Trip Report Some People are Worth Melting For: Round 2! (PLUS, a little Christmas, right this very minute!)

We’re back!

Timeline: June 2024
Location: Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge
Cast: Me (A), Dad (R), my sister SB, brother-in-law Iz, and niece B!
Why? It is little B’s first trip! I feel so thankful to be here experiencing the magic with her for the first time.

This is all of us pre-B during our last trip all together in 2021. I’m excited for SB and Iz to finally experience WDW since the pandemic. Things were quite different back in Summer 2021! They also of course haven’t ridden Ratatouille, Guardians, or Tron yet, so I’m looking forward to that for them too.

 

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I was timing things exceptionally well today. After I left Italy, I leisurely walked over to America and the VoL were set to begin their show in 10 minutes. I wandered around for a few and noticed that there were already a few people in line for standby to see Josh Gad and the Candlelight Processional. It was only 1:30, so I was shocked. My Garden Grill breakfast was also a Candlelight Dining Package for the 6:45 show, so I started to wonder when I too should join the line since that was the main reason I booked this trip in the first place! Queue anxiety.

Anyways, the VoL were excellent as always.

I didn’t stop for more food here because I’m not a turkey, catfish, or snickers fan, but I saw others and the portions were excellent.

On to Japan, featuring the Sushi Tree Roll, which was pretty to look at but also not my thing.

I again managed to walk right up not to their storyteller, but to the drum show!

I knew I wanted to see Pere Noel, so I checked the times in the app and had about 15 minutes to make it over for the next show. I swiftly walked past this booth to make it. I would have liked to try the Pastrami but, Pere Noel calls.

 

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I also wanted to try the chocolate martini in France and vowed to get it later, but sadly did not. I heard it tasted like a melted chocolate popsicle, so I’m sad I missed it.

I didn’t miss Pere Noel though! He was excellent, but I think his microphone was malfunctioning because he was very quiet.

I also didn’t miss this guy, if you’re familiar with him! We watched Pere Noel together.

After a total fangirl moment, I pulled myself together and decided what to do next. Ratatoille was a 110 minute wait, but I heard they had started running single rider so I walked over to give it a shot.

I am happy to report that in only TEN minutes, I was through the queue and boarding my rat. 10/10.

I headed on into the UK next. It was starting to sprinkle a little bit. I loved the banners for the festival. So cute.

In keeping with my excellent live entertainment timing, I caught some of the UK band’s performance.

 

[Beastly74]

You got to meet Paging Mr.Morrow! We love watching his videos and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. I have to say I am a bit jealous .
Enjoying your report. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I think it is cool you got to meet Nate (Mr. Morrow) too! His videos are great and I ran into him at D23 this year in Anaheim and he was as nice as he seems in his videos. My husband and I love how dorky he is.

 

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With the sprinkling turning more into a steady rain, I was looking for a place to hide out. Originally, I thought I’d head back over to The Land but then realized I was 5 minutes away from seeing the Canadian band. I decided to take a seat under one of the large umbrellas and wait.

It was well worth it! This was one of my favorite things I saw. They are really good!

I almost got the Beef Bourguignon, but decided it wasn’t worth the trouble in the rain.

I walked through some of the shops at the WS entrance just to stay drier. I thought these overalls and dress were cute. I would have gotten something, but usually it’s just way too hot to wear stuff like that!

I feel like it’s sad that they have to do this for the pins now. It makes me not want to bother because it’s so much trouble to have a CM come open it.

In keeping with my trend this afternoon, I looked at the menu here but passed. I guess I’m a bit too picky for this festival.

It was a little after 4:00 and my goals for the remainder of the day included seeing the Barn Santa and scoring a great seat for the 6:45 show of the Candlelight Processional. As such, I went back into Mexico. The name of the game was crowds, crowds, crowds.

 

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I was nervous that the Barn Santa wouldn’t show with the weather, but it stopped raining just in time and CM’s came out to quickly dry the set. I also ran into Nate (Paging Mr. Morrow) again!

This was my favorite of the storytellers, with La Befana being a close second.

The bridge was up to bring in the Luminous barges, so that created quite the commotion.

I made my way to get in line for the processional. I was about the 20th person back on the dining package side and VERY early, but I decided to just hang out since there was nothing else to do in the area. I made friends with a sweet family behind me, so it made the time pass quickly! That was one thing I noticed about being alone- it felt like I never really was because there were so many people willing to talk in line. Honestly, I didn’t have a bad view of the 5:00 show!

Another thing of note is the level of WIND. The closer it got to the 6:45 show, the wind got worse and worse. No rain, but I couldn’t believe how cold it made it feel!

 

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Soon after the 5:00 show ended, we were let in. I scored the second row, and really enjoyed being that close.

Candlelight Processional: 11/10. LOVED it. Josh Gad was funny and wonderful and did a beautiful job reading the Christmas story. The music was wonderful, choir fantastic. I also highly enjoyed watching the conductor. He truly eluded joy and seemed like he was just having the best time. My favorite part was when the whole audience joined in for Silent Night. Chills. I know different narrators and conductors might make it feel a little different, but if you’re on the fence about it, do it. I’m already thinking through how I can make it work for next year.

After the show got out, it was freezing, damp, and crowded. I wanted to try the Mozzarella “Corn Dog” at the new Blue Ribbon place on the Boardwalk, so I decided to bail out of Epcot and walk over. I love the Boardwalk at night!

…..I wish I could say I also loved the giant cheese stick at night. I waited in the line for like 25 minutes and then was told they ran out.

I considered my options.

A. Take a boat to HS to see Fantasmic.

B. Go back to Epcot for dinner somewhere.

C. Bail completely and go back to ASMu.


Option A was vetoed for me when I saw the boat driving away shortly after I received my devastating news.

I ended up (reluctantly) going with option B.

Yorkshire County Fish & Chips for the win.

AND, an almost completely empty dining section in the water. I’ll take it.

Part of me wanted to stay and watch Luminous from my epic location, but with the continued rain, I decided to call it a night.

 

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But, not before a final run on Spaceship Earth!

We did stop here….

And here.

For a combined total of 25 minutes! I was so hoping for an evac but it didn’t happen.

It had been a GREAT day. Magic Kingdom in the morning tomorrow!

 

[ToInfinity]

You got to meet Paging Mr.Morrow! We love watching his videos and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. I have to say I am a bit jealous .
Enjoying your report. Thanks for sharing.

I think it is cool you got to meet Nate (Mr. Morrow) too! His videos are great and I ran into him at D23 this year in Anaheim and he was as nice as he seems in his videos. My husband and I love how dorky he is.

He was SO nice. My family and I love his videos, so I was thrilled to run into him. He is just as friendly in person as he seems in his videos. I ran into him twice, and both times he was looking around to see if there was anybody who he could improve their experience. Both times, he let young children in front of him so they could see better!

 

[cgersic]

I travel to the World solo quite a bit, and chatting with the families is one of my very favorite thing!