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MK 24 hour party 2015 - Coolest Summer Ever
- Thread starter jeffk410
- Start date
WDF
Well-Known Member
As a point of reference, here's the similar kickoff event at 6AM at Magic Kingdom Park, attended by a few dozen Lifestyle Bloggers and a gaggle of early-bird tourists. Quite a different vibe compared to Disneyland!
To be fair, that photo is of a roped off area where the Parks Blog Meet-Up participants were standing. Outside the ropes on each end by the tunnels it was packed.
Brickcity Pauly
Well-Known Member
It was great reading this thread from beginning to end, seeing everyone bash MK, saying that DL would do it better.
I love coming to these boards while I'm away from WDW, as there can be lots of great discussion and pictures and all. But I stay far away from here during a trip, as these kinds of events can certainly bring out the worst in some posters here. Nothing but negativity, 2 months before the event even begins. The thrill of an event like this, for many people, is just being at MK at 1am, 3 am and 5 am. Nothing else. They don't need anything to be topped from previous years, or have 8 different items to commemorate the event. Some people just want to be on Space Mountain at 4am! Haha.
I'd love to attend one of these some year. A t-shirt or hat would be great. An extra little parade or two to pass the time when it's dark. But I'll just be happy being in the MK overnight.
I love coming to these boards while I'm away from WDW, as there can be lots of great discussion and pictures and all. But I stay far away from here during a trip, as these kinds of events can certainly bring out the worst in some posters here. Nothing but negativity, 2 months before the event even begins. The thrill of an event like this, for many people, is just being at MK at 1am, 3 am and 5 am. Nothing else. They don't need anything to be topped from previous years, or have 8 different items to commemorate the event. Some people just want to be on Space Mountain at 4am! Haha.
I'd love to attend one of these some year. A t-shirt or hat would be great. An extra little parade or two to pass the time when it's dark. But I'll just be happy being in the MK overnight.
Monorail_Red_77
Well-Known Member
Ok, so here are some pics of the CoolestSummer event at MK. These pics were taken between 5:29am and 5:47am. This is really how packed it was for the rope drop ceremony. If you can imagine. the entire area between the tunnels (that are closed before rope drop) back up to and beyond the turnstiles was completely packed, crowds were spilling into the area between the baggage checks and turnstiles also.
Here's a view from the monorail upon arrival at 5:29am
Ahh, just a few thousand of my closest friends.... wait... who are you again?
Just a quick look back at the turnstiles. Just a weee bit packed.
This view is looking to my left at the Newstand shop area. Yeah, packed there too.
This view is looking to my right towards the center of the entrance plaza. Dead center you can see two white tents, they housed some radio stations covering the event live. To the right of the picture with the spot lights were three or four tv stations doing live bits also. (this area is dead center where the large planter is between left and right turnstile areas)
Close up of TV crews. Also saw Mickey and Minnie here in PJ's at one point but pic did not turn out so well.
Here's a view from the monorail upon arrival at 5:29am
Ahh, just a few thousand of my closest friends.... wait... who are you again?
Just a quick look back at the turnstiles. Just a weee bit packed.
This view is looking to my left at the Newstand shop area. Yeah, packed there too.
This view is looking to my right towards the center of the entrance plaza. Dead center you can see two white tents, they housed some radio stations covering the event live. To the right of the picture with the spot lights were three or four tv stations doing live bits also. (this area is dead center where the large planter is between left and right turnstile areas)
Close up of TV crews. Also saw Mickey and Minnie here in PJ's at one point but pic did not turn out so well.
Monorail_Red_77
Well-Known Member
Here is a panorama of the entrance plaza just prior to rope drop starting.
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
There's something brown on your nose there.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Guests who expect nothing will get nothing, which is what they deserve - TDO mission statement
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Jeff is a good guy and has done a series of books with Rolly Crump that are well done.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
He's also distanced himself from MiceChat lately. The podcast is no longer hosted on MiceChat.
Horizons '83
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
How the heck do they have that place functional in just 2 hours after the 24 hour party?
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
Never said he wasn't a good guy. Just said he wants to be.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Is the guy who would scan old marketing collateral, slap his watermark on it, and call it a blog post gone too?
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
He wants to be a good guy, but could be a good guy, you aren't committing one way or another?
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Not sure who you're referring to.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
Ah, the annual 24 hour event. Finally home and caught up on life n stuff so I guess I can give my usual views on it:
Right at the beginning Disney made it quite obvious who this event caters to by showcasing everybody's favorite reminder that some people are more special (read: Entitled) than others...Ferdalump...right there dancing on the train station with the Frozen girls right from the get go..and the Lifestylers ate it up...oh did they love it. And that...is who these events are aimed for...judging by the amount of attention the more "popular" social media "Celebrities" got the entire night.
The place was over-run by people hoping to be the "next big thing" on the ol' Disney-grammer scene. The amount of "meet ups" and butt kissing going on was incredible. I especially love those who are trying to claim they did the entire event using the hashtag #teamnosleep, even tho they went back to their hotel halfway through the day to take a nap before coming back saying how tired they are...and then boasting how they were the "last ones out". I purposely shied away from all sorts of meetings, and appreciated those who sent me messages on social media before coming up to me. I am not a mean person by far, but I think my deliberate "delayed posting" as to my location made it obvious I was there to be in my own world and not in one where everyone is trying to be part of a clique of other lifestylers. Right...anyway..enough on that topic..on to the event itself..
Personally, I WAS there the entire time (not boasting at all, honestly I am a bit ashamed by it), and it was more crowded but FAR better handled than the previous years. A big part of it was the LACK OF SPECIAL EVENTS/CHARACTERS. It was by most accounts just another normal day at the MK..just with longer hours. No long lines to meet a character they drag out once our twice a year, very few special food options, and aside from an added parade showtime here and there..it was just business as usual.
So why did I go, and ultimately stay the entire time? Photos. As some of you may know from following my social media accounts, I go to the parks quite often..driven mainly by a passion for the company and a passion for capturing it with my camera. Its a hobby, it makes me happy, and I got really absorbed in the 24 hour event that I lost track of time and before I knew it I was past the point of no return (by my definition, thats about 15 hours in). I rode rides, but refused to wait on any line longer than 30 minutes (Which interestingly enough, the mine train opened on last years event..with no fastpass it had a max wait time of an ACTUAL 90 minutes, this year it peaked at 130 minutes..yay progress!). It isnt about the rides..its about the atmosphere on these sort of events. Sure its cool to say you stayed the entire time (if you did indeed ACTUALLY stay instead of not counting your mid day nap..be it at your hotel or on the floor of the Space Mountain gift shop). Everybody has their own reasons for doing it, be it for atmosphere, or "bragging rights"..for me it was just because I don't often get dual sunrise opportunities.
Do I recommend this event to anyone else? Absolutely. It is fun and has a different vibe from the guests there, but don't try too hard to "do it all". If you are tired..call it quits. Seriously. I was saddened by not only the hobo-esc nappers on the hub grass (keeping it trashy) or on gift shop floors, but by the parents dragging a sleeping child along at the wee hours of the morning as well.
Right at the beginning Disney made it quite obvious who this event caters to by showcasing everybody's favorite reminder that some people are more special (read: Entitled) than others...Ferdalump...right there dancing on the train station with the Frozen girls right from the get go..and the Lifestylers ate it up...oh did they love it. And that...is who these events are aimed for...judging by the amount of attention the more "popular" social media "Celebrities" got the entire night.
The place was over-run by people hoping to be the "next big thing" on the ol' Disney-grammer scene. The amount of "meet ups" and butt kissing going on was incredible. I especially love those who are trying to claim they did the entire event using the hashtag #teamnosleep, even tho they went back to their hotel halfway through the day to take a nap before coming back saying how tired they are...and then boasting how they were the "last ones out". I purposely shied away from all sorts of meetings, and appreciated those who sent me messages on social media before coming up to me. I am not a mean person by far, but I think my deliberate "delayed posting" as to my location made it obvious I was there to be in my own world and not in one where everyone is trying to be part of a clique of other lifestylers. Right...anyway..enough on that topic..on to the event itself..
Personally, I WAS there the entire time (not boasting at all, honestly I am a bit ashamed by it), and it was more crowded but FAR better handled than the previous years. A big part of it was the LACK OF SPECIAL EVENTS/CHARACTERS. It was by most accounts just another normal day at the MK..just with longer hours. No long lines to meet a character they drag out once our twice a year, very few special food options, and aside from an added parade showtime here and there..it was just business as usual.
So why did I go, and ultimately stay the entire time? Photos. As some of you may know from following my social media accounts, I go to the parks quite often..driven mainly by a passion for the company and a passion for capturing it with my camera. Its a hobby, it makes me happy, and I got really absorbed in the 24 hour event that I lost track of time and before I knew it I was past the point of no return (by my definition, thats about 15 hours in). I rode rides, but refused to wait on any line longer than 30 minutes (Which interestingly enough, the mine train opened on last years event..with no fastpass it had a max wait time of an ACTUAL 90 minutes, this year it peaked at 130 minutes..yay progress!). It isnt about the rides..its about the atmosphere on these sort of events. Sure its cool to say you stayed the entire time (if you did indeed ACTUALLY stay instead of not counting your mid day nap..be it at your hotel or on the floor of the Space Mountain gift shop). Everybody has their own reasons for doing it, be it for atmosphere, or "bragging rights"..for me it was just because I don't often get dual sunrise opportunities.
Do I recommend this event to anyone else? Absolutely. It is fun and has a different vibe from the guests there, but don't try too hard to "do it all". If you are tired..call it quits. Seriously. I was saddened by not only the hobo-esc nappers on the hub grass (keeping it trashy) or on gift shop floors, but by the parents dragging a sleeping child along at the wee hours of the morning as well.
Sonconato
Well-Known Member
I read in yesterday's paper (the Orlando Sentinel) about the 60th anniversary in July, stating that they were prepared for the crowds that would come to the event, however this article was published in the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disneyland-crowds-20150519-story.html) on May 19th, and not on the 27th, which is when I received it. By the way, the 19th was only three days before the 24 hour event, in which it was obvious they were not ready for the crowds. Why did they put it in my paper eight days later? Any ideas?
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
Dense, you are.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Your post didn't make sense.