Halloween at DLP 2006 Trip Report - Day 2 (lots of pics!)

[madzilla]

Day 2 – Friday 13rd October - Part 1

Notes: This is split into sections because there are so many pics!

Cast members:
– Me, 22, female, trip planner, obsessed with all things Pirates, longtime lover of DLRP (this is my 4th visit)
- Friend (DF) – 25, male, mad on all things cowboy/western and country music, first time to DLP

I’d like to say we were up bright and early with the lark the next day, ready for the day ahead. I’d like to, but I can’t, because we had a lovely long lie in. Wasn’t too bothered, we had Good Morning Fantasyland reserved for the next 2 days and we were tired after long weeks at our respective jobs and the early morning/late night the day before.

When we woke up the curtains were drawn so it was dark in the room. I went to open the curtains, expecting to look out on a grey, rainy day. “Oh, my!” I said as I peeked out.
“What?” said DF. “Is it pouring down?”
“No,” I said, flinging the curtains open. “It’s gorgeous!”

And it was! A beautiful sunny morning. Bit chilly, but not too bad for October. It got pretty grey by the time we reached the park, but never actually rained.

So we dressed, donned mouse ears/cowboy hats and set off for the park. The walk was once again lovely, and brighter this morning, and soon enough we were at the gates of the park.

The Disneyland Hotel was partially under some plastic as the front is being cleaned up/repainted, but that didn’t really mar our enjoyment. It didn’t seem like any time at all until we were standing in Main St’s Town Square.

DF was just trying to take it all in, I was looking around at all the new Halloween decorations. There were pumpkin men and their orange paint everywhere!

The biggest was a huge pumpkin in front of the castle (which turned out to also be a face painting area for kids).

Also, if you listened carefully, you could hear screams and howls mixed in among the usual Main St music. We made our way up Main St and stopped for hot dogs at Casey’s Corner. While sitting eating those we saw Mickey just next to the entrance to Liberty Arcade, in his photo spot! And just as we finished the hot dogs, the Halloween Cavalcade was starting. A bit different to the main daily parade, this was a procession of pumpkinmen (and pumpkinladies), Pink Witches and various Disney characters in Halloween costumes (mostly bedsheets, which was rather adorable).

One pumpkinwoman was dressed as a suffragette and had a ‘Votes for Pumpkins’ banner on.

There was also a horse-drawn carriage with characters on, pulled by horses with Halloween decorations on, too. And then at the end, Stitch (the star of Halloween this year at DLP) appeared in his orange car.

We were delighted to have caught this by chance, it was a great start to the day.

 

[madzilla]

Part 2

We headed to Le Taniere Du Dragon next as DF is mad on dragons...

and through there into Fantasyland. Our first ride was Peter Pan’s Flight, and then I accidentally led us into Adventureland through the side entrance and ended up right in front of Pirates of the Caribbean. It was an honest mistake, guv’nor, honest!

So of course we had to go on that – the queues were pretty short and we only queued for about 10 minutes. DF had never been on it before and loved it, and I had a brilliant time too, as usual. Pointed out the Blue Lagoon to DF as we passed. The camera isn’t in the skull rock anymore, it’s now at the beginning of the second drop, so you look like a nutter in your pic! I’m hoping they’ll add Jack et al to the ride some time. Had to buy the photo, even though DF looks a bit bizarre in it. Bought a few bits in the shop, including a Captain Mickey Sparrow and a lovely POTC snowglobe with Mickey, Donald and Goofy as pirates.

We next decided to head off to Frontierland, so DF could get his western geek on.

The first thing you notice is that Frontierland has been transformed into Halloweenland! I took loads of photos of the new decorations – and WHAT had they done to the Lucky Nugget??

We went to the Trading Post shop there and DF bought various cowboy bits, including a pistol and holder and a bolo tie. He also picked up a cowboy Mickey.

Our next ride was Phantom Manor, which was excellent as ever.

My favourite parts are still the lift ride, the ballroom and the singing heads in the graveyard. After that we took a trip to Boot Hill, where I had fun pointing out all the funny gravestones.

('Here Lies
Leadfoot Fred
Danced Too Slow
And Now He's Dead')

 

[madzilla]

Part 3

We made our way out of Frontierland in search of ice cream after that, and stumbled into the 4pm Halloween Parade! We didn’t have the best view, as it was already about 15 mins in, but we saw bits. We’d already planned to come and see it some other day, but we stopped to watch for a bit.

It consisted of the standard parade floats, but with the Disney heroes taken off and the villains put on instead. Jafar was on the Aladdin float, and Gaston was on the Beauty and the Beast one, preening and flexing his muscles. We watched for a little while and then wandered off for ice cream. We made our way round to the Gibson Girl, which was empty because of the parade, and got ice creams, which we went and sat in Liberty Arcade to eat, as it looked like it was going to rain. (It didn’t.)

We headed back to Adventureland, this time through the front door...

(Under the archway of the entrance.)

and had a look round in La Girafe Curieuse. We also went though Le Passage Enchante D’Aladdin.

We then headed to Adventure Isle,

where we explored the Pirate caves, Captain Hook’s galleon and inside Skull Rock.

(Looking out of the eyes of Skull Rock!)

We then rode POTC again and when we came out, to my delight, Jack Sparrow, my very favourite character and the one I’d been most anxious to see, was up on the photo point just in front of the ride! I excitedly got DF to hold my bag for a minute while I got myself ready to head on up – only to turn around and see Jack leaving. I was a little disappointed, but thought, oh well, we’re here for 3 more days, I’ll catch him at some point! (Little did I know I’d be starting a big ongoing manhunt…)

 

[madzilla]

Part 4 (Last part!)

We decided to head back to the front, as it was getting late and the park closed at 7 (this was about quarter past six). We took the scenic route back, looking at all the detail on the way and making sure to find the ‘Pont suspendu’ (rope bridge). It being the end of the day and a reasonably quiet day it was empty, so we charged across it, jumping up and down. We even found another, smaller rope bridge elsewhere, which I bounced on so violently that DF went flying about 3 feet into the air!

We left the park just as it was getting dark and the lights were coming on:

...and ambled through Disney Village on our way back to the hotel.

We decided that would be a good time to go on Panoramagique, so we got in the queue.

While waiting to board I took a picture looking back towards Disney Village:

The amount of people allowed on each ‘flight’ depends on the wind level – at this time it was about 10-15 people each time. So we were on quite soon and up we went!

It was absolutely gorgeous. It goes really high, you can see it from all over the park! And from that height, you could see all of Disney Village like a little toy town beneath you, and all of the two parks, too, all lit up. Discoveryland looked the most beautiful, with all its coloured lights, and the DLH looked amazing too.

(A bit blurry as the no-flash setting on my camera isn't very good, but you can see the Studios and their searchlights.)

Touchdown in the balloon wasn’t as bad as it looked from the outside – it has lots of wheels which are magnetic and hold the balloon down steady when it’s on land. Odd sensation, but really fun. Definitely worth a trip!

We headed back to the Cheyenne for a cup of coffee (in my case) and a chillout before heading back in to Disney Village for dinner. We ended up at Planet Hollywood, and had a really nice meal (and another Desperados for me ). We briefly hit the shops again, didn’t buy anything, and then headed back to the hotel, exhausted.

Captain Mickey Sparrow and 'dog-with-the-keys' Pluto were exhausted too.

So was Cowboy Mickey.

Couple of shots of the hotel by night:

DF went down to the Red Garter to watch the Thrifts as he’d become quite the fan, which I had a shower and scribbled more notes about the day’s events. Once he was back it was lights out - next morning would be an early start.

 

[BONITATIME]

What amazing photos. I have only done panormagique during the day Having seen your photos I must try it at night.
You seem to have had a great time.

 

[TDERadulski]

Such wonderful pictures! Tahnk you for taking the time to post them. I am even more excited now for our first trip to DLP...only 3 more days!

- Tara

 

[mickey66]

Really brilliant pictures. Sounds like you had a great time

 

[wideeyes]

lovely pictures, really can not decide if we should go for Halloween, as dd will ether love it or hate it.

We have the pirate Pluto, though he has a dagger in his mouth. Will have to get the mickey one next time.

 

[isma]

Love your report! Great pictures too. Hope I will be there saturday to see the Halloween decorations. Frontierland looks great!
Can`t wait for the next part!

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Wow! Thanks so much for the amazing pictures- it looks great.

We are arriving at DLP on Sunday which is the last day of Halloween. I really hope we arrive in time to see the parade and the pumpkin decorations.

Anyone know if the Halloween decorations will still be up for the few days after Halloween officially ends (5 Nov)? Surely the stuff won't disappear overnight---or will it?

DD 3 is nuts about Halloween, pupkins and ghosts. At WDW the Haunted Mansion is her favourite ride.

We must leave even earlier on Sunday morning to arrive for the parade now!

Mandy

 

[Cyrano]

What a great report and photos.

Would also love to do Panoramagique at night as well

 

[toony]

Thanks for sharing your report and the beautiful pics. The panoramagique ones and the "main street is getting dark" ones are amazing. I'm getting more and more excited when I see all these Cheyenne pics. Only 24 more days to wait for me till I see the Cheyenne hotel with my proper eyes!

 

[NIK]

Great pictures! Made me nostalgic for my own last Halloween trip

 

[Ware Bears]

Loved your report and photos, especially the one looking out of the eyes of Skull Rock.

 

[JulieH]

Great trip report and love your photos. Julie.

 

[Petal]

great report and FAB photos.

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to hear about the Jack hunt!

I think Halloween is a MUST for next year.....better start the holiday jar again now!

 

[Bexx]

You really did mean "lots of pics"!!!! Fabulous - thank you!!!

 

[Beauty & The Beast]

More pictures of the Cheyenne, thank you. Brilliant report and photos, didn't you do a lot in a day!

 

[jillrobinson]

What a lovely report and fabulous pictures, I'm hoping we can make Halloween again next year, it was such a fun season.
I'm surprised by the amount of Pumpkinmen still in Main Street, I thought the idea was to send them all back to Halloweenland this year, nice to see they're still there.