Meeko Goes to the Pirate and Princess Party!!! A Trip Report with Photos!
- Thread starter meeko_33785
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WDW Poly Princess
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I always love your reports! I just missed the P&P parties by a few days this year- hopefully next year!
meeko_33785
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Very good so far.
Glad you've been enjoying it, Joanna.
Thanks. The fireworks were awesome! Wish I had tried to get some photos for the report. It looked so beautiful.
Hi Crystal!
Thanks so much.Chapter Twelve is on it's way!
meeko_33785
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Chapter Twelve: Finding Flounder
Most everyone who has gone to Magic Kingdom more than once will tell you that that there is one ride that is perhaps the most infamous for being the shortest ride with the longest waits. Yes, its Dumbo, the Flying Elephant. Guests will wait hours for a two minute spin through the Fantasyland skies in these smiling pachyderms. Even though I like the view and find the attraction charming, its not worth the wait most of the time. Now, heres where the short waits at the Pirate and Princess Party really pay off. Thats right, Were going to ride Dumbo.
When we get to Fantasyland, we see the lines are indeed short. Woo-hoo! Buzz and I were getting in line when I notice that Flounder has come back to the Dance Party nearby, and tell Buzz that I want to see Flounder first. He thinks I'm crazy and says that we should just get in line for Dumbo now because Flounder will still be there when we get off the ride. What?! Buzz just doesn't understand how characters work!
Just because you see a character right now, doesn't necessarily mean they will be out in 5 minutes. For all I know, Flounder could go offstage any minute now never to return and without me ever getting to take a single photo of him. These things do happen, you know (thats exactly why I have no photo of Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame on my site). I head over there to get a picture while Buzz stays over by Dumbo.
Just like last time, there are dozens of little kids just touching and petting Flounder. By now Im really wondering what Flounder must feel like. At one point, the DJ (DJ Sheldon I think was his name) calls Flounder up to the front to show off his own version of The Twist, which apparently is spinning in a circle. Flounder must get really dizzy.
I manage to get a few pictures, but none of them are very good. Its so hard to get good photos of a giant spinning fish! Theyll have to do though.
I rejoin Buzz and we get on the ride. Id never done Dumbo at night before, so it was a whole new experience for me. Very pleasant. The views were so beautiful with the Castle and everything illuminated for the evening.. Plus, instead of the usual circus-type music, they were playing music from my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. Does it get any better? When we get off, Buzz wants to check out Sir Mickeys shop before we leave Fantasyland. While we were sitting in Frontierland waiting for the parade, he had seen my photo of Willie the giant peeking into the shop and told me that hed seen that before. Turns out he had never really gotten a good look at everything in the shop. If you knew how much of a Mickey fan Buzz is, you would probably be as surprised as I was. Buzz checks out the shop and gets some pictures while I try one more time to get a good picture of Flounder.
At last, success! There werent nearly as much people around, and Flounder has no problem posing for me. Hmmm... I guess Buzz was actually right about this. Who knew?
I thank Flounder and head back to Sir Mickeys. Before Buzz is finished taking pictures, I head over to the Cinderella fountain. Id seen some photos that were posted on the Photography board on the DIS a while back of the fountain after dark that looked so beautiful. Heres my attempt. What do you think?
Lady Tremaine was also around too, but no Anastasia or Drizella. Now Im really glad I saw them before the Party. Turns out I would have missed my chance to meet the Stepsisters if I hadnt. Speaking of characters, next stop- Mickeys Toontown Fair!
Most everyone who has gone to Magic Kingdom more than once will tell you that that there is one ride that is perhaps the most infamous for being the shortest ride with the longest waits. Yes, its Dumbo, the Flying Elephant. Guests will wait hours for a two minute spin through the Fantasyland skies in these smiling pachyderms. Even though I like the view and find the attraction charming, its not worth the wait most of the time. Now, heres where the short waits at the Pirate and Princess Party really pay off. Thats right, Were going to ride Dumbo.
When we get to Fantasyland, we see the lines are indeed short. Woo-hoo! Buzz and I were getting in line when I notice that Flounder has come back to the Dance Party nearby, and tell Buzz that I want to see Flounder first. He thinks I'm crazy and says that we should just get in line for Dumbo now because Flounder will still be there when we get off the ride. What?! Buzz just doesn't understand how characters work!
Just because you see a character right now, doesn't necessarily mean they will be out in 5 minutes. For all I know, Flounder could go offstage any minute now never to return and without me ever getting to take a single photo of him. These things do happen, you know (thats exactly why I have no photo of Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame on my site). I head over there to get a picture while Buzz stays over by Dumbo.
Just like last time, there are dozens of little kids just touching and petting Flounder. By now Im really wondering what Flounder must feel like. At one point, the DJ (DJ Sheldon I think was his name) calls Flounder up to the front to show off his own version of The Twist, which apparently is spinning in a circle. Flounder must get really dizzy.
I manage to get a few pictures, but none of them are very good. Its so hard to get good photos of a giant spinning fish! Theyll have to do though. I rejoin Buzz and we get on the ride. Id never done Dumbo at night before, so it was a whole new experience for me. Very pleasant. The views were so beautiful with the Castle and everything illuminated for the evening.. Plus, instead of the usual circus-type music, they were playing music from my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. Does it get any better? When we get off, Buzz wants to check out Sir Mickeys shop before we leave Fantasyland. While we were sitting in Frontierland waiting for the parade, he had seen my photo of Willie the giant peeking into the shop and told me that hed seen that before. Turns out he had never really gotten a good look at everything in the shop. If you knew how much of a Mickey fan Buzz is, you would probably be as surprised as I was. Buzz checks out the shop and gets some pictures while I try one more time to get a good picture of Flounder.
At last, success! There werent nearly as much people around, and Flounder has no problem posing for me. Hmmm... I guess Buzz was actually right about this. Who knew?
I thank Flounder and head back to Sir Mickeys. Before Buzz is finished taking pictures, I head over to the Cinderella fountain. Id seen some photos that were posted on the Photography board on the DIS a while back of the fountain after dark that looked so beautiful. Heres my attempt. What do you think?
Lady Tremaine was also around too, but no Anastasia or Drizella. Now Im really glad I saw them before the Party. Turns out I would have missed my chance to meet the Stepsisters if I hadnt. Speaking of characters, next stop- Mickeys Toontown Fair!
meeko_33785
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Chapter Thirteen: The Ball Ends at the Stroke of Midnight (Well, ok, 12:30)
Sadly, the Party is almost over. We're down to the final hour. I have not been to Mickey's Toontown Fair since the Party began, so I knew that I wanted to go back to find a few more characters before time is gone. Buzz agrees and we head over to the Hall of Fame.
When we got there, the lines for Minnie and Auroras Room and Cinderellas Room at the Hall of Fame were still 40+ minutes. Snow White only had a 20 minute posted, but the CMs said that the line was actually shorter than they just hadnt changed it. Fortunately, this was the room that I actually wanted to go to the most. Not so much for Snow White since Id seen her already before the party officially started, but more for the Prince. Back in school, I got to be in two different production of Snow White- a stage play version in kindergarten and a a filmed version complete with effects, music, and the whole nine yards in high school. In the later, I got to play The Prince.
Since then, Ive always felt more of an appreciation for the character after walking in his shoes. Because of this, I always enjoy getting to meet with him when hes in the parks which, unfortunately, he rarely ever is. I wasn't about to pass on this opportunity to get a photo.
Buzz isnt interested in waiting to see Snow White and the gang though. Instead, he heads off and finds Pirate Goofy outside Mickey's House.
The lines short enough to where hes willing to stand in line to meet him and get a photo. Yes, at long last Buzz is going to meet his first character of the trip! Goofy is one of Buzzs favorite characters, and he actually wore a Goofy shirt to the party. When Goofy noticed this, he gets excited and starts pointing at it. Buzz doesn't quite know how to react to this (truth be told, he doesn't meet nearly as many characters as I do, so he's often shy with them doesn't know what to say to the characters). Still, he asks Goofy for his photo and gets a handshake before he heads back to County Bounty. While he's waiting for me to be done at the Hall of Fame, he takes some pictures of some of the country fair-themed decorations which, he sadly reports, are fewer and far between now than when Toontown first opened. Now its mostly generic Princess and Mr. Potato Head displays. He finds a few though.
The wait for Snow White actually wasnt that bad. They even had a steetmosphere character named Arabella, who described herself as a "fairy godmother/ image consultant", giving everyone tips on what to do when you meet and princess (bow, curtsey, be polite, etc.). She turns out to be pretty funny and helps pass the time. As soon as Im near the front of the line, she goes on break and another image consultant comes out as were being let into the room. The new one quickly gives us the 30-second version of the spiel as we head in before she talks to everyone else.
Once inside, Dopey is the first character I encounter. He has to be the tiniest Dopey that Ive ever seen. He poses for some pictures for me before I head over to see Snow White and the Prince.
Their meet-and-greet spot has a pretty nice set up complete with wishing well. While I was waiting for them though, there was a family in front of me in which a little girl refused to allow The Prince in her photo. Strangely, I saw the same thing happen with a different girl with Ariel and Eric earlier in the evening. Perhaps this is a reason why the princes just arent out too much. Being a Prince is such a thankless job. Once I get to the front of the line, The Prince and Snow White gladly pose for some photos and we chat for a little bit. It's nice to see them. We say our goodbyes and head on. As soon as I make it through the exit, Buzz is right there waiting for me. He wants to head back to Fantasyland now to make sure we do Mickeys Philharmagic before the Party ends. Philharmagic does sound nice, especially the part about getting time to sit down. I've spent so little time sitting down tonight that I'm willing to skip the rest of the characters at Toontown and spend some glorious time in those comfy chairs. 
The line isnt bad at all. Basically, we just have to wait for the current show to finish. There also wasnt much of a crowd either. Usually we tend to sit near the middle of the theater when we see this, but this time, we decided to sit near the front- third row back. When youre that close, you really get a good sense of how big the screen is as it completely fills your range of vision.
It was great, the music, the smells
. the seats!!! After Philharmagic, theres time left for just one ride.
We decide on the Mad Tea Party since I havent ridden it yet. We start off trying to spin the wheel together, but after a while, Buzz says to just let him do it. Then we were really started spinning! After all, he is the master of tea cup spinning. It seemed fitting that we would spend the last moments of the Pirate and Princes Party, staggering out of pastel teacups looking rather like Captain Jack Sparrow.
By now everythings closing down. We even look into Cosmic Rays to see if any of the characters from the Dance Party are there, but theyve already gone. Only the DJ, a few guests, and security are still there. We head back down the beautifully lit Main Street and through the fog-filled railway tunnels. Its been fun, but now at 12:30, it's over. Well, that's not bad really. It was nice to Disney to give us 30 more minutes than Cinderella had at her first ball. 
Still, were tired by now, not to mention hungry and thirsty. We decide to take the monorail back to TTC, and tram ride back to the Donald Lot, we're on our way back to the hotel for the night.
Sadly, the Party is almost over. We're down to the final hour. I have not been to Mickey's Toontown Fair since the Party began, so I knew that I wanted to go back to find a few more characters before time is gone. Buzz agrees and we head over to the Hall of Fame.
When we got there, the lines for Minnie and Auroras Room and Cinderellas Room at the Hall of Fame were still 40+ minutes. Snow White only had a 20 minute posted, but the CMs said that the line was actually shorter than they just hadnt changed it. Fortunately, this was the room that I actually wanted to go to the most. Not so much for Snow White since Id seen her already before the party officially started, but more for the Prince. Back in school, I got to be in two different production of Snow White- a stage play version in kindergarten and a a filmed version complete with effects, music, and the whole nine yards in high school. In the later, I got to play The Prince.
Since then, Ive always felt more of an appreciation for the character after walking in his shoes. Because of this, I always enjoy getting to meet with him when hes in the parks which, unfortunately, he rarely ever is. I wasn't about to pass on this opportunity to get a photo. Buzz isnt interested in waiting to see Snow White and the gang though. Instead, he heads off and finds Pirate Goofy outside Mickey's House.
The lines short enough to where hes willing to stand in line to meet him and get a photo. Yes, at long last Buzz is going to meet his first character of the trip! Goofy is one of Buzzs favorite characters, and he actually wore a Goofy shirt to the party. When Goofy noticed this, he gets excited and starts pointing at it. Buzz doesn't quite know how to react to this (truth be told, he doesn't meet nearly as many characters as I do, so he's often shy with them doesn't know what to say to the characters). Still, he asks Goofy for his photo and gets a handshake before he heads back to County Bounty. While he's waiting for me to be done at the Hall of Fame, he takes some pictures of some of the country fair-themed decorations which, he sadly reports, are fewer and far between now than when Toontown first opened. Now its mostly generic Princess and Mr. Potato Head displays. He finds a few though. The wait for Snow White actually wasnt that bad. They even had a steetmosphere character named Arabella, who described herself as a "fairy godmother/ image consultant", giving everyone tips on what to do when you meet and princess (bow, curtsey, be polite, etc.). She turns out to be pretty funny and helps pass the time. As soon as Im near the front of the line, she goes on break and another image consultant comes out as were being let into the room. The new one quickly gives us the 30-second version of the spiel as we head in before she talks to everyone else.
Once inside, Dopey is the first character I encounter. He has to be the tiniest Dopey that Ive ever seen. He poses for some pictures for me before I head over to see Snow White and the Prince.
Their meet-and-greet spot has a pretty nice set up complete with wishing well. While I was waiting for them though, there was a family in front of me in which a little girl refused to allow The Prince in her photo. Strangely, I saw the same thing happen with a different girl with Ariel and Eric earlier in the evening. Perhaps this is a reason why the princes just arent out too much.
Being a Prince is such a thankless job. Once I get to the front of the line, The Prince and Snow White gladly pose for some photos and we chat for a little bit. It's nice to see them. We say our goodbyes and head on. As soon as I make it through the exit, Buzz is right there waiting for me. He wants to head back to Fantasyland now to make sure we do Mickeys Philharmagic before the Party ends. Philharmagic does sound nice, especially the part about getting time to sit down. I've spent so little time sitting down tonight that I'm willing to skip the rest of the characters at Toontown and spend some glorious time in those comfy chairs. The line isnt bad at all. Basically, we just have to wait for the current show to finish. There also wasnt much of a crowd either. Usually we tend to sit near the middle of the theater when we see this, but this time, we decided to sit near the front- third row back. When youre that close, you really get a good sense of how big the screen is as it completely fills your range of vision.
It was great, the music, the smells
. the seats!!! After Philharmagic, theres time left for just one ride.
We decide on the Mad Tea Party since I havent ridden it yet. We start off trying to spin the wheel together, but after a while, Buzz says to just let him do it. Then we were really started spinning! After all, he is the master of tea cup spinning. It seemed fitting that we would spend the last moments of the Pirate and Princes Party, staggering out of pastel teacups looking rather like Captain Jack Sparrow.
By now everythings closing down. We even look into Cosmic Rays to see if any of the characters from the Dance Party are there, but theyve already gone. Only the DJ, a few guests, and security are still there. We head back down the beautifully lit Main Street and through the fog-filled railway tunnels. Its been fun, but now at 12:30, it's over. Well, that's not bad really. It was nice to Disney to give us 30 more minutes than Cinderella had at her first ball. Still, were tired by now, not to mention hungry and thirsty. We decide to take the monorail back to TTC, and tram ride back to the Donald Lot, we're on our way back to the hotel for the night.
Joanna71985
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What great pictures. I love the one of Cinderella by the well. And I really love the one of Snow White and Snow Prince.
SmallWorld71
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Still enjoying your report and the pictures are great.
Wanted to share with you that when I showed DD4 pictures from the P&P party she got all excited when she saw that Flounder was there. I knew she was an Ariel fan but didn't even know she cared about Flounder. I think she's going to be one of those little ones touching him in August. I guess there is something about him that appeals to the little ones. 
Wanted to share with you that when I showed DD4 pictures from the P&P party she got all excited when she saw that Flounder was there.
I knew she was an Ariel fan but didn't even know she cared about Flounder. I think she's going to be one of those little ones touching him in August. I guess there is something about him that appeals to the little ones. /
meeko_33785
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What great pictures. I love the one of Cinderella by the well. And I really love the one of Snow White and Snow Prince.
Thanks Joanna. Those are some of my favorites photos too.
Still enjoying your report and the pictures are great.
Wanted to share with you that when I showed DD4 pictures from the P&P party she got all excited when she saw that Flounder was there.
I know there must be some reason why kids seem to love him so much. He is really cute... maybe that's it. I hope your DD gets to see Flounder and pet him. Thank you. I definatly agree with you too. It was great to see the princes out like that. They really aren't out nearly enough.
And now back to working on Part Fourteen.
meeko_33785
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Chapter Fourteen: As Long As Were Here
Back at Best Western Lake Buena Vista, Buzz and I are exhausted. It's been a wonderful evening, but we're exhausted, not to mention hungry. I haven't eaten anything except a few pieces of chocolate that Buzz got at the Treasure Stops all night. And what gourmet meal do I come back to? Well, you do remember this is a trip with a very tight budget, right? Well, we come back and make peanut butter sandwiches and open up some pre-packaged snacks . No, it's not Boma, but it's cheep.
After eating, we get some sleep to be ready for the morning.
Around 7 or 8 in the morning, he is wakened by a ding sound outside the door.
It seems to happen every so often and he cant figure out what it is. Im tired enough where I sleep through it completely (and I had the bed closest to the door!) It wasn't until later that he remembers that out room is right next to the elevator. That explains everything! Besides the elevator that I never heard, this hotel was very quiet, which was very nice. After getting enough sleep, we get up. Check out is at 11am, and we also wanted to spend some time at the Downtown Disney Marketplace before we go. After all, it is right next door. As long as we're here, we might as well head over there for a little while.
We start packing and Buzz asks what were going to do with the extra peanut butter and bread leftover from making sandwiches last night.
I had completely forgotten about that. Its too hot to leave it in the car while were at the Marketplace, and we can't leave it in the room because we need to check out. Finally, Buzz figures it out- Ill keep the bread and peanut butter in my backpack and carry it around with me. After all, its not like a theme park where theyll search my bags and confiscate outside food. I just hope that I dont feel stupid carrying it around all day. We pack it in the backpack after we have our breakfast of
you guessed it
. peanut butter sandwiches.
We end up checking out a little early and look around the hotel which we havent gotten a chance to do yet. Theres not much to see. Theres a pool, a few shops, a restaurant, bar and a gazebo out back. Our look around ends up being pretty brief. It's not exactly like exploring the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you know. Well, enough of that; off to the Marketplace!
First stop- World of Disney. Besides buying my new autograph book at the beginning of the trip, neither of us have really been paying too much attention to merchandise. Even wen I went into the shops at Magic Kingdom, I had been looking at the theming and decorations instead of what theyre selling. Here, I get my first real look at most of the merchandise out now. I check out the pins, but nothing really interests me. Out of all the souvenir-type stuff they had, there wasnt much that I felt like I wanted, so I end up spending most of my time there doing what Id done at the other shops Id been to- looking at the theming and decorations. Besides, if I'm not willing to shell out the money for eating in the parks, I'm not going to shell out the money for tons of souvenirs (though I do admit, the thought did cross my mind
).
We hit Team Mickeys next and again, we're not really paying much attention to the merchandise. Buzz finds a screen playing more sports-themed cartoons watches some clips, and we both take some pictures around the shop. I spotted one of the boards most talked-about rare characters lately- Clara Cluck. OK, shes in statue form and not character form, but I take a picture anyway. Nice to see a classic character like Clara in any way, shape or form. And look, Rabbit's back there too! Once Upon a Toy is next, and what an assortment of toys they have out now. Some of the more memorable ones I spotted were new pieces for Mr. Potato Head, Yetti plush that looked far cuter than the yeti I saw on the ride, High School Musical Mystery Date Game (hope no one pairs up Ryan and Sharpay on a date!
), and a strange new line of Paris Hilton-style purses for little girls to carry around plush versions of Figaro, Marie, and the Dalmatians. OK, the Paris purses were kind of disturbing, but the rest was amusing, right?
Next, we spend some time looking around the pin shop, and the $10 or under store for more browsing and window shopping. Not too much interesting though. I think after more than 20 years, I have more than enough Disney World souvenirs. I was kind of disappointed to see that the Disney Tails pet store has now been closed and the $10 or under store had expanded into its old space. There are still a few pet items for sale at the Pooh store though. Hopefully, they're not phasing out the pet toys. We continue browsing through Art of Disney (some nice pieces here, but definatly not in the budget) and the Scrapbooking Store.
The trip is nearly over. We make one more visit to World of Disney. Buzz decides to look for pressed pennies and get a few last photos, and I find a drinking fountain to fill up my water bottle before we leave. It's been a fun trip parting with the pirates and princesses, but unfortunately, now it's time to say goodbye.
Dont worry; the reports not over yet. More to come!
Back at Best Western Lake Buena Vista, Buzz and I are exhausted. It's been a wonderful evening, but we're exhausted, not to mention hungry. I haven't eaten anything except a few pieces of chocolate that Buzz got at the Treasure Stops all night. And what gourmet meal do I come back to? Well, you do remember this is a trip with a very tight budget, right? Well, we come back and make peanut butter sandwiches and open up some pre-packaged snacks . No, it's not Boma, but it's cheep.
After eating, we get some sleep to be ready for the morning. Around 7 or 8 in the morning, he is wakened by a ding sound outside the door.
It seems to happen every so often and he cant figure out what it is. Im tired enough where I sleep through it completely (and I had the bed closest to the door!) It wasn't until later that he remembers that out room is right next to the elevator. That explains everything! Besides the elevator that I never heard, this hotel was very quiet, which was very nice. After getting enough sleep, we get up. Check out is at 11am, and we also wanted to spend some time at the Downtown Disney Marketplace before we go. After all, it is right next door. As long as we're here, we might as well head over there for a little while. We start packing and Buzz asks what were going to do with the extra peanut butter and bread leftover from making sandwiches last night.
I had completely forgotten about that. Its too hot to leave it in the car while were at the Marketplace, and we can't leave it in the room because we need to check out. Finally, Buzz figures it out- Ill keep the bread and peanut butter in my backpack and carry it around with me. After all, its not like a theme park where theyll search my bags and confiscate outside food. I just hope that I dont feel stupid carrying it around all day. We pack it in the backpack after we have our breakfast of
you guessed it
. peanut butter sandwiches. We end up checking out a little early and look around the hotel which we havent gotten a chance to do yet. Theres not much to see. Theres a pool, a few shops, a restaurant, bar and a gazebo out back. Our look around ends up being pretty brief. It's not exactly like exploring the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you know. Well, enough of that; off to the Marketplace!
First stop- World of Disney. Besides buying my new autograph book at the beginning of the trip, neither of us have really been paying too much attention to merchandise. Even wen I went into the shops at Magic Kingdom, I had been looking at the theming and decorations instead of what theyre selling. Here, I get my first real look at most of the merchandise out now. I check out the pins, but nothing really interests me. Out of all the souvenir-type stuff they had, there wasnt much that I felt like I wanted, so I end up spending most of my time there doing what Id done at the other shops Id been to- looking at the theming and decorations. Besides, if I'm not willing to shell out the money for eating in the parks, I'm not going to shell out the money for tons of souvenirs (though I do admit, the thought did cross my mind
).
We hit Team Mickeys next and again, we're not really paying much attention to the merchandise. Buzz finds a screen playing more sports-themed cartoons watches some clips, and we both take some pictures around the shop. I spotted one of the boards most talked-about rare characters lately- Clara Cluck. OK, shes in statue form and not character form, but I take a picture anyway. Nice to see a classic character like Clara in any way, shape or form. And look, Rabbit's back there too! Once Upon a Toy is next, and what an assortment of toys they have out now. Some of the more memorable ones I spotted were new pieces for Mr. Potato Head, Yetti plush that looked far cuter than the yeti I saw on the ride, High School Musical Mystery Date Game (hope no one pairs up Ryan and Sharpay on a date!
), and a strange new line of Paris Hilton-style purses for little girls to carry around plush versions of Figaro, Marie, and the Dalmatians. OK, the Paris purses were kind of disturbing, but the rest was amusing, right?
Next, we spend some time looking around the pin shop, and the $10 or under store for more browsing and window shopping. Not too much interesting though. I think after more than 20 years, I have more than enough Disney World souvenirs. I was kind of disappointed to see that the Disney Tails pet store has now been closed and the $10 or under store had expanded into its old space. There are still a few pet items for sale at the Pooh store though. Hopefully, they're not phasing out the pet toys. We continue browsing through Art of Disney (some nice pieces here, but definatly not in the budget) and the Scrapbooking Store.
The trip is nearly over. We make one more visit to World of Disney. Buzz decides to look for pressed pennies and get a few last photos, and I find a drinking fountain to fill up my water bottle before we leave. It's been a fun trip parting with the pirates and princesses, but unfortunately, now it's time to say goodbye.
Dont worry; the reports not over yet. More to come!
meeko_33785
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Chapter Fifteen: A Few More Photos
Well, the report is coming to an end. Before I post the final chapter, I thought it might be nice to post a few more photos that I didn't include in any of the previous chapters. Hope you enjoy them.
Another shot from the Ferry Boat coming over to Magic Kingdom. Isn't that view beautiful? I don't know if it was because I hadn't taken the ferry for so many years or because not much in the photo has changed over the years, but it seems very nostalgic to me.
Here's Captain Hook and Mr. Smee from Dream Along with Mickey. I wanted to get Mr. Smee's face in the picture, but he turned just as I was taking the picture. They're not bad as face characters.
Abu- before he stole my camera. He was very funny. Glad I finally got to meet him after so many years of never even seeing him in the parks.
Here's a couple more photos from the Enchanted Adventures Parade:
Cinderella and Prince Charming together on their float. What a classic pair.
Another picture of Tinker Bell. Is it just me, or do her wings remind you of the "Year of A Million Dreams" sculptures too?
The most popular pirate of the Party- Captain Jack Sparrow. Who knew he was left handed (or is he ambidextrous?).
Last but not least, another photo of my favorite Princess, Belle. Its ice to see her dressed up sometimes.
The last chapter is next.
Well, the report is coming to an end. Before I post the final chapter, I thought it might be nice to post a few more photos that I didn't include in any of the previous chapters. Hope you enjoy them.
Another shot from the Ferry Boat coming over to Magic Kingdom. Isn't that view beautiful? I don't know if it was because I hadn't taken the ferry for so many years or because not much in the photo has changed over the years, but it seems very nostalgic to me.
Here's Captain Hook and Mr. Smee from Dream Along with Mickey. I wanted to get Mr. Smee's face in the picture, but he turned just as I was taking the picture. They're not bad as face characters.
Abu- before he stole my camera.
He was very funny. Glad I finally got to meet him after so many years of never even seeing him in the parks. Here's a couple more photos from the Enchanted Adventures Parade:
Cinderella and Prince Charming together on their float. What a classic pair.
Another picture of Tinker Bell. Is it just me, or do her wings remind you of the "Year of A Million Dreams" sculptures too?
The most popular pirate of the Party- Captain Jack Sparrow. Who knew he was left handed (or is he ambidextrous?).
Last but not least, another photo of my favorite Princess, Belle. Its ice to see her dressed up sometimes.
The last chapter is next.
Joanna71985
<marquee><font color=green>Characters are my frien
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2005
- Messages
- 15,200
I love the pictures. But I'm sorry the TR is almost over.
meeko_33785
<font color=teal>Surrounded by characters<br><font
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2000
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- 5,491
Chapter Sixteen: Final Thoughts
Well, weve finally reached the end of this trip report. To close things out, I just have a few final thoughts about this visit to the world.
Im still amazed at how easily this trip came together considering that we had less than two weeks to make hotel reservations, buy tickets, find out how the after hours events work since neither Buzz or I had ever done one before, and get everything else in order to take the trip. Weve never planned a trip so quickly. Im usually the type who (even on overnight trips) usually spends months planning itinerary to almost the more minute degree just to choreograph the day correctly. Not that Im an over-planner, but I do like to have a strong plan. This defiantly was not the case for this trip. Having never done a hard-ticketed event, pretty much the only planning I could do was try to create a very rough schedule to follow and make up everything else as I went along. I wasnt sure what to expect. Still, everything went fine. It just goes to show you that you dont need to plan for moths or years to have fun at WDW. It was fun experiencing Disney in a relatively spontaneous way. Just another perk of living in Florida, I guess. 
As for the Pirate and Princess Party itself, what can I say! This was my first after-hours event and I thought it was fantastic.
It was defiantly worth it to do this. I would rank it as one of the most enchanting and fun things Ive ever done in the parks. I admit that I did have my doubts about it when I first heard about the event and not seeing how they could have a unified event with such polar opposite themes as Pirates and Princesses, but somehow they pulled it off. The atmosphere was great. I dont think I ever mentioned the special lighting and music that they had throughout the park, but it just made the whole park seem more beautiful. The same goes for the other additions like Cinderellas Coach (which I now wish I had gotten a photo of but didnt) and the topiaries in Fantasyland. I think I was more impressed with the Princess 
themed areas that the pirate themed areas, but I did spend most of my Party time in Fantasyland, Toontown, and the Agrabah area and spent little to no time in any of the Pirate Coves. There were probably some cool things in the Pirate areas that I just missed. Plus, there were so many other great perks besides just how beautiful the park was- the amazing fireworks, a cute parade, tons of really cool characters, short lines at the rides, the dance parties and other entertainment and great weather. An evening in February defiantly beats an afternoon in July for sheer pleasantness. All in all I would defiantly recommend doing the Party if they are having this during one of your upcoming trips. As for me, I dont see it as something Ill be doing year after year. Because I thought it was so great, I think I might be interested in doing another after-hours event in the future just to see the park with a different atmosphere, a different entertainment and different characters. Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party sounds fun. 
Its something to consider for the future.
Im sure that. Ive said this before, but I really was so thrilled with the line-up of characters at the Party. For me, it was the perfect blend of old favorites like Meeko and Belle and awesome new characters like Cinderellas stepfamily and the fish from the Little Mermaid. All in all, I managed to get photos of 12 characters I had never seen before (8 during the Party and 4 between 4pm and 7pm). Not bad! Plus, it was nice to see Belle in her gold gown and some of those rarely-seen Princes out. Buzz seemed to really enjoy getting to meet Pirate Goofy too. Some of the longest lines of the entire party turned out to be the characters. Captain Jack almost always had waits for over an hour, and Cinderella, Aurora and Ariel seemed to have similarly long waits at different points of the evening. Fortunately, I managed to avoid these lines by hitting the more popular locations at the beginning of the evening, during the first parade, and near the end of the evening after the crowds start to thin. The characters were probably my favorite part of the evening, and all of them were fantastic, but I have to give a special shout-out to the Stepfamily, Abu and Genie, Belle and Pocahontas. They defiantly were among the best of the evening.
Now for the resort. Admittedly, the Best Western at Downtown Disney was not our first choice for a hotel, but it worked out just fine for us. The room was big and clean, the employees (would they be considered CMs? ) were very friendly and accommodating, and the atmosphere was very calm and quiet. It was perfect for what we needed during this trip, but Im not sure how well it would work for a longer trip. There was transportation available to the parks that serviced all the Dowtown Disney hotels, but the schedule did not appear to be as convenient as the buses at the other Disney resorts. We did not know if the bus would run during the party. They said at the desk that the buses stopped running an hour after closing, but did not say if that meant park closing or closing after the Party, so we just drove. 
That worked just fine for us (and gave us an excuse to ride the ferry boat for the first time in ages), Also, I have to say that it just didnt have the same feel as the themed resorts. Had something like Pop Century been available, I think I would have preferred staying someplace like that, but since we spent to little time at the resort of this trip, it suited us just fine. Plus, it was interesting to get a different experience than were use to which is nice. 
As for dining (or lack there of ) this is the first trip where we had completely avoided eating on-property. I wasnt sure how this would work, but it turned out to be fine- and so much cheaper. We saved plenty of time and money by not eating at the party and bringing our own food to eat in the room. On my next trip though, Im defiantly eating in the parks though. Again, it worked for our purposes on this trip, but I cant imagine leaving the park at lunch to come back to the hotel every day and eat sandwiches. But for a short and spontaneous trip with a tiny budget, it suited me just fine.
Well, thats just about it.
so much for reading and a special thanks to everyone who has responded. I greatly enjoy reading your comments and helping answer any questions if you have them. It may not be the biggest, flashiest, or most drama-filled report, but Im glad to know that you all have been enjoying it. If you have any other questions, Id be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. And to everyone, thanks once again for taking the time to relive my adventures of the Pirate and Princess Party with me. Its been fun.
The End
Well, weve finally reached the end of this trip report.
To close things out, I just have a few final thoughts about this visit to the world. Im still amazed at how easily this trip came together considering that we had less than two weeks to make hotel reservations, buy tickets, find out how the after hours events work since neither Buzz or I had ever done one before, and get everything else in order to take the trip.
Weve never planned a trip so quickly. Im usually the type who (even on overnight trips) usually spends months planning itinerary to almost the more minute degree just to choreograph the day correctly. Not that Im an over-planner, but I do like to have a strong plan. This defiantly was not the case for this trip. Having never done a hard-ticketed event, pretty much the only planning I could do was try to create a very rough schedule to follow and make up everything else as I went along. I wasnt sure what to expect. Still, everything went fine. It just goes to show you that you dont need to plan for moths or years to have fun at WDW. It was fun experiencing Disney in a relatively spontaneous way. Just another perk of living in Florida, I guess. As for the Pirate and Princess Party itself, what can I say! This was my first after-hours event and I thought it was fantastic.
It was defiantly worth it to do this. I would rank it as one of the most enchanting and fun things Ive ever done in the parks. I admit that I did have my doubts about it when I first heard about the event and not seeing how they could have a unified event with such polar opposite themes as Pirates and Princesses, but somehow they pulled it off. The atmosphere was great. I dont think I ever mentioned the special lighting and music that they had throughout the park, but it just made the whole park seem more beautiful. The same goes for the other additions like Cinderellas Coach (which I now wish I had gotten a photo of but didnt) and the topiaries in Fantasyland. I think I was more impressed with the Princess themed areas that the pirate themed areas, but I did spend most of my Party time in Fantasyland, Toontown, and the Agrabah area and spent little to no time in any of the Pirate Coves. There were probably some cool things in the Pirate areas that I just missed. Plus, there were so many other great perks besides just how beautiful the park was- the amazing fireworks, a cute parade, tons of really cool characters, short lines at the rides, the dance parties and other entertainment and great weather. An evening in February defiantly beats an afternoon in July for sheer pleasantness. All in all I would defiantly recommend doing the Party if they are having this during one of your upcoming trips. As for me, I dont see it as something Ill be doing year after year. Because I thought it was so great, I think I might be interested in doing another after-hours event in the future just to see the park with a different atmosphere, a different entertainment and different characters. Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party sounds fun. Its something to consider for the future. Im sure that. Ive said this before, but I really was so thrilled with the line-up of characters at the Party. For me, it was the perfect blend of old favorites like Meeko and Belle and awesome new characters like Cinderellas stepfamily and the fish from the Little Mermaid. All in all, I managed to get photos of 12 characters I had never seen before (8 during the Party and 4 between 4pm and 7pm). Not bad! Plus, it was nice to see Belle in her gold gown and some of those rarely-seen Princes out. Buzz seemed to really enjoy getting to meet Pirate Goofy too. Some of the longest lines of the entire party turned out to be the characters. Captain Jack almost always had waits for over an hour, and Cinderella, Aurora and Ariel seemed to have similarly long waits at different points of the evening. Fortunately, I managed to avoid these lines by hitting the more popular locations at the beginning of the evening, during the first parade, and near the end of the evening after the crowds start to thin. The characters were probably my favorite part of the evening, and all of them were fantastic, but I have to give a special shout-out to the Stepfamily, Abu and Genie, Belle and Pocahontas. They defiantly were among the best of the evening.
Now for the resort. Admittedly, the Best Western at Downtown Disney was not our first choice for a hotel, but it worked out just fine for us. The room was big and clean, the employees (would they be considered CMs?
) were very friendly and accommodating, and the atmosphere was very calm and quiet. It was perfect for what we needed during this trip, but Im not sure how well it would work for a longer trip. There was transportation available to the parks that serviced all the Dowtown Disney hotels, but the schedule did not appear to be as convenient as the buses at the other Disney resorts. We did not know if the bus would run during the party. They said at the desk that the buses stopped running an hour after closing, but did not say if that meant park closing or closing after the Party, so we just drove. That worked just fine for us (and gave us an excuse to ride the ferry boat for the first time in ages), Also, I have to say that it just didnt have the same feel as the themed resorts. Had something like Pop Century been available, I think I would have preferred staying someplace like that, but since we spent to little time at the resort of this trip, it suited us just fine. Plus, it was interesting to get a different experience than were use to which is nice. As for dining (or lack there of
) this is the first trip where we had completely avoided eating on-property. I wasnt sure how this would work, but it turned out to be fine- and so much cheaper. We saved plenty of time and money by not eating at the party and bringing our own food to eat in the room. On my next trip though, Im defiantly eating in the parks though. Again, it worked for our purposes on this trip, but I cant imagine leaving the park at lunch to come back to the hotel every day and eat sandwiches. But for a short and spontaneous trip with a tiny budget, it suited me just fine. Well, thats just about it.
so much for reading and a special thanks to everyone who has responded. I greatly enjoy reading your comments and helping answer any questions if you have them. It may not be the biggest, flashiest, or most drama-filled report, but Im glad to know that you all have been enjoying it. If you have any other questions, Id be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. And to everyone, thanks once again for taking the time to relive my adventures of the Pirate and Princess Party with me. Its been fun. The End 
jcc0621
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2007
- Messages
- 12,317
Great trip report.
Just a quick question I hope you can answer for me. What time was the parade and foreworks? Were the fireworks before the parade? We are taking DS (who will be 1 week shy of his 4th birthday) in August and want to gauge how we should plan the day. THanks for any info
Just a quick question I hope you can answer for me. What time was the parade and foreworks? Were the fireworks before the parade? We are taking DS (who will be 1 week shy of his 4th birthday) in August and want to gauge how we should plan the day. THanks for any info
meeko_33785
<font color=teal>Surrounded by characters<br><font
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2000
- Messages
- 5,491
Great trip report.
Just a quick question I hope you can answer for me. What time was the parade and foreworks? Were the fireworks before the parade? We are taking DS (who will be 1 week shy of his 4th birthday) in August and want to gauge how we should plan the day. THanks for any info
Thanks.
When I was there, they had two performances of the parade- one at 8:30 and one at 10:30. The fireworks were right between the two parades at 9:45. I'm guessing the Parties in Augusts will go by a similar schedule. Hope that helps you out. I'm sure your son is going to have a great time.
Joanna71985
<marquee><font color=green>Characters are my frien
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2005
- Messages
- 15,200
Great TR Meeko. I love hearing other character-hunters experiences in Disney. And I agree, the new ones at the party were great!
I love hearing other character-hunters experiences in Disney. And I agree, the new ones at the party were great!
SmallWorld71
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2007
- Messages
- 6,020
Thanks for the great report! I especially enjoyed your pictures. My 8 and 4 year olds loved your character pics. 
jcc0621
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2007
- Messages
- 12,317
Thanks.
When I was there, they had two performances of the parade- one at 8:30 and one at 10:30. The fireworks were right between the two parades at 9:45. I'm guessing the Parties in Augusts will go by a similar schedule. Hope that helps you out. I'm sure your son is going to have a great time.
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