You got some GREAT parade pictures!!! Thanks for sharing!
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VMAH Part 2: Fireworks and Farewell
At 1005p I grabbed a coke and bag of popcorn and downed those while walking over to Splash, which had finally started running. I got wet, and I was cold, but it was worth it. Love this ride. Every time I’ve been on it this year I think it could be my last before the big redo with Princess and the Frog.
After Splash I went to CHH again for another cookie and hot chocolate (1038p), then headed towards Pooh. Since B didn’t care to ride this one, it was a priority for me tonight. Very short wait and was on at 1050p.
Made my way to the hub where there was plenty of space everywhere I looked, despite the fireworks starting in like 15 minutes! I stood near the Mickey and Minnie 50th statues. This was the best fireworks show I’ve ever seen, without a doubt. It was amazing.
At 1135p I was riding Space and at 1140p I was eating a Mickey Bar while watching the dance party with Stitch. At this point my energy level was approaching zero, so I decided to call it a night. Caught a few minutes of the castle stage show as I went through the hub, enjoyed a few last moments on main street, and was out of the park at 1155p. At the exit, they gave us this little Mickey-shaped chocolate marshmallow which I did not care for at all. Waited a few minutes for a bus and wheels were rolling at 1207. Got to ASMu (transferred from Pop to save a little money) at 1225p to find out the room was not in my name, but in B’s name. No idea how that happened. The manager had to look up a bunch of information and I had to confirm my identity a few ways before they would change the room over to me. Got a room in the BatB building again like I did in October! Retrieved my luggage from bell services and made the long walk to my room. I was in bed at 105a. What an epic day.
Scanned the VMAH guide and map
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You still have to cover your departure but you’ve milked this 4 day trip into a month-long trip report! I like it! 
I’m so glad your wife has been supportive of your running and your travels and that you have not yet been destroyed by her laser-shooting eyeballs. I may have to do a solo trip someday …
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Why do you think this report has taken me a month to finish!!! I’m busy working off my spousal debt! Gotta get way back into the green before January. When I got home from this trip, DW asked if I really needed to do the Dopey or if I could just do the Marathon and make it a shorter trip. I said maybe…
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Or a LinerBros trip!
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You shouldn’t lie to your wife like that
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Someday! Once my kids are all in school I think I will feel better about that.
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Tuesday November 9th (Day 5)
Groundhogs Day at AK (almost)
On my final morning, I did the same thing I had done twice already in the previous month(ish): rope dropped Pandora, then Africa and Animation Experience. This time I was closer to actually rope dropping though. Great timing this morning: packed and out of my room at 700a, on the bus at 714a, at the AK taps at 725a, Tree of Life at 734a, FOP standby queue entrance at 745a, caves at 755a, lab at 802a, preshow at 810a, and at 820a, “Sivako!”
NRJ standby queue entrance at 830a, more crowded than the day before but still only a 10ish minute wait. There was a family in front of me that was letting their kids fill the whole place up with bubbles. I can’t believe how prolific those bubble wands are. At first, I was like WTF? but immediately let go and just enjoyed the spontaneous randomness of Bubbles in Pandora. The shaman was backstage for repairs I assume, because a large screen was in its place showing a video of the shaman. Boo… Still a wonderful ride, just lacking the climax.
The posted wait for the safari was something like 45 minutes, I can’t remember exactly, but knowing how long I waited the day before I didn’t want to risk a long wait again. I wanted to be on the first train to Rafiki’s for Animation Experience at 10a. So I got a late breakfast at Kusafiri Coffee Shop and enjoyed that immensely while people watching at the Dawa Bar
Third time doing Animation Experience, and I’ve had three different teachers. All three were PHENOMENAL. Some witty jokes and a little history mixed in with the technical instruction. This is one of my favorite things to do at WDW, and a must-do from now on. They provide coloring pages and crayons for the littles, so I even recommend it for families. The class is only 30 minutes and they guide you through drawing each line pretty slowly. I’m honestly not very good at drawing, but somehow I have ended up with 3 masterpieces!
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I was on the train back over to Harambe at 1050a, then walking towards Nomad. Constantly refreshing MDE to get on the walk-up list, but never got it to work, maybe I didn’t get in range before the list was full, or maybe they weren’t using it. By the time I got over there at 1100a the line was at least 10 parties deep and they had already seated some. I decided that I didn’t have time for this since DME was picking me up in 90 minutes. Maybe I did, but I didn’t want to be rushed or stressed about time. No Nomad 
I had heard that Divine was back, so I opted to go find her instead of riding EE which was the other option I had in mind. Got to the Oasis and couldn’t find Divine anywhere, so asked a CM that was standing off to the side. She confirmed that Divine was back but she wouldn’t be out until 1140a. My DME pickup was scheduled for 1230p, so again I decided I didn’t have time for that. And I was now at the front of the park and didn’t feel like walking all the way back to EE and risk the SR line being long. So, I just said goodby and bussed back to ASMu for Tragical. Ironically, I waited like 30 minutes for a bus, and wasn’t leaving AK until 1145a. I should have stayed to see Divine and Lyfted back to ASMu. Oh well…
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Tragedy Struck
There was a DME bus already there when I arrived, and I asked the driver if I could ride this one. He said yes. So I was on DME at 1200p. We also stopped at ASMo, and then made it to MCO at 1255p.
I was looking around at Magic of Disney store when I got the last piece of pixie dust on the trip. On our June family trip the kids each got these character pens, and DS6 got the Donald version (see below). A few weeks ago it got broken and he had asked me to get a new one on my trip. I had looked everywhere in the parks but it was out of stock. Well, they had them at the airport! When I checked out, I told the cashier how I’d been looking everywhere for this pen and she said I was lucky because they had literally just arrived a few minutes before I got there!
I had a great lunch at Cask and Larder at 130p and then made my way over to gate 123 at around 215p. Flight was supposed to board at 320p and depart at 350p, but by 330p noone had boarded yet; And there were no SW personnel at the gate. Very odd, and my anxiety was building. I was really pushing it on timing because my flight was supposed to land at 540p and my DS6’s cub scouts meeting started at 630p. He was getting his first badge and as the den leader, I was supposed to be the one to give it to him. I should have had plenty of time to get to the meeting before that part which would probably be around 715p. But if my flight was delayed…
We finally boarded and I was in my seat at 403p, so we were at least 30 minute behind. At first the gate personnel were telling us there was a paperwork issue but nothing was wrong with the plane, the flight would not be canceled. Then on board, the crew told us that there was an issue with some of the baggage and they were working to resolve the issue. Around 420p someone got on board and asked for a specific person to gather their things and de-board the plane. After they were off, we pushed back and were in the air around 440p.
I got to see WDW from the air again like in October. It was too far to see details, but I recognized the outline of Bay Lake (red) and Seven Seas Lagoon (yelllow). From that I could tell which tiny blobs were the Contemporary (green), Space Mountain, etc. Even Spaceship Earth was a tiny dot, but I could see it.
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The End
I was walking to my car at Love Field at 625p, and knew my drive would take me about 40 minutes. Traffic was really bad though, and I got to the meeting just in time for the badge ceremony at 720p. Whew… What a day!
I’ll finish this trip report with a few quick things. First, the next day after my trip was my birthday, and I got the best present: DS6 and DS5 got their first Pfizer shot! When DD3 gets her vaccine or if COVID risks are sufficiently reduced by next fall, we will be coming back to WDW as a family! I’ve decided they all need to experience it during Nov/Dec, so that is what I’m shooting for. Teaser: we will be going with Make-A-Wish.
Lastly, a quick record of my steps:
Friday: arrival, AKL, DS
Saturday: 10k, MK
Sunday: Half, HS and EP
Monday: AK, HS, EP, MK
Tuesday: AK, departure
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Love this. I was at every ceremony and court of honor while my boys were in scouts. Of course being a leader I kinda had to. Here are my 2 Eagle Scouts
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Oooooh boy!!!
Oh boo hiss
But like you I never want to play tight with time around departure. Why end a trip on a stressful note??
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Hooray!!!
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Happy birthday!!!
Hooray!!!
Uh, I believe there is a badge for this and you’re the first to earn it AFAIK!
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Like being in line for Rise at DL at 4:00 when your flight is at 6:30? Don’t judge! I made it with at least 10 minutes to spare before boarding started. No joke, I thought to myself … wow, I could’ve stopped in the Emporium for a second on my way out.
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Yeah no. Absolutely no. I’m having palpitations just thinking of it.
Please tell me that at least you were flying SNA and not LAX We hit no traffic and 3hrs was just about right to have us at the gate without a lot of wait time before boarding.
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I remember this - she was in SNA! (Or Long Beach? Not LAX.) Still stressful.
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SNA of course. I would definitely have missed an LAX flight! The Lyft ride was maybe 20 minutes and security is always about 5 minutes there and the Alaska gates are just on the other side. It’s an easy airport for sure.
I am weird because being at the airport early stresses me out more than being late. And the one flight I’ve missed was one that I was there super early for due to DME.
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