Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR

Your MNSSHP pictures are bringing back happy memories for me!
I can't wait until our summer trip. Downtown Disney is looking fantastic and we plan to try 3 or 4 of the new restaurants!
 
So if Tom Sawyer Island made the back cover please PLEASE tell me that last photo of Steve, looking devil-may-care, sandal-over-pirate-stockings, buccaneer dreadlocks blowing in the breeze, made the FRONT cover. Or perhaps that totally surpassed the photo book and made it to the walls in Michigan?!

Another wonderful update. So evocative! Makes me even want to ride aladdins carpets which are not my favorite. Just love the Jungle Cruise cheese factor!!! And all your cute apropos smilies. Your reports are like another vacation! Woo hoo
 
I hope you got to hear the marching band play for a bit...they are fantastic. Last trip we saw them and they stopped right in the middle of Main St and played several songs. I've got some video on my phone that I can share. I noticed last trip that a lot of the musicians are older men and I thought it must be a part time retirement gig for them. If I could play an instrument I would be all over that. Actually, I'm all over retirement period.
 


So, I caught the Bo-Bina bug... we've booked TWO vacations this year! 5 days at Universal in October for HHN (with a night set aside for MNSSHP), and 6 days at Disney in December for Christmas/MNSSHP! Can't wait to finish reading about both of your trips for some inspiration!
 
I just love the pirate costumes. Is Pirates your next FP? Steve could jump right out and join the other pirates- he looks so authentic!
I agree about MNSSHP vs MVMCP. We've done both but the Halloween party is our favorite! Hoping to go back soon but not sure the boys will join us and our favorite costume was Gilligan's Island- DH as Skipper, DS as Gilligan, DS as Professor and I was Mary Ann. Have to find a good couple's costume look (we would be horrible pirates!)

Sadly, we couldn't get a Pirates FP that worked with the timing of our other two. But....we did ride it later in the night, during the party itself :thumbsup2. Love the short ride lines during the party hours! :banana:

Love, love, love the Gilligan's Island themed costume idea! My SIL & BIL and their three kids went as Scooby and the gang at our second party (their first)....I will have to show you their picture when we get to that point in the report. I love it when families do group costumes!!

Your MNSSHP pictures are bringing back happy memories for me!
I can't wait until our summer trip. Downtown Disney is looking fantastic and we plan to try 3 or 4 of the new restaurants!

I had myself all convinced that a HHN would be enough on our October trip this year, but all these MNSSHP photos are making me yearn to ensure we have a Disney night somewhere along the way too. Time to sharpen the pencil and find room in the budget :).

I will be interested to hear your reviews of the new Disney Springs dining options. Be sure to stop and have a Sprinkles cupcake and save my hips!

So if Tom Sawyer Island made the back cover please PLEASE tell me that last photo of Steve, looking devil-may-care, sandal-over-pirate-stockings, buccaneer dreadlocks blowing in the breeze, made the FRONT cover. Or perhaps that totally surpassed the photo book and made it to the walls in Michigan?!

Another wonderful update. So evocative! Makes me even want to ride aladdins carpets which are not my favorite. Just love the Jungle Cruise cheese factor!!! And all your cute apropos smilies. Your reports are like another vacation! Woo hoo

Aw, thank you :goodvibes :blush: . You guys are too kind.

That specific photo didn't make the front cover (that place of honour was given to one of our SeaWorld park pictures) but it did make the book. I will try and remember to share the book at the end of the report.....I don't want to do so any sooner or else you'll get spoiler pictures of what is still yet to come ;).

I hope you got to hear the marching band play for a bit...they are fantastic. Last trip we saw them and they stopped right in the middle of Main St and played several songs. I've got some video on my phone that I can share. I noticed last trip that a lot of the musicians are older men and I thought it must be a part time retirement gig for them. If I could play an instrument I would be all over that. Actually, I'm all over retirement period.

We absolutely did stop to enjoy the impromptu entertainment :). We try to enjoy all the streetmosphere acts as they pop up (both at Disney and Universal).....they never disappoint!

I love the fact that they all look like they're having the time of their lives. What a way to spend your golden years, indeed ::yes::.

So, I caught the Bo-Bina bug... we've booked TWO vacations this year! 5 days at Universal in October for HHN (with a night set aside for MNSSHP), and 6 days at Disney in December for Christmas/MNSSHP! Can't wait to finish reading about both of your trips for some inspiration!

You go, girl! :cheer2: That is so awesome! Two of my absolute FAVOURITE seasons to visit the sunny south!

I can't wait to share my December report with you too, then. My best advice to you: the special events at both park families are SO worth it. If you can swing it, be sure to book the Grinchmas breakfast at Universal, and a day at SeaWorld. Combined with a MVMCP, that's the trifecta of Holiday Cheer in Orlando.
 
Sunday, October 16th (continued)

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Casey’s Corner was pretty busy when we arrived: to be expected during that last transitional period, with many people grabbing dinner before they return to their resort for the evening and many others wanting to scarf down a quick meal before the Halloween Party kicked off at 7 pm. The line was moving surprisingly well despite the large volume of guests, but the outside seating area was jammed with bodies. We wondered if we’d even get a seat once our food was prepared. At any rate, Casey’s had been recommended by a friend so we really did want to give it a try; and quite honestly, after an absolutely dreadful meal of cardboard pizza at Pinocchio’s Village Haus the year prior, we figured we had nowhere to go but up in the food quality department.


We had plenty of time to review the menu while waiting our turn in line, and we were easily able to order once we made it to the counter. I gathered the necessities (condiments, straws, and napkins) while Steve waited for our tray.





The corn dog nuggets had been recommended by my friend as one of the must-try Magic Kingdom foods, so I had chosen the corn dog nuggets meal with a bottle of water (figuring I’d have my share of soft drinks and other sweet beverages later that night at the Dessert Party). Steve, however, threw all caution to the wind (when doesn’t he, for that matter?) and had the foot long slaw dog meal with a Diet Coke. It’s all about balance, he says.

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Shockingly, we found an empty table….literally the ONLY empty table in the outdoor seating area….and could sit an enjoy our vittles. High marks all around where the food was concerned: as far as hot dogs went, they were great; Steve’s was unbelievably messy (especially with his ratty pirate beard) but regardless, it was tasty. While I didn’t flip over the corn dog nuggets, they were really good……I think I’m just a hot dog purist at heart, and would probably order a more standard dog the next time. I’m glad I tried them, though: another Disney food bucket list item officially scratched off :thumbsup2.


My favourite thing about this meal? The piano player who kept us entertained from the first bite to the last: he was simply awesome, and created the kind of memorable atmosphere that Disney is so famous for. There was really something special about sitting outside in the warm early evening, a light breeze blowing through, the smell of hot dogs permeating the air, and the sounds of the piano man rounding out that perfect feeling.

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After our meal, we freshened up in the restrooms and headed to our final Fastpass for the pre-party hours: a meet and greet with Mickey at Town Square Theater :earsboy:.

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The pickings were slim when it came to Fastpasses for that particular night, and we were both rather bummed that Big Thunder wasn’t available due to the refurbishment, nor could we secure a time that worked for Pirates of the Caribbean. After Haunted Mansion and the Jungle Cruise, the Fastpass for Mickey was about the best we could get.


I have to admit, the whole experience turned out to be MUCH more fun than either of us expected. We waited in line just ahead of the most delightful young woman (and her very sweet care givers) whose pure joy and anticipation to meet Mickey Mouse was absolutely heartwarming. Her smile was as wide as her wheelchair and as we visited with her in the FP line, we couldn’t help but get a little excited about our chance to meet with the Big Cheese, too.

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This was our first encounter with a talking Mickey, and I’m not ashamed to say that we went from being 40+ to 5 years old as soon as he said hello. Dressed in our pirate gear, he was very interested to know if we had seen Captain Jack and if we had managed to find any sign of his treasure. I loved the fact that it didn’t matter that we had no children with us, the interaction was comfortable and easy and had us both grinning like a pair of kids.

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As we exited into the gift shop, we had to admit it was a pretty fine use of a Fastpass after all (especially with the standby line showing waits of upward to an hour).

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After Mickey, I’m pretty sure we checked in for the dessert party and got the credentials we would need for late in the night. At check in, we were each given huge cards on lanyards that featured the Dessert Party itinerary on the reverse and directed to report to the flag pole in Town Square prior to the parade for our reserved viewing area…the first part of the Dessert Party entitlements.

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In the time we had at our disposal until parade started, we hit a few rides, trick or treated at some of the various treat stations, and took advantage of a few Photopass opportunities. We rode both the People Mover and Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland, and loved the fact that both were a walk-on once the party was officially underway. We also got a chance to meet Buzz in Tomorrowland and only waited behind one other family to do so :cool1:.

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We squeezed in a ride on It’s a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean as well. While we couldn’t secure a Fastpass for it, it too was basically a walk-on once the clock rolled past 7 pm and the regular day guests flowed out of the park.

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Eventually it was time to wind our way back down Main Street and prep ourselves for the Dessert Party aspects of our evening. Onward to Town Square we went .

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The balance of our Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Party is next .
 


You go, girl! :cheer2: That is so awesome! Two of my absolute FAVOURITE seasons to visit the sunny south!

I can't wait to share my December report with you too, then. My best advice to you: the special events at both park families are SO worth it. If you can swing it, be sure to book the Grinchmas breakfast at Universal, and a day at SeaWorld. Combined with a MVMCP, that's the trifecta of Holiday Cheer in Orlando.

I've been pushing Sea World for our last two trips and my group doesn't seem interested :( One day!! Jeremy and I are toying with upgrading our Universal tickets in October to Annual passes to spend a day at Universal in December for Grinchmas. It doesn't seem like much of a cost difference to upgrade so it's looking good :)
 
The weather looks delightful for the party. Did the costumes get a good reaction?

The weather was superb. We couldn't have asked for any nicer. It was warm when the sun was out but not crazy humid. We were very comfy after the sun went down, even in our costumes.

We got a crazy amount of compliments from cm's and other guests on our pirate wear! It's going to be hard to top those costumes, but I think the next party .... whenever that turns out to be .... calls for a change. Pirates have served us well for two years but we will have to change it up for the next MNSSHP.
 
I've been pushing Sea World for our last two trips and my group doesn't seem interested :( One day!! Jeremy and I are toying with upgrading our Universal tickets in October to Annual passes to spend a day at Universal in December for Grinchmas. It doesn't seem like much of a cost difference to upgrade so it's looking good :)

Ah, what a shame. Seaworld at Christmas is unbelievably special. Hopefully you'll be able to change their minds some day.

Grinchmas was fabulous and would be well worth the upgrade. I was pleasantly surprised at how festive the universal parks were in both decor and atmosphere. The evening hours after dark at the Studios in particulsr were so much fun!!
 
Just checking in to say I'm here reading. :wave: I have read your reports many times before, but it's been awhile. I don't usually comment too much.

Cypress Palms looks awesome for that price! The villa and amenities look very nice. Great touches with the snacks, herb garden and grill. It's nice they'll clean up after people! Never have used sky auction before but it's something to keep in mind.

I'm off to read about your Fort Wilderness night, never been there. But looks interesting. We've booked things before based on your reviews, like the Shrek breakfast at Gaylord Palms a few years ago. I don't believe they offer it anymore. But it was fun to do something different and DH still talks about the wonderful buffet they had; seriously, so much food!

Congrats on your move to Michigan! I hope you are very happy there! :dance3:
 
I love Casey's! They have a new "Breakfast" hot dog there with hash browns, cheese and bacon on it that I definitely want to try!

All the Memory Maker pictures came out great! Totally worth the $20 in the share group.
 
The photo pass pictures are great. pirate:pirate:

Thank you! :goodvibes I need to get a few of them printed and update some of my frames, now that we're finally settled in and all the boxes are unloaded. I have a few from both the October and December trips that I would like to put on display.
Just checking in to say I'm here reading. :wave: I have read your reports many times before, but it's been awhile. I don't usually comment too much.

Cypress Palms looks awesome for that price! The villa and amenities look very nice. Great touches with the snacks, herb garden and grill. It's nice they'll clean up after people! Never have used sky auction before but it's something to keep in mind.

I'm off to read about your Fort Wilderness night, never been there. But looks interesting. We've booked things before based on your reviews, like the Shrek breakfast at Gaylord Palms a few years ago. I don't believe they offer it anymore. But it was fun to do something different and DH still talks about the wonderful buffet they had; seriously, so much food!

Congrats on your move to Michigan! I hope you are very happy there! :dance3:

:welcome: BellaBaby! Happy to have you reading and even more thrilled to have you posting! :goodvibes

I am sad to hear that they have discontinued the Shrek breakfast :sad1:. We thought the characters and food were both amazing! I know they had a Charlie Brown breakfast during the holiday season (which matched this year's ICE! theme) so hopefully they bring a character experience back to Gaylord Palms on a more permanent basis. Villa de Flora is so lovely and the food was outstanding.

I love Casey's! They have a new "Breakfast" hot dog there with hash browns, cheese and bacon on it that I definitely want to try!

All the Memory Maker pictures came out great! Totally worth the $20 in the share group.

Steve saw their breakfast hot dog and was quite intrigued, too :teeth:. Perhaps there's an MK day in our future? :scratchin
 
Sunday, October 16th (continued)

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At the reserved parade area by the flagpole, we were greeted by two friendly CM’s who verified our credentials and invited us to take any place we wished within the designated viewing space. We intentionally arrived later than most of the other dessert party guests, choosing to maximize our party hours versus getting the single best space for viewing the parade. As two adults with no children, we could easily stand versus families who would need a place for weary little legs to take a much-needed rest. Even with 75% of the other dessert party attendees already there, though, we were still able to find a great spot immediately behind a family who had taken a spot on the curb. We would have no problem seeing the parade that would pass just steps from where we were stationed. This was easily the best parade spot we had ever had at a Disney park…..and having the castle magically illuminated in the distance gave an unbelievable charm to the whole event.

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The male CM that was working the dessert party…..a friendly old soul who was diligently making sure we were all having a magical night….came around with small bottles of cold water for anyone wanted a beverage. We had a nice little chat with him at one point while we waited for the parade to make its way down Main Street, and it turns out he was from Michigan (quite near to where we were moving), having relocated to Orlando once he retired from the auto industry. It’s A Small World After All.

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I milled around and captured some pictures while Steve gladly downed the bottled water and happily raided the candy bags to pass the time. The only complaint I have about watching the parade from that specific spot….it takes a LONG time for the floats and characters to make their way there. But that’s just me being nit-picky: the vantage point was well worth the wait.

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At one point, a Photopass photographer came around with a prop or two and snapped some pictures of any family who expressed an interest. We got these……

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…..as well as one of the magic shots.

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The parade itself was pretty much unchanged from the one we saw at the 2015 MNSSHP’s, but that was fine with us: we found ourselves singing along to Boo To You and It’s Good To Be Bad (I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but hey…..I’ll never see these people again, right?). Unchanged from last year or not, it was entertaining and colourful and very, very Halloween-y.

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After the parade, the dessert party CM’s ushered our group down a walkway behind Main Street to Tomorrowland Terrace where a fresh group of awaiting CM’s presented each guest with a welcome flute of sparkling apple cider and ushered each individual family to their table.

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We were thrilled to be assigned to a wonderful little table for two that was right alongside the railing and pretty much dead center of the seating area: our view could not have been more perfect if we tried.

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We were invited to partake in the dessert buffet as soon as we were ready. Before setting off to greet the next family in line, the CM who seated us pointed out the various areas for food: one for self-serve beverages (both cold and hot), a create-your-own ice cream sundae station, and the main buffet which featured an assortment of crackers and cheese, fresh fruits, and a plethora of themed miniature desserts pirate:.

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My ONLY complaint was that none of the adorable little creations were labelled, which resulted in an unfortunate moment where I unsuspectingly took a bite of cheesecake :scared:. The regulars here know I have a huge aversion to cream cheese, so this was a very low point indeed: I thought for a brief moment that I’d require both a stomach pumping and a flushing of the palette :sick:. Other than that, the desserts were simply spectacular: not only were they simply delicious, but they were so cute we almost hated to eat them. Almost ;).


We were just beginning to feel the effects of some serious sugar overload when the castle projection show got underway. This was quite a nice surprise because we didn’t even know there was such a thing as a castle projection show :confused: (my Disney inexperience is sometimes tough to hide :rolleyes1). We had a simply marvelous view from that wonderful table by the railing, and we were happy to slip into a comfy silence as we held hands and listened quietly to the audio while we each struggled to fight off a sugar-induced coma :crazy2:.

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After the projection show ended, a CM came by with a small gift of Ghirardelli chocolates (one sleeve for the two of us). We heard a few tables grumbling about the fact that not each person was receiving one of the take-aways, as apparently last year’s Hallowishes Dessert Party offered a skull mug full of candy to each guest, rather than a single gift for each table. Their arguments got them nowhere, though as the CM’s patiently repeated that they had no extras to distribute and the best they could do was offer one per group.

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Thankfully the crabbing was short-lived as Hallowishes got underway. The sky exploded into a rainbow of colours as the castle changed from blue to pink to red…..and while we didn’t have what I’d call “prime” viewing of the fireworks (not as perfect as, say, standing in the hub area immediately in front of the castle) our vantage point was still pretty darn spectacular. Unlike the masses crowded into the hub, we were enjoying the show from comfy chairs with unlimited beverages and snacks and an abundance of personal space. Sah-weet! :banana:

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Probably the biggest question anyone has about the dessert party is "was it worth it". That's a tough question to answer. It does take quite a bit of time away from party activities, so it admittedly affects the number of character meet and ride opportunities that you will be able to squeeze in over the course of the evening. The fact that we were attending two parties made it so we had two nights to fit in all of our must-do's, so that definitely helped make the dessert party down-time not such a big deal. The desserts were incredible an we loved the parade viewing area and being able to relax and truly enjoy the fireworks, but the price was steep at $79 per person on top of our MNSSHP tickets. Overall, we did really enjoy the splurge and were glad we had the experience at least once. Would we do it again? It's hard to say :confused3. Definitely not if we just had one party night at our disposal, but if we had two ..... its possible :scratchin.

The balance of our Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Party is next.

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It's good to read your viewpoint on the dessert party. I don't think I would pay extra for an already hard ticketed even if I was only going for 1 night too. But the plate of desserts sure look good and I'm glad you both enjoyed it :goodvibes
 
I just caught up on your updates, your MNSSHP looks like a great time, love your costumes. We just got back from Disney so it is fun to see your pictures. I also feel like a little kid when meeting Mickey. The dessert party looks like a nice way to view the parade and fireworks. We did a party this past October as well, we did not do a dessert party but really enjoyed the Halloween activities. We love Casey's corner, wouldn't be a Disney trip without stopping there at least once.
 
Aw, the pirates are back at MK! :yay:

I really get the sense that you guys see life with each other as an adventure :) You are both just too cute
 
I love the picture with Iago on Steve's shoulder, so appropriate

Heading north in the morning for the Canucks v Sharks game. Looking forward to my Canadian food :drinking1 Dinner at Boston Pizza tomorrow, breakfast at Timmy's Sunday with some Tim Bits for the road and probably lunch at A&W because while they are few and far between down here they aren't the same. Staying in Surrey and taking theabl sky train in, which should be good. Going to the mall I like in Surrey before checking in at the lovely Econo Lodge. Hopefully I'll be able to take advantage of the exchange rate (sorry). Overall just hoping for a good hockey game, first NHL game since 2004.
 
Dang it Gina now I will be singing "It's Good to be Bad" in my head until at least April, maybe May! I love that parade so much. Glad you had a great view!

And do tell.. which of those innocent looking creepy crawling desserts was the offensive cheesecake?! I can't imagine your horror... how hard could it be to label them?!

Looks like such an amazing time. I'm now yearning for Halloween and it's not even really spring yet! (Atlanta weather seems to indicate otherwise)
 

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