Do you have a favorite nighttime show that you MUST SEE every trip? For Frank and I, it was always Wishes. While we enjoy Happily Ever After a lot, I’m not having quite the same emotional response to it that I used to have with Wishes…but I suspect that may come in time…Happily Ever After is SO spectacular and there is SO much going on…I think my brain stays super active, and my heart just doesn’t have time to catch up!
I also have a soft spot for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, and am sad that I most likely won’t be seeing it before that show is over forever to make way for whatever the next extravaganza will be…
I have seen Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom several times now, and I really like it. It’s different from the other shows, but really pretty.
And of course, Fantasmic. I’ve always loved that one…but it occurs to me I haven’t made time for it in a few years….Hmmmm….Maybe next trip….
Check out the video below for Disney’s brief summary of the nighttime shows at Walt Disney World currently:
Which show is a MUST NOT MISS? Or would you rather ride attractions during the shows, or get to bed early to be raring to go for the next day? I’d love to hear what your approach is to nighttime entertainment!
Here we are in October….Fall is here and it’s Halloween time. Of course, at Disney, Halloween time is starting earlier and earlier every year. This year, it began in AUGUST. They decorated for fall and Halloween early in the 2nd week of August and the first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party was August 17th this year! I’m sorry, I just can’t get in the mood for Halloween when I’m still hoping for beach and pool time, Disney or no Disney!
This is one of my favorite videos: it shows Walt Disney World getting ready for Halloween VERY quickly. This particular transformation is from last year, but they follow pretty much the same process every year. It’s short, but I think it’s kind of amazing how quickly Disney can make magic overnight….Take a look….
The video HELPS with the Halloween mood, but I still just couldn’t get in the mood until the weather here in the Midwest started to cool off and October showed up. I realize that it’s still in the 80’s and 90’s in Florida, and that will continue for a few more weeks (or more)–but for us here in Chicago, October means cooler temperatures, leaves changing color, windy and often rainy days…so I tend to associate those things with Halloween.
So even though a few weeks of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween parties (MNSSHP) have already taken place, I just couldn’t bring myself to post about this year’s party until now.
And really, many of you are starting to think about next year’s vacation plans, and you may be considering a trip for next fall. September and October can be a wonderful time to visit Walt Disney World–kids have gone back to school, and while there are a couple three day weekends here and there, any family vacations planned during this time will require pulling kids out of school, at least for a day or two, and many families can’t make that work. This CAN translate to lighter crowds than you might see at other times of the year.
If the fall is an option for your family, you could be considering MNSSHP. With ticket prices starting at $85 and climbing as high as $125 for parties at the end of October, you may be asking yourself….$100+????? Is it worth it???
That’s the big question, right? And unfortunately, as ticket prices keep climbing every year, and the number of tickets they sell for the parties appears to keep climbing as well, that question is getting harder and harder to answer.
A few years ago, I would have told you, ABSOLUTELY, YES! I would not have even thought twice. I would have said, “If you have the time and the funds, plan on attending the party.” In those days, the tickets maxed out around $70…and Disney carefully capped the crowds to keep the parties feeling very much like a special “privileged” VIP event. Don’t get me wrong; there were definitely lots of people, especially for “sold out” parties; however, these days, “sold out” is much closer to peak park attendance and borders on unpleasant, at least in my opinion.
What this means is that it’s not the automatic ABSOLUTELY YES that it used to be. Now, it’s more important to really think about whether this is a value for you and your travel group. Does this make sense for you?
Let’s take a look at the basics first.
What are you getting for the price of your ticket?
Access to the Magic Kingdom with your party ticket as early as 4 p.m., until the party ends at Midnight. Note: the party doesn’t actually begin until 7 p.m.–however, if you really want to maximize the value of your party ticket, do NOT use a park pass day to visit any parks on party day. Make it a relaxing day. Enjoy the resort, or plan the party for your travel day. Get to the Magic Kingdom in time to enter the park at 4 p.m., so you can play a little and perhaps eat dinner before the party begins. Bonus: If you’ve managed to have a restful day, you’re much more likely to have energy to enjoy the whole party–right through until the end–Midnight. If you’re likely to be wiped out by 9:30 p.m., most likely you won’t feel like you got a good value for your $100.
Boo to You Parade: The Boo to You Parade is ONLY offered during MNSSHP. It’s offered twice a night, and a lot of people with little kids tend to clear out after the first parade. I usually recommend hitting the second parade…While lots of people are watching the first parade, you will likely find shorter lines for attractions and character greetings. In my opinion, the Boo to You Parade is a really great parade. If the weather is good, you usually get to see the Headless Horseman riding along the parade route shortly before the parade begins…it’s eerie and awesome. The parade is fun, and there are lots of things you don’t normally get to see. Having said that–if you have been to these parties a couple of times, the parade doesn’t change. It doesn’t get updated, it hasn’t changed in several years. I love it, but it alone is not worth the price of the ticket, especially if you’ve seen it before.
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Characters in Costume: One of my favorite things about MNSSHP is that you get to see the characters in their Halloween costumes. I really enjoy seeing Minnie in her Witch outfit or Daisy as a princess and Donald as her knight….Some years there is some variety in the costumes, but reviewing pictures from the last few years, it seems that many character costumes get repeated. Regardless, it’s still a lot of fun.
Picture Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Special Character Greetings: MNSSHP is especially fun if you love character greetings, because often, there are characters available for character greetings during the Halloween party that you would never get to see otherwise. For example, this year’s party features Anastasia and Drizella (Cinderella’s stepsisters), Cruella DeVil, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the Queen of Hearts, Jack Skellington and Sally, the Gravediggers, Brer Rabit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear, Moana, Jafar, Tarzan, Jane, Terk, Elvis Stitch, Lotso (Toy Story 3), the Seven Dwarfs, Alice and the Mad Hatter, among others. You’ll also find a lot of your regular favorites in their Halloween costumes, like Goofy, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. And of course you can still find all your favorite princesses at Princess Fairy Tale Hall.
Photo Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
One caveat to consider: As both parties and character greetings have become more popular, the lines have gotten longer and longer for many of the more popular “unique” characters at these parties. If that picture with the Seven Dwarfs or Jack & Sally is your holy grail, you may need to plan your entire party experience around it, getting in line extra early, and being prepared to WAIT. Last time I went to MNSSHP, we saw lines for some of the most popular characters that exceeded 90 minutes. These parties are only five hours long, and that if you stay until midnight, so you do have to prioritize what you REALLY want to do.
HalloWishes: What would an evening at the Magic Kingdom be without fireworks? MNSSHP is no exception. Usually at 9 or 9:30 p.m. (check the schedule for the night of your party), Disney will present HalloWishes, a spectacular Villains themed fireworks spectacular…and it is really terrific. And again, it is something you can only see if you’re at the party. Or having dinner at Narcoosee’s at the Grand Floridian during a party. Or at the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort. Or on the beach at the Polynesian Resort. Or on your Magic Kingdom facing balcony at Bay Lake Tower. But I digress. Honestly, while all those locations outside the park are great ways to watch Disney fireworks and get a different perspective, there is nothing like BEING in the park during one of the shows to really be WOWED. And HalloWishes is a WOW show. At least for me personally. But I’m a big fan of Disney fireworks shows, especially all the incarnations that have been at Magic Kingdom. This is another show that has remained the same for many years. I still love it, I still think it adds a lot of value to the party, but I know there are those that say that if you’ve seen it a few times, it might not be worth the ticket price anymore. Or that it might be wiser to squeeze in another character greeting or attraction instead of watching HalloWishes.
Hallowishes fireworks Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Photo: Disney Parks)
Pictures Courtesy of Disney Photopass Gallery
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular:This is a very popular stage show that was new for the 2015 MNSSHP, based on the very popular Disney “cult classic” 1993 film staring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. While the movie basically bombed when it originally came out, it has become a revered Halloween seasonal favorite for many as the years have gone on, thanks to frequent cable and network airings. The Castle Mainstage productions are always very popular at these parties; the shows are usually 20 – 25 minutes long, and generally fairly crowded. This one has been more positively received that the two Villain themed shows that preceded it…but it has the same idea at it’s heart…bring as many favorite villains on to the stage as possible as Halloween is the time when the villains get to rule the night…It’s a great chance to get pictures of villains you may not see very often.
Picture Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Scream-o-Ween Dance Party: These dance parties are fairly hilarious…this one is in Tomorrowland, and includes Mike, Sully and Boo. They try to get everyone dancing and usually, it’s the littlest kids that are the most fun to watch.
Trick or Treating: There are several candy stations set up throughout the park, so you can take you trick or treat bag to each station (wait in line) and get your “free” candy. For me personally, these are kind of a waste of time. The candy is usually not great–it’s whoever donated it that year–there’s almost never any chocolate (probably smart in the Florida heat and humidity…but come on! Halloween without Hershey kisses or mini-candy bars??? It’s a crime!!) Anyways, it’s usually odd flavored hard candy or other strange things–I don’t know, I haven’t been too impressed with this element of the parties. I think if you have little kids that LOVE to trick or treat, they might get a kick out of it, but the lines were so long at the last party we went to, it just was not any fun.
Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet: Sure you can see the “Dapper” Dans any old day at the Magic Kingdom, and they are terrific….but you can only find the “Cadaver Dans” at MNSSHP. These guys perform in Frontierland try to kill you with laughter…or something like that. They’re pretty fun if you catch them.
Picture Courtesy Disney Parks Blog
Special Treats: There are special food items and treats that are only for sale during MNSSHP. Note: If any of these items turn out to be REALLY popular, you may see them show up on a regular menu or kiosk in the future…sometimes the parties are a bit of a testing ground for new items. Or a “special” themed cupcake that’s only for the party will end up being sold during the day throughout October. So take the “only for sale during the party” idea with a grain of salt. This year’s “special treats” include: Pumpkin Cheesecake (Main Street Bakery), Hades Nachos (Pecos Bill’s), Worms and Dirt (Pecos Bill’s), Zero Waffle Sundae (Sleepy Hollow), Jack Skellington Cake Push Pop (Sleepy Hollow), Madame Leota Dessert (Liberty Square Market), Hitchhiking Ghost Dessert (Aloha Isle), Oogie Boogie Meringue (Gaston’s Tavern), and the Muenster Smash Burger (Cosmic Ray’s).
Pictures Courtesy Disney Parks Blog
Special Party Only Merchandise:There is special merchandise that is only available during MNSSHP. And they are NOT kidding with this one. The stuff comes out at 7 p.m. (or a little before) and you cannot buy it without a party ticket. AND once it’s gone, apparently, it’s gone. I have been disappointed a few times by having my heart set on a particular pin or shirt, only to find it was sold out by the time I got to a party (or was ready to buy at the end of the night). This year’s special party only merchandise includes a limited edition Magic Band, party themed pins, special passholder only pins, and a villains themed pin set; party themed shirts and an ear ornament, themed to the party. There is also a line of products themed to the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, including a mug, tote bag, shirt and collectibles. Some items are special for passholders only. There’s also a line of “Hocus Pocus Costume” t-shirts designed to “sub” for a costume–and again, only available at the Party. The “party only” merchandise has always been a big draw for me for these events I’m not gonna lie. I’m a shopper. There’s no getting around it. If the party’s at the beginning of your trip, take advantage of package delivery, and have your purchases delivered to your resort for free. Then you don’t have to lug them around the party all night. A word of warning: Buy it when you see if the first time if you want it….or risk dragging your poor husband through every shop in the park as the park is closing to find that exact special party only item you HAVE to have that you didn’t buy when you saw it earlier in the evening…not that I know anything about that, of course.
Pictures Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Shorter lines for popular attractions due to smaller crowds: This one is getting a little more questionable as Disney is selling more tickets for these parties, and the parties are becoming more crowded. Generally, the idea is that because the park is closed to day guests, and the number of party attendees is “much less” than a typical “crowded” park day, the attraction lines are shorter. However, the same thing happens during the party that happens during the day: people gravitate to the most popular attractions, so some queues for less popular rides are walk ons, and there will be long lines at popular attractions. The line might be 60 minutes instead of the 150 minutes you might see during a typical crowded afternoon, but during a short 5 hour party….you have to decide how much time you are willing to wait in line, especially if you know you may be able to ride these same attractions later in your trip. It does get better later in the evening, especially after the first Boo to You parade is over, and even more so after the fireworks. The last two hours are usually pretty good for both character greetings and attractions, unless the party is VERY crowded, with obvious exceptions being VERY popular character greetings (like Jack & Sally) and attractions (like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train).
Exclusive Photopass “Magic Shots”: there are special magic shots that Photopass photographers can only do during MNSSHP. If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you probably already know that I am a NUT for photos, so the special magic shots are a real seller for me, especially because they really weren’t doing these a few years ago…this is one of the areas where the parties have started offering MORE, instead of less. This year, there are a number of special magic shot opportunities, according to the Disney Parks Blog. There are a couple shots on Main Streets where your party will be joined by some mysterious “ghostly” visitors. At the entrance of the Magic Kingdom, you can get a great shot where the headless horseman joins your family. There’s a scary glowing pumpkin shot that mimics the traditional “Tinkerbell” in your palm photo…that one looks pretty cool. Over near the Haunted Mansion, you can hitchhike with some friends, take a ride in a ghost driven hearse, and perhaps meet a very famous HatBox Ghost. The ghostly ones are my favorites, and I’m excited to see so many new ones have popped up.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Photo: Disney Parks)
Pictures Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
And there’s one more “hidden” benefit, that’s not TECHNICALLY included in your party ticket, but tends to be one of the BEST parts of attending a MNSSHP: seeing all the guests that come to the party in costume! Costume regulations and rules have gotten a lot more strict in the last couple of years due to safety concerns, so this isn’t QUITE as much fun as it used to be, but it is still a heck of a lot of fun. I’ve been surprised at how many guests dress up in costume. Some go VERY elaborate–others go pretty casual and easy with it, but it’s so much fun to see what everyone has thought of! And it’s even more fun to plan a costume for yourself or a group theme for your whole family or travel group….Just keep in mind the warm temperatures. You do NOT want to spend the evening melting in your costume…and be sure to review Disney’s costume guidelines here.
I wish I had a better picture of this, I know it’s a little blurry, but I had to share. One of the cutest costume ideas I saw at the last MNSSHP I attended.
Picture Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
So we come back to the original question: Is it worth it?
Some things I suggest you consider:
Have you ever been to a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party before? If not, I think you should probably put a point in the YES column. It’s definitely something everyone should do at least once, if they have the opportunity and means.
Do you like Halloween? Let’s face it, if you are NOT a Halloween person, don’t like it when people dress up, don’t see the point of trick or treating and don’t enjoy scary movies (even funny/scary)…You probably should just give MNSSHP a pass. It’s just not your cup of tea. However, if you LOVE Halloween, love getting dressed up, LOVE all things ghostly and pumpkin related…you may want to put another point in the YES column.
Can you plan the party attendance into your trip so that a) you don’t spend the whole day in another park and get worn out b) you are able to be in costume, ready to start your evening, at Magic Kingdom, at 4 p.m. (or 5 at the latest?) c) feel like you are likely to be able to enjoy the whole party, all the way through until Midnight? and d) deal with the impact that late night will have on the NEXT day–can that day be a rest day? Or a water park day that starts at 10 instead of 7? If all these answers are yes, that’s another point for the Yes column. If all are NO, then you may want to pass on the party. If you come down more mixed up, you probably need to do some careful thinking.
Do things like special merchandise, special food, special photopass magic shots ONLY available tat the party matter to you? If they’re important, put a point in the YES column. If you could care less, that’s a point in the No column.
How do you feel about parades? If you love the idea of a unique, nighttime parade featuring characters you don’t often get to seem, put a point in the YES column. If you really don’t enjoy parades, hate having to find a place to sit or stand to watch the parade, get annoyed with the crowds, etc., that’s a point for the NO column.
How do you feel about fireworks? If you are a fireworks fiend, put a point in the Yes column. If you don’t care about them, or strongly prefer to avoid them, that’s another check in the NO column.
Picture Courtesy of Disney Photopass Gallery
Where do you land on special Character greetings? Are they important to you? If so, that’s another Yes vote. If you can’t be bothered, that’s a big NO.
How many people in your group? What are their ages? There are a couple of reasons to look at this. For two adults, it’s a lot easier to move around the party and avoid crowds, moving quickly and adapting the plan as needed. For two adults and two kids in strollers, it gets more difficult to move through crowds, and the priorities are doing things that will make the kids happy. Skipping the trick or treat stations may not be an option. Staying until midnight may not be something you want to do. You need to plan ahead for parade and show seating, which will eat up some of your time from attractions, character greetings or trick or treating, so you’ll need to consider your priorities. For three adults, a six year old and two teens, there are still more things to consider. Do you want to stay together the whole time? Split up for part of it? Does everyone have the same interests? Do you want to focus on the shows and parade, or rides and character greetings? Think about the group you would bring to the party. Consider whether they would enjoy it, and whether you would enjoy it with them. If the answer is yes, then that’s more points in the YES column. If you’re not sure, you’ve got some more thinking to do.
Can you afford it? This is REALLY the big question. A Disney vacation is an investment. For many of us, it’s something we have budgeted for, and planned for and saved for. You have to consider your budget. Realistically, can you afford the tickets for the party for your group? Will it put a dent in your food budget or your souvenir budget? Or, since you are doing the party one day, could you buy 1 day less on your Magic Your Way tickets, and make up some savings that way? Could that make it work for you? I know not everyone needs to worry about these matters. For some people, budget it not a concern. If money is no object, and you want to go to the party for 2-5 hours, go for it. It’s a fun time, with lots of unique experiences. But for those of us who are more budget conscious, it usually means a trade off. What do I have to give up, if I buy these tickets? So give that some thought, and make sure you are comfortable with your choice.
Consider the value: If you pay $100 for your party ticket (less if you go in August or September, more if you go closer to Halloween), and you attend the party from 7 p.m. – 12 p.m., you’re spending $20 per hour for the party. Think about all the things available at the party, and recognize you will not be able to do all of them. Think about the things that would be most important to you and your travel group, and imagine that with proper planning you’ll be able to do at least most of them. Would you feel like you got $20 per hour worth of value for each person? Would you feel good about your investment? If you enter the park at 4 pm, you’ve added a couple hours to your park time, and now you’re spending $12.50 an hour. Conversely, if you leave at 10 p.m. and arrived at 7 p.m., you’ve spent $33.33 an hour. You are the only one that can determine the right value for you and your family or travel group.
Do I still think the parties are worth it? Mostly. It’s hard, because I struggle a little bit with that “good old days” thing. They used to not be so crowded. They used to be more affordable. They used to have this. They sometimes had that. Blah blah blah. But time marches on, and we live in the here and now.
Picture Courtesy of Disney Photopass Gallery
Today, given what we are hearing about the crowds and the lines, is it still worth it? For me personally, it’s probably still yes. It’s not as strong a yes as it used to be, and I’d try to stay a lot closer to that $80 than the $100. If I really wanted to attend, I would spend some extra time planning and try and choose a night that would hopefully not be sold out or super crowded. I would choose a night earlier in the season when prices are lower, and I would take advantage of whatever discounts I could. I would probably plan my night pretty carefully to make sure I could maximize the things that are important to me and my group. But gosh…when you sit down and think about all that you can see and do in 5 hours, all the options available…it’s hard to imagine NOT finding $20 per hour worth of value in that….for me personally. But that’s me.
I love the parade, I love the fireworks, I love the shows, and the silly dance parties and seeing everyone all dressed up. I love the special merchandise and the silly special food items, and the Haunted Horseman. I love the characters that wander around, talking to guests, that you don’t have to wait in line for, that you might just bump into. I love the different lighting and music that plays during the parties. I love the festive mood of the parties. I love watching little kids’ faces when they see the gravediggers making sparks on the street with their shovels during the parade, or when they see Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween finery.
You have to think about what you love. And what’s important for your vacation. Your group. And your budget. And then of course you have to think about the magic and the memories you want to bring home from your trip. And if it makes sense for you and your group, go for it.
The bottom line: you’ll have lots of amazing moments throughout your trip, whether you go to the party or not. Come on, it’s DISNEY! You KNOW it will be magical!
For many years, I was obsessed with the nighttime fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom, Wishes. My husband and I tried to make sure to catch it at least twice every trip, sometimes more often. We watched it from the front of the castle, from the rear of the castle, from the top of the Contemporary Resort, from the porch at Narcoosee’s at the Grand Floridian, from the beach at the Polynesian…you name it, we tried to watch it from there. And I cried…Every single time. The first time I told him I loved him….was during Wishes. He proposed to me one night in front of the Castle…just after Wishes had ended…I have the soundtrack for Wishes, and probably about a million pictures of it. Needless to say, I was very ATTACHED to Wishes.
Here’s a favorite “Wishes” picture from the Disney PhotoPass gallery:
When Disney announced that they were ending Wishes and would be introducing a new show, I was really sad. But I know that Disney isn’t a time capsule, it’s something that has to keep changing and growing to keep from getting stale. So even though I loved Wishes with great passion, I knew I had to let it go, and be open to the new show. Based on the press releases Disney released as they were developing the new shows, I had very high hopes for Happily Ever After.
I was crushed that we weren’t able to see Wishes one last time though. The last time we watched it was the night after we got married–we caught the tail end from the rail station at the front of Magic Kingdom. We had no idea then that we would never get to watch it again. {sigh}
Luckily, there are tons of really great videos of the show still on YouTube. Here’s a link to a great video of the very last show, posted by the Dis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTO1RlF12ZU No matter how good the videos are (and the videos from the Dis are always TERRIFIC!), they just can’t compare to the real thing.
Wishes had it’s final show on May 11, 2017, and the new, very high tech Happily Ever After premiered on May 12, 2018. In honor of it’s one anniversary, Disney Parks Blog posted a video of a couple of minutes from Happily Ever After, included here below:
Frank and I saw Happily Ever After for the first time during our November trip. I wanted to be sure we had a great spot to view it from, so I had reserved the Fireworks Dessert Party–Garden View for the two of us. I’m so glad we did! The park was PACKED that night, and the crowds around the hub to view the show were CRAZY! The special Garden View area wasn’t even there last time we’d visited; it was put in as part of the hub construction project that finished last year. They put in two of these; one in front of the Crystal Palace/Casey’s area and one in front of the Plaza Restaurant area. The Plaza area one is used for the Fireworks Dessert Party, Garden View. The Dessert Party area was NOT super crowded; we had a spot at the back where we could sit on the ground while we waited for the show to start, and even standing, it didn’t feel crowded and we had a fairly good view of the castle. We liked the area so much, we stayed put and waited for the Once Upon A Time projection show that happened about 45 minutes after the fireworks ended.
Here’s a couple of shots we took of Happily Ever After from our spot.
So the big question is: As a Wishes lover that was so SAD that Wishes went away, what did I think of Happily Ever After?
The short answer? I liked it. I liked it a lot. It’s very visually impressive, and the music is really terrific. I downloaded the song on Itunes as soon the show was over.
I didn’t LOVE it though, and I’ve been trying to put my finger on WHY I didn’t love it ever since.
We watched the show again from our balcony at Bay Lake Tower on the last night of our trip. One of the channels on the TV will play the audio so you’re synced up with the show. I really liked watching it from that angle; it’s fun to get the different perspective on those shows from different viewpoints. Of course, from that angle and distance you cannot see most of the projections on the castle–and that’s where a LOT of the action is with this particular show. When you are in front of the castle, it looks like all the fireworks are being shot off from RIGHT behind the castle, doesn’t it? Interestingly, when you watch the show from Bay Lake Tower or the Contemporary, you can see that most of the fireworks are shot off from quite a distance away.
Here’s a couple of the pictures we took from our balcony:
Keep in mind, we could see much better with our naked eyes than the camera lens can…it’s really pretty spectacular, but the camera REALLY didn’t like this distance combined with trying to absorb all the light…
During my May trip with Mom, we chose NOT to stay in the Magic Kingdom for the show. Mom isn’t as enamored with the fireworks shows as I am, and it was the end of our trip and we were both pretty worn out, so we decided to head over to Bay Lake Tower and watch the show from the Top of the World lounge. Mom watched from her seat at the bar; I headed outside to watch from the deck.
Here’s a couple of shots from that show. Very similar view to the balcony view; just a few floors higher!
I’ve also watched a couple excellent video recordings of the show, so at this point, I’ve seen it five or six times. And I still really like it.
It doesn’t make me cry…which makes me a little sad (but not enough to cry😉) . But it’s a very good show, absolutely. I think I’ve finally figured out why it doesn’t get me emotionally like Wishes did…
Happily Ever After is a VERY busy show. There is a LOT going on…there is music and fireworks, of course, but beyond that, there is tons of very detailed computerized, animated projections on the castle throughout the show, and many of them are quite beautiful…some are DAZZLING. There are lasers and pyrotechnics…there is so much going on, you actually miss a LOT of what is happening–it can be challenging to take it all in. Every time I watch the show, I notice different things. I think this will be GREAT for repeat viewings; not to mention that Disney can change and add content quickly to promote new projects or to take advantage of sudden bursts of popularity for old favorites…I think this will make this show very versatile and flexible for Disney.
The disadvantage, though, at least for me, is that there is SO much going on, I don’t really get a chance to CONNECT with the show the way I did with Wishes. My heart doesn’t get involved because my brain is so focused on all the visual stimulation. As much as I like the music, it doesn’t connect in me personally with the visuals–in part because so many of the visuals invoke their own soundtracks in my heart, and in part because the visuals are just so strong and moving so fast, I can’t keep up.
Perhaps after dozens of viewings, it won’t be quite so overwhelming, and I WILL find myself connecting with it emotionally. I hope so. Because it really is a beautiful show. It’s just….a LOT to absorb.
Have you seen Happily Ever After? What did you think? Were you a Wishes fan? How do you think Happily Ever After compares?
This was a WONDERFUL trip! We had a terrific time, and I learned a few things I hope to incorporate into future trips…
I’ll be doing a detailed day-by-day trip report over the next couple of weeks, but for now, here are some highlights:
Parks: All four parks looked great this trip. We visited Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Magic Kingdom each twice. Hollywood Studios was a blink and you’ll miss it visit this trip—we went in for dinner at the Hollywood Brown Derby (AMAZING!) and caught the nighttime shows after dinner–but that was it.
Weather: We had absolutely glorious weather most days—but we did have a couple days with a LOT of rain. Saturday, our pre-planned Typhoon Lagoon/Disney Springs/Rest Day ended up with torrential downpours that lasted several hours. Fortunately, we still got a few hours in at Typhoon Lagoon before the rain rolled in, and hey, if you’re going to be caught in the rain, somehow it’s better if you’re already in a bathing suit and flip flops with wet hair, right? Our evening at Disney Springs had some sporadic rain showers, but they were fairly light and didn’t bother us hardly at all. Sunday was a little more challenging as it was our last full park day…it rained off and on most of the day. Fortunately, we were prepared with our ponchos, so it didn’t really affect us much…and had the bonus benefit of reducing the crowds a little bit.
The rest of the time, we had lovely blue skies with lots of sunshine. Mid-afternoons to early evenings got pretty HOT and humid. Us northerners don’t do as well in the heat as southerners more used to the heat, and I have to admit, I was a bit of a wilted flower most days around 3pm. But a cold drink, a little A/C, and a little sitting and people watching usually recharged my batteries just fine.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Magic at Cinderella Castle! (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
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Crowds: Originally, when I booked the trip, crowds were projected in the 3-5 range (out of 10, with 10 being so crowded it’s hard to walk, and parks at or near full capacity) for most days. The closer we got to the trip, the higher the projections went, with crowds projected to be at 6-8’s most of our days. In actuality, I think most days ended up being around 6’s, especially in the afternoons…maybe creeping into seven territory on Monday. Our mornings were especially lovely, and crowds stayed lighter until around 11am most days. Lots of strollers, lots of ECVs, but not unbearable by any stretch. We did not see many big tour groups, either.
Resort: We stayed at Old Key West this trip and really loved it. It’s such a pretty resort, and has the largest studios of all the DVC resorts, with 2 queen sized beds—so it was perfect for us. We had a second floor villa, so thank goodness for the wonderful bell services that helped us with all our stuff! They are in the process of rehabbing this resort, but we saw no signs of construction during our visit. The landscaping here is really lush and pretty; everything looked terrific! We took the ferry to Disney Springs one night, and wow, that was so nice! The ferries come every 20 minutes between 10 am and 11 pm, and it’s a really scenic ride to Disney Springs. Our balcony had a nice golf-course view, and parking for our rental was very close by. The gift shop at Old Key West is a really good one; OKW has some of the best DVC resort specific shirts and related souvenirs of any of the DVCs we’ve stayed at. Cast members were all really nice and very helpful. We had two meals at Olivia’s, the OKW main table service restaurant and they were ok, but not great. The first was a lunch, and we had club sandwiches which were good. The highlight of the meal was sitting out on the patio, though, honestly. The second meal was breakfast on Saturday morning, and it really wasn’t great. The service was very slow, and both of us had issues with our eggs. The biscuits were very good, though. Again, the highlight was our table out on the patio.
Old Key West DVC Resort (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Old Key West Resort (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Disney Transportation: We rented a car this trip, so we did not use a lot of Disney transportation; however, what we did use was great, and we never had to wait very long. We used the resort Ferry to Disney Springs, as I mentioned above, and that was a big highlight of the trip for us. We used the Ferry at the Ticket and Transport center to get to and from Magic Kingdom a few times; I love that Ferry! Also did a couple monorail rides—again, not much waiting, and they got us where we needed to go. We rode LOTS of parking lot trams, haha. The only real waiting we had to do there was on Friday when we left the park at the end of the night, along with about 20,000 of our closest friends 😉. We waited about 20 minutes and through 4 tram loads before we got on one, but it wasn’t too bad, considering. We did NOT use Magical Express or any bus transportation this trip.
Merchandise: Mom and I both love to shop, and we shopped our hearts out on this trip. Financial limitations meant we didn’t necessarily BUY a whole lot, but we SHOPPED and SHOPPED, haha. Lots of fun merchandise, as always, for the Flower and Garden Festival, but we were a little disappointed. It’s been a few years since we have been to the Festival, but in the past there was a pretty big variety of Festival merchandise, including, usually, several different pins. This year, there was only one pin available, and we found it sold out in many locations—with three weeks still left to go in the Festival! Perhaps there were more options available earlier on? I’m not sure, but there were no special Passholder pins available for the Festival and only the one pin option. Of course we DID buy the pin they had…but I would have liked to see a couple of different options. One of the things I like about Festival time is that there is usually more variety in the shirts, hats, mugs, etc. at the Festival park than you’ll see everywhere else. And that did hold true this year as well, although there wasn’t as much varied merchandise as I recalled from previous Festivals. Other than Festival or Park specific merchandise, most of the shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, toys etc. were found in most shops across all four parks and Disney Springs. The advantage of this, of course, is that you don’t have to buy something when you first see it, as you’ll likely see it many more times during your trip. This is good for me, since I usually buy all my presents and souvenirs at the end of my trip when I think I’ve seen everything and can make a good decision. But the big disadvantage is that the merchandise doesn’t feel as SPECIAL when you see the same stuff over and over and over. Yes, it’s a big pain if you fall in love with the one shirt that you can only find at that little shop in the corner of Adventureland…but that makes it more FUN and more memorable, even if it means having to go back to that park on the last day to go to that little shop in the corner. I have lots of memories of long ago trips when the last day was all about running around to find that special something we’d seen at the beginning of the trip and looked for in every store we went to after that….
Mom and I DID manage to find a very special and unique souvenir, but I can’t tell you about that one yet, as we got one as a present for someone and I don’t want anyone to see it until that person gets to see it. 😊
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One of the things I love about Animal Kingdom is that it has a lot of merchandise that is truly unique to Animal Kingdom—not just shirts and ears and mugs, but really different merchandise that is in line with the conservation and nature missions that Animal Kingdom promotes. Now, there is one merchandise line that really stood out…in a fairly dreadful way, I must admit. I’m just as excited about the upcoming Meghan Markle/Prince Harry nuptials as any self-respecting Disney Princess loving girl could be….but this? This goes just a little too far, even for me:
Tea Towels???
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Nighttime Entertainment: To be honest with you, neither of us are big night owls, especially after a long, hot day of theme-parking. Our nighttime extravaganzas usually entailed whatever nighttime show was at whatever park we were in, followed by returning to the resort, showering off the day and CRASHING 😉. We really enjoyed the nighttime entertainment in each park though. Our very first night, we got to watch Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom. We had great seats, and Mom loved it as much as I’d hoped she would.
Friday night we did a quick Hollywood Studios visit for dinner and entertainment–once dinner was over, we were just in time for the Disney Movie Magic projection show on the Mann’s Chinese Theater and surrounding buildings, followed by a special Star Wars themed Galactic Fireworks and projection show in honor of May 4 (“May the fourth be with you”). The Star Wars Spectacular was truly SPECTACULAR! The show incorporated video clips and stills from all Star Wars movies released to date and a few from the upcoming SOLO movie (SOLO merchandise was VERY prevalent in the parks and at Disney Springs this visit). It used lights, lasers, pyrotechnics, music, audio clips and fireworks to really dazzle the audience. There were lasers coming out of the screens (buildings) that looked like blasters were firing and lasers coming from the back that looked like shots fired back…. It was pretty immersive and VERY impressive. It was just a taste of what Disney is cooking up for Star Wars fans with Galaxy’s Edge, but I personally found it VERY exciting and can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
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Sunday night, the last night of our trip, we actually left Magic Kingdom about an hour before the fireworks and hopped a Monorail over to the Contemporary and went up to the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower. Available exclusively to DVC Members staying at a DVC Resort, the Top of the World Lounge features a large bar and several indoor seating areas, surrounded by a very large patio area with a spectacular view of Magic Kingdom. We had drinks and appetizers here, and I popped out to take pictures of the show from the unique “Top of the World” perspective, while Mom watched the show from her seat at the bar inside. They pipe in the music, which is great, because the music adds SO much to the show. Of course, you can’t really see all the castle projections that are an integral part of the Happily Ever After show, but the music and the fireworks are pretty fantastic, even without the projections.
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Another highlight: On Saturday evening while we were at Disney Springs, we caught two different groups performing on the main stage there. The first was a group of high school kids from Rome, New York. They danced and sang, and were really terrific. The second was a dance troupe, and each song was danced by a different group of kids–it seemed to be primarily by age groups. They were very fun to watch, especially the littler kids. 😊
Needless to say, I could go on for DAYS (and probably will!! 😉 ) about our trip, but I’m anxious to get this quick summary posted, so I’ll stop here.
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Bottom line: The trip was WONDERFUL! The parks looked terrific, we had some really wonderful cast member interactions and some AMAZING meals. I’m so glad we went, and I can’t wait to go back!!
Traveling from Chicago, we arrived in Orlando on a GORGEOUS Thursday afternoon. We’d rented a car, and then headed straight towards Disney…taking a brief detour to pick up groceries, and then we were back on our way! I don’t know about the rest of you, but the moment we see the Walt Disney World entrance is ALWAYS a magic moment for me…Such a thrill to know we were FINALLY here!!
We stayed at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort this trip. We are DVC Members, and had booked a studio with Magic Kingdom view. Normally, I wouldn’t spend the extra points to get the Magic Kingdom view, but given that we hadn’t been in so long, and I was SERIOUSLY in Castle Withdrawal (it’s a real thing, I promise!!!), I decided to splurge a little for this trip, and I am SO glad we did. It was worth every single point!!!
One of the downsides of not having been to Disney for a couple of years is that we weren’t aware of some of the significant changes to traffic patterns that had occurred. The last time we visited (and for many years before), you had to enter the Magic Kingdom gates on the far right side to access the Magic Kingdom resort area (Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary/Bay Lake Tower). That has changed. Disney currently has a lot of construction going on in this area, it looks like they are adding new exit and entrance ramps; they have already added a new exit for the Magic Kingdom resorts BEFORE you get to the Magic Kingdom gates. Traffic was very backed up in the far right lane; we lost about 40 minutes here, partly due to congestion and partly because we didn’t realize the route to the Magic Kingdom resorts had changed, and we ended up having to go through the Magic Kingdom gates and then basically exit the Magic Kingdom and loop back around to go catch the exit ramp that we’d overlooked the first time….with all the traffic. We were about the 20th car that we saw have to do this, so I’m happy to report we weren’t the only idiots that missed the signs…it will take some getting used to, but ultimately will be a good change, I think.
I loved seeing the inflatable Mickey and Minnie atop the Magic Kingdom gates…so festive!!!!
Getting settled into our studio at Bay Lake Tower….
Bay Lake Tower Magic Kingdom View
Once we were settled into our room and I’d taken 27,000 pictures of the castle from our balcony, it was time to head to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. One of the best things about staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and/or Bay Lake Tower is that you can walk to the Magic Kingdom. It takes less than 10 minutes. A new thing, at least for us, is the security station set up on the sidewalk that is the path from the resort to Magic Kingdom. We went through security before we even got to the park, which sped up our park entry. I think this is a terrific idea–and since there are not many people approaching the park from this path, every time we had to pass through security here, it went very quickly.
Once we arrived at the park, we had to make a quick stop at Guest Services to pick up our Annual Passes and make sure the ticket media was loaded on our magic bands. Once that was done, it was time to enter the park.
Now, I feel the need to remind all of you that I LOVE DISNEY. I love all of it…but ESPECIALLY the Magic Kingdom. When things were better financially, I visited Disney 2-3 times every year. However, the last few years have been rather challenging financially, so we hadn’t been back to Disney since our wedding trip in 2014. So I had been missing Disney SO much…three years had been a pretty long time for me between trips. I say all this because when we entered the park through the tunnel and I saw Main Street and the balloons and the Christmas tree, I immediately burst into tears!! It completely surprised me, but did not surprise my husband at all! He knows how emotional I get, especially about Disney, so he was pretty confident I’d cry. I was caught completely off guard, though. And it was a pretty funny, ugly cry. And I hadn’t even SEEN the castle yet, haha.
Iair and Brooke, November 16, 2017
Almost immediately we were approached by the sweetest cast member, Iair from Paraquay, asking if I was ok. My husband was laughing and I was crying. I think Iair probably thought we were crazy! I told him I was just emotional because I was so happy to be back. He asked how long we’d been away, and I told him three years and explained that we’d gotten married at Disney during our last trip. He was just adorable with us, and wanted to be sure we had bride and groom ears–he even gave us a voucher where we could go and get bride and groom ears. He was just the sweetest thing, and it was the perfect start to our anniversary trip!
I love these little memorable moments with Disney Cast Members! Great cast members just add so much extra magic to your trip.
