It's a SO-LO trip report! Oct 09, CR/YC, MNSSHP, F&W, and Independence! FINAL UPDATE!

[breagirl]

Loving your trip report and seriously considering doing a trip solo without DH and the 5 kiddos.

I have already laughed out loud several times causing the DH to question just what I am reading. He promptly rolled his eyes when I told him I might do a solo trip and replied "you can't even go to the movies by yourself."

We'll see.

 

[nutz2notz]

I'm really enjoying your trip report. One of these days I am going to make it out to WDW on a solo trip. I just won't be able to let my kids know where I am as they will want to join me.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Finally caught up! Looking forward to more!

 

[norybell]

Oh dear, it happened last night: I'm now officially ready to go back. That took a whole week and a half.

So I think I might go back in late April! I was thinking (justifying), it's such an easy flight from NYC to MCO, and if I stay for only three nights (flying down early the first day and leaving late the last), I could manage it with only taking one day off work. My mom might want to go back with me this time, or BF, but if not, solo again it is!

I'm not making any official plans (or telling anyone; they're concerned enough about my sanity as it is ) until after the holidays. Though once I pick some dates I'll probably make some ADRs, just in case...

Great! A very nice morning at Magic Kingdom. You got a lot done and without a hurry.

I was truly amazed by how much I got done! I guess it helped that it was October.

This is a great trip report. It's making me very anxious for my first solo trip in January. Can't wait for the next installment.

Oh, you'll have so much fun solo! How long are you going for?

Haven't read all the TR yet, but wanted to let you know there's one more reader on board!

And love your dog's pic in your Avatar!

The last 2 Sep were my first visits to WDW that lasted more than 2 days, and first times on site. Each trip was solo for 1/2, and with family for other 1/2. Both work, but especially the solo part!

I know, my dog's a cutie. I think a trip that was 1/2 solo and 1/2 family sounds like the perfect balance...I'd probably want the family part to come first, though!

Loving your trip report and seriously considering doing a trip solo without DH and the 5 kiddos.

I have already laughed out loud several times causing the DH to question just what I am reading. He promptly rolled his eyes when I told him I might do a solo trip and replied "you can't even go to the movies by yourself."

We'll see.

Thanks! And I bet you could totally do a solo trip! You might want to try the movies by yourself though first...

I'm really enjoying your trip report. One of these days I am going to make it out to WDW on a solo trip. I just won't be able to let my kids know where I am as they will want to join me.

Glad you're enjoying it; I'm having a great time writing it! And we all promise to keep your secret.

Finally caught up! Looking forward to more!

Tomorrow, I promise!

 

[praisehisname]

Lucky guess about CHH, based on the fact that you were finishing up in FantasyLand! I loved seeing the pictures from TSI; it really is a whole new perspective!

Denise

 

[norybell]

So…back when I started planning my solo trip, I agonized a lot over where to stay. My past few trips had all been at the Yacht Club, which I love. But to set the right tone for my trip, I wanted to spend at least part of the time trying a new resort. After a bunch of research on the DIS, I’d almost settled on POR…it looked so beautiful, and would save me a ton of money over a deluxe. But, in the end, I chickened out. I was worried I’d hate spending so much time on buses all alone. Plus, as I mentioned before, I really wanted that balcony.

I figured, though, that I should check it out for myself. I was having such a good time, I thought (and still think!) that more solo trips might be in my future, and if I start making a habit of them, I’m certainly not going to be able to afford deluxe every time!

So I left the MK around 1:00 and headed for the POR bus stop. I was a bit worried, because I’d heard so many horror stories about the buses. But one pulled right up, the second I got there. Hooray!

I got off at the first stop, which turned out to be POR West Depot:

Map courtesy of Portorleans.org: The Unofficial Visitor’s Guide to Riverside & French Quarter

I had no idea where I was going, and no one got off at the stop with me, so the area felt a little…deserted. Though not in a bad way; I was enjoying this new adventure! I could walk left or right, and I randomly chose left. A sign informed me I was in Alligator Bayou, but I had no sense of where I was in relation to the main POR loop (which I’d seen on maps). I figured if I walked enough, I’d get to a more informative sign eventually (this being Disney, and all), and I set off down the path.

And all I can say is…wow. This resort is BEAUTIFUL (yes, in all caps). For a few moments, it was just me and nature. Until :

I can’t remember if I actually crossed this bridge or not…I’m a little confused about the order of my pics here.

I was so struck by how extraordinarily peaceful it was. Much, much more peaceful than the Contemporary or the Yacht Club. And so gorgeous, it really took my breath away. I had always seen the remoteness of these resorts as a drawback because of the buses, but now I understood it could be a benefit, as well.

I gradually meandered around, just enjoying the atmosphere and the quiet. At some point I passed a quiet pool, and it was beyond quiet: it was deserted. The whole time I only saw a few guests, and a few Mousekeepers. I know I’ll definitely be requesting a room in AB when I stay at POR (note I say “when,” not “if”). Eventually I heard the typical screams and laughter that said “pool ahead!”, but I was enjoying my peace and quiet so much, I opted not to check out the Ol' Man Island, and instead followed the river, toward the marina:

I stopped and took a picture of a family, not because I offered, but because this man literally demanded I take it. It was very strange. I’m strolling along, minding my own business, when I see this large family group setting up to take a picture (I think this was on a bridge, though looking at the map, I can’t for the life of me figure out which one; I know I was coming up toward the lobby/restaurant/shop area, if that helps). Now, I probably would’ve offered to take their picture anyway, but before I could, the patriarch (grandfather and father, I guessed) says, in a very bossy tone, “This girl can take the picture.” Didn’t ask or anything. I took a picture, and he said, “Now one more.” Again, no please or implied question or anything. So I took another picture (and I was actually kind of proud by how good it turned out). He didn’t thank me or anything; I think his daughter was embarrassed; she thanked me profusely.

Unsurprisingly, they didn’t reciprocate and take a picture for me.

Onwards. I stopped at the map in front of the lobby to get my bearings. I had planned on walking around the mansions, too, but at this point I was pretty hot (I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that it was a gorgeous day, probably in the low 80s and sunny), and the top of my left foot had started to hurt (I was wearing flip-flops, but flip-flops with arch support that I wore my entire May Disney trip with no problems, so I was confused about this). But I still wanted to see POFQ, too. So I decided I’d have to settle for taking pictures from across the river:

I think this is the bridge I didn’t cross to get to the mansions.

It’s hard not to think about Scarlett O’Hara, isn’t it?

The mansions were very pretty, but I liked the bayou better. This area didn’t feel nearly as tranquil to me.

I walked to POFQ; it’s a pretty easy walk. From everything I’ve heard about the buses, if I stayed at POR solo, I might walk to POFQ for the bus, because I really enjoy walking (especially with such lovely scenery). Now if I had a stroller to deal with, that would be a different story.

Loved the Spanish moss!

I love the real New Orleans – had a great trip there just a few years ago, when my baby sister graduated from Tulane. So I was very curious to compare POR with POFQ, to see which I liked better. In my mind, POR wins. I see why so many people love POFQ – it was charming, and intimate – but the vibe of POR called to me much more.

My tour ended, I headed toward the POFQ bus stop, to catch a ride back to the MK. And I must have transportation pixie dust or something, because the bus was there! I panicked and ran, but I wouldn’t’ve had to, because it sat there for another minute before leaving. For anyone curious, it was a dedicated bus; it didn’t make any POR stops. It was 2:05; my entire wonderful walk took less than an hour. And believe me, if it weren’t for my foot and the knowledge I had another late night ahead of me, I could’ve stayed much longer!

I’m so happy I took this trip to POR/POFQ. Not only was it a restful way to spend some time outside of the parks, it also gave me a whole new perspective on moderate resorts. I’ve read others say that the moderates feel more like “getting away” than the deluxes do, and now I totally get that. And it seems to me that if you requested a quiet room, on the top floor, the exterior corridor could be almost as nice as a balcony. Now I want to visit the other mods, too, but that will have to wait for my next trip.

In other words, I may no longer be a Deluxe snob. Aren’t you proud of me?

The bus deposited me at the MK, and I followed the walking path back to the Contemporary. I’d done a whole lot of walking so far that day, and I knew my foot wasn’t going to make it in my flip-flops much longer. Luckily, I had sneakers, but I had forgotten one important thing: socks. So I stopped at the boutique-y store and bought these:

Everyone needs some Tinkerbell socks, right? At the bar/café I frequent in my neighborhood, Tinkerbell is my nickname (for reasons I won’t go into here). So they seemed appropriate.

Then I went to the Fantasia store to buy a pin, because I’d decided to start buying a resort pin for every resort I stay at. They only had one Contemporary pin available (which I thought was a shame), but luckily I liked it:

I was pretty much dragging by this point. So I went back up to my room, had a glass of wine on the balcony, and decided it was time for a nap.

Coming Soon: MNSSHP!

 

[misskate]

Thank you so mcuh for all the great POR and FQ pictures and report!! DH and I are staying at POFQ in Feburary and your pictures and comments made me even more excited. (Didn't think it was possible...)

Great idea with the resort pins!

 

[glennbo123]

Nory, so glad to hear you've become a POR fan. We love it too, and have stayed there on two occasions. The first few installments in my TR (link in my sig) cover our last stay there, which was only one night unfortunately.

 

[ahoff]

Very nice TR! I was down there for the ToT 13K, so maybe we walked past each other at some point....

I stayed at POFQ back when it was just PO, and really liked it. But since that time I joined DVC and have been staying at the deluxes. Love the BW/BC/YC area! I did some resort expoloring while down, sort of in reverse, I walked over to the new BLT.

Looking forward to the rest of your essay!

 

[praisehisname]

Thanks so much for taking us on your walk through POR/POFQ. That resort is so beautiful! Someday I'd love to stay there.

Denise

 

[A-Jay]

I've been staying at POR since it opened, when I was a kid, and we would take our yearly family trips to Disney. Previously we always stayed at the CR. But for the money, and the actual time that was spent at the resort, I just couldn't justify the extra expense. Granted, the Monorail service is a nice perk, but in my opinion POR just has more to offer. The food court is amazing, the piano bar is a blast at nite and it does just feel like more of a get away from all the Disney hustle and bustle.
I'm staying there again for the entire week of my first solo adventure. It is a great place to relax. One of my favorite things to do there at night or first thing in the A.M. is to grab a cup of coffee or an adult beverage (coffee in the A.M. of course) and pull up a piece of real-estate down by the river and just listen, look around and take it all in. I love the grounds at the POR. I'm getting almost home sick thinking about it.

 

[Tribilín]

Great pictures again!

Too bad nobody from the Mr. Bossy Pants' family offered to take you a picture... very inconsiderate

Also too bad about the problem with your flip-flops, we could have had more pictures Oh well, that was very inconsiderate from my part too sorry

I like the idea of collecting resort pins... really cool!

 

[norybell]

Thank you so mcuh for all the great POR and FQ pictures and report!! DH and I are staying at POFQ in Feburary and your pictures and comments made me even more excited. (Didn't think it was possible...)

You're going to have such a great time! It really is a beautiful resort.

Very nice TR! I was down there for the ToT 13K, so maybe we walked past each other at some point....

I stayed at POFQ back when it was just PO, and really liked it. But since that time I joined DVC and have been staying at the deluxes. Love the BW/BC/YC area! I did some resort expoloring while down, sort of in reverse, I walked over to the new BLT.

Looking forward to the rest of your essay!

Another I know, it's hard to beat the BW/BC/YC area...just being able to walk to two parks makes such a big difference! That's why I had to do a split stay this time...I wanted to try something new, but couldn't bring myself to give up the YC!

Thanks so much for taking us on your walk through POR/POFQ. That resort is so beautiful! Someday I'd love to stay there.

Denise

It's my pleasure! It really was amazingly beautiful. I wish I could've spent even more time there (darn flip-flops!).

I'm staying there again for the entire week of my first solo adventure. It is a great place to relax. One of my favorite things to do there at night or first thing in the A.M. is to grab a cup of coffee or an adult beverage (coffee in the A.M. of course) and pull up a piece of real-estate down by the river and just listen, look around and take it all in. I love the grounds at the POR. I'm getting almost home sick thinking about it.

You'll have to let us know how it goes! It seems like it would be a wonderful place to stay solo.

Nory, so glad to hear you've become a POR fan. We love it too, and have stayed there on two occasions. The first few installments in my TR (link in my sig) cover our last stay there, which was only one night unfortunately.

I'm happy to be able to join in on all this POR-love!

Great pictures again!

Too bad nobody from the Mr. Bossy Pants' family offered to take you a picture... very inconsiderate

Also too bad about the problem with your flip-flops, we could have had more pictures Oh well, that was very inconsiderate from my part too sorry

I like the idea of collecting resort pins... really cool!

I'm already fantasizing about how I'll manage to buy myself a POR one in another six months...

 

[nursegirl]

Still loving it!

I am obsessed with foot care and shoe decisions at WDW. I just assume that I'm going to have problems because I refuse to wear tennis shoes and I hate socks. So --- inotherwords - I know where you're coming from there. It could ruin the trip, its that important!

We stayed at POFQ and really liked it, but would love to try out all the mods sometime. My sweet DH is not a Disney freak like me and to get him to go at all, we usually have to go deluxe, or offsite! What!?

Can't wait for your MNSSHP report!

And, love the Tbell socks - got the same cool pin.

 

[Tribilín]

Can't wait for your MNSSHP report!

Me neither I want to see nory's take on MNSSHP.

 

[breagirl]

I LOVED your tour of POR. My dad really wanted to stay there on our trip last month, but we talked him and the rest of the family into Coronado which was also lovely.

I, too, buy a pin from each resort I stay at and I also try to buy one pin that is representative of when we are there (Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.) I totally forgot to buy the CS last month so now I need to find one on ebay but somehow it's not the same as buying it at the hotel gift shop. What was I thinking?

So looking forward to your next report on MNNSHP!

 

[norybell]

Still loving it!

I am obsessed with foot care and shoe decisions at WDW. I just assume that I'm going to have problems because I refuse to wear tennis shoes and I hate socks. So --- inotherwords - I know where you're coming from there. It could ruin the trip, its that important!

We stayed at POFQ and really liked it, but would love to try out all the mods sometime. My sweet DH is not a Disney freak like me and to get him to go at all, we usually have to go deluxe, or offsite! What!?

Can't wait for your MNSSHP report!

And, love the Tbell socks - got the same cool pin.

I have always refused to wear sneakers at Disney, too. Until I got my MBTs! Have you tried out these shoes? Masai Balance Technology? I think they're pretty amazing (especially now that they've gotten a bit more stylish).

My BF (of 10 years) has never even been to Disney, so I hear you about being with a non-Disney freak! If I ever get him to go, I'm sure it'll be deluxe...anything to sweeten the deal for him will be a good thing!

Me neither I want to see nory's take on MNSSHP.

Oh no, now there's pressure!

I LOVED your tour of POR. My dad really wanted to stay there on our trip last month, but we talked him and the rest of the family into Coronado which was also lovely.

I, too, buy a pin from each resort I stay at and I also try to buy one pin that is representative of when we are there (Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.) I totally forgot to buy the CS last month so now I need to find one on ebay but somehow it's not the same as buying it at the hotel gift shop. What was I thinking?

So looking forward to your next report on MNNSHP!

Thanks! Coronado looks beautiful, too...I'll have to visit it next time!

 

[norybell]

Sung to the tune of “Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone”:

Where, oh where have the queuing lines gone?
Oh where, oh where could they be?
When no rides have waits, and you just walk on,
That is the Disney for me.

Yeah, yeah, I know, “queuing lines” is completely redundant. But it was for the rhythm, man! A crucial artistic decision! Sure, not my best work. Lazy, even. But it’s all in the name of art (and trip reports)!

***

Where was I? Oh yes, a glass of wine and a nap. For the record, I don’t usually drink wine at 3:00 in the afternoon. But I figured it would help me sleep.

I lay down to take a nap, and I have to admit: it was surprisingly noisy. I don’t know if they were doing some special activity, or what, but the music from the pool was blasting. I understand the need for pool music, sure, but this seemed a little excessive. Luckily, I brought earplugs for just such an occasion.

An all-too-brief 25 minutes later, I was up. My foot was still really sore, so I soaked it in the tub for a while. I put on my Halloween T-shirt, then spent way too much time rearranging my pin lanyard in a way I thought was both clever and wearable, because I didn’t want it hanging around my neck (a camera’s enough, thank you very much!).

I figured I should eat something before I headed to the party, so I decided to give the Contempo Café another chance, even after their disgusting chicken sandwich the day before. You’ll be happy to hear that by now, I handled the ATM-ordering machine like a master. I had this:

Marinated Beef Flatbread - with oven roasted tomatoes, garlic, onions, arugula, and goat cheese

It was very good, and it pretty much redeemed the place. Though I’ll admit that this would have been a dish better shared with another person, not because it was big (which it wasn’t), but because the combination of grilled sweet onions, roasted tomatoes, and goat cheese got a little sweet after a while. Don’t get me wrong – I love all those ingredients! They just became overpowering after eating half the flatbread; I would’ve liked a different dish to eat along with it. Or maybe it just needed more of the beef or peppery arugula to cut the sweetness. Of course, this didn’t stop me from finishing every bite.

I left the CR and walked to the MK around 5:45. I sure was loving that walking path! I got my MNSSHP bracelet as I walked in. But the party hadn’t officially started yet – so where to?

Remember how I said one of my goals on this trip was to do a bunch of stuff that was new to me? Well, I had barely scratched the surface of that list with my trip to Tom Sawyer’s Island. So, I turned around as soon as I entered Main Street, and headed up to the train platform. My mom tells me we used to ride the train when I was real little, but I have no memories of that, so it was time to give it another go. Plus, knowing how important trains were to Walt, a ride on the train should probably be an integral part of the MK experience, right?

Blurrily pulling into the station:

Since it wasn’t busy at all, I had a whole row to myself. I had no idea that the train actually goes inside of Splash Mountain! Or that it offers cool BTMRR views, like this:

We stopped at the Frontierland station; people got off; people got on. Then we went chugging into the “wilderness,” where we saw:

And this poor guy:

Before I knew it we were pulling into my stop: Toontown. It really was a fun little trip. The New York subway’s got nothin’ on the WDW railroad!

Now, I should warn you before I tell you this next part: prepare to be shocked, OK?

Are you sitting down? Do you have the smelling salts handy?

Remember that list of things I’d never done before? Guess what else was on it?

Toontown.



(I’ll give you a moment here to collect yourselves.)

That’s right, I’d never even set foot in Mickey’s Toontown. By the time they built it, no one in my family was a little kid anymore; my mom and baby sister went the year it was new and were unimpressed, so from that point on, they steered the rest of us away. But I figured I should check it out at least once, before it’s gone forever (and this seems as good a moment as any for me to say: Woo-hoo! I’m soooooo excited for the new Fantasyland!).

So I walked through Mickey’s house. And I have to admit, it’s pretty darn adorable.

This reminded me of my doggie at home. Of course, he’s way too spoiled to sleep in a doghouse. He sleeps in the bed.

As I was walking up to the pumpkins in Mickey’s garden, a young family – a man, woman, and their two (screaming) small daughters in a double stroller – were taking their picture in front of the Halloween display. So I waited for them to finish. They started walking away, and I started taking my pics, when the man turned and said, Oh, would you like me to take your picture? Which was very nice of him (and, I’m sorry to say, he was the only person to offer this my entire trip). But I was surprised, because he left his poor wife to deal with the two girls, who were screaming their little heads off.

I’m happy to report I do not usually look like this. I think my weird crooked smile (and face) is saying, “Dude, you should be helping your wife, not taking my picture!” Also, I do not usually have a scarecrow growing out of my head. In case you wondered. I am equal parts proud of and shocked at myself for posting such a bad pic of myself on the Internet.

Is it strange that I think these “tomatoes” actually look yummy?

I’m sad to have to admit that, after Mickey’s house, I left Toontown. It was enough for me. No Minnie’s house, no Barnstormer. It wasn’t super busy, but it was still crowded enough with lots of little kids that it wasn’t all that easy to navigate, and I just didn’t feel up for more. So much for new experiences!

I left Toontown by way of the Alice in Wonderland trick or treat path, even though it was still before 7:00, so there was no tricking nor treating for me. I meant to get back there later in the night, but I never did.

Decisions, decisions…Which way will be less blurry?

I love Alice in Wonderland – the book and every version of the movie I’ve ever seen – so this was actually pretty cool to walk through people-free!

Suddenly, I was in Tomorrowland. I hate to say it, but with Space Mountain closed, Tomorrowland doesn’t hold a whole lot of appeal for me. I’m not a big Buzz fan, partly because I really, really suck at it, and partly because it seems kind of junky to me now (sorry!). And I’ve never even seen Lilo & Stitch, so I don’t really get the Stitch thing. Someday I’ll have to give the Laugh Floor a try, but it didn’t even occur to me this time.

I knew, however, that I had to ride a DIS classic: the TTA. This is another one of those rides I’m sure I rode years ago, but I have no memory of it.

Like my sneakers? My feet were sooooooo much happier in these. And yes, those are the Tinkerbell socks.

I enjoyed the TTA a lot. Smooth and relaxing. Since I’d never heard the old narration, the new one didn’t suffer as a result. Can’t wait for Space Mountain to be up and running again, though; it was kind of weird to just sit there in silence while zooming past all the construction walls!

After my tour of the future, I aimlessly strolled through the hub:

Seeing Walt and Mickey in the sunset gave me chills!

By the time I got to the other side, I decided it was time for another first, and I headed to the Hall of Presidents. According to my mom, she used to breast-feed us there when we were little. But I don’t think I’d been back there since then.

I was a few minutes early for the 7:00 show, but I enjoyed the exhibits in the waiting area. Soon enough, it was time to see these fine gentlemen:

I hate to complain about Imagineering, ever, but I think they did a terrible job with President Obama. Since when is he white?

I thought it was a decent show. It didn’t blow me away, but I was happy to have seen it. It made me wonder about how a new president feels when an aide tells him, one day early in his administration: “Mr. President, Disney World has called. You have to record a speech for the Hall of Presidents.” Seems like it would be one of the more fun parts of the job!

By the time I exited the theater, the Halloween party had officially begun. And it was dark, which was appropriate! I decided I should start the party off right, and headed for the Haunted Mansion. It was a slow walk-on (as in, we walked right on, but we walked slowly). In the stretching room, I stood in front of this man who had the awesomest scary laugh I’ve ever heard. MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA….deep and booming. It was the perfect touch.

Next I headed to Big Thunder Mountain, which I’d never ridden in the dark before. It was another walk-on. And wow, people were right – it is so much more fun in the dark! It actually became a thrill! Now don’t get me wrong, I like BTMRR a lot, and I don’t mind that it’s a pretty tame roller coaster. But I was shocked to actually find it exciting in the dark! I think I even screamed!

Then it was time for Splash, again. I walked right on. This time, I sat in the back of a log; no one was in the middle, and two men were in the front. They told me they thought I was very brave, which I thought was very funny (not sure why; I may have been a bit slap-happy at this point with all of the Disney and so little of the sleep!). For the first time ever, I kept my arms up for the entire drop (usually I pull them down at the last second). Splash was so empty, that when we finished the ride, they offered to let us stay in the log and ride again. How could I say no to that?

When I exited Splash, the early parade had started. So I walked back over to BTMRR, walked on to that, and rode again. Again, they offered to let me stay on and ride a second time. But the handles in my train car were grossly sticky with who knows what (I prefer to not even imagine), so I didn’t feel like sitting there any longer. Too bad!

I was so happy and amazed and excited by the nonexistent lines. I’ve never been able to walk straight onto a ride at Disney before, unless it was right at opening in the morning. It’s really a thrill in of itself.

I decided I should go back to the Chapeau and pick up my BF’s Mickey ears, so I wouldn’t have to worry about remembering them later. I didn’t realize that the parade wasn’t quite over, so I caught a bit of the end of it on Main Street. It wasn’t crowded at all, and I had no problems just walking up to a good spot.

I thought these guys were way cool. Apparently, a skeleton can be sexy. Who knew?

After the parade, I cut over to the Chapeau, where, once again, every CM ignored me. But I got my BF’s ears, so that’s all that mattered. Next I went to the jewelry store, where I got this pin (because in addition to a pin from every resort I stay at, I should also get a pin for every special event I attend, right?):

It must have been around 9:00 at this point, because I thought I should stake out a good spot for Hallowishes. But first, I stopped for a cinnamon roll at the Bakery, to eat while I was waiting. I took my snack over to the railing in front of the Crystal Palace, where I experienced my first of two minor disappointments: the cinnamon roll. I’d heard so much about these, and it looked so delicious, but you know what? It wasn’t. It actually tasted stale, and wasn’t even as good as a Cinnabon. I ate half and threw the rest away.

Then I spent the next fifteen minutes or so practicing balancing my camera on the railing, in the hopes of getting my first-ever fireworks pics. I took a few photos of the castle while I was waiting (sadly, I didn’t discover the “twilight” setting on my camera until the next night – that’s why there aren’t too many pics in this portion – but I think these still turned out OK):

Soon enough the lights dimmed, and they made the pre-show announcements. I was so excited for this! Unfortunately, I almost immediately experienced my second minor disappointment of the evening. Can you guess, from these photos, what it was?

It was my location! It turned out that all the big fireworks were happening to the left, behind those trees. I couldn’t believe that Tour Guide Mike had steered me wrong! Tell me, all you experts, so I don’t make the same mistake next time: Do the big fireworks for ordinary Wishes happen over there, too? After a few missed bursts, I decided I’d better try to find a better spot, so I moved up toward the Adventureland bridge. Of course, it was much more crowded up there, but at least I could see the big fireworks. Problem was, I couldn’t see the front of the castle anymore. Oh well, I still enjoyed Hallowishes. And the finale, when they shoot the fireworks off all around – incredible!

Coming Soon – Boo to You! A Case of Mistaken (Parental) Identity: MNSSHP Part II

 

[onelilspark]

Your parade pictures turned out great!!

 

[praisehisname]

Marinated Beef Flatbread - with oven roasted tomatoes, garlic, onions, arugula, and goat cheese

Drool...that looks so good!!!

Glad you enjoyed your train ride through MK! This was your first time in Toon Town??? Well, now you can say you've done it.

This is a great picture!

I can't believe how many rides you just walked on. That's awesome!