Just back--my observations, discoveries, and party review

[DizMe]

Thank you for the report.... But now I think I may have to purchase tickets for Halloween night (if they are available still) after reading your review, and I had just convinced myself that we should save the money and skip the party. Your costumes were great too.

We love the GCH, so much we bought into the villas a few years ago, and to be honest after the intial purchase/dues shock, it was the best thing we have done in a long time, great family trips and now we feel like it is our second home (only a few weeks a year) but it truely feels like home.

The party was so much fun! It was an expense for us with 5 @ $59, but worth it. I don't think it would be nearly as much fun without wearing a costume, but that's just me . One thing I have noticed in reading other trip reports is that the Tues parties appear so far to be busier than the Fri parties! I think everyone expected it to be the other way around and bought tickets for tues.

I'm still hoping I can convince dh to buy into dvc. It would be great for me, since I go 4-5 times a year! I usually take the whole family 1-2 times and the rest is with a friend, sis, or grown dd.

GREAT costumes! You did a wonderful job, I'm impressed

We saw an amazing family in ghost costumes that were super elaborate. The women and girls had bustles, ruffles, hats, boots--all in gray and silver. Their skin and hair were silver-gray, too. Beautiful!! /QUOTE]

Great review. We just returned from the GCH and loved it too.

We dind't go the the Halloween party, but while having drinks at Uva Bar, saw the ghost family. I snapped a couple of pictures of them, but they were from the side/back and not very good. They even had a baby in a stroller all dressed up! Amazing!!

I wish I'd had my camera handy when they passed by us! We were eating at Cafe Orleans when the strolled past. Wasn't that amazing that even the baby was in costume?!

Wish I was at the Uva Bar right now...

LOVE your costumes and may steal your idea! My husband is totally obsessed with garden gnomes lately, and bought our 2 year old a couple pairs of lederhosen recently on E Bay. This would be perfect.

Thanks for all the really useful tips, too. I had not heard about the taxi vouchers before; total deal.

Oooo...if I'd had a boy I'd have done lederhosen too!! I actually have a pair my mom bought for me in Switzerland many, many, many years ago. The gnome outfit is a very comfortable thing to wear, thank goodness. The girls and I wore Ugg-type slipper boots. I totally recommend it

I wish I'd known that about the taxi voucher before now! Glad to finally find it out, though.

 

[VallCopen]

Well I just bought the tickets for Halloween night, said I wouldn't, couldn't, and did....The kids will be so excited too. Thanks again for the report.

 

[DizMe]

Well I just bought the tickets for Halloween night, said I wouldn't, couldn't, and did....The kids will be so excited too. Thanks again for the report.

WOOHOO!!! Sometimes those impulse decisions turn out to be the best ones . Have a great time!!

 

[sojocomo]

OMG - we saw the ghost family too! They were amazing! We were leaving the park as they were arriving (we had done MHP on 10/11). I didn't have my camera out or I would have taken a picture of them. The costumes, makeup and wigs looked so professional. I told my husband that they should get a paycheck from Disney for being entertainment

Love your gnome family - such a fun idea! Love your tips. We enjoyed staying at the Sheraton Park but could totally see how staying inside the park could be so beneficial. Hope you post more on your trip...

 

[Disneyluvr2]

OMGosh Cheri!!! Your costumes are just adorable!!! I'm going to hire you next year to make mine when I go to the Halloween party with YOU! LOL!! Glad you had a great time. Let's see if we can top it with our January trip!!

 

[tinkcollector]

Nice work Cheri! The trip report is awesome and your costumes are so professional. You could definetly leave your day job. How did the Costco meal vouchers work? Did they cost less at Costco, compared to the value at D-Land?

 

[LisainCalifornia]

We saw the ghost family too! They were really great. Sort of like the vampire family in Twilight, but not.

Did you see the Pirate family that wished they were really pirates? I think the dad fancied himself Jack Sparrow, yet he was a bit too long in the tooth and a few pounds to heavy to pull it off!

 

[jacs1234]

Your costumes are amazing. Totally adorable. Thanks for the trip report. I really enjoyed reading it and grabbed a couple of tips from you.

 

[DizMe]

OMG - we saw the ghost family too! They were amazing! We were leaving the park as they were arriving (we had done MHP on 10/11). I didn't have my camera out or I would have taken a picture of them. The costumes, makeup and wigs looked so professional. I told my husband that they should get a paycheck from Disney for being entertainment

Love your gnome family - such a fun idea! Love your tips. We enjoyed staying at the Sheraton Park but could totally see how staying inside the park could be so beneficial. Hope you post more on your trip...

I wish I'd gotten a picture of the ghost family. They passed on (ha ha) before I could get out my camera and we were sitting at a table in Cafe Orleans so I couldn't follow them

I've never stayed at the Sheraton but I've heard really good things about it. I'm spoiled staying at the resort!!

 

[DizMe]

OMGosh Cheri!!! Your costumes are just adorable!!! I'm going to hire you next year to make mine when I go to the Halloween party with YOU! LOL!! Glad you had a great time. Let's see if we can top it with our January trip!!

Aw, you're too kind , LOL. But yeah, let's go next year!!! I wish you could've gone this year. That's sad that you'll be there but not at the party. You, tinkcollector and I can go to the party next year and be...Tower of Terror people? I've toyed with that idea for a couple of years now. I was thinking with our family of 5 this year we could've been the actress, her husband, the little girl, the nanny, and the bellhop .

Nice work Cheri! The trip report is awesome and your costumes are so professional. You could definetly leave your day job. How did the Costco meal vouchers work? Did they cost less at Costco, compared to the value at D-Land?

I sure wouldn't mind leaving my day job, Marla . The Costco meal vouchers were fantastic!!! With a family of 5, it's a lot of value ($177 worth of food). The cost of the Costco package was the same as through DL but adds in the meal vouchers and a $20 gift card, so in essence it was a $200 bonus for us. The subtracted out for my ap, too.

Are you guys ready for Club 33????

 

[DizMe]

We saw the ghost family too! They were really great. Sort of like the vampire family in Twilight, but not.

Did you see the Pirate family that wished they were really pirates? I think the dad fancied himself Jack Sparrow, yet he was a bit too long in the tooth and a few pounds to heavy to pull it off!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I missed that pirate family, I guess!! I did see a Jack Sparrow who was amazingly like the real one. He had the mannerisms down to a T and looked a lot like JD. He had quite a following...I think people were wondering whether or not he worked for Disney.

Your costumes are amazing. Totally adorable. Thanks for the trip report. I really enjoyed reading it and grabbed a couple of tips from you.

Oh, good! I've gotten so many tips from DISers that my dh kept asking me, "What do the DISers say about [fill in the blank]?" Thanks for the compliments on our costumes!!