The $16,000 "Free" Disney Trip **Updated 12/11** COMPLETE - Page 28 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I'm finally all caught up Sharon! The Halloween Party looked like so much fun! I will definitely have to make an effort to get out to the West Coast and vist DL!
I am finally all caught up! You are VERY welcome for the help on the camera! I'm so glad you got to use the feature. It takes some getting used to but your pics are super great! I them!
First, I want to go to the candy corn fields...they looked extra yummy
I loved your pics with Jack and Sally! They looked really cool.
I will have to say that they halloween decorations looked really great though...i loved the living scarecrows!
I cant believe you walking on almost everything..how great is that??
I am super of that pic with Jack Sparrow!!! That was really great!
Looks like you guys had a great time at the party. I am so glad to get caught up and see those party pics. Although, too bad about your breakfast We had a similar experience with tusker house this last time. We had to beg for them to get the characters over there.
I hate this TR is coming to an end because its so great to see pics of DLR and hear all about your experience!
I was thinking about you when I took those pictures, Crissy! I really loved the Halloween decorations there, and it was fun meeting rare characters. Jack Sparrow was the best!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caldercup
Inquiring minds want to know -- was the candy bucket (in the parade) a "walking costume" or was it a mechanized unit?
Also, I have to say that Mr. Incredible looks like he's about to grab that pole and do a little risqué dance for ya!
Did any of that candy make it home to your mom -- or was it all consumed before you go to San Francisco?
Eileen
The candy bucket was a mini float. I guess you'd call it that. There was someone in it, but driving, not walking. And I'm happy to say that I only ate a few pieces of candy in San Francisco. Most of it made it home.
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
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Day 5 – Wednesday, October 29 It’s Really Goodbye This Time
I was up before the wakeup call and got ready for breakfast. It was at the Paradise Pier Hotel, so I walked over a little early. I enjoyed walking the grounds of the DLH and all the little Disney touches.
Once I arrived at the PPH, I still had time before our PS, so I looked around for a bit.
My favorite thing about the PPH is this…
I headed over to the restaurant and the CM on duty there made me check in even though I told her the rest of my party hadn’t arrived. She was from Transylvania!
I sat down to wait for Chez and Mark and started to text that picture of Goofy to Ann when someone sat down beside me. It took me a few seconds to realize it was Mark! I told Madame Dracula (so mean, but I can’t help it!) that we were ready to be seated, and we were ushered in for a photo with Minnie (which Chez probably has).
We were seated right next to where you pose with Minnie, and shortly after we sat down, Stitch approached us, but it was time for a parade or something, because he was taken away by his handler. Cheryl wanted to wait for him so she wouldn’t miss him. Mark went up to hit the buffet while we waited for Stitch.
Mark came back with his food, so we decided to hit the buffet and Mark would call us when Stitch was coming, but just as we got up, here came Stitch, so we sat down and visited with the blue alien. He was quite naughty as usual and had us all cracking up.
First, he wrapped Chez in a big hug…
Then he started playing in her hair!
Then he and Mark had a discussion about Mark’s hair
He didn’t mess up my hair, but he did pick my nose! And then he “wiped” it on my shirt! That little stinker!
What do you think about when you’ve got imaginary boogers on you? Food, of course! What? Just me? Well, never mind. We headed up to enjoy the tasty buffet. There were a lot of good choices and I found a lot that I liked.
The next to visit our table was Pluto.
Daisy came out and ended up taking Minnie’s place as the character you get your photo with before being seated. I wasn’t expecting to see so many characters, but I certainly was enjoying it!
Then we had a visit from Lilo.
And Stitch came to see us again.
As I mentioned, we were right in front of where the families pose with a character before being seated, so we watched the action there. I noticed Daisy didn’t have anyone she was greeting, and she must’ve started daydreaming, because she was staring off into space. And let me tell you, those CMs really do a great job of bringing the character alive. When she was just standing there, it was like looking at an empty costume. The Photopass CM noticed Daisy’s far off look and waved his hand in front of her face, and then she became animated again. It was pretty funny.
Mark got up and started dancing with Daisy to help keep her occupied.
This was a fun breakfast that I really enjoyed a lot. Cheryl and Mark were going to spend a few more hours in Disneyland before heading to Las Vegas, so I decided to hang with them until they left. We knew we’d make it to the park close to opening time, so we figured we’d see what the line was like to greet Tinkerbelle (it couldn’t be too bad, could it?). We walked over to the Esplanade, by way of the GC.
We got to the park before opening, and after rope drop we headed straight for Pixie Hollow. I spent the 25 minutes we waited in line taking pictures.
We had a pretty good view of the Astro Orbiter from the queue.
Cheryl was dutifully writing her trip report!
She warned Mark to be on his best behavior, and I have to admit that he was.
We could tell that the fairies were new at their jobs, because they didn’t have much of interest to say. We met two fairies whose names I don’t know because I haven’t seen the Tinkerbelle movie.
And then we met Tinkerbelle herself. She made us do a pose, which I kind of resisted (I mean look at Tink – looks like she’s gotta go )
Chez wanted to ride BTMRR, so we walked towards Frontierland, stopping for the occasional photo.
BTMRR was down, so we went with Plan B. First Pirates of the Caribbean, and then Haunted Mansion Holiday. Cheryl spotted these cute Santas hanging in a tree in NOS.
We headed to Critter Country so Chez could get some quality time with her Donkey.
We learned that Pooh and Tigger wouldn’t be out for a few more minutes, so Cheryl and I went on the MAOWTP while Mark sat that one out. When we were done with our trip through the 100 Acre Wood, we got to meet Pooh and Tigger (Eeyore would be out later).
Cheryl wanted to see if BTMRR was up and it was. Mark grabbed a bench somewhere while Cheryl and I entered the queue.
BTMRR is one of those rides that’s more fun with someone, if only because you don’t slide around the seat as much! It was about the time that a certain gloomy donkey was due to make an appearance, so we returned to Critter Country. We had to get on the single queue for both Pooh and Eeyore (and Pooh was first). While we were waiting a man came along and snapped a picture of Pooh with a couple of random kids. Mark remarked that it was odd and the man got an attitude about it and said he wanted a photo of Pooh (and when people ask who the kids are, I’d love to hear his reply). It was certainly strange!
When we got near the front, we told the CM we’d already seen Pooh and scooted by so Cheryl could love up her donkey.
It was unfortunately time for Cheryl and Mark to get on the road. They decided to take the train to the front of the park and I decided to join them. We were able to get a pretty good look at it’s a small world while we were on the train (and I got some good photos).
When we got to Main Street, I said goodbye to them. It wasn’t as sad as it might have been because I knew I’d see Cheryl next May, and I was crossing the pond later that month. I stayed on the train and rode all the way around to Tomorrowland.
I wanted to ride Space Mountain. I knew if there was a long wait I could FP it, but luckily, there wasn’t.
I was ready for a snack, and I had a specific one in mind. I got a frozen strawberry lemonade. They’re called soft frozen, but they’re the ones in the container, not the slushy kind. They’re not hard frozen, though. They’re a bit creamy, so not frozen solid. And that’s more than you ever needed to know about the frozen strawberry lemonades, I’m sure. Anyway, what I really wanted was something not available at WDW (and why not )
Mickey Pretzel!
He was almost too cute to eat! But he was too tasty not to eat. Sorry Mickey. I really wish these were available at WDW!
I enjoyed some live entertainment (a comedy show) while I ate. I wanted to explore Woody’s Halloween Roundup next, so I headed that way.
I loved all the fantastic carved pumpkins (as you can tell from the 8,237,023 photos I took ).
I strolled through Fantasyland, but everything there had long waits – like 20 or 30 minutes ().
I noticed that the Matterhorn didn’t have much of a wait, and 10 minutes later, I was speeding around the mountain.
I decided to spend some quality time in Toontown. I really love DL’s Toontown and especially love that there’s so much interactive stuff there. I had fun playing and pushing buttons and stuff.
Then I decided to check out Minnie Mouse’s house.
And then I went next door to check out Mickey’s digs.
It was time to check in for my flight to San Francisco, so I did that (got A27), and then I headed to Tomorrowland. I hadn’t ridden the Astro Orbiter, and there was no wait, so I did that. It’s not as thrilling as WDW’s version because it isn’t as high up, but otherwise it’s very similar.
You can see the people queued to meet Tinkerbelle down there
Since I was down to my final hours, I thought about what I really needed to do before heading home. Something immediately came to mind!
Up Next: Hitting the Highlights One More Time
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
What great updates Sharon! That was such a fun morning with you - look what a mess Stitch made of my hair...! And that has to be one of the cutest pics ever of me and my donkey - thanks for getting that one.
WOW!! Great update! Sounds like you had a much better character experience this time around! all the photos!! We never made it inside Minnie & Mickey's houses. I'm really wishing we had now. Those pumpkins look amazing too!! Looking forward to more
First, I am so glad you thought of me on your trip!
Second, I think your breakfast this time around waayyyyy made up for the bad one. I love the stitch and cheryl photos.....he looked like he was really having a good time with you guys!
Those carved pumpkins are amazing!!! My fav is the cinderella's carriage/but really a pumpkin before a carriage*L* Loved that one!
Its great they have a tink meet and greet there along with the fairies. Wonder when they will bring that to WDW?
I will have to say that DL's toontown is way better than DW's but i read somewhere that the one in WDW was originally something else and they kinda just threw it together to make it toontown like DL.
Sounds, like a great last day though! You got a lot of great photos!
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Great update! Love the pictures from your breakfast with Chez and Mark. Very interesting to see the differences btwn M&M's homes in DL vs WDW and that pretzel is too cute!
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Oct '99: CSR ~ May '02: CR ~ Nov '04: SOG ~ May '06: SOG ~ Dec '07: Solo @ Pop ~ May '08: Pop w/friends ~ Oct '08: SOG ~ Dec '09: Pop w/LeAnn ~ Sept '10: Solo @ Pop ~ Spring '11: AKL ~ Jan '12: Pop for 1/2 Marathon ~ Sept '12: 1st trip for DL 1/2 Marathon? ~ Feb '13: Pop w/pals? ~ Mar '13: Tokyo Disney w/PP's?
What a busy day!!!! Breakfast looked like so much fun!! That pretzel is just the yummiest thing ever!! I just have to say that I better never see a man taking a photo of any of my kids with a character, that is just too weird.
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them! 
of that pic with Jack Sparrow!!! That was really great!
We had a similar experience with tusker house this last time. We had to beg for them to get the characters over there. 
I told Madame Dracula (so mean, but I can’t help it!) that we were ready to be seated, and we were ushered in for a photo with Minnie (which Chez probably has).
And then he “wiped” it on my shirt! 
We headed up to enjoy the tasty buffet. There were a lot of good choices and I found a lot that I liked.
Mark remarked that it was odd and the man got an attitude about it and said he wanted a photo of Pooh (and when people ask who the kids are, I’d love to hear his reply). It was certainly strange! 
I stayed on the train and rode all the way around to Tomorrowland.
)
PassPorter Guide Author
That was such a fun morning with you - look what a mess Stitch made of my hair...! 
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