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A Week in Photos: 2025, Part 43

November 26, 2025

Monday, October 20: Mr. Karen and I spent this Disney day at Hollywood Studios, where we did the usual rides and attractions and ate lunch at a new to us restaurant (Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ) and exchanged a purple balloon with a deflated ear for a new one.

Assortment of desserts on a plate with a spoon resting in front of them. Four small jars filled with various puddings and fillings surround a cupcake topped with the Forky character from the Toy Story movie franchise.

Tuesday, October 21: Started our day in Epcot, sampling treats from the Food and Wine Festival booths between attractions. The new purple balloon apparently did not care for the heat, and its interior Mickey head balloon propped during the afternoon. Took the Skyliner to the Studios, where we exchanged the purple balloon for a light blue one before returning to Epcot for the nighttime show.

Looking out over a lagoon at night. There are fountains in the water, lit up in purple and yellow, with small fireworks bursting above them.

Wednesday, October 22: Had a late breakfast at one of the resort hotels near Animal Kingdom before spending the afternoon in that park. Returned to have a carryout dinner from a different hotel near the park before heading over to Magic Kingdom to see the nighttime parade and do a bit of shopping (including buying another purple balloon).

Evening in a theme park: large parade float in the shape of a cartoonish steam train, all lit up with many tiny multicolored lights.

Thursday, October 23: Slept in, then headed back to Epcot for more attractions and more Food & Wine treats before taking Disney transportation over to the Magic Kingdom to do some things we’d skipped earlier in the trip due to wait times or having somewhere else to be. Returned to Epcot for dinner at the Biergarten—our first time there in all the years we’ve been visiting the parks—followed by watching the nighttime show again before heading back to our rental condo.

Castle at the Magic Kingdom from the side at twilight.

Friday, October 24: I was feeling a bit worn down, so I stayed in the condo and rested (and did some laundry) while Mr. Karen went shopping during the day. In the evening, we went to Hollywood Studios for a few hours, hitting a couple of attractions and a show as well as having dinner and a snack.

Show boat made to resemble a steamboat filled with Disney characters (on the water at night).

Saturday, October 25: Made a last visit for this trip to Animal Kingdom. Saw some animals, did some attractions and shows, and made sure to do one last ride on Dinosaur before it’s reimagined as part of the Tropical Americas project. Left around 5 to head to a dinner at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort, something we couldn’t remember ever doing before so went for it when I saw a same day reservation available. After dinner we took the monorail to the Grand Floridian and watched a truncated Electrical Water Pageant from their dock before watching the Magic Kingdom fireworkd from the same spot. After fireworks, took the monorail to the Contemporary and did a bit more shopping before seeing the shortened water pageant one more time.

Giraffe and antelope graze on the savannah alongside pickup trucks of the keepers.

Sunday, October 26: For our last park day of this trip, we visited both Magic Kingdom and Epcot. There’d been a Run Disney race earlier in the day, with a party for the runners at Epcot that night, so we ended up leaving a bit earlier than planned rather than fighting the crowds. A bit disappointing but the right choice.

Epcot: Spaceship Earth lit up in orange and purple at twilight, with the monorail moving across the track in front of it.

*****
On this date in 2020 through 2024: No journal entries
2019: A Finished Object
2009 to 2018: No entries
2008: Pre-Long Weekend
2004 to 2007: No journal entries
2003: Quiet Wednesday
2002: No entry

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