Trip Report We're going to have the Hap Hap Happiest Christmas Party 2022

Just a little report about our night on December 4th for a Mickey's Christmas Party with my girls.

We are:

me
IMG_8087.JPG


Em
Emi.jpg


C
IMG_7930.JPG


Em (to not be confused with Tuvalu's Em) flew down with me to visit C (who moved to the Orlando area in the Summer for a job). This is our experience.

First a little story.

After working half a day on Friday Em and I flew from a small Ohio airport and landed at the Sanford Orlando airport around 4ish. C was working late so we took an Uber to her apartment. After finding the hidden key we settled in. I go out onto her balcony, third floor balcony and look around. I pop open the door and tell Em to come out and join me. After a few minutes she comes out, we're enjoying the warm Florida evening air and discussing what to do for dinner. I get up to go back inside and the door is locked. LOCKED. I turned to Em and said "WHAT DID YOU DO!" She plays innocent then dumb. She's giggling, I'm panicking. She really doesn't think it's a big deal. "C will be home in 2 hours and let us in" she says. I try to explain. We are on a third floor balcony. We are locked out. We have the only key, which is sitting on the island inside her apartment. When we entered the apartment I locked the exterior door. C can't get in to the apartment, we can't get into the apartment, we can't get off the third floor balcony. What does Em do, giggles, tells me to "relax, it's nice out" (it really was, it was 25 degrees back home). AARRGH Em's husband calls and tells us to call maintenance to let us in. I try to explain this isn't midwest Indiana. It's Orlando, it's not that kind of apartment complex. People here own each apartment (they are condo's actually but some are rentals so I call it an apartment) Anyway I humor them and call maintenance emergency line, I'm told sorry they don't do anything for lockouts. I call the police, knowing they can't do anything either but thought it was worth a shot. Nope. I finally realize I'm going to have to call a locksmith. I finally found one that wasn't going to take an hour to get there. While we're waiting I start second guessing myself and think maybe I didn't lock the front door. I'm scanning around looking for someone to ask if they could come up and try the doorknob. I see a lady on the phone, nope. I see a guy smoking, big nope. C would literally kill me if I let a strange man come into her apartment. Finally, a young kid riding a bike up to his patio and is locking it up. "Hey, up here, third floor. Can you help me?" He looks around. "I'm not creepy, I need help" Yeah, he's out of there. Good job mom teaching him to stay away from strangers. I sit down and just figure I'm out $100.

Here we are waiting it out.
IMG_9614.JPG


Here's Em looking for something in her balcony storage for something to pick the lock with.
IMG_9615.JPG


The locksmith arrives and gets in. I'm banging on the balcony door so he can see me to let me in the apartment. C has no idea. She will never know that I had to have a strange man come into her apartment to let us in. She will never know!
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Saturday the 3rd. Today is Universal day. We paid $152 for a day at Island of Adventure. It was crowded, wait times were long but we did single rider every chance we could get. There were long lines for food and restrooms. I'm tired of hearing how Universal is better than Disney. They are both busy, expensive, and a great time. Rant over

IMG_9622.JPG
IMG_9625.JPG
IMG_9626.JPG


We rode Spiderman first but no picture proof. I rode Spiderman back in 2013. I thought it was the best ride ever. Amazing! With improvements over the years with rides it has dropped from amazing to a good ride. I was a little sad about that.

King Kong. My first time, a neat ride but the ride vehicles ruined the ride a bit for me. They are so big and block a lot of the ride and it was hard to see everything going on.
IMG_9629.JPG


You don't want to know.
IMG_9632.JPG


Finally....
IMG_9634.JPG
IMG_9636.JPG
IMG_9638.JPG


It was soooo crowded. We did Forbidden Journey singer rider and unfortunately missed the queue which is the best part.

IMG_9640.JPG
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We head back to Hogsmeade.

IMG_9663.JPG
IMG_9664.JPG


We hop in line for Hagids rollercoaster. Something is wrong with the single rider line so you have to get in the regular line then you split off to single rider half way through. We stayed in the regular line for 20 minutes before we could split off then another 25 in the single rider line.
IMG_9665.JPG
IMG_9666.JPG
IMG_9667.JPG
IMG_9669.JPG
IMG_9679.JPG


What a fantastic ride! It is worth every minute in line!!

IMG_9682.JPG

IMG_9683.JPG
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Last ride of the day. We had stopped by Veloicoaster several times through out the day but wait times were too high for us and single rider was at capacity every time we stopped. One last attempt... Score! We waited in single rider for about 20 minutes. Worth every minute! such a good coaster! When we got off single rider was at capacity again and closed down.

IMG_9685.JPG

IMG_9686.JPG


And for all of you that get appalled at Disney guest behavior, it happens at Universal too. He was snoozing hard.

IMG_9689.JPG


Our day is done. It was a great day!
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Getting in was easier than I thought. It was just a little before 5pm. I was shooting for 4pm but didn't think the time to get from entrance of parking lot to the turnstiles would take so long.

I was in the moment and forgot to take pictures until we got escorted to the behind the scenes entrance/exit. We then received our Christmas party ornaments right where @Tuvalu said they'd be!!

IMG_9704.JPG



The girls wanted to eat. Really. We paid a lot of money to be here, we are on a limited timeframe. Momma kept her mouth shut because it's not always all about me. Casey's was the closest and C decided she wanted to try the vegetarian option.

IMG_9706.JPG

IMG_9708.JPG


She got the Plant based slaw Dog and said it was extremely good but very messy, she ate most of it with a fork
IMG_9709.JPG


Em and I split the corndog nuggets. I've never been a big fan and was surprised how much I liked them. I'm glad the girls wanted to eat because later in the night there wasn't anywhere we could find that had regular food. Only sweets were available. Free cookies and sweet treats for purchase.
IMG_9711.JPG


Our first ride!!
IMG_9712.JPG

IMG_9713.JPG


This blurry photo was taken due to the request of Em. Since our first trip in 2008 she comments every. single. time. about how dirty this mans foot is. In her mid 20's she still does
IMG_9716.JPG

IMG_9717.JPG


The lanterns around BTMRR were so beautiful. Why do my girls walk so fast!!?
IMG_9718.JPG
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The lanterns at Splash were just at pretty. This will be my last time riding Splash. I'm sad. That's all I'll say about that. It was a few minutes before 6:00pm, park close. This was one of our longest waits at 20 minutes. I figured it was because last minute day guests were getting in their last ride of the day.

IMG_9720.JPG
IMG_9721.JPG
IMG_9722.JPG


So I pretty much took a video of C on this ride. She was in the front seat by herself and was being the theater kid she is. It was hilarious. She has her sweatshirt over her head to try and keep dry.
IMG_9724.JPG

IMG_9723.JPG


The girls nailed it. Me not so much but at this point I was committed to recording the rest of the ride.

IMG_9727.JPG


Next was BTMRR. So much fun in the dark. It was maybe 5 minutes. A man still tried to cut in line to get to his family.

IMG_9728.JPG


We made our way to Haunted Mansion. I'm in love with this picture. It was just on my I phone. I had to put my phone between the bars in the queue to keep them out of the shot. Luckily I didn't pull a @fractal and loose it in the water.

IMG_9730.JPG
 
Last edited:

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I have no explanation.

Pooh was a walk on.

IMG_9751.JPG
IMG_9754.JPG
IMG_9757.JPG
IMG_9758.JPG


There was no waving to be had by our crew.

IMG_9760.JPG


The girls know I really wanted to see the parade. They were very sweet, patient and trying to help find a good spot. Neither of them could care less about the parade. We found a spot that was acceptable at 8:25 in Frontierland. We had some entertainment right before the parade.

IMG_9764.JPG
IMG_9765.JPG


The view behind us.

IMG_9766.JPG
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We hustled over to Jingle Cruise to try and beat the crowds. While snaking through the crowd I got pelted by the spitting camel. Our skipper wasn't quite on point but we enjoyed the ride regardless. Our wait time was 15 minutes.

IMG_9822.JPG


Oh and when we got off and headed for the Hub I got hit in the back with so much water! That D**n camel!

It was 9:30 Fireworks are at 10:00. For me this was more important than the parade. I told the girls to skip it if they wanted and we'd meet back up.

I had been watching wait times all night because of different things I'd heard about the Christmas Party and wait times being long. All night times were half of what they were posted. Space Mountain was listed as 20 minutes. So I suggested lets ride it before the Fireworks. ~sigh~ The only and I mean only ride in the park that was the actual wait time listed was Space Mountain. At 10:05 we make it to the Tomorrowland bridge. C tries to get us closer but I just should've staked out a spot earlier. I will say that the Christmas overlay was awesome!

IMG_9824.JPG
IMG_9833.JPG
IMG_9837.JPG


The girls wanted the Sugar Plum Shake from Auntie Gravity's. It was delicious but neither could finish it.

IMG_9842.JPG


Tuvalu gave me some wonderful advice for the party. One of which was "no pajamas". These ladies did not get that advice

IMG_9843.JPG
IMG_9845.JPG


Buzz was 5 minute wait. Em has no idea what she hit but she was so excited!
IMG_9850.JPG


They were having a titanic moment and C was singing. People mover was a walk on

IMG_9851.JPG
IMG_9857.JPG
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We haven't rode Speedway for years. But someone special told me it had a holiday overlay. Never again. I don't think those steering wheels actually do anything. A 5 minute wait.

IMG_9862.JPG

IMG_9864.JPG


Tea cups. I would enjoy this with just the regular spinning but my girls try to outdo every teacup on the ride. They asked me to video tap it. I feel this is the only reason I didn't throw up since I only stared at the phone screen. The overlay was loud an obnoxious. We loved it!

tea.png


Em mentioned a few times about 7 Dwarves not being worth it but C and I said were riding it. It was a 15 minute wait. Here is our only proof of riding. Em liked it.
IMG_9870.JPG


It's 11:40. One more ride. Peter Pan was a 10 minute wait.

IMG_9872.JPG

IMG_9873.JPG


My favorite character!

IMG_9879.JPG


I don't want to leave.

IMG_9880.JPG

IMG_9882.JPG

IMG_9883.JPG
 
Last edited:

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This was a Sold out Sunday Christmas Party. It was midnight. C has to work in the morning, Em and I have a flight to catch first thing in the morning. Em and C have had about enough of each other as they can stand. Two days is about their limit.

Me I just want to walk so slow and soak it all in. That's not happening.

IMG_9884.JPG
IMG_9885.JPG


It starts to SNOAP!! I have to run to catch up with them to scream "IT'S SNOAPING"

IMG_9886.JPG
IMG_9888.JPG
IMG_9889.JPG
IMG_9890.JPG


Em is powerwalking and I yell and make her pose.

IMG_9891.JPG
IMG_9892.JPG
IMG_9893.JPG


We hop in the Monorail and look more ladies didn't take the advice they should have.

IMG_9895.JPG



We took a tram back to the car and got home around 1am. I had a wonderful time. I did feel rushed to get everything done we all wanted to do. Do I feel like I got value for my $169? NO. Would I do it again? No. Am I glad I did it once? You betcha!

I know this was a bit rushed but I wanted to get this posted so anyone that wanted information about the party may get some answers they wanted.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom