Updated with Trip Report Link! - A Trip of Firsts! - A September 2018 Pre Trip Report

[dolewhipandpixiedust]

Aw, you're so nice! I'll have to look up your trip report--I love reading them. Ooh, a honeymoon at Disney--gonna be so fun!! Good luck with the weight loss--I will confess I was totally unable to lose any weight leading up to my wedding with all the stress and planning and everything, so you're a better woman than I

If we’re being honest here I’m losing weight for Disney and it just so happens to be after the wedding lol. My fiancé is quite the motivator so hopefully it helps!

 

[Araminta18]

If we’re being honest here I’m losing weight for Disney and it just so happens to be after the wedding lol. My fiancé is quite the motivator so hopefully it helps!

Hey, you gotta find what works for you for motivation. If it's Disney (and that may or may not be my reason as well...specifically Flight of Passage whaaaaat), then so be it! Also that's awesome that your fiance is supportive--that makes a big difference!

 

[dolewhipandpixiedust]

Hey, you gotta find what works for you for motivation. If it's Disney (and that may or may not be my reason as well...specifically Flight of Passage whaaaaat), then so be it! Also that's awesome that your fiance is supportive--that makes a big difference!

I think what helps a lot as well is that he wants to lose some weight too! We’re trying to decide on a plan of action. We each divide the work: he plans the exercising and plan the cooking

 

[dizneefan13]

your planning skills are awesome! I get confused and find it hard to stick with it, so our plans change a lot. LOL
Congrats on your weight loss! I'm working on that too. We will be there for two weeks in October. I'd love to lose 30 more by then.
I was all excited about early morning in MK with the 3 rides and breakfast, but that is tentatively ending 9/30? Maybe they will extend it if it proves to make them some $$$.
Oh, and I love your MP dress! So cute!

 

[Araminta18]

your planning skills are awesome! I get confused and find it hard to stick with it, so our plans change a lot. LOL
Congrats on your weight loss! I'm working on that too. We will be there for two weeks in October. I'd love to lose 30 more by then.
I was all excited about early morning in MK with the 3 rides and breakfast, but that is tentatively ending 9/30? Maybe they will extend it if it proves to make them some $$$.
Oh, and I love your MP dress! So cute!

Aw, thank you! ooh, a 2 week trip in October sounds like so much fun! Lots of time, and hopefully a bit cooler by then! I think they're still doing EMM then--have you checked out the EMM thread? They're really good about keeping track of the dates on the first page: https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...aqs-see-post-2-for-date-info-history.3651152/

 

[dizneefan13]

You are such a fountain of knowledge with everything Disney! I will definitely check out the EMM thread, thanks!

Yeah October has lots of dates for MK fantasyland EMM. I might have been looking at an old article. Its a bit pricey, but we don't do a lot of extra stuff in the parks, so I think I'll reserve this.

 

[Araminta18]

You are such a fountain of knowledge with everything Disney! I will definitely check out the EMM thread, thanks!

Yeah October has lots of dates for MK fantasyland EMM. I might have been looking at an old article. Its a bit pricey, but we don't do a lot of extra stuff in the parks, so I think I'll reserve this.

Yay! Do it--all the reviews are so positive and it just sounds like a great, low-stress way to do Fantasyland.

 

[Araminta18]

MNSSHP Dessert Party + Parade Viewing?!​

Ok seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Every time I think I'm done and good to go and am just waiting for FP day to arrive (still way too many days...), Disney goes ahead and releases something new. This time? MNSSHP dessert party (but wait) WITH PARADE VIEWING!

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I can hear you now--I though the dessert party got rid of the parade viewing?! I did too, but apparently it's back for this year! Well, at least that's what the description text says--hopefully it's not a bad copy/paste job (which I hope it's not 'cause seriously the party page has already changed like 3 times since I noticed it a few days ago and if it is, they should have changed it earlier, come on Disney, we give you enough of our money, keep on top of event descriptions).

Anyways. So, my initial reaction to the dessert party at MNSSHP was

cause it's like 2 hours just to watch Hallowishes. But with the news that it includes reserved parade viewing...

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Ok, our current MNSSHP plan is as follows:
Sunday September 16th (which I just found out is a CM discount party but oh well, what can you do)

• 3:30-4:10 Main Street bypass
• 4:10-4:20 SotMK card
• 4:20-5:15 Skipper Canteen ADR @ 4:30 -
• 5:15-6:30 Wandering/enjoying the atmosphere [Might have Trevor grab a specialty dessert near the end of this window or while I get in line for Tarzan and Jane]
• 6:30-7:15 Tarzan, Jane & Terk
• 7:20-8:30 Haunted Mansion & Cemetary Watchman photo prop
• 8:30-9:15 Dancing Ghosts Magic Shot on Main Street
• 9:20-10:30 10:15-Hallowishes at the hub - Left of the Castle
• 10:45-11:30 11:15-Parade at Frontierland
• 11:30-11:50 Trick of Treat - Going towards Main Street
• 11:50-12am Headless Horseman Magic Shot - In front of MK entrance.

So basically from 9:15 to 11:30pm, we'd be camping out for spots or watching the parade/fireworks. If we do the Dessert Party with Parade viewing, the plan becomes the below. We'd check in at 8:45 pm (the page currently says check in 90 min before fireworks, and so assuming fireworks stay at 10:15...) We'd watch the parade from a reserved spot by the flagpole, and then afterwards head to Tomorrowland Terrace where we'd have pre-assigned seats and watch the fireworks. Fireworks ends at 10:30. We should be done by about 10:35ish.

• 7:20 - 8:30 Haunted Mansion & Cemetary Watchman photo prop
• 8:45: Check in for Party
• 9:15-10:35: Parade, walk over to Tomorrowland Terrace, sit/enjoy desserts, Hallowishes (at 10:15-10:30pm)
• 10:35-11:30: trick or treat
• 11:30-12 am: Dancing Ghosts Magic Shot on Main street and Headless Horseman Magic Shot in front of MK

Our original plan has us camping out from 9:15 to 11:30, to get good spots and hopefully not have crowds ruin it at the last minute. If we buy tickets to the dessert party, that would be from 8:45 to about 10:35, but guaranteed spots, seating for the fireworks, and included desserts. About the same amount of time, but we'd finish earlier and have 75 minutes for trick or treating, more magic shots, etc. We'd also get a built in rest time (with the seating for the fireworks). The desserts themselves, meh (UNLESS it includes the specialty desserts they create just for the Halloween party, but I'm not holding my breath on that).

It really sounds like a good way to do the Halloween party with a bit less stress, and not really any more time than we'd already planned to set aside. It's definitely expensive, but I'm leaning towards it. If they have the same cancellation policy as the regular dessert parties, I'm definitely going to book it and then cancel if there are bad reviews of it. But I'm really really leaning towards keeping it. I'm all for less stress ways to do high stress events!

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Hopefully they open for booking tomorrow. Tomorrow is also the first day for the "After Fireworks" HEA dessert party, which I'm very interested in reviews of, to see how that's handled logistically, since we have Disney After Hours on the day we're doing the HEA dessert party so I can't switch to the after fireworks party...

 

[Araminta18]

Donald's Dino-Bash at Animal Kingdom!
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Ok, I meant to put this in my other post about MNSSHP and the dessert party, but I forgot. And I can't believe I forgot, cause I'm actually really excited for this. Donald's Dinobash is something with Donald and the dinosaur land in Animal Kingdom--don't really know/care about the reason. Originally it was just going to be a summer thing, but they decided to make it a permanent addition to AK. And I'm so glad--It's going to have meet and greets with Scrooge McDuck and Launchpad McQuack! As a big fan of the original DuckTales (less so the new version, but maybe 'cause I've aged out of the demographic), both Trevor and I are SUPER excited to meet them. I'm a bit bummer that there's no way to fastpass the lines, or even tell how long they are, but I don't care--we are going to meet Scrooge and Launchpad! I've googled some pictures already and it looks awesome (credit goes to insidethemagic.net)

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Also, I found another snack I want to try: the Beignet Sundae at Port Orleans French Quarter food court! Beignets plus ice cream? YES! Not sure when, but we'll figure it out, especially since the food court is open til midnight!

 

[dizneefan13]

You keep finding more things to do...soon you'll have to extend your vacation!
We are staying at POFQ our first week, so will definitely check out the beignets with ice cream.

 

[Araminta18]

You keep finding more things to do...soon you'll have to extend your vacation!
We are staying at POFQ our first week, so will definitely check out the beignets with ice cream.

Right? Luckily we have a pretty empty second morning at Animal Kingdom anyway (on Wednesday, I think?), so meeting Scrooge and Launchpad should fit right on in. And actually, it works out really well 'cause we won't have fastpasses for that morning, and you can't use fastpasses for this meet and greet anyways.

DO IT! The one first hand review I heard said it was amazing.

 

[SweetSerenity]

Okay, wait. So, there's a dessert party with parade viewing at the Halloween party? So, it's a party within a party?

What is this Dino Bash thing? Extra ticket event? I conquered the original Duck Tales Nintendo game when I was 5. I feel the need to meet them, too.

 

[Araminta18]

Okay, wait. So, there's a dessert party with parade viewing at the Halloween party? So, it's a party within a party?

What is this Dino Bash thing? Extra ticket event? I conquered the original Duck Tales Nintendo game when I was 5. I feel the need to meet them, too.

Yep, a party within a party. Like how on normal non-party nights they have a HEA dessert party, on MNSSHP nights they have a Hallowishes dessert party. It used to include parade viewing + desserts + fireworks viewing, but then the last few years, it dropped the parade viewing and was just desserts + fireworks viewing. But this year it looks like the parade viewing is back? Hopefully?

So as far as I can tell, Dino Bash is just a way to add more stuff to the dinosaur area in Animal Kingdom. Not a separate ticketed event or anything (thank heavens). I think it's just meet and greets with chip n dale, donald, and a few others, and of course Launchpad and Scrooge. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/entertainment/animal-kingdom/donalds-dino-bash/ is the disney page, and there's a little bit of discussion going on here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/donalds-dino-land-bash-times.3684886/

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I am really looking forward to Donald's Dinobash! In particular Launchpad and Chip and Dale in Dino costumes! I met Scrooge at the Christmas Party but otherwise I would be pumped for him as well.

 

[Araminta18]

I am really looking forward to Donald's Dinobash! In particular Launchpad and Chip and Dale in Dino costumes! I met Scrooge at the Christmas Party but otherwise I would be pumped for him as well.

Chip and Dale's costumes are adorable!! I love seeing them but have no big desire to meet them/wait in line. I think my line waiting capacity will be tested enough by Launchpad and Scrooge. Didn't realize scrooge met at the Christmas party! Does Launchpad meet anywhere else?

 

[Sailormoon2]

I went through all the same emotions as you about you regarding the MNSSHP Dessert Party It will be our first Halloween party, and although we too are going on a CM discount night, it is still a week night in August, so I'm thinking crowd wise we should be fine and not have to give up too much time staking out a spot, especially if we plan to do the late parade from Frontier Land. But it's just so tempting to take all the pressure off.

 

[Araminta18]

I went through all the same emotions as you about you regarding the MNSSHP Dessert Party It will be our first Halloween party, and although we too are going on a CM discount night, it is still a week night in August, so I'm thinking crowd wise we should be fine and not have to give up too much time staking out a spot, especially if we plan to do the late parade from Frontier Land. But it's just so tempting to take all the pressure off.

Right? I'm just not sure. I think my current plan is to verify that it's a "cancel up to 5 days before" thing, and then book it and wait for reviews. Everything I've said also seems to indicate that my original plan would be fine (and I think you'd be fine as well, esp with the late parade in Frontierland), but there's something very appealing about awesome spots, reserved for us, and then a place to sit down and relax... *sigh* decisions decisions! At least with this stuff I won't be tempted to mess with our ADRs!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Chip and Dale's costumes are adorable!! I love seeing them but have no big desire to meet them/wait in line. I think my line waiting capacity will be tested enough by Launchpad and Scrooge. Didn't realize scrooge met at the Christmas party! Does Launchpad meet anywhere else?

No, as far as I am aware Launchpad does not currently meet anywhere else.

 

[kclark9830]

I'm excited for the Donald's Dino Bash too! Yay! Your trip is shaping up to sound fabulous!

 

[Araminta18]

I'm excited for the Donald's Dino Bash too! Yay! Your trip is shaping up to sound fabulous!

Right? The Dino-bash looks like a lot of fun. Some of the other threads say that Launchpad and Scrooge have the shortest waits, which amazes me, but I guess makes sense, considering that little kids today probably don't watch Duck Tales or anything. But I'm excited!