I purchased our Disney Tickets 6 weeks ago, after I found out the Oct 4th date was Sold Out. Turns out it was ok. The 11th worked out nicely.
In recent months I have been struggling with medical issues that leave me with Panic Attacks and Migraines. I was unsure how the new DAS system would work out for me. I've always had claustrophobic tendencies, and I had successfully used the GAC system to limit my known triggers (slow crowds/stopped crowds are big ones for me).
I went to the Guest Relations at Disneyland as soon as we arrived, and was greeted by a friendly cast member after about a 15 minute wait. The crowds getting into the park and the overall traffic getting there had already started to fray my nerves. She could see that on my face. There were a LOT of people in the parks because of the crossover between regular hours and the Halloween Party that night. The CM who helped me was incredibly friendly, and listened to my concerns, and wrote me up a new DAS card, and took my picture. She explained everything in a helpful manner, and gave me a couple of brochures with information about the new system and where the kiosks would be located in the park. Overall one of the BEST experiences I've ever had at Guest Relations (and I've had some terrible ones with the GAC card in the past.). I don't look like I need assistance, but in the past I've had some pretty bad incidents while at the park. I love it though. I'd live there if I could do my job here in San Diego still (I love what I do!). They CM's on rides have always been accommodating and I've never felt stupid for having a GAC card. I've also never abused it. If the lines were short, I enjoy the queues. I'm a photographer, so some of the queues with their unique personalities catch my attention. Back to the new DAS Card.
The CM helping me asked me where we were going first, and I said "Probably New Orleans Square, as my nephew has been dying to ride the Haunted Mansion and Pirates". Mind you, he's 3. She looked at the wait times for both rides, and said that the Haunted Mansion was about 45 minutes. So she subtracted 15 minutes from the wait time, and wrote a return time on my new card. She also told me that the Pirates wait was listed at 15 minutes, but was likely closer to 20 as they hadn't checked wait times in almost 30 minutes - especially with the recent influx of crowds for the Halloween Party.
It was at this point that my sandal had started to break. A Bummer, as I didn't have a backup pair of shoes. I usually do though! I found a friendly CM in the Disney Clothiers and asked to borrow a stapler. Yes, I stapled my Sandal! The only pair of shoes they had in the park under $60 was a pair of flats, that didn't match my costume, and were frankly painful to even try on. I couldn't do that all night long.
We then headed to Pirates as our first stop, and sure enough, the wait was 20 minutes. What I love about Pirates is that even when the line seems long, it's a fast moving line. You never really stop for more than a second or two. I can handle that. It's lines that move 10 ft and then stop for 2 minutes over and over that I can't usually handle. That's the problem with the Haunted Mansion. Move Move Move. STOP. Anyways, my nephew LOVED the Pirates and was humming along with them by the end.
(My favorite scene. Take a Wench for a Bride)
(My Nephew as Spiderman. Just hanging out.)
(this is not new, but I love this guy.)
I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that they have updated it. If you haven't been yet, I HIGHLY suggest when you go to the parks this year (before the end of the year as it only runs until January 5th!). I don't want to spoil too much, but the new intro in the Stretching Room (an obvious love of mine. =P) is incredible. The CG is well done and incorporates original experience with holiday experience. Once you leave the elevator you are once again greeted with NEW stuff. Check the pictures to your right. All new this year, and they even have a surprise effect that no previous portrait has ever had! We board our doombuggy, and take off for a magical journey of old and new. For someone like me who has rode this ride hundreds of times, both holiday and original, I can point out with certainty every single change, everything that's different (even presents in new spots). The other place in the Mansion that is a particular passion of mine is the Ballroom during the Holidays. The smell of gingerbread is faint, but familiar, wafting through the scene, daring you to leap from your doombuggy to taste the enormous gingerbread house that envelops the party table each year. The giant christmas undead tree that is clearly the handiwork of the citizens of Halloweentown, and the music that enchants the souls of those who love Halloween. The rest of the ride is new lights and small things here and there. I love the song "we wish you a scary christmas". In fact, it's the ringtone for all common or unknown callers on my cell phone (my friends/family all have their own special tones..). One year for halloween I'm going to create those guys, and have them singing on my patio every night.
(my nephew having fun on the Haunted Mansion Holiday)
After the HMH, I visited the kiosk next to the Haunted Mansion Exit, and got a return time for Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy. I knew this would be a BAD wait, and it was. 75 minutes. They wrote down 60 on my card, and gave me a return time of 7pm. We decided that instead of trying to force anything else, we needed dinner.
Plaza Inn has hands down the BEST Fried Chicken that isn't my moms. My mom was with us, and her and I split a meal and a salad and a dessert. $30 (with drinks), but neither of us could have eaten all that food alone. In fact we barely finished what we had. Some people will tell you that you need your own meal, for but $14.99, this is one you can DEFINITELY split with someone. 3 pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and a biscuit. They don't skimp either.
After dinner, we rode a couple rides, and then my sandal completely and totally broke. Bummer. I limped through to ride Space Mountain alone. My mom doesn't ride fast rides, and my sister in law can't right now. I can't tell you why, but just suffice it to say that I rode alone. What happened though is that I got stuck in the middle of a group of about 100 college kids. Really nice kids. Fun kids. So I decided to help them out and make a silly face for the camera.
(I'm in the back)
They said I had the best expression, and really made their night. That they were going to buy the photo because of me, and then they got in line to do just that!
After this we did a LOT of trick or treating. We brought extra bags with us, and emptied our treat bags 3 times throughout the rest of the night.
It was somewhere in the middle of this, and me limping around with a broken sandal, that my mom says "wait! I have a pair of socks in my backpack!"... So I stopped and took off my broken sandals, and put on a pair of socks. Sweet relief. While I don't recommend walking around Disneyland in socks, it can and was accomplished by me that night. The problem is all the uneven surfaces throughout the park. By the end of the night my feet hurt very very badly (and for several days thereafter).
It was around 10:30pm that my favorite part of the night happened. We were over by the toontown train station, and my mom was tired. We got the stroller onto the train, and rode all the way to the main street station. She got off, and told us she wanted to people watch while we finished up in the park for the day. We had to ride the Jungle Cruise for my Nephew. It was when we got off the train that I heard a familiar sound. The voices of the Dapper Dans, but in their Haunted Holiday attire, known as the Cadaver Dans. They were singing my favorite Disney songs. I looked into my poor tired sister in laws face, and begged her to be patient while I took some video and snapped some pictures. I love her to death for her indulgence. I managed to get some INCREDIBLE photos. It was so Hard to choose which one I wanted to share with everyone.
(Cadaver Dans on a boat singing grim grinning ghosts slowly)
After my nephew who was very tired at this point couldn't wait much longer, we headed to the Jungle Cruise to wrap up our night. It's one of his favorite rides, and when he goes he HAS to ride it.
Leaving the Parks after this we stopped into the World of Disney, and I picked up 2 more items for my Haunted Mansion Living Room. The music box, and the "room for one more" decorative plate. One of these days I'll do a blogpost about that in detail.
Next up: HalloweenTime in Poway. If you are in the Poway, CA area on Halloween this year, PLEASE stop by and see our display and haunted house on Somerset Rd. You won't be disappointed with what we do with less than $200 a year:
