Williams Family Blog: Spooky Season Theme Day!

 

It had been a minute since my last Walt Disney World Theme Day.  As a local, I enjoy selecting a theme and then touring the Walt Disney Resort finding attractions, entertainment, characters, and dining that align with the selected theme.

Click here to read about my Princess Belle theme day.

Click here to read about my Pixar theme day. 

Given the season, Spooky Season was the theme.  I donned my tennis shoes, threw my new yellow leather cross body bag from Venice over my should and off I went.  It was a "Good to Go" day for Annual Passholders, so no Park Reservations were necessary. The weather turned cooler, just in time!

Disney's Hollywood Studios was the first stop.  Hollywood Tower of Terror was the first destination, and I was confronted with a 70 minute wait time.  Oh, well.  I had made a commitment.  The wait passed quickly and it was excellent people watching.  A couple from Dayton, OH were visiting with a woman from Dubuque, IA, two cities I am familiar with, about how there are no Disney Passholders who are not Disney Vacation Club Members as Passholders they had met on Disney transportation fit into the other category as well.  I interjected with "I am."  Turns out they were looking for out of state Passholders. Turns out we are living the couple from Ohio's dream.  Then there was the woman who thought she was sneaking her vape out of her purse and blew it slowly from her mouth and nose to match the steam sprays in the queue.  In the queue area between the hotel lobby and TV room, a young child was next to me sneezing, coughing, and sniffly without covering.  The female adult said, "Are you sick?" I reached into my bag and pulled out a napkin, which the adult female took, followed by hand sanitizer which I poured into the child's hand.  The woman said, "She came prepared."

Tower of Terror was as always terrorizing!  Lots of air time during the randomized lifts and drops.

Exited the park just as the friendship launch approached.  Perfect timing.  The boat ride went quickly, and I got off at the 4th stop, EPCOT.  As I walked up the incline from International Gateway, there were guests looking confused.  I offered assistance.  They thought the park ended and needed to go back up the hill and turn right.  It was a wrong turn.

France was my destination, specifically, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure.  While some might not think this attraction fits with Spooky Season theme, the attraction includes a ghost throughout, the ghost of Gusteau.  Single Rider Line was quick and I rode with a family that had experienced the attraction before.  The lady behind me in the Single Rider Line asked I had done this before and wondered how long the line would take.  She was worried about her husband waiting outside as he had ridden Guardians of the Galaxy and was done riding rides for the day.  When walking from France to the front of the park, there were Cast Members cleaning up vomit and I thought about the lady's husband. Did you know that this attraction will become a 2-D attraction after a brief closure in November 2025?

To the front of the park I went and the Monorail was pulling into the station.  Just in time.  I rode the Ticket and Transportation Center, and then took the Ferry across Seven Seas Lagoon instead of transferring to another Monorail. 

When entering Magic Kingdom shortly after 2:00 pm, the corral for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party guests was already set up and guests were sitting at the Tap Styles for the 4:00 pm entry.  I had not checked the parade schedule and sure enough, Festival of Fantasy was circling the hub.  I crossed Main Street and strode through the Emporium and then cut behind Ye 'Ole Christmas Story.  The parade was past Frontierland and I was able to get into the queue for Haunted Mansion, 35 minute wait time from that point.  Again, the line moved quickly.  The guests in front of me were recalling their experience from many years ago.  

Exited Haunted Mansion and went towards Frontierland to use the restroom cut-through to Adventureland.  Pirates of the Caribbean had a 5 minute wait time, basically walk on.  The queue went so quickly, I barely had time to snap pictures.  Dead Men Tell No Tales does fit with Spooky Season Theme and of course, there's the legend of George, the ghost that supposedly haunts the attraction.  I did say, "Good night, George" at the top of the escalator belt. 

Pirates of the Caribbean was my last attraction, but not my last stop.  By the time I reached Town Square at 3:30 pm, the only exit was on the right, near the popcorn stand.  My original plan was to walk to The Contemporary but alas, the corral for party guests was taking up lots of space so Resort Monorail, here I came.  Met a family from Lakeland, FL, enjoying the cooler weather.  We talked about driving short cuts. At the Contemporary, there were guests exiting the Monorail that rode the escalator from the Monorail platform to the fourth floor, and then the next escalator to the next level down, but were looking lost.  I asked where they were headed.  Bus stop.  Follow me!  Same to the group behind them. Around the corner and down another escalator.  I said I'm stopping for the restroom, but head towards those doors and take a right turn to get to the Bus Stop.  One of guests asked if it was a stop for all buses.  I said yes, except Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT it turns out.  They were headed to Disney Springs, so all was good.  

A brief wait at the bus stop to unload and load scooters and soon we were off.  At Disney Springs, guests coming from Disney Resorts, now have a security screening, similar to park entrances and guests who use the parking garages.  I made sure some of my tag-alongs knew which way to turn to get to Rainforest Cafe.  I was off to Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.  

New this year, Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar had decorated for Halloween.  No reservations are taken for this location, so there was a queue of guests waiting to be seated.  Typically, guests stroll in and find an empty table or seat at the bar, but due to the volume of guests, a host/hostess was now seating guests from the queue.  I was able to get a single seat at the bar.

I ordered my Zombie Eye deviled eggs with chicken nuggets.  The guests to my right, from Tampa and part of the Disney Day Drinkers Facebook Group, were enjoying sausages in flakey pastry served with mustard died red in a coffin and the guests to my left, a Cast Member who works in Creations at EPCOT, were sharing a pretzel charcuterie dish. Turns out I know which Happy Hour at Disney Springs ends last without having access to the Disney Day Drinkers Group's spreadsheet.  It's STK by the way that ends at 6:30 pm, and yes, I have been there.

In visiting with the Cast Member serving me, the drone show during the Summer of 2024 did not have a positive impact on businesses at Disney Springs.  That the Halloween Decorations at the Hangar Bar has driven business since August.  That the hot spiced hot chocolate drinks may be available at the "to go" bar outside during the Holiday Season.  And, that the Holiday decorations along with a new menu will begin November 12, 2025. I said, that makes sense since Santa will begin greeting guests at Disney Springs on November 13, using a Virtual Queue. More Seasonal Overlays may be happening at Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar!

A bus ride to the Riviera then the Skyliner to Disney's Hollywood Studios to return to my car completed my full circle Spooky Season themed tour. 

On my way home, I drove by two of the Walt Disney World Christmas trees loaded on flatbed trucks that are slated to go up within days.  8 Hours, 3 Parks and Disney Springs, 4 Attractions, 5 forms of Disney Transportation, 14,000 steps, nearly 6 miles.  It was fun and good day!  It is great to be a local!

Williams Family: Do You Tour Like a Guest or a Local?

 

After years of making the Walt Disney World Resort a vacation destination I have always said, "there is more than one way to do Disney."  And, I firmly believe that.  As a family, our touring style morphed over the years from commando to more leisurely.  Now, we live "here" meaning in Central Florida, in Walt Disney World's backyard, basically; able to see and hear Magic Kingdom's fireworks nightly.  Which means our touring style has transitioned from Disney Guest to Disney Local.

While it needn't have been a forehead slapping moment, it was.  Upon returning from EPCOT last night, accompanied by a neighbor friend and fellow Disney fan, who experienced the American Garden Theater for the first time along with her first Eat-to-the-Beat concert performance it donned on me that it was her first time touring as a Disney Local.  On the car ride home, she said that she would have never sat and watched a concert like that when her family traveled from Illinois to Walt Disney World.  And, while our neighbor friend has lived "here" for over a year, her daughter works for Disney, when she goes to the parks, sometimes with me in tow, the touring style is more as a guest than a local.

Disney Guests want to make the most out of every moment.  Attractions, shows, characters, snacks/drinks, and nighttime spectaculars make up the itinerary.  Solid shoes, solid plans. Go, do, see!  Making the most of the experience to get the "worth the squeeze" out of the investment.  I get it.  Been there.  Sometimes still do that if accompanying other guests, including our neighbor friend. 

Disney Locals, which I will clarify as anyone within a 2-hour drive, have a more targeted, yet chill approach to park touring.  Locals come to the parks for a specific reason--like a new restaurant or attraction or specific entertainment.  Familiarity allows for efficiency, still leaving room for a bit of magic.  Last night, our neighbor friend wanted something specific at an outdoor kitchen (Food and Wine Festival) and then we walked to the American Garden Theater.  She said, "This is a long walk when you aren't wandering and looking at things."  Targeted--we knew our destination.  When exiting EPCOT, the lights and music made it magical--and we said as such.  No rush of the crowd exiting; a stroll to the car in the parking lot and home shortly thereafter--chill.  We know we'll be back. . . and soon.

When processing this idea of different park touring styles out loud with the husband, he added his own story of the evening.   When pin trading with a Cast Member, he had to answer a trivia question to get access to a mystery pin.  "Name 2 places at Walt Disney World where you can find Sorcerer Mickey."  The husband rattled off Mickey's Philharmagic and Fantasmic.  He said the Cast Member was stunned and asked if he was a regular.  He fibbed a little and said that he lived in Iowa.  As he was telling me the story, I added that Sorcerer Mickey is a meet and greet at Hollywood Studios.  

As we walked back to the car lot last night, we talked about how we have chosen to live here; near Walt Disney World.  Disney fandom was a part of the decision as well as living a dream and escaping Midwest winters. We shared how we had experienced skeptics/doubters. But in the end, made the move and made the dream life a reality. 

Williams Family: The Beak and Barrel

 

The Beak and Barrel, a new dining/experience location at the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort, opened the last week-end in August 2025.  Reservations required.

Nestled inside the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, the signed entrance for The Beak and Barrel is to the right of the queue entrance for the attraction.  This location was the former Pirates League where guests would be transformed into pirates with make-up and accessories. 

Pirate theming abounds, as guests are inside a pirate ship.  The parrot speaks and squawks periodically, pirate songs are song by guests and crew, and MagicBand+ lights up, not because of interactivity in the lounge, but because of proximity to the attraction down below. 

Guests check-in for their reservation outside the entrance. Once a text is received to approach the podium, proceed.  Guest parties are called in groups to enter with the caveat that this is a 45 minute adventure and informed that there is group seating.  (Think Biergarten at EPCOT or Oga's Cantina at Hollywood Studios.)

We were seated in the "Captain's" room at a table for two.  Seating, and or standing if in the "Map" room, is at tables, booths, the bar, and wooden stools along the walls.  And, given one menu to read in a dark room--I got out my phone for both pictures and the flashlight app.  Our seater warned us that we would only have 45 minutes. 

Our server arrived shortly complete with pirate garb and scratchy pirate voice and accent.  We ordered Island Provisions, an assortment of chips and dips which were tasty, and Cook's Corn Griddle Cakes with Chipotle-braised Chicken which was spicy and I found the griddle cakes hard and tough to cut/chew.  There is a Griddle Cakes option without the chicken.  The only other "bite" on the menu is Kraken's Catch which is octopus tentacles.  

For guests over 21, libations are on the menu with a 2-drink maximum.  We tried the Hibiscus Rum Punch Royale and Salty Seas mARRRgarita.  Each drink came in a different cup--again think what would be found on a pirate ship.  There is a souvenir drink with cup available for purchase--Plunderer's Punch.  There are wines, beer, and reserve rum selections, too.  While there is a bar, this isn't an order your favorite spirit or drink location as far as we could tell.  

Magic Band is interacting with attraction down below

Our server, too, warned us of the 45 minute limit and that he would return half-way through to inquire about a second round of drinks.  Our food came quickly and our server was friendly and attentive. 

Click here for The Beak and Barrel menu. 

The Beak and Barrel is a unique experience that will fit the bill for many guests and fans, as is evident by the nearly full and difficult to snag reservation system.  

If you are looking to fill empty bellies during a day at a theme park, The Beak and Barrel would not be a top choice.  While the menu is allergy friendly, it is not picky eater friendly.  And, it's pricey!

We saw parents wandering with littles looking for a restroom inside the establishment.  I had inquired and knew the restroom is outside the lounge, on the far side of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  

Speaking of wandering, guests are welcome to move about and take in the theming, but best to do it at the end of your experience as to not use up the 45 minutes allotted to your table. 

Note:  Partway through our experience at The Beak and Barrel, the lounge lost its lighting--not electricity as the music continued to play, but all of the lights.  Suited Cast Members were suddenly on their phones, servers got out flashlights and/or used their phones, guests pulled out their phones for illumination, and important people began filing through the door.  The second entrance was opened for light. We were checked on by multiple Cast Members making sure we were okay.  The lounge stopped seating guests, many guests paid and left, and we were smiling at the adventure and munched on chips.  The husband ordered a second drink.  We were told to take our time and soon Guest Experience Team members (blue shirts) arrived with their tablets and scanned park tickets and MagicBands to add a Lightning Lane entitlement to accounts.  We were told this has never happened before.  The husband blamed "George" the supposed ghost that haunts Pirates of the Caribbean.  We do say good-bye to George on our way up the escalator belt when we exit the attraction! 

We paid our bill; I signed the receipt with a flashlight pointing.  The lights did turn on before we left, and we were able to capture photos in a relatively empty lounge and took a small tour.  On the other side of the door was a flood of guests waiting to enter.  

To top off our experience, we scanned our MagicBands on the Lightning Lane entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean and of course, said good-bye to George on our way out.