Trip Report Shortest Retirement in History?

Justin Bieber lasted 2 weeks.

Tom Brady lasted 40 days.

I, Tuvalu, outlasted them both. Not by much, mind you. Yet if not for the encouragement of some forum friends - along with some unusual circumstances - you wouldn’t be reading this.

Unusual circumstances, you say?

Around Thanksgiving my beloved Woody learned his presence was required at a work conference. In Orlando. At Universal.
Just down the road from Walt Disney World.

Woody said I could accompany him if he drove (rather than flew) to Florida. And that we could leave a couple days early and have some Disney time together.

Well you don’t have to ask me twice!

I’d be on my own during the conference. Since the majority of Universal’s attractions don’t appeal to me, it didn’t make sense for me to buy Uni tickets when I could visit WDW for free with my AP. Being solo, I thought it might be fun to do a live trip report so y’all could be my virtual companions!

Turns out I won’t be alone while Woody is occupied after all. Some friends that you have seen in my previous TRs (and one you haven’t) have offered to play with me. I can’t wait!

 

[wdisney9000]

Filler up on the TR please

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

Em had done her research and her MNSSHP priorities were trick or treating, Headless Horseman, Boo To You and fireworks. There was also a treat she wanted. Anything else was a bonus. I was just along for the ride and happy to yield to whatever Em wanted to do.

Leaving Mermaid we were close to our first trick or treat location.

While there was a queue at each treat location the lines moved fast. And the CMs gave generous scoops of candy every time.

There were three photo op sets. We had seen two previously (near Plaza and in Adventureland) since they remain out for the duration of MNSSHP season. We’d not seen this one yet and thought it was great nostalgia.

 

[Tuvalu]

Party Pooh.

Only one resident of the Hundred Acre Woods was wearing the same costume as depicted on our shirts.
Pirate Tigger!

 

[Tuvalu]

We popped into the next treat station simply because we had never been inside Princess Fairy Tale Hall.

It was worth the visit!

At least for me. Em doesn’t seem so sure…..

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

Supposedly the Headless Horseman rides fifteen minutes before the start of the Boo To You parade. (I can’t vouch for the timing as I wasn’t wearing a watch.) Em wanted to make sure we claimed our viewing spot in time to catch him. The parade route was already crowded when we arrived but we snagged a place in front of two trash cans (because who wants to stand in front of trash cans? )

I was camera-ready when the crowd began to stir. He’s in the pic below though more of a “Where’s Waldo?” (Or more accurately, “Where’s the Headless Horseman?”

Here he is - in all his blurry glory!

(This special effect fascinates me!)

Soon the parade was forthcoming.

The music is catchy and the costumes are great! I took just a few pictures because 1) I am no @fractal and 2) I wanted to see with my eyes, not through a lens.

“Sanderson sisters” Minnie and Daisy were adorable.

I never saw Hocus Pocus and watched it after we were home. At the risk of being Booed, it was a one and done for me!

The return of the pandemic cavalcade float brought flashbacks to a time I’d rather forget.

(This float has probably always been a part of Boo To You, but my first sightings of it were in 2020-2021.)

The Pirate float was impressive for its sheer size.

The villains float was our favorite - especially the cronies in Cruella’s car! But there were so many other things that delighted us as well. Em and I give Boo To You….

 

[Tiggerish]

I will not Boo you, I didn't care for Hocus Pocus either.

 

[Tuvalu]

We scooted over to the Haunted Mansion once the finale passed by us. Standby of 40 minutes was a big nope for us, but I took some exterior shots. (Thus we missed the graveyard ghouls, @pkkurz .)

I loved the rolling fog progression through the pet cemetery.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I’m not a Hocus Pocus fan either. I’ve watched it twice in recent years in case I was missing something but nope, not for me

 

[RememberWhen]

Perhaps it’s an age thing? I’m 41, and Hocus Pocus is a classic Halloween movie at my house (though they discuss virginity more than I remember noticing as a kid….)!
You all must just be too young.

 

[93boomer]

Monday, con’t

Supposedly the Headless Horseman rides fifteen minutes before the start of the Boo To You parade. (I can’t vouch for the timing as I wasn’t wearing a watch.) Em wanted to make sure we claimed our viewing spot in time to catch him. The parade route was already crowded when we arrived but we snagged a place in front of two trash cans (because who wants to stand in front of trash cans? )

View attachment 824124

I was camera-ready when the crowd began to stir. He’s in the pic below though more of a “Where’s Waldo?” (Or more accurately, “Where’s the Headless Horseman?”

View attachment 824125

Here he is - in all his blurry glory!

View attachment 824126
(This special effect fascinates me!)

Soon the parade was forthcoming.

View attachment 824127

The music is catchy and the costumes are great! I took just a few pictures because 1) I am no @fractal and 2) I wanted to see with my eyes, not through a lens.

View attachment 824128

“Sanderson sisters” Minnie and Daisy were adorable.

View attachment 824129

I never saw Hocus Pocus and watched it after we were home. At the risk of being Booed, it was a one and done for me!

The return of the pandemic cavalcade float brought flashbacks to a time I’d rather forget.

View attachment 824130
(This float has probably always been a part of Boo To You, but my first sightings of it were in 2020-2021.)

The Pirate float was impressive for its sheer size.

View attachment 824131

View attachment 824132

The villains float was our favorite - especially the cronies in Cruella’s car! But there were so many other things that delighted us as well. Em and I give Boo To You….
View attachment 824134

Just kidding

 

[Tuvalu]

You all must just be too young.

 

[LadyBelle]

I never saw Hocus Pocus and watched it after we were home. At the risk of being Booed, it was a one and done for me!

How about a Sad Boo?

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

The next trick or treat spot we visited was in Philharmagic. In all, we hit 8 of the 15 treat locations. Our bags were nearly full (and heavy!) so visiting all would have required a sack!

Anyhoo, in addition to the candy distribution, Philharmagic was open as a “rest station” and was showing the cartoon version of Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

We enjoyed the festive atmosphere as we journeyed from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. The Tea Cups had special lighting, there was a Vampirina Disney Jr. Jam in Cosmic Ray’s, and a dance party with the Descendants villain kids on the Rockettower Plaza Stage.

And though we’d already ridden during the day, a nighttime spin around Tomorrowland was a must!

A pitch-black ride in total darkness on Space Mountain, however, was not.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Monday, con’t

The next trick or treat spot we visited was in Philharmagic. In all, we hit 8 of the 15 treat locations. Our bags were nearly full (and heavy!) so visiting all would have required a sack!

Anyhoo, in addition to the candy distribution, Philharmagic was open as a “rest station” and was showing the cartoon version of Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

View attachment 824281

We enjoyed the festive atmosphere as we journeyed from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. The Tea Cups had special lighting, there was a Vampirina Disney Jr. Jam in Cosmic Ray’s, and a dance party with the Descendants villain kids on the Rockettower Plaza Stage.

And though we’d already ridden during the day, a nighttime spin around Tomorrowland was a must!

View attachment 824282

A pitch-black ride in total darkness on Space Mountain, however, was not.

I’m so jealous, we missed all these things! Now that I’m thinking of it, I don’t think we even walked through Fantasyland at all during the party.

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

After Peoplemover we hit the treat spot outside Carousel of Progress. Em suggested moving on to another treat station at Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, “because it has a Halloween Twist.”

I was intrigued.

CMs were doling out candy in the sloped “hold area” outside the theater. The theater doors were open for guests to exit through. Upon entering we saw that a few guests were seated and decided to join them, wondering what the “twist” would be.

In just a couple minutes Buddy Boil appeared onscreen. He began to engage with not only the audience, but also the clueless number of guests who continued to walk past the screen. Buddy would make a comment about their costume or the fact they must be in a hurry or wish them Happy Halloween.

It was hilarious.

Then the camera would focus on these children (multiple times as we sat there) and that little boy would dance. Every. Single. Time.

And a nearby CM would give him candy!

It was adorable.

Em and I were glad we stayed there for a bit. We actually stayed longer since two of the attractions we wanted to experience were down.

We missed out on The Cadaver Dans and swashbuckler Rusty Cutlass because of the closures.

 

[Tuvalu]

But a benefit of not trekking back across the park was finding a great spot to watch the fireworks.

The Jack Skellington puppet was fun to watch!

(Haven’t seen Nightmare Before Christmas. Hold the pitchforks!)

My favorite projection was near the finale. All the colors were stunning!

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

While the night was winding down, it was far from over! A quick check of the app revealed that both Pirates and BigThunder Mountain were now open.

Em and I hustled across the castle hub as quickly as we could.

Though there were no signs of Rusty, Pirates was a walk on. (Guests in line below were waiting to meet Jack Sparrow.)

Proof we rode since there was no ride photo.

As we were making our way towards BTMRR a female voice called out behind us, “Where do you work?”

Befuddled, we both stopped and turned around. Although we did not know it in the moment, the gal in costume was a CM attending the party.

“You both are wearing gray tops with black bottoms,” she explained. “That’s the uniform characters must wear when not in character. I assumed you were on your way to work.”

I silently laughed, thinking the only Disney character I’m qualified to play is Fairy Godmother.

“So now you know a Disney secret,” she said to us in parting.

She might regret her decision to tell us now that I’ve posted it on a fan forum!

And lest anyone reading doubt her credibility, the next day Em noticed - and pointed out to me - two guys dressed in gray shirts with black shorts coming from a backstage area at DHS. Both were carrying hard-sided cases which could have contained character costumes.

 

[Skibum1970]

The next trick or treat spot we visited was in Philharmagic. In all, we hit 8 of the 15 treat locations. Our bags were nearly full (and heavy!) so visiting all would have required a sack!

Anyhoo, in addition to the candy distribution, Philharmagic was open as a “rest station” and was showing the cartoon version of Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

"Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is my only Halloween tradition. Our school played this when I was young (no, not when it first released) and I purchased the DVD many years ago. I still laugh at the jokes and find myself singing some of the songs to myself. We have added the Donald Duck "Trick or Treat" cartoon to the tradition as well.