Everyone Hail To The Pumpkin Song! October '14 TR **Cadaver Dans 11/24

[ElenaJane]

[/QUOTE]Don't forget to look and ask for AP discounts once you get them and are in the parks.

Yes, our MBs that we received for the trip prior to upgrading continued to work and serve as our MBs for our APs. In fact, when I went to upgrade I had to make sure to bring all four MBs. The CM scanned each MB as she upgraded one ticket at a time. Oh, and don't forget to bring a form of ID as well.[/QUOTE]

Thank you! I have not been able to find a lot of info online about the specifics! One more question (I will refer to you as my AP Yoda) if you don't mind. Do I need to link the AP somehow BEFORE they are activated in order to make FP 60 days out (I'm staying on property)?

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Thank you! I have not been able to find a lot of info online about the specifics! One more question (I will refer to you as my AP Yoda) if you don't mind. Do I need to link the AP somehow BEFORE they are activated in order to make FP 60 days out (I'm staying on property)?

I don't think I deserve the Yoda title because he's just too awesome.

We had a slightly different scenario. I booked our trip as a MYW package that included 4 day park passes. I didn't pre-purchase the AP upgrade before our trip once again due to paranoia that it would mess up my existing reservations Instead I just upgraded and paid for it at the guest services window avoiding the whole voucher process.

That beings said, I had done some research on this topic as I was deciding when and how I would upgrade to APs and I read many reports that people who bought APs before their trips were able to link up the voucher/confirmation to their MDE accounts and make FP+ 60 days in advance for those who were staying on-property.

 

[ElenaJane]

I don't think I deserve the Yoda title because he's just too awesome.

We had a slightly different scenario. I booked our trip as a MYW package that included 4 day park passes. I didn't pre-purchase the AP upgrade before our trip once again due to paranoia that it would mess up my existing reservations Instead I just upgraded and paid for it at the guest services window avoiding the whole voucher process.

That beings said, I had done some research on this topic as I was deciding when and how I would upgrade to APs and I read many reports that people who bought APs before their trips were able to link up the voucher/confirmation to their MDE accounts and make FP+ 60 days in advance for those who were staying on-property.

Aha! Thanks so much. You are the closest thing I have to an AP Yoda, so enjoy the compliment.

 

[MEK]

Congratulations on your AP! Ours expired last summer and we didn't have them for our last trip, but we will be purchasing new ones in February! It's a great feeling to know you can visit whenever you want!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Aha! Thanks so much. You are the closest thing I have to an AP Yoda, so enjoy the compliment.

Thanks!

Congratulations on your AP! Ours expired last summer and we didn't have them for our last trip, but we will be purchasing new ones in February! It's a great feeling to know you can visit whenever you want!

I'm finding it also very tempting to add more trips to Disney now that I have APs except I can't find any free time at this point between our work schedules and the kids' school calendar.

 

[teekathepony]

YAY! So awesome about the AP! Some day I'll have one of those... hehe.

Great way to celebrate too!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

YAY! So awesome about the AP! Some day I'll have one of those... hehe.

Great way to celebrate too!

I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate becoming a pass holder!

 

[ThePin Princess]

Hi! Just joined in! I love your photo they're beautiful!!!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Hi! Just joined in! I love your photo they're beautiful!!!

Welcome and thanks for joining!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I finally dragged myself out of bed this morning to go out for a sunrise photo shoot along the Potomac River. It was the first photo shoot since returning home from our Disney trip. The low temps and the wintery scenery had a lot to do with my low motivational state for going out and taking pictures. Once I got there I was very happy that I made myself do this as the cloud covers provided some beautiful lighting about 30 minutes before sunrise. I was running a little behind schedule so I had to run about half a mile down the Mount Vernon Trail to get this spot with my camera gear in tow. Going to be honest, I had some panic settling in as I was parking my car and seeing the clouds beginning to glow in purple shades realizing I had about 10 minutes before the colors would start fading. Fortunately I was able to get to the spot in time to set up the tripod. Of course, I was gasping for air and trying to catch my breath as I was taking the photos.

Full size and resolution image is available at: http://www.dhphotogallery.com/gallery-image/Featured/G0000E5mhXsE7IsA/I0000oskiMOKpfFU

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

On a previous post I shared with you a picture of the PotC building at closing time for MNSSHP on Halloween night. Before I got to that the last photo spot I spent about an hour or so wandering around MK by myself. DW and the kids had turned in earlier back to our room at the Contemporary and I decided to spend the last fleeting moments of the party taking in the scenery.

One of the scenes I had hoped to come across during this trip was the Cadaver Dans. I had read that they are most easily spotted during the pre-parade hour in Frontierland but we had no such luck of seeing or hearing them during our parade viewing. The idea of the barbershop quartet made up as zombies of sorts while singing the tunes of Halloween sounded like so much fun and I was disappointed that I didn't get to see them. That is until I heard a faint sound of a cappella singing in the distance as I walked down Frontierland. Once I recognized their sound, I hurried over and there they were serenading just a handful of people who managed to stick around this late in to the party. Both Frontierland and Adventure begin to look really deserted in the final hour as guests are exiting the park and those that haven't tend to congregate towards the Hub and Main Street.

Anyway, I joined the 5 or 6 people huddled in front of them to watch listen. One of the tunes they sang was "Grim Grinning Ghosts," the theme song to the Haunted Mansion and the anchor song for Hallowishes. It was perfect choice for me for that particular moment. Halloween night. At MNSSHP. Halfway through that song a couple dressed as the Haunted Mansion servants joined the crowd to the delight of the Dans.

Here are the photos of the Dans. Mind you they may have picked an acoustically optimal spot for their performance but not so much for lighting.









I've always enjoyed the Dans' theatrics on Main Street and those elements really come to the forefront when they perform as Cadaver Dans. The ghostly and ghoulish expressions on their faces are so well done.

After enjoying a few tunes, I wandered off again trying to get a good photo of the Haunted Mansion perhaps inspired by the Dan's singing. I first tried from the front of the HM entrance across on the pathway. It was a little difficult to get a good shot just because of the constant foot traffic that goes through that area but I did manage to get this look.



The constantly changing lighting schemes of the Mansion is just awesome. I must have stood there for 15 minutes and saw several different lightings that gave the Mansion completely different looks.

I then decided that I wanted to see if I could get a photo of the Mansion not an angled look like this one but from the front looking straight on. So I walked down the pathway along the edge of Rivers of America until I finally saw the angle I wanted.



Looking at all of these pictures is making me miss MNSSHP. DW and I talked about this and we're not entirely sure if our schedules will line up again when we could make another trip in the Fall. I just hope it won't be too long before we can visit Disney during the Halloween season and attend another party.

 

[JDUB]

I'm sure you can talk her into another MNSSHP before your AP expires
Boo to you music gets stuck in your head.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I'm sure you can talk her into another MNSSHP before your AP expires
Boo to you music gets stuck in your head.

We're going in June with her family so it might be a stretch. Hmmmm, maybe I need to find another conference in Orlando?

Totally, the Boo To You is an ear worm of a song.

 

[khertz]

Ughhhhhh this is making me miss Disney at Halloween SO BAD!!! A lot of factors ride on being able to visit next October, but I hope it works out. The Cadaver Dans look awesome, and the HM has never looked better than when it is all dressed up for the parties. Great photos!

 

[courtneybelle]

Ahhh I wish I was on a beach like that right now…my uncle lives in Port Charlotte so I've always wanted to check it out.

Congrats on becoming an AP!!! Tables in Wonderland was probably the best money we ever spent in Disney. I love it.

 

[MEK]

Wow - I didn't know the Dans got in costume for the Halloween party. Awesome. And I absolutely love how the HM looks all lit up!