Trip Report I Did Something Bad... *Completed*

Hello everyone! My, it has been a long time... You'll have to forgive me, but school is currently eradicating every last drop of happiness and cheer from my soul! To remedy that, I have.... I have come up with a plan that may be insane. Don't worry, I haven't purchased anything non-refundable yet... So far, no one's been able to come up with a compelling argument for me NOT to do this...

Picture this... October 5th and 6th, I have a random "fall break". It seems perfectly placed. A microbiology exam that Tuesday, and then NOTHING until a physiology exam the following Friday... What am I supposed to do with those 2 free days? "Oh, you should study," you say... Dear reader... I fear if I studied those 2 days I may go insane. How about... How about...

Getting on a red eye flight out of Pittsburgh that would involve me leaving for the airport at 3:30am (you cringed, I felt it), arriving in Orlando early Thursday morning, probably conking out in my swanky All Star room for a couple of hours (should Bob Iger allow my room to be ready), and then going to the Halloween party that night? And then... and then getting on a flight back to Pittsburgh the following afternoon?

That's the bare bones of the plan. I've already booked the room (because it's REFUNDABLE and I can CANCEL okay and it SPARKED JOY) and I'm holding off on flight (it's under $100 but it's Spirit and I think you have to sign a waiver saying you are willing and able to pilot the plane when you fly with them) and event tickets until I check with my professor that this fall break is actually legitimate and not a lie (we had class on the 4th of July when no one else did so I've been burned before).

In other news, I saw Taylor Swift in June which was life changing! But now I need something new to look forward to...

Too insane? You tell me.

 

[tonystark]

I personally don't mind getting stuck on Haunted because it's an opportunity to catch new details. However, I wouldn't have minded getting stuck in another room. R told me I was getting lazy with my cleaning because he spotted a few cobwebs. I told him to try cleaning up after 998 other people every single day and see how he fares.

My excellent photography skills trying to capture the huge curtain hiding the Hatbox Ghost. I think this thing is so dumb. The whole point of Madame Leota's seance is to cause the ghosts to materialize. I don't CARE if it ties into the movie. I don't care. I like that the front half of HM is up to your imagination, it's a lot spookier. I don't need the Hatbox Ghost standing in front of a hallway to remind me that this is a ride about ghosts. I can be patient and see them 45 seconds later Whatever. Get rid of Constance and throw him in there. Okay. I mean it when I say whatever. But —

Ahhh the graveyard scene. Full of ghosts that you can see following Madame Leota's seance... I haven't taken the plunge and watched the movie yet, either. Despite how horrendous the Eddie Murphy movie is, it also has a special place in my heart, and I watch it as a guilty pleasure around Halloween...

My blurry picture of the cats.

More blurry pictures of more ghosts. Speaking of pictures, our ride photos never showed up

Fellas.

My favorite ghost of all, as you all know. Still dancing away in that mausoleum.

Be sure you bring your... death certificate. If you should decide to join us...
(Sorry for suggesting that they replace you with Hatbox)

Another goal I had for this trip was the "hard launch" of our relationship on social media lol. We'd been dating for around 5 months and no one really knew also because I don't go anywhere or do anything. But I thought it was finally time to make it... Instagram official. Gone are the days of being Facebook official.

Far away? (Nope).

Up close with no flash. Better. Mission accomplished.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I have recently become obsessed with the coffee caramel cold brew m&ms, but i agree the flavored ones are mostly just a miss

 

[Wicked Sisters]

We had the All American Sundae for the first time recently and cannot wait to have many more when we go in 2025. The best ever !! Just wanted to say you make a lovely couple.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Agree about the placement of hatbox ghost. I would have been fine with them putting him in the attic. Or I don't know why they don't put him between the attic and graveyard like at DL. Whatever. Also haven't watched the new movie! I don't have high hopes, but I'll watch it eventually...I tend to get annoyed at things that only exist as fan service.

 

[cgersic]

I DID watch the new movie and absolutely loved it!!!! Give it a go girls!

 

[Tiki Traveler]

I DID watch the new movie and absolutely loved it!!!! Give it a go girls!

We might have another debate like GOG music w/the new Haunted Mansion movie. I thought it was a little slow getting started and then okay. Even though the previous version gets knocked if I was a kid I would have seriously been scared with the cemetery/mausoleum scenes.

@tonystark - I love Halloween so enjoying your report!

 

[Captain Barbossa]

With people speaking over the Ghost Host...

Worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. Enjoying your report!

 

[amjt660]

Hello
T and I watched the movie on Halloween and thought it somewhere inbetween OK and Good.
The references to the rides ( Cali and Florida) were fun to watch out for but the story was meh for us.

Enjoying the report - congrats on officially being a couple


Max

 

[tonystark]

I have recently become obsessed with the coffee caramel cold brew m&ms, but i agree the flavored ones are mostly just a miss

R became a fan of those from this party lol. I should probably get him some for Christmas and be a #good #girlfriend

 

[tonystark]

Happy Halloween... from the trenches... of education.

Where were we? Like... over a month ago? This is going to be a true test of my memory.

It was time to make our way along the usual path after riding HM. At least, it's the usual path to me... It's what my brain wants to do after HM — do you do something different? Assuming, of course, that the wait time isn't astronomical...

But at 5 minutes, one can not deny ATTRACTION NINE! Yes, I had to scroll back a page to see what number we left off on.

While in line the Dread Eye of Tiana gazed down upon us. And found us lacking.

No getting to pick a side anymore. Just go... go DOWN to TRAINS!

All aboard! At least we weren't at the front this time.

An evening with the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness. And the requisite photo.

A 10 minute wait for ATTRACTION TEN. Had the Dread Eye of Tiana not searched my soul, we would've gone on Splash, were we following the Attraction Rules... Alas, we had to settle for Pirates.

Her gaze... Is All-Knowing.

One of these days I'm going to walk down this little hallway and disappear.

How I'm feeling with 1 more week and 3 exams before Thanksgiving break... Crawling my way there.

 

[tonystark]

Or perhaps I feel more like this guy... Don't be chicken...

Considering dropping out and going into hat-selling. I shall become a milliner.

Or perhaps a humble pig farmer...

Remember the children? I remember the children. LOL now I'm googling it and nothing is coming up about there being children in this room before the Jack Sparrow animatronic installation. Convinced I am misremembering.

Bouncing with Tigger for ATTRACTION ELEVEN. I'm sorry, we teleported. I guess nothing interesting happened on the way here.

My pictures are OUT OF ORDER? But... Here is the sign.

Yet another relatable image! I think R was wondering why we were getting in line for this one until we were on it. Pooh is worth it!

I also feel as perturbed as Rabbit in this image.

And everyone said Hooray! It's mandatory that you say Hooray with everyone at the end of the ride, Bob Iger told me so.

You know where I'm taking us. At this point in the night, it's around 9:15 and R and I are hitting a wall. A wall of tiredness.

 

[tonystark]

Gazing down from my vantage point on ATTRACTION TWELVE at this horrible dance party. I hate these things. I don't know what I'd rather they do with the space, but certainly something different.

I promised R we would not be making our way through that hoard if I could help it.

Took this photo with the intention of riding SM next. Except between now and getting off PM, I literally forgot and so we didn't get on Space again this trip. I was upset with myself for getting distracted! Alas, there's always next time.

Had to pop into Cosmic Ray's to get some water because I needed to take some medicine, and it was during this quest that I completely forgot Space Mountain existed. Perhaps because I was so disturbed by the lack of Sonny Eclipse that my mind was addled.

This is where I must admit to breaking a rule. We were walking back to Haunted Mansion, cutting from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland, and they had roped off the middle bit of Fantasyland in anticipation of the fireworks that were happening in 30 MINUTES. This was over by Village Haus. Anyways, people were arguing with the CM so while they were distracted, I walked down to the end of the rope by the bathrooms, ducked under it, and continued on. I know, I know. It was shameful behavior on my part. But... I wasn't going to walk through the Hub. Not when it was like that. So, there we go. The rule I broke. If it makes you feel any better, we really were just cutting through to...

ATTRACTION THIRTEEN (spooky)

We didn't wait in line for 30 minutes. We were behind a couple who had just visited their in-laws in Naples (small world!) so I chatted with them throughout the line. It's so strange being in FL but not visiting home. The temptation to throw myself into a rental car and abandon my education was strong.

Got stuck here for a bit.

And here! I would've preferred to have been stuck going backwards. My little chiropractor appointment.

You can tell I was considering skedaddling when I decided to just get right back on Haunted for ATTRACTION FOURTEEN. But, well...

Carlotta (?) was on break.

 

[tonystark]

Drinking in the details until next time... Thinking about how I have a jigsaw puzzle of the stretching room portraits and it's literally impossible... Took me days to finish the quicksand one (so many shades of brown)... One day I'll do them all and frame them. When I have a big girl job and a big girl house.

You can tell I was feeling delusional because I decided to take a picture of HER if she was going to have the audacity to take a picture of me and not share it.

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye... You were bigger than the whole sky...

The Dread Eye said I could use her restroom.

This was admittedly very spooky! I was the only person in here. Nothing quite like being soaked to the skin using these bathrooms. I remember them being unspeakably foul. And wet.

For old time's sake? For ATTRACTION FIFTEEN? (As an aside I was convinced we did 16 so either I counted incorrectly — entirely possible, it's been a while — or I was hallucinating in the moment).

End of the line. 15 for Attraction 15. The coincidence! The irony! My inability to count!

It was time to make our way out of the park. This picture was taken at 11 pm. I COULD NOT make it to midnight, but I asked R if he had anything else that he wanted to ride and he said he was ready to hit the hay. We had been up since 3:59 am, after all... (Bonkers).

Oh, no. My least favorite part of a trip. Time to say goodbye...

See ya real soon, indeed... Darn it, I wish I was doing a crazy trip for a Christmas party!! But I must stay strong.

 

[tonystark]

Ugh, do I really have to go?

Why is there always a bus waiting for you when you don't want to go??? But there's never a bus when you need one. The Nanny McPhee effect.

A long trek back to the room. But it was 11:40 and I was fast asleep by 12:20.

Weren't we just here? Yes. My keen eye picked out UF and WVU being side by side, which is ironic, because that has been the path of my US post-secondary education.

This is handy. But the nail in the coffin. The trip was over. It was time to return to reality.

Always enough time to poke around the gift shop to see if the Kermit nuiMO was available. He was not. One day, oh, one day...

This was really cute. And if I had a big girl house, and big girl money, oh, it would be SOOOOOOO OVER. Alas. Rationality prevailed.

A cute shirt? My God, a first. But I resisted.

I didn't resist the healthiest breakfast choice, however! Man, I could go for one of these right now!!!

 

[tonystark]

Staring at a bus I wished to board instead of the one that was approaching...

But in the end... We all must do things that we don't want to do.

Wow, these Mears Connect buses have really great theming!

Whilst onboard I did this survey about Steakhouse 71. I was hoping it was going to about the party, or perhaps the dreadful merchandise, or perhaps even an opportunity to express my undying devotion to Sonny Eclipse... But I gave our waitress a shoutout, as well as the pasta salad (hold the olives).

Pretty soon I was sat in MCO forcing myself to watch lectures I had missed because we take a class with the dental students and they did not get a fall break (how sad). It's a good thing I had work to do...Because our flight was delayed!

It was little over an hour after our original departure time before we boarded. But we boarded (I don't know what I would've done if the flight had been cancelled. Oh, but I do know, and you know, too... We would've gone right back to WDW and had another day there!)

Before too long, we were staggering our way to the car in a parking lot that had seemed much easier to navigate at 4 in the morning the previous day. My chauffeur returned us to West Virginia and supplied me with...

An M&M McFlurry to round out the trip. Because one can never have too much ice cream in a 36 hour period.
Overall, well, let's see...
15 attractions, not bad.
29,344 steps, not bad.
Life force refilled from a few spins on Haunted Mansion. Favorite desserts consumed. Mears Connect? Not bad, probably worth the money since it took out the hassle or the need to think. R had fun, my phone made it without dying (it was at 6% when we got to the room. Proud of her). The only thing I really wish we'd gotten to do was Carousel of Progress. Next time, though, there's always next time.

Thanks for sticking with me on a trip report that took way too long for me to complete. Please accept my apology.

 

[Tuvalu]

No getting to pick a side anymore. Just go... go DOWN to TRAINS!
View attachment 753821

Fun Fact - DOWN TO TRAINS is used when only one side is loading. Otherwise the sign is flipped to USE BOTH SIDES.

Remember the children? I remember the children. LOL now I'm googling it and nothing is coming up about there being children in this room before the Jack Sparrow animatronic installation. Convinced I am misremembering.
View attachment 753831

Not exactly misremembering, just fuzzy. I always assumed it was the (child-like?) castle prince tied to the chair along with a pirate in the last show scene. This video grab from 1997 was the best I could find (without giving up my entire morning! )

This is where I must admit to breaking a rule. We were walking back to Haunted Mansion, cutting from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland, and they had roped off the middle bit of Fantasyland in anticipation of the fireworks that were happening in 30 MINUTES. This was over by Village Haus. Anyways, people were arguing with the CM so while they were distracted, I walked down to the end of the rope by the bathrooms, ducked under it, and continued on. I know, I know. It was shameful behavior on my part. But... I wasn't going to walk through the Hub. Not when it was like that. So, there we go. The rule I broke. If it makes you feel any better, we really were just cutting through to...
View attachment 753842

See ya real soon, indeed... Darn it, I wish I was doing a crazy trip for a Christmas party!! But I must stay strong.

Ugh, do I really have to go?
View attachment 753860

I see what you did there, Patricia.

Before too long, we were staggering our way to the car in a parking lot that had seemed much easier to navigate at 4 in the morning the previous day. My chauffeur returned us to West Virginia and supplied me with...
View attachment 753880
An M&M McFlurry to round out the trip. Because one can never have too much ice cream in a 36 hour period.

What an entertaining TR!!! I insist you must go more frequently (and write about it, of course) once you get your job with Big Girl Money. (Which I know will be upon graduation since you are a smarty pants!!)

 

[cgersic]

Completely agree with Tuvalu!!! Soo much fun and he IS a keeper! Congratulations on everything, including a marathon day to introduce R to the World. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[rshell68]

Thanks for finishing! Looks like a great time. Good luck with the end of your semester!!

Thinking about how I have a jigsaw puzzle of the stretching room portraits and it's literally impossible... Took me days to finish the quicksand one (so many shades of brown)... One day I'll do them all and frame them

We've got that (those) puzzle(s) too! I'm stuck on the quicksand one. Barrel guy and tombstone sitter are completed.

 

[erstwo]

Happy Halloween... from the trenches... of education.

Where were we? Like... over a month ago? This is going to be a true test of my memory.

View attachment 753817
It was time to make our way along the usual path after riding HM. At least, it's the usual path to me... It's what my brain wants to do after HM — do you do something different? Assuming, of course, that the wait time isn't astronomical...

This photo is - WOW. Love the framing - perfection!

Thanks so much for this trip report, I really enjoyed reading it. It's a dream of mine to fly down and back just to 'spend the day'! I'll do it one day!

 

[Minnie1986]

View attachment 750403
It's time for ATTRACTION SEVEN! Look at that girl's ponytail go lol. She was on the move!!! And the wait was not 15 minutes, it was however long it took for my little legs to carry me...
View attachment 750404
Here.
View attachment 750405
How happy is this cruise?
View attachment 750406
This happy!!!
View attachment 750407
Love how this guy just spins around at high speeds.
View attachment 750408
Having a ball!!! Right? Right!!!
View attachment 750409
Ah, there she is... My old friend.
View attachment 750410
Time to enjoy my favorite attraction for ATTRACTION EIGHT!
View attachment 750411
I think this is an interesting choice. The actress was funny, but with the amount of times we rode HM, we ended up hearing a few jokes again.
View attachment 750412
Back in the stretching room... With people speaking over the Ghost Host...

It irritates me SOOOO much when people speak over the pre shows!!