

 

[amazingact21]

I've never actually seen Nemo the Musical before. Usually, I go to FotLK, but I really enjoyed looking at all your pictures from it. I got a sense of what the show is like, and I think you did a fantastic job capturing that actor's expressions.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

"I would usually work on the photos I took for the day on my laptop with my feet up on the table all the while watching the giraffes or zebras roam their way through our little slice of the savanna" .... wait, isn't that how most people spend every night after getting home from work? You only get to do that on vacation?

"Two giraffes, a vulture, and a zebra " .... walk into a bar. The first Giraffe asks the others, "what are you doing in my neck of the woods?" The vulture replies, "eh, was feeling peckish" ... the other Giraffe responded "well, I need to go home and apologize to my wife, but it is taking me a long time to swallow my pride" ... lastly, after the others had quite a bit to drink, the Zebra says "I just want to know if I am white with black stripes or black with white stripes"

your long exposure shots are just amazing! I especially love the one of looking into the lobby through the large viewing window! And also all the close ups of the lighting fixtures

Glad you enjoyed Jiko - what age do you think is old enough to appreciate it? My kids tend to be fairly adventurous and have enjoyed some of the signatures like California Grill, but for some reason Jiko strikes me as being a bit more for the older set.

Great shots of the Nemo show ... and yes, I did say Mt. Wannahockaloogie outloud reading

Love your joke about the three animals! I knew as I was typing that part of the TR that it sounded awfully like the beginning of a joke!

Of course every child is different, but for my kids I think they would have to be at least 10 years old or older to appreciate and enjoy Jiko and its regular menu. Our kids ate off the kids menu and even then they thought the mac and cheese was too "weird". I think a good measure would be that if your kids like and appreciate Indian spices and flavoring then they should be good with Jiko. Hope that helps.

Wonderful pics!

Thank you!

That's actually quite interesting Dave as I never would have thought of the show being scary to kids. But now I can totally get it.

Hmmmm, what's this "Frozen" film you speak of. Is it popular?

I think that's what I enjoyed the most from this show and that's how well the actors/puppeteers emote. And you captured that beautifully.

I would have never thought that this show would be scary for kids either until we took DD to it for the first time a few years ago. Don't know if you remember, but on my last TR from my solo trip I described a 2 year old girl sitting in front of me who kept crying on and off during the intense parts of the show. The sharks. And the part where Marlin and Dori believes Nemo died.

I don't know much about this "Frozen" film either. Wonder if it's any good?

I have never seen this show!! I am not sure how this happened because I love the movie! We just never spend much time in AK. This year we walked the two trails for the first time.
Wouldn't that be cool if Ellen showed up one day?! Maybe when the sequel comes out.

I'm eagerly awaiting for the Dori-centric sequel although I hope it's better than Cars 2.

Hope you enjoyed the two animal trails at AK. I love the trail in Asia in particular because of all of the theming they had done. Absolutely gorgeous back there.

WOW. Those photos at AKL are stunning. I think it's probably a good thing that a stay there is waaaay out of my budget, because I would have a very hard time dragging myself away to actually go to a park!

The Finding Nemo pictures gives a completely different perspective on the show. I was sitting up a lot higher and not really focused at all on the human element of the show.

There is something completely breathtaking about a black and white photo of the castle. It's very nostalgic but more than that, it's almost like time standing still. Absolutely amazing photo!

I have to say, even sitting up in the second row it was a little difficult to get good views of the faces of the actors and actresses. I had the advantage of looking through the zoom lens but you're right it does make the show look quite different.

And I completely agree with you about the black and white photo of the castle bringing out the feeling of nostalgia. Sort of makes you believe that's how the castle could have looked all the way back when the Magic Kingdom first opened.

I've never actually seen Nemo the Musical before. Usually, I go to FotLK, but I really enjoyed looking at all your pictures from it. I got a sense of what the show is like, and I think you did a fantastic job capturing that actor's expressions.

Thank you! We usually go to FotLK first as well and Nemo may or may not happen on each trip. But since FotLK was closed this time we felt we needed some musical show fix.

 

[JDUB]

Love the Nemo photos. We've always enjoyed this show every year with the supporting characters and jammed packed musical numbers. It definitely beats standing outside in the rain without much cover.
I still don't understand why Primeval Whirl is 48" ride. Our older ones loved this ride and can't wait to take our youngest one it this year.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Love the Nemo photos. We've always enjoyed this show every year with the supporting characters and jammed packed musical numbers. It definitely beats standing outside in the rain without much cover.
I still don't understand why Primeval Whirl is 48" ride. Our older ones loved this ride and can't wait to take our youngest one it this year.

Thanks!

Yeah, the height restriction for Whirl has also baffled me. For three trips now DD has been wanting to go on that ride and each time we keep telling her "Maybe next time". She was half an inch shy this time. So I'm almost sure next time she'll be able to go on it.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Hope everyone who is in the middle of this winter storm like us are staying warm and safe!

We had never participated in Characterpalooza at DHS before. Somehow it had been very difficult to fit this into our past schedules with priorities being placed on riding TSMM three times. Also this being an unpublished/unannounced event made it seem very nebulous. Prior to leaving for this trip I had read online from various reports that Characterpalooza at DHS were occurring three times a day during the month of January (2:30p, 3:25p, and 4:15p). Apparently in past years, they took a seasonal hiatus during the month of January. I didn’t write characterpalooza into our touring plans because there were a lot of things we wanted to do and if we fell behind on schedule we wouldn’t have time for it. As it turned out on this rainy day, the wait times and crowds were so manageable that by the time 4pm rolled around we were so ahead of schedule that I had run out of things to do with the exception of Build a Light Saber for the kids. So we started making our way to Tatooine Traders from TSMM and I had totally forgotten about the possibility of Characterpalooza. We were strolling down Streets of America and somehow the rain had stopped. DB told us to go ahead while they took some more pictures. As I we continued to make our way down I just happen to look down towards the empty alley with the San Francisco backdrop which suddenly flooded my head with one thought “CHARACTERPALOOZA, that’s where it’s suppose to take place”.

I turned around to DW to ask what time it was. She said “4:15” and as soon as I heard that I saw the characters flood the alley! I was beyond excited. I yelled out to my brother “Stop taking pictures! You HAVE to come over here!” and then took DD and DS into the character madness. It was awesome. The kids were so ecstatic they didn’t know which way to go first. Before I knew it, DD and DS split up so I stuck with DS at first while DW followed DD. DS wanted to meet all three green army guys because each one was “different” in his words. One of them was stationary while the other two were roaming up and down the street.

It's so nice to see the softer side of these soldiers.


DD quickly located Minnie first. While she was taking her picture with Minnie, Mulan came over escorting a little girl who wanted to meet Minnie. So Minnie and Mulan ended up trading their guests and Mulan took DD’s hand which DD was more than happy to follow along. By then DS and I rejoined DD/DW.



Mulan was THE highlight of this experience. She spent a lot of time talking to DD and then took DD by her hand and walked her over to her meet and greet spot. She also tried her best to engage DS but he was being a bit shy. She told him how much she loved his shoes – which were Darth Vader shoes – and compared them to her traditional Chinese shoes. After what must have been at least 5 minutes of undivided attention to our kids, she asked DD who else she would like to meet and she replied “Jesse”. So Mulan took DD by her hand and walked her over across the street to meet Jesse. Loved it.

Mulan navigating the crowded streets of SF with DD.



And while DD was busy meeting Jesse, Mulan sat next to DS and continued her charm offensive to win him over. I could see a small grin on DS’ face. He definitely enjoyed the attention even if he was too proud to show it.

As we were finishing up with Jesse, Stitch was trying to sneak by behind us by hiding behind phone booths and other props lining the San Francisco sidewalk. So I took the kids and followed him. He came to a stop at a parking meter and intently staring at it. I asked him “Now Stitch, don’t think about eating that!”. He started asking around for a coin because he really wanted to put it inside the meter. I was fresh out of coins. After a few seconds Mulan came over to ask Stitch what was going. Stitch once again asked Mulan for any coins but of course she didn’t have any. Even if she did, those ancient Chinese coins from her period would be waaaaaay to big to fit in the meter. Stitch even suggested using Mulan’s ear ring instead.



Finally, Mulan pointed out the flashing sign on the meter: “FAIL”



Leaving Stitch very dejected. Poor Stitch.



The kids got to meet them all. Minnie, Pocahontas and Meeko, Belle, Jesse, Green Army Men, and Stitch.

Love Belle's cloak. Just like the one she wore when she headed out into the woods looking for her father.




Why is it that I can never remember Meeko’s name on the spot? “Oh look! It’s Pocahontas and ummmm, ummmmm, the raccoon!”



I really tried my best to steer the kids to Snow White and the Queen who were meeting as a pair but DD wanted nothing to do with that couple as she was worried about the Queen’s behavior.

I think we spent about 20 minutes and we had a blast! I love how the different characters are allowed to mingle and interact with each other. You rarely have an opportunity to see that in most meet and greets. The back drop of this experience was unique as well. We had Belle from France, Mulan from China, and Pocahontas from Colonial Virginia standing in the middle of San Francisco that included part of Chinatown .Ok, I guess Mulan looks a bit more in place. Overall I would totally recommend it! The character interactions definitely have a feel of being less restricted and is filled with lots of spontaneity. We all left the Streets of America bouncing on our feet.

 

[ksinniger]

Wow. I think our trips must have overlapped completely, and looking at your TR, I think those Nemo shots were taken at the same show we watched! Of course, we we're way in the back, so it's cool to see what it looked like up close. Can't wait to read the rest - while the ever present gray skies were a bummer, the low crowds were worth it!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Wow, now that is impressive timing there Dave. Makes it feel so much cooler, and I love watching the characters come out.

That's what makes Characterpalooza so fantastic. It's so very spontaneous and the characters interactions are so very unique. It really reminds me of the WDW of yesteryear. It's tough on a more crowded day as it can be really chaotic since it is pretty un-organized. Plus there's no photographers generally either, so solo is a real challenge. Regardless, it's a lot a fun. So glad your kids got so much attention. Wonderful memories being made there.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Wow. I think our trips must have overlapped completely, and looking at your TR, I think those Nemo shots were taken at the same show we watched! Of course, we we're way in the back, so it's cool to see what it looked like up close. Can't wait to read the rest - while the ever present gray skies were a bummer, the low crowds were worth it!

Welcome! We arrived on the evening of January 28th and departed on the evening of February 2nd! And the Nemo show was from the 1pm show on Saturday February 1st - were we at the same show? :good vibes

I agree with you - the rain really didn't bother us through out the trip. In fact the rainy weather provided some awesome experiences that otherwise would not have been present and that includes the extremely low crowds. Our MK day on Wednesday - the park was completely empty thanks to the rain coupled with 40 degree temperatures.

Wow, now that is impressive timing there Dave. Makes it feel so much cooler, and I love watching the characters come out.

That's what makes Characterpalooza so fantastic. It's so very spontaneous and the characters interactions are so very unique. It really reminds me of the WDW of yesteryear. It's tough on a more crowded day as it can be really chaotic since it is pretty un-organized. Plus there's no photographers generally either, so solo is a real challenge. Regardless, it's a lot a fun. So glad your kids got so much attention. Wonderful memories being made there.

The way DW describes my reaction to Characterpalooza is that after she told me the time the next thing she saw was me jumping up and down like a kid waking up on Christmas morning. She had no idea what was going on and why I was acting like a crazy man until she saw the characters herself.

I can see it being a little bit hectic when the crowds are high. There's no established queues for each character so it's wherever people start lining up. And you're absolutely right about the lack of photographers. When the kids split up I felt like I was running around constantly trying to take pictures of our kids as well as my brother's family. Everyone had a great time though and they still talk about Mulan and Stitch.

 

[middlesista]

Characterpalooza!! YES! Our first time experiencing this event this trip also. Even though it not really all that random,it was not crowded when we went either. So much fun! Glad you and your family were also able to catch this.

 

[chattadisser]

Yea, yea Characterpalooza!!

My reaction is similar to yours - quick get the kids and see how many we can meet before they leave! It does make it hard to get shots with everyone. I do love that they always seem to have such an eclectic group of characters that you would normally never see together. You got the added bonus of a few cooler weather costumes too!

I love that you all aren't letting the rain get to you. Some of my best memories in the parks of from rainy days. It does tend to lessen the crowds and leave only the hearty!

Christine

 

[teekathepony]

I'm a bit behind, but caught up on the two updates I missed!

Nemo is a really beautiful and so photogenic show! I'm glad DS wasn't afraid, I guess you never really know what kids could find scary. When I was 5 I found Peter Pan scary! Lol

Wowwww what a great bunch of photos and also a fantastic lot of character interactions at the characterpalooza! Mulan sounds like she was a lot of fun. The photos you got there are incredible, what great memories!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[emilyindisney]

Not sure how I lost my way between finishing your Oct '13 TR, and here but I'm glad you messaged me because it totally jogged my memory and got me here! I'm pumped for round two of our infamously beautiful pictures, especially of the Lodge!

Oh man- the night lighting at AKL is just stellar! We spent about an hour just hanging out behind the resort, sitting in the rocking chairs, etc. a few weeks ago and knew that a stay there needed to be prioritized. Seeing your pics has me sold just to get that night ambiance too! Sounds like your balcony was extremely well utilized for both photography and relaxation

I like being able to see the faces up the puppeteers/actors in Nemo. I know the idea is that you focus on the fish, not the people, but it's interesting to see how animated and into the show the people are even if they're not really the main focus. I love those turtle costumes! I wonder if Disney will loan me one for Halloween Wishful thinking!

Seeing the characters interacting and joking with each other must have been great! I like that in the picture with Mulan, DD sort of has matching colors on. Sort of makes them stand out together!

 

[airforcemomof2]

Just started to read your TR, can't wait to read (and see!) more! We are in Fairfax, VA, so not too far! Our last trip was Christmas 2012, in which we came back with a little surpirse born in Sept 2013! lol Planning our next trip for Jan/Feb 2015!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Characterpalooza!! YES! Our first time experiencing this event this trip also. Even though it not really all that random,it was not crowded when we went either. So much fun! Glad you and your family were also able to catch this.

Great to hear you enjoyed it as well! We're going to keep looking for it for our future trips! The low crowds definitely made it even more enjoyable.

Yea, yea Characterpalooza!!

My reaction is similar to yours - quick get the kids and see how many we can meet before they leave! It does make it hard to get shots with everyone. I do love that they always seem to have such an eclectic group of characters that you would normally never see together. You got the added bonus of a few cooler weather costumes too!

I love that you all aren't letting the rain get to you. Some of my best memories in the parks of from rainy days. It does tend to lessen the crowds and leave only the hearty!

Christine

I figured that there's nothing we can do about the rain and the weather. I wanted to make sure that it didn't sour the experience for the kids or my brother's family and the best way to do that is not let the rain bother you. And like you said, the crowds and wait times were so low which helped out quite a bit!

I'm a bit behind, but caught up on the two updates I missed!

Nemo is a really beautiful and so photogenic show! I'm glad DS wasn't afraid, I guess you never really know what kids could find scary. When I was 5 I found Peter Pan scary! Lol

Wowwww what a great bunch of photos and also a fantastic lot of character interactions at the characterpalooza! Mulan sounds like she was a lot of fun. The photos you got there are incredible, what great memories!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thanks Wendy! The kids had a great time especially with Mulan. I think she is also the same Mulan that we met a couple of years ago in Epcot who spent a lot of time with DD. She's really good.

Not sure how I lost my way between finishing your Oct '13 TR, and here but I'm glad you messaged me because it totally jogged my memory and got me here! I'm pumped for round two of our infamously beautiful pictures, especially of the Lodge!

Oh man- the night lighting at AKL is just stellar! We spent about an hour just hanging out behind the resort, sitting in the rocking chairs, etc. a few weeks ago and knew that a stay there needed to be prioritized. Seeing your pics has me sold just to get that night ambiance too! Sounds like your balcony was extremely well utilized for both photography and relaxation

I like being able to see the faces up the puppeteers/actors in Nemo. I know the idea is that you focus on the fish, not the people, but it's interesting to see how animated and into the show the people are even if they're not really the main focus. I love those turtle costumes! I wonder if Disney will loan me one for Halloween Wishful thinking!

Seeing the characters interacting and joking with each other must have been great! I like that in the picture with Mulan, DD sort of has matching colors on. Sort of makes them stand out together!

I was noticing that the other day that DD was wearing matching colors with Mulan. And you're totally right because on a rainy cloudy day they were wearing colors that really popped from the gray background.

Those turtles would make an awesome costume! The colors are so well done!

Just started to read your TR, can't wait to read (and see!) more! We are in Fairfax, VA, so not too far! Our last trip was Christmas 2012, in which we came back with a little surpirse born in Sept 2013! lol Planning our next trip for Jan/Feb 2015!

Welcome! A fellow Northern VA DISer! Thanks for joining! We love visiting in January thanks to the low crowds! Hopefully your January will be a tad warmer than this year. Hope you're surviving all of the cold and snow this week!

 

[saintstickets]

We had never participated in Characterpalooza at DHS before.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! We've never done this either. I'll have to look for it in June. Great photo-ops! Too bad there weren't PP CM's there but I guess it would be hard for them if the Characters are mingling around. Great update...btw! More please?

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! We've never done this either. I'll have to look for it in June. Great photo-ops! Too bad there weren't PP CM's there but I guess it would be hard for them if the Characters are mingling around. Great update...btw! More please?

The timing couldn't have worked out better! I would highly recommend trying Characterpalooza at least once. Totally worth it!

Hope to get another update up soon by tomorrow night.

 

[LuvEeyore]

Love the last two updates. Sounds like Characterpalooza was very worth it for your family. I love the spontaneous interactions with the characters. I still have a drawing Goofy did on paper at Goofy's Kitchen in DL. It is great fun!!

 

[princess_momma]

Hello!! I am here!! Loving your pictures, as usual! AKL is so gorgeous!!

I can't believe there are so many characters at Character Palooza!! I think I may have saw it when I was there, but I only saw about 3 characters? I thought it was so random! Lol! Love how much attention Mulan gave your kids!