Data Behind Disney Busses, and Party Season!

Chrissy and Amy chat about the data behind the Disney Springs busses- it is WAY more interesting than we expected. 

Universal Kids is now open- some things were fixed- but Chrissy was bugged by a new development. 

Epic has new fireworks and we are delighted. Plus, the park is a year old now, of course, we discuss.

Our deep dive was inspired by the party tickets that dropped this morning. It’s Party Season Ya’ll!  We’re so excited about Christmas and we get deep into Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hey everyone, welcome to Behind the Plans. I'm Amy. This is Chrissy. And together we are the creative team of Touring Plans, which just means we're not the ones crunching the numbers.

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Sorry. Okay. Well we've never been called that.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

We call what we want. The pay doesn't change. We just call ourselves what works in the moment. So badly.

unknown 0:20

Okay, sorry. Go ahead. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

So we do everything from collecting data, counting people, uh, taking lots of pictures, eating lots of food, whether we want to or not. Um, the Italy Pavilion, we hate to see it coming. So, but um often as Chrissy and I are discussing what comes next, what we need to talk about, uh, what maybe doesn't work in an article or a blog, um, there's often lots of shenanigans and silliness and giggling. And it occurred to us that our readers, our social media watchers, and our liners uh might like to hear what else is happening with this team, right? Liners. Um and so uh we were having a really um frank conversation about universal kids, and we decided if you saw we have a thing on YouTube, that conversation. We decided y'all might want to listen in. So here we go. Um, this is Behind the Plans, where we talk about everything that we don't write down or put in regular social media content. So, but like all podcasters, we first must thank our sponsor. Thank you, Len.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Also, he he sort of knows because I had to ask one question, but listen, if he didn't want us to have access to the corporate cards, we would not have them. But we we also I love your intro, but I think it's really important also to say we never get invited to squat. So we get to say, um, there are certain things that we try to frame, like on the blog or on Instagram or whatever. We our whole goal is to be like unofficial, not sponsored, not paid, also because Len can't keep his mouth shut. Disney's never gonna put it on on a regardless, but like we are never sponsored. So, and there are a lot of times we have to you you say things in writing where you're just like it was fine, or this wasn't the best thing. And this will give us an opportunity because we're uh mothers who have spent giant fortunes of our own uh in Disney World. We love the products, we're rooting for Disney and um Universal to do well, but like sometimes they mess stuff up. So we get to be completely honest because our only sponsor is LeBird, you know.

SPEAKER_02 2:46

So we don't have we're not the people that take others down or look for that kind of thing. We're just trying to help people plan and understand and come to Disney the most efficient, least expensive, uh yet have an amazing time as you can. So that is the whole goal behind all of touring plans. And we get to do the fun stuff while they're crunching numbers.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Okay, some of it is not fun. Some of it is not fun.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

Well, no, this is true. I spent 12 hours in the epic heat just the other day. It is not all fun.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

That was misery for you guys. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Donna.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

No, perfect. So, so that is who we are. Welcome aboard. Um, the format right now it will change 10,000 times as we get adjusted and move to this, and that's just who the two of us are. Um so we um right now we're gonna kind of talk about what's happening, what's happened recently with us, and then we'll do a deep dive every week about a topic that's either current or something that's gonna be really helpful to people. Budgeting, planning, parties, hint party today. Um so um things, things that that work and are helpful. But the first part will be okay, what what happened, what we've been doing. Uh Pizza Moon takeout window was somehow very important to people. You don't get that. I don't get either.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

I mean, it's good, it's good pizza. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

Yeah, there's a lot of universal food I really don't like. I'll eat a pizza moon all day, every day. Um, but they only have two items in their takeout cart.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

We're not gonna yuck the PC. I don't get it, but it's not for us. It is good. It is, I I did think about it like if you're getting ready to go watch the new fireworks show, which is spectacular things. Spectacular. Um grab you a pizza. Yes. I mean, but you gotta ask for napkins.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

But anyway, you do have to ask for napkins, and they do not have utensils or a paper plate or anything, so you have to be creative with the use of the cardboard box, which you're seeing very cute. But the fire that is an excellent, it's probably why the pizza uh window opened or cart opened the day the fireworks did, because it it they were kind of walking around going, Hey, look, you can get milkshakes over here while you're sitting and relaxing, because it is a nice setup to watch a night show, which is perfect. Um, so yeah, Epic Fireworks guys. Uh kudos. I was I was very, very, very happy. And I don't always I uh that's not always my takeaway from Universal. So I forgot or Epcot. Or Epcot. Guys, this is better than Epcot's uh a thousand times over. Epcot's makes Christina sad. It is it is a very down, the whole Jesse bit. We don't love Luminous, that's our opinion. Not necessarily everybody at Touring Plans agrees with us. I I've never pulled them. But um I my quote the other night was Epic has luminous shaking in her boots. Um that'd be good. So so that's kind of um the first thing, current current event that was talking about. Um lately, one of the big events that I know feels a little old, but I do have a behind-the-scenes kind of story that if we were doing this podcast two weeks ago, we'd have talked about it then. I think everybody will be interested. Um, Len often asks us for data that we don't understand why he needs it. Or at least in my case, I don't understand why. He's like, I need you to go count the number of people trying to get on the buses at Disney Springs that do not have a reservation after June 28th when they locked all that down. Right. And I was like, okay, I get paid either way, I'll go sit and watch the people. You know, I got some looks, I got some questions about what I'm doing, but I just sit there with my little app that counts and and away we go. But later, you know, called him, told him what I had, and he was he was very enthusiastic. And I was like, why? Uh you know, and we learned that so they tested that over spring break, right? The buses were locked down over spring break. And during that test, 40% of the people getting on those buses or trying to get on those buses were not resort guests. They were either coming from Disney Springs hotels, like that whole group, and trying to resort hop or whatever they wanted to do. 40% of the people on the buses were not Disney guests. That is a whole lot of buses and drivers and fuel and expense that they're getting, you know. Don't tell me your quick service meal is helping to pay for that if you're resort hopping, right? It's a huge expense. So, um, so social media went crazy. Um, and everybody kind of had an idea, right? And so he he his understanding was they were at 20%. Now I did that counting, what, two days after the shutdown. And sure enough, my counting showed exactly the 20% range. So enough people through social media alerted people, hey, you're not gonna get on this this bus. And I saw people turned away from the boats. Um, and you know, there they we did our job as social media to warn people this is no longer an access point for you. So it was down to 20%, which is still not a small number. If 20% of a bus as yeah, as you're waiting on a bus or standing on a bus, because 20% of the people don't have resort reservations, um, that's a lot. That's a lot. So uh those numbers blew me away. Um, and I've not heard them publicly anywhere, but uh again, I was out there counting buses and yeah, didn't know why till later. You know, it's what we do. So uh anyway, so that was something that came up. Um, Chrissy had the exciting opportunity because of where she is located to go to the Universal Kids. We talked about earlier when you went before they were open, but they're open, so how did it go? Yeah, there was nobody there.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Uh, I think the team member to guest ratio was like three to one. They did add some shade, they did, but I would wait like a year and a half. We've done a couple blog articles. I'm gonna post the room review. Um, it's it's not ready. It wasn't ready, still not ready um to open. Yeah, it's going to be like it is really cute, but it's not a full day resort. There are a lot of splash packs, there are a lot of redeeming qualities, but um remember how when Lighthouse Point opened, um yeah, and the fly issue, they're having some of that and it is really distracting. And I yeah, we've we've got some work to do, it's fine, they're gonna get there, they they're listening, they put up shade, but do not fly in just for this park. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

It is not a destination, it is a side trip if you're in Dallas.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Um if you happen to be coming to the rodeo or something like that, then sure. Right. Maybe. Maybe if you bring it not yet.

SPEAKER_02 10:38

Did you buy a parasol? Did you bring uh shade with you?

SPEAKER_00 10:42

I brought an umbrella, but I had my heat gun and it was like 122, 122 degrees like on the benches and in the shade, it was still 104, like under the umbrellas and stuff. So it was it's you know, I mean visit in the winter. Yeah, you know, maybe I I have plans to go back in September. Um okay, but for now, don't do it, girl. Yeah, don't do it.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Yeah, yeah. We're sorry, universal kids, but we'll be back.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

It's got so much potential, but we're just not there yet, guys. We're not there. All right. It wasn't time.

SPEAKER_02 11:20

Fair, fair, yeah. Um, we gave it a shot two times, two visits. Again, bought our own tickets.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Yeah, we'll go back. Unfortunately, they're just not ready. They know they're not ready. It's fine. We're not hurting anybody's feelings, I don't think.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

Um, okay, what else is going on? We had so so I was at Epic. Um, and I promise everybody these won't be so universal heavy always, but it was it's been an epic kind of week lately. Yeah. Um, this has been a weirdly epic or universal-centric week for us. But I was at Epic and I had not been there since the year mark um of opening. And so I was looking around, I was getting lots of B-roll and you know, things, things like that, because uh, this Midwestern mentality, my boss bought a ticket for me to get into Epic to see fireworks. I spent all day. Right, right, right. Or and I'm not gonna show up right before a nine-minute and 25-second firework show either. Right. So so I was there and I was looking around, and um they some of the improvements they made are helping their team members, which I think is very cool. There are now big fans and chillers where team members have to stand, um, which I think is very nice. They put one in the meat toothless line, which is exceptionally hot. Uh yeah. He's a very cute dragon, but his cue is very, very hot. Um, they the volume level is definitely down. It is not quite smack you in the face loud like it was when it first opened. Oh, good, which is very helpful. Um unfortunately, I would love to see some maintenance that kept things looking really pretty. Um, I will say, and I was there in December with my family, and the Viking and Dragon that are like right as you walk in the Isle of Burke, right, were totally black. I will say they've been cleaned up a little. Like I can see, you know, details. Um, they're just not clean anymore. The propane in their mouths, the fire going is just causing soot. And it's such a pretty area. I would love for it to stay. The flooring it's gorgeous and and unique and amazing. And I love the Isle of Burke section so much. The flooring at um Nintendo World, all of that foam um is wearing down um pretty quickly. Yeah, it is so slippery. If it rains, which it does here, um, it's it's it's not great. So I thrilled with the new fireworks show, thrilled with the volume changes and some misters to help team members, and um, there's still lots of Vikings roaming around. There's still lots of characters, you know, throughout Harry Potter world. Um all of those things are still happening, which is great. Um, but uh maintenance would be lovely. Um, and hopefully they just get some more rides up because I was sitting there, you know, you could hear thunder, never did storm where I was. I was ready for it. Everything was down. So the only rides that weren't down were Mario Kart and Harry Potter, which had you know 180-minute waits because everything else is down for weather. So it's challenging if you're coming to Epic, also maybe not in the middle of the summer where it's really, really, really hot and storms shut things down. Exactly. But but a year in, um, you know, it's it's they've changed. We have blog articles, they've changed early entry a couple of times. They fixed the loophole that I really enjoyed, which was getting on Harry Potter called uh early entry. Um but it wasn't fair to people with early entry to open that up to everybody. They have shut that down.

SPEAKER_01 15:17

So I spotted it.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

That's right, that's right. Um, so anyway, we have strategies up on the blog, things like that, of how to work that now and go to Isla Burke if you didn't stay in a hotel room. So um it is, it is, and then um the the big thing today, if you had it on your calendar, it is time to buy Mickey's very merry Christmas party and Jollywood tickets.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

And we will be at a first party for both. Yay!

SPEAKER_02 15:52

And they showed Jollywood's first, which is so weird. I wonder why. I think the calendar just laid that way and it goes all the way into January.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

I love that because the the race folks like it's so expensive. I mean, everybody knows it's so expensive to come at all, but if you really want to see and it makes sense, like if you're a race person, you're over the age, likely over the age of 13. Right. Job probably warrior thing. Right.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

I mean, I'm interested. And and when you know, I've done um New Year's at Hollywood the past two years, and it's very, very much like Jollywood. It is set up a lot of the same characters are I get the pictures confused, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It would be easy, and I'll and I'll be honest, it if you show up at New Year's, you don't have to buy a Jollywood ticket. The only thing but the only thing you wouldn't get is Kermit and oh well then, never mind. They are, in my opinion, the entire reason to go to Jollywood. They make it worth it to me. Um Kermit's waving his hands and doing his thing, and I'm like, it's like I'm really here. Um, but characters without the dance parties, the vibe, uh fun lighting, all of those things are very, very, very similar. So if you are not a Muppet person like Chrissy and I are, maybe, and you're in the wrong place, buddy.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

You're in the wrong place.

SPEAKER_02 17:25

New Year's Eve is a free way to experience all that with a little bit of a blip of a firework. They like to call it fireworks, it's really not.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

It's just a come on, guys, a little shower. But you know what? Jollywood has gotten so much better. I know we're talking about Mickey, it's not so scary today.

SPEAKER_02 17:41

No, we'll get there. This is what we do.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Think of the first Jollywood, like they have really taken it all the feedback to heart, like the lighting. I mean, they made changes immediately. They didn't even wait till the next year, so right. They were working that in real time right away. Yeah, right away.

SPEAKER_02 17:56

Yeah, no, it's very it's fun. And you know, I have a a daughter that is in her 20s, absolutely loves Jollywood nights. Oh, yeah, it's her, it is. It's it's you know, tailspin and Phineas and Ferb and those characters that that is all them. The drinks are fun, uh-huh.

unknown 18:18

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

And then you can do a little shitty shake. And people dress it's like a Dapper Day, only it's oh my gosh, they're so fancy.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

And then there's me and you. I wear all black, so that I blend in. Hello, you will see my face. Sometimes, sometimes. Ain't nobody doing that. I don't want to draw attention, but there's so many gorgeous people. Like they come in and be full, like, oh my gosh, like shimmery, full beat, yeah, gorgeous heels.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

I don't get that. Like, find yourself some cute ballet slippers. No, I love them so much. By the end of the night, you're like, maybe bring the heels for a photo up and then switch them out or something because heck yeah, we'll be in our Worthopedia um Hocus.

SPEAKER_00 19:07

I'm in my medicine shoes. My corrective shoes. Always.

SPEAKER_02 19:12

I bought black and white ones to be fancy in Paris so that they weren't colorful.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

I'm gonna put a little, you know what? For Christmas, I'm gonna put a little red and green laces on my um corrective hocus. They feel that way.

SPEAKER_02 19:27

They help that much. Like I I do the Brooks version and you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:33

My feet never hurt. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

We're not actively looking for sponsorship from Hoko or Brooks, but you know, hey guys, we are I want something for free.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Everything that we have Leonard paid for. Thank you, Leonard. Um let's talk not so scary. Yes, it is so overwhelming and complicated and amazing, and it and it and it doesn't have to be overwhelming or complicated.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

And it opens in less than a month. We are less than a month from opening day. Which, yes, that's August, August 7th.

SPEAKER_00 20:27

Fireworks went up and Gigi was like, is it time? Can we decorate? Because we are on Disney Sale.

unknown 20:34

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

So when that first pumpkin goes up, your HO is like, excuse me, girl.

SPEAKER_02 20:43

Yay.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

All right, let's hit it.

SPEAKER_02 20:49

Okay, so first thing, uh, Mickey's not so scary is a hard ticket event, which means they charge you extra for it. Um, they shut the park down early for general day guests, and you know, only people with the fancy wristbands that you get um are able to participate. Um that's at six o'clock, yeah. But you can get in at four, right? Right, but the day guests, six o'clock is the cutoff. And it's a hard cutoff. Like Meg's job used to be to push people out.

SPEAKER_00 21:20

Yeah, they're gonna shut you down. But the the crowds are low during the day, so if you were not going to that's a whole other podcast. Oh, yeah. Ben you get in at four.

SPEAKER_02 21:30

Once party season starts, Ben and I are in Magic Kingdom every Friday night or every Friday during the day. Well, there's nobody there. There's nobody there.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Yeah, you're not getting fireworks, you're not getting any of that. It's all about the party.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Right, right, right. Um, yeah. So if you if you are coming for a once in a lifetime trip or you've not been here before, do not come for a regular day on a party day. And and Len went over this in our video about when to plan your trip. And everything that's on YouTube. Best day to visit. Best best days to visit. And for locals like me that have access, we love a party day. But if I came and was hoping to see Happily Ever After and experience the park at night and see Astral Orbiter all lit up, that's not gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

Um you can go to the party and see all the really special things.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Which I I think you I think you have a pool day during the day, have a nice lunch, don't spend money on a ticket that day and the party instead. And the memories that happen from the parties are not your regular Disney memories. There's little dance parties, and there's you know, I was watching babies dance while waiting for the Fourth of July fireworks, and there's nothing cuter.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Even the big kids like a big teenager who's the boss of the world. But I mean, she is rightfully, but we've been going, she's been every year since she was you know four, and every year there's there's something different. So, yes, it is expensive, but you know, around 200, 224 dollars. The closer you get to Halloween, the more expensive it is. Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

But if you don't buy that daytime ticket, man, you can still so much fun from four and you get in at four o'clock, so you can ride some the rides. The the rides, I would not focus everything on rides. I I really, really don't think that's your best strategy. Um, but you can definitely get through a Tron line or a Tiana line um mind train at the end of the night. The closer to the end of the night, the shorter the lines get. Um, that's important. But but you know, and then from the four to what, seven? The party starts at seven. From four to seven, get your dinner, unless you're really focused on some dinner that's gonna be party exclusive food. Um, but get get your dinner, ride things like Pirates, which isn't really long on that day, some of those rides that that you want to get in, because you're gonna love the music on Main Street, the lighting on Main Street, which is you know, ghosts floating on the emporium and um some of the characters that are there. Uh lots of I mean, Pooh Bear is in his Halloween costume, and he is a but a bee so that he can get his honey. I mean, come on. But his line's really long, so that's who you want to see. You have to you have to prioritize that. Um, or Jack Skellington, if you've got kids that are gonna be there to the bitter end, wait to the bitter end to see Skellington because his line is very always long. Um, unless you jumped in and were one of those people that got lucky and jumped in right at the beginning or something. But um what else about how about Halloween?

SPEAKER_00 24:55

Okay, so I think two things when you are planning your costume, everybody wants to be super cute. Just plan on being mom in a pumpkin t-shirt. Like I did this with Gigi many, many, many times. Okay, where I got the Tiana fall gown. I mean, oh I'm sure. We did family costumes that with wigs like the Pongo, we did Pongo Perdita, and I was Cruella de Ville. That wig was gone by Fantasyland. I think I threw money. I don't remember which trash can, but goodness gracious. Um, so just do a t-shirt costume. Trust us. It's yeah, no matter when you go, it doesn't matter if you go on Halloween, if you got one of those tickets before they sold out, you're gonna regret it if you do like a nylon something. Do a costume. Also, like you were saying, pick your character that you must meet. Yeah. Um, and if it happens to be Jack and Sally, then you know that's an hour of your night at least. Right. Um but there are other opportunities to see and be with characters where you also get candy or you're at a dance party. Right. Like, and we've we've got this on the blog. We've got um the touring plan for families with with small children. Um, so tomorrow, Lamb, Stitch is gonna have his new dance party. He's gonna be out in the crowd with other special characters. They do this for the Christmas party and the Halloween party. The characters will be in the crowd dancing, and it is extremely easy to get video of like it's not you don't line up, they're just like grooving near you.

SPEAKER_02 26:35

Um and it's less it's if you have little kids um and and they love stitch, which so many of them do, right? They're less um awkward or shy. They're excited because they're dancing. Like if you have one that's shy and and you don't know that they're really gonna approach Stitch. I think those are an excellent way to really interact with them.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

And and there'll be other characters too. It's not gonna be just yeah, Goofy's usually hanging out there.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

I don't know if Goofy will be with Stitch, but I don't know if that's a dance party.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

Yeah, no, I mean, and Chip and Dale, again, don't know where they fall in that timeline with Stitch. I have no idea. But um, that's always been a great thing ever since I I can remember. We've always ended over there boogieing no matter what. On even on because we always go, Len always pays for our first ticket, and then um I'm going at least one more to one more Christmas party on my own dime. We right, we always do multiple of each party, right? Um, so truly we we believe in what we're talking about here. But um, if you have little ones, most people, it's like a mass exodus after the fireworks.

SPEAKER_02 27:47

The fireworks 10, there's only one fireworks show, and it's adorable and has this the silly skeletons and should not be missed.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

Like it is, but don't line up early like we make you do every year to get Jack. I only did it one year and was so miserable. Um you really have to be. If you if you're gonna see Jack Skelling Dean, he comes out at the very beginning, he's like the host. Um, and it's this most amazing puppet I've ever seen. It is uh in in my life. It is very cool, even up close. Like I've been up close to this video. Yeah, yeah. So cool. The lighting, whoever the lighting director, it's amazing. But uh when you you're weighing your you know, all the other things they're actually do, especially if you're going with kids, don't please don't worry about being at the front of the castle. Go go got your beeswax, do your stuff, do your things. You can there's always room to stand in the back where you can still see the projections, you can still see the fireworks. Um, so you know, right the treat locations last year, remember they did um sorry, I I have I D D. Okay, fireworks are at 10. I'm gonna get there in a second. Fireworks are at 10. The Hocus Hocus villain spelltacular is so fun. That runs like what four times the last one's always at midnight. Right. And then the booty parade this year is 8.15 and 1115. So that means if the first parade is at 8.15, that means the headless horseman. It always starts in Frontierland, always ends on Main Street. Okay, right. Um, so if you're so cool, y'all, if you haven't done it, he's amazing. Everybody goes silent because you it's a live animal, it's a horse. So you don't want to scare the horse. They're very serious about you getting your feet off the road.

SPEAKER_02 29:29

Um, like no tomfoolery, because this animal is, you know, plus it's supposed to be a quiet moment, supposed to be spooky, but spooky and reverent all at the same time. It's very cool. The first party I went to, it rained and we didn't get to see him. And I was like, man. And then when I chilled, I'd seen videos, right? It is not the same as being in that space. Like, it's cool. It's cool.

SPEAKER_00 29:58

They send him down right at like 8 04, 8 05. And then for the 11:15, it's gonna be, you know, a couple minutes after 11. He comes first, and you hear the flip-flops. Chills, chills on my on my he doesn't race, he he it's a slow approach, right? Like he's marvelous, he's what he's said. The horse is just, I mean, focused, it's so great. And then, and then there's silence, and then there's a couple minutes, and then the parade starts. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 30:31

And there's this collective group of after, like you're right, and then it's like you let out, like everybody lets their breath out, right?

SPEAKER_00 30:39

Like it's the coolest. I know we I showed that video out like a hundred times on Instagram because I'm like, you anyway, it's worth going. If you're gonna go, like if you're if you have like big little kids, like big kids that you know are gonna stay up till midnight because you've taken your nap and you were at the resort or whatever, plan on the 1115 parade. Yeah, it's just as good. I mean, still headless horseman, it's dark. And then for the 8:15, wait times are so low everywhere, all over the park.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

I remember you last year because I was there and you were at home checking the wait times, which we don't have time to do in real time when we're both there. Right.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

So we don't do that for Christmas, but right, yeah, but we'll do that again for for Halloween. But wait times go down to nothing when the first parade, because everybody wants to see the first parade, especially people with little kids who typically bolt after the 12-minute fireworks is 12 minutes, 12 and a half minutes, yeah. Um, at 10 o'clock, you will see everybody leave. Right. And it is much easier to get that good spot for the 1115. And there's so many of the spectacular shows on the castle stage that you don't really.

SPEAKER_02 31:51

And if you don't know or care about Hocus Pocus, I promise it is way more than just Hocus Pocus. Dr. Facilious. Oh, Dr. Facilia is the best. He's so good.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

This is just fun, it's a fun, good time, you know.

SPEAKER_02 32:07

Anyway, it's worth doing. You don't have to be right up front. The mute you can see them, and it's fun, and you know, um, and um this parade, boo to you, that we were just talking about, that is only during the Halloween party. Um, it's never any other time, and it's very fun. Like there it's it's you know, and then all of us who are you know obsessed with things will just it's Halloween time. Boo to you. It's boot to you and you and you.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

The other thing for if you if you're having you feel like you might have that FOMO, or you might be like, you know, I want it, I want to do everything. This ticket is so expensive, and and you feel that pressure anyway. First of all, everybody who plans a Disney trip always feels that way.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

You feel responsible for every moment of magic, and you just be there from this time to this time because I paid for it all, and it's so yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:07

I get it, I it's expensive, and there's so much to do in seeking. But Princess Fairy Tale Hall has in years past, they haven't announced the treat spots yet, but it does have a treat spot, and there are characters on the side. Um, Malescent, who else?

SPEAKER_02 33:24

The Queen.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

The Quick Ween was there.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

She was so regal and just studying you all as you're in line. Chotting why are you in my airspace?

SPEAKER_00 33:35

That's the extra use because that a makeup is yeah. So if you stop and take little selfies and she might insult you, right? You know, it's wonderful while you're in line, so you get to see characters, you don't have to worry about waiting in the hour-long line to see whatever.

SPEAKER_02 33:52

Right. Um oh the the the treat spot at Diamond Horseshoe Review or Diamond Horseshoe, it was the review when I was a kid. That still comes. I don't say I don't say MGM anymore, but I still say Diamond Horseshoe Review. The ghosts are in there and the whole thing is decorated and lighting. And it I walked in there and was like, oh, oh, this is those are this is a thing.

SPEAKER_00 34:18

The coolest, yes. They're doing more of that, which is so good because you don't don't stress if you if you know your kid is gonna wanna um yeah, I brought my little treat bag to show. Um bring baggies. That's another tip. I need to put that on the touring plan because we ended up getting a locker anyway. I don't know, you can't see it because it's not showing up, yeah. That's fine.

SPEAKER_02 34:40

We will put we won't have pictures in our notes and things as much as the podcast will let us. Um we're figuring all that out too.

SPEAKER_00 34:49

Bring um definitely either bring baggies or get a locker on your way in. Because even though you did not budget for that platform bucket, your kid's gonna want it. And you're gonna want it. Let me see.

SPEAKER_02 34:59

Because y'all. So, for people who are listening to us, this is an adorable Mickey Mouse wearing a pumpkin that has candy in him. And I think he lights up. He must light up his batteries, so he lights up somehow.

unknown 35:14

I have the same one upstairs.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

I love this guy. And my brother is showing up the first week of August with one of his kids who is 12, I think. And um, I'm sorry, we're gonna be decorative for Halloween because they've never seen my house at Halloween.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

This this guy is Halloween.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

Hello.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

Oh, also, can we put a little shout out to say why is why is Disney not doing anything with Halloween Town? If they turned a little corner of the park into Halloween town, do you understand how much money we've expected?

SPEAKER_02 35:55

Um I'm I'm gonna be real honest and say I've never seen it. Amy. I I don't know what year it came out, but I there's this gap in my life of when Ben was a young child. All right.

SPEAKER_00 36:12

Before the party, before August 7th, I need you to watch Halloween. Okay, fair. I will do that. I can't explain it. It is amazing.

SPEAKER_02 36:20

Anyway, that would be fun. But and people who haven't been in a couple years, there are now the whole circus area has decorations. Timothy Mouse is in the the reeds, just like the Mickey Pumpkins. Um, Winnie the Pooh and Mind Train have fabulous Halloween like garlands.

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Better every year.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

Frontierland is decked out, like it has just spread and really well done. Like Christmas also, like it's not just Main Street anymore. It is really encompassing everything. Um and that makes me very happy. I like it.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Oh, it's amazing. Uh, you bring up a good point though with Storybook Circus. I was gonna mention that. If you have little ones, you can literally spend your entire night in Fantasyland and Storybook Circus, ride lots of rides. Yeah. Um, and we have that on the blog. We show which rides are popular with which age groups because sometimes the pre-K and the kindergartner folks, they don't see it on the which is fine, like Space Mountaining on the seat. Right. But um the wait times for Dumbo and for Barnstormer are like non-existent on Friday nights. And Dumbo has the air conditioned playground in that what you have to go through a little bit of the queue and then in the center, you know. But on party day, party day you walk right into it because it's a two-treat spot, too, isn't it? No, absolutely spot, so I think it was last year.

SPEAKER_02 37:49

Or maybe near, yeah. And some of that's gonna have to change because carousel of progress will not be a treat spot this year. Like there's gonna be some adjusting that after the first party, we will it'll be running.

SPEAKER_00 37:59

Yeah, we don't know.

SPEAKER_02 38:01

We don't know, but they've got doors up at Carousel of Progress, so that one will not be in treat spot right.

SPEAKER_00 38:07

It might be out front, who knows? Right, but yeah, there's um so let's see. We have it right here. Um, we broke it down by land, um, where the treat spots are, where we recommend you eat. Um, because there are some places that are better than others, and with little Pinocchio on treat night. Well, but we recommend that because it has AC and it has bathrooms. It does, it's central. I don't like the food at all ever. But yeah, there's um treat stops are Princess Fairy Tale Hall. Fill Hart Magic is a great one too because they're constantly running cartoons as you walk through. So you can sit, you can nap, your kid can chill out for a second.

SPEAKER_02 38:46

The only party Ben ever went to, because they're not his scene. Right, so he sat and and watched those cartoons over and over and over again because it's Sleepy Hollow and the one where the human have the costumes, like it's the old classic, really great. Um, and that was a a lifesaver for us.

SPEAKER_00 39:08

Oh, it's wonderful. There in Monsters Laugh Floor, um, because they'll they'll have like the running jokey joke. It's not the full show, you but you walk through to get your treats. Um, great I see, there's a seat, and you can just sit and like watch the show, take a little break because it's humid and it's I was just about to say that.

SPEAKER_02 39:30

I don't think that people necessarily anticipate the humidity and the heat, even even through into October on those nights. It's powerful. It is uh you're thinking, oh, it's dark and it's later. No, it trust us.

SPEAKER_00 39:45

It's uh it's oppressive, especially like obviously the all of August and all of September, right? For sure, for sure. And you might get a little bit of relief um in September, but uh that's why please do not plan an elaborate costume for those babies.

SPEAKER_02 39:59

And it has been raining in the very beginning, like between the four to seven time, just about every night by then, right? Like expect a little bit of rain, which will mess up a costume too.

SPEAKER_00 40:12

Um makeup, if you can help it, just preventing your.

SPEAKER_02 40:18

If you get your makeup done um at the park, like if you go and get face paint that works with whatever look you're going with, they do touch it up two times for free. So if it rains on it, go go um go get touched up.

SPEAKER_00 40:32

I just wouldn't. I'll just and still bring your sunscreen. Yeah. But yeah. Yeah. That's all I have. Just like don't uh don't plan to do it all. Right? Just try to be in the it's hard. Try to be in the moment of whatever you're doing because you're going to have surprises. You're gonna be walking and then run up on a character that's free, or you're gonna have this really special moment in the dance party, and or kid is gonna be super obsessed with finding because they roll out new candies, don't they? I mean, it's the same at every single like the Christmas party where you get different cookies at every single stop.

SPEAKER_02 41:11

It is some of them give out whole tubes of MM minis, though. So those spots would be rebooked circuits, yeah. And regular treat spots. That was last year. We'll get back to you as to whether that's still happening.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

Yeah. But they roll out the new MMs, like when the cold ones first came out. Uh, that completely rot my world. Well, because they roll it out during the party, and maybe, you know, maybe your kid is obsessed with whatever the one thing is. Right.

SPEAKER_02 41:37

Anyway, and go through when you enter. So even if you are if you did not follow our advice or you're you were in the park early for whatever reason, your annual pass holders, whatever, and you got your wristband somewhere else in the park. Make sure you go to the front of the park and go through the actual party entrance because there's photo things and there's characters, and very often Corella Deville is standing up there, you know, being fabulous. And there's always something special. Something, and there's full-size MMs usually and like it's it's worth doing and it's kind of fun. You're the sp it's like the welcome, and you're the special people, the buses they're pointing you through. It's it's just part of it. So if for some reason you did not come in at four o'clock through the main gate, which will sort of naturally just flow that way, come back to the front and and do that. Oh, for sure. Because it's fun.

SPEAKER_00 42:36

Even if you already have your wristband, you already got your whatever, your park map and all that stuff. The market welcomes open until eight o'clock, and it is worth it because it's stuff that day guests are not gonna see. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 42:49

And it's bubbles and it's bubbles and DJs and cute little statues, and again, Curella de Ville. Or someone like her, probably.

SPEAKER_00 43:01

Well, we'll report that. We'll do let's let's follow them up after the first party, right? Um, just so we have accurate times and locations and all that stuff.

SPEAKER_02 43:09

But um, but yes, a fabulous, fabulous thing. So that was our deep dive. If you guys have questions, thoughts, concerns, any of that, um the website connected to our podcast, you can reach us there. You can reach us on our blog um with questions. And then for those of you not listening, we're also on YouTube or filming this, also. You can comment that way. We're pretty easy to find um and we'd love feedback about questions about this. Let us know what you want to learn more about. We've done just about everything.

SPEAKER_00 43:48

Um, yeah, we have fun, fun jobs. And um, our feelings are not hurt easily. We have children, so it's okay. Please tell us. We we don't know. We're trying a little bit, so okay. It's okay to tell us.

SPEAKER_02 44:04

So, so coming up next week, um, I'm going to be in California. Um, taking a little whoop whoop, taking a little girl's trip to Shocker, Disneyland. So California next week. We're our deep dive, we already have planned, is going to be budgeting, basically. Like this is these this is the real cost of Disney. These are the things that you maybe didn't know to expect or didn't realize they've gotten to be this expensive now. And some realistic ways to cut it without cutting your the magic out of it. Um, so that's the deep dive. And um, we'll have you know follow-ups of California and our week, and who knows where we're sent to count what and what goes on. So thank you so much for joining us. Um, and hopefully this was fun for you guys too. Again, let us know what you want us to talk about. Occasionally, we will be bringing Leonard on with us also. We're gonna make him. Um he we just have to decide what we want to talk about with him. We'll tell him, it's fine, we'll work it out. And pin him down. He is he is a very busy guy. But um, so anyway, thanks everybody.

unknown 45:20

Bye.