Ending the night....
My daughter made a comment that the hub was broken and all the people were missing. I also happened to notice all the new plants that I'll have to film around in the future...
stop gardening!! there's too many things in your way already!
We stopped close to the castle to get some close up photos (not posted here) as they aren't anything special). The normal line was right at the photopass photographer with walt and mickey. I was able to jump in between families to get some quick pics. Hard to get that picture with nobody esle in the hub...
Look close, you can see the carousel through the castle, that's rare also as people are always in that walkway..
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We spent the last 30 minutes just going up and down a we own the place main street, hanging out with the photopass photographers and getting some you never see this empty pictures...
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Look, Starbucks was a walk on!!! that's that best image of the night to expalin how empty MK is during after hours.. When you have multiple registers waiting to get you on your way in seconds at starbucks, it's dead and empty and we loved it!
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Even the emporium was all to yourself to shop..
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We spent a good 30 minutes, took about 300 of our own photos and then anouther 50-60 photopass photos. Just up and down main street. This needs to be cleaned up better but this might be my all time favorite main street photopass photo..
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We probably looked like disney imagineers at some remote locations, we took that many strange photos a the details.. We also had a blast with the photographers that were just happy to see someone on main street finally. Apparently the whole night is dead for them
We'll hit main street sooner next time to take advantage of that..
1 thing I did notice that was strange. Casey's was closed. I think Friar Nooks was so much better that nobody had come down. Star bucks did have their food if you needed it up there. We had food waiting at home so we didn't get anything to go.. (and we ended up saving that for lunch as we weren't hungry when we got home).
Eventually we decided to leave, talked with security and those castmembers for awhile, even the ferry cast members. That might be my favorite part of this event. you can just meet everyone that works there, their managers.. You get interactions you just can't have during any other time.. Well you can but not this many of them...
The ferry was pretty empty for what was almost close. a lot left before it ended.. after hours is strange, you do so much it's almost too much time. I personalyl wouldn't come before 7 even though you should be able to get in at 4. It's just a dream night and I don't like to clutter it was an annoying afternoon
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Fun night.. After hours #1 over!! Next one for me is 2/2/2017 but my daughter is not joining that one and working late. We're going back together on the last night of the event like we did last year to get our fix in. I'm hoping my new camera arrives by then.. (it's really really new, not in stores so it's coming slow from china direct from the manufacturer).. only about 15 exist in the world (this is #16). I'm stoked!
I am going to head back 1 or 2 other nights just for outside shots. This is interesting, as they don't disturb the day tickets, they don't force anyone out. They leave on their own because thy cna't ride anything and only shopping on main street is opened. I did it last year also where I just stayed after close and took pictures and just hung out. snacks wasn't as interesting since they weren't free and only starbucks opened to get anything snack like for top dollar but it's great to just be there and do some more photographs..
All photos were taken with my mobile phone, nothing special. The only special camera I had was the 360 video cameras and that takes horrible stills.. next time we'll pull out the better stuff..
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Conclusion...
It was a crowd that was the size of a sold out crowd last year. It's right at the edge where I would tolerate it so hopefully they aren't planning to sell many more tickets as that might change the feel of the event.. It was not as empty as last year but that's ok, it's empty enough and back!!!!
everyone should go, just get it out of your head that your getting rides really fast. Your buying an empty magic kingdom and it will be the most magical it can be with nobody around to interfere with whatever you feel like doing all night long. no planning needed just show up and enjoy over and over and over again...
Magic kingdom is a completely different experience with no lines, no rush, nobody in your way, nobody unhappy, cast members all giddy with you. You cannot get a better time at magic kingdom than this event.
Side note, it will also ruin you for this and you'll keep coming back for it and mad how big the crowds really are...
EDITED TO ADD: I also didn't catch earlier but casey's wasn't on the list to be opened and launch pad was a second eatery available. I wish I saw that because I think they have turkey legs and I would have loved just sitting aroudn with a turkey leg. I'm going to plan on doing that for part of the night on 2/2 when I go back.
This is a much better food layout with something behind the castle, something in tomorrowland and starbucks for prepackaged stuff on the way out at the end of the night.. Kudos to this change!
See ya real soon!!!!
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