Runners, in-laws, Beach Club, Birthdays! Part 4 (closing)

Odds-and-ends and parting thoughts

We got in one last ride on Peter Pan as the clock struck midnight (well, 8) and when we came out the fireworks were going on, resulting in a nightmare for my son, who is no fan, to say the least. We were literally stuck, with fireworks being launched on either side of us and all the stores were closed so we could not escape in one. We ultimately took him into the Tangled restrooms, but I have to say….what a great place to watch the fireworks! You don’t get the full view there, but you’re right in the middle of it, literally. Will keep that in mind in the future.

After the fireworks the park was closed. Two CMs did a sweep of the restrooms we were in and then seemed to casually be walking behind us as we made our way through Fantasyland on our way to exit. At one point I stopped and took a few steps back to look at something in a window and they stopped and took three steps back with me. I realized then they were sort of ushering us out. This was interesting to me, as I remember getting off Splash back in 2003 on an EMH night at around 1am. We were, so far as I could see, the only people in Frontierland and very, very casually and slowly made our way out of the park with nary a CM worrying about us until we got to Main Street. Change in practice, I guess. Or perhaps the intervening 12 years has made me look more like ne’er-do-well.

Saw some SA tour groups but they weren’t bad. At one point a hoard of about 50 of them came running to the exit of AK, shrieking their heads off, but really we didn’t have much bad interactions with them.

Saw lots of people with the selfie extender. Did not find this to be obnoxious at all and actually sort of admired this new product for its usefulness.

We liked the Magic Bands very much – never had an issue with them, fortunately. I stopped wearing a watch years ago (cause of my phone) and found myself looking at the MB from time-to-time to see what time it was…and after we got home, the next day I had a phantom MB feeling on my wrist, which made me chuckle. In general FP+ was also okay. We were able to get a FP after ours expired on at least a few occasions, and for some E-ticked rides, also, which surprised me.

It was a really great trip...my son had a short trip when he was 15 months, a longer trip at 2.5, and a couple days in DL when he was a little over 3. Now at 4, I see the evolution and it's clear he's drinking the Kool Aid and really "getting" Disney! He begs me everyday to watch ride-on videos on Youtube now and we act out Philharmagic while he's in the bathtub playing with his characters (the only person who has ever told me he likes my singing!). Weather could have been better, but we all had a good time and can't wait for our land-sea trip in May!