Tonight, after park closing, I had to drop something off at a location at Paradise Pier. So I walk from Buena Vista Street to the Pier and decided to take the scenic route. I walked through Grizzly Peak and notice how peaceful everything is. The music is still playing, it’ll shut off around 10:30-11pm, and the trees just surrounding me, making me feel as though I’m in a forest. It’s dark and calming, and so beautiful to see this area empty. I continue my walk, past Grizzly River Run and Rushin’, the Challenge Trail looks ominous and the music starts to taper off as I’m walking toward the pier. There was a special event tonight for outside guests, but I still saw more cast members than guests. I love the Pier at night because of all of the lights. Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is magical with its dome of lights, the stores are all boarded up for the night, hopefully ready for the next morning, and the Jellyfish aren’t jumping, everything is still. The wharf side is covered in red and gold decorations for lunar new year and with the glow of the yellow lights it’s breath taking. Continue my walk, passing Tees, wondering what Disney did with the giant jack-in-the-box clown that used to adorn the facade, noticing that the Fun Wheel is a rainbow of colors for the special event, Screamin and Midway are still operating for guest enjoyment, and there are a few screams but it’s nothing compared to a regular day. Take the ramp up to the top of the Pier, noticing the how beautiful the bay looks with the reflection of the Fun Wheel and string lights that decorate the boardwalk glow upon the water. I take time to notice that a hippocampus sits atop the expanded roof of the Cove Bar, and I love it. I drop off the expected item and take my time walking back. I’m off and decided to take in the rest of the park. I cut through Pacific Wharf, I’m a sucker for the wooden bridge, and take a sec to feel it shake. I dance across the empty mess hall to the Latin music playing and straight into Cars Land under the arch. Walking past Radiator Springs Racers on my right and Flos on my left, I adore the pink and teal neon. The faux mountains look majestic, and the waterfall is still goin. I take a stop right below the broken traffic light and do a 360 spin to enjoy all of the neon, then I go the Stanley, give him a pat, and continue my walk. Walking into Bugs Land, there is no music, just sounds of bugs, which scared me a bit, because it’s so deserted. The “leaky” faucet is still on, which is weird so I wonder if it’s actually leaking. What once was Tower is all bandaged up, with a wall surrounding it trying to keep prying eyes out. Hollywood still has its track on, it’s so peppy and makes me want to swing on one of the lamp poles, like in Singing in the Rain. I begin to notice that this land has had the most and least changes since I was a pass holder in 2010. Frozen came in, electonica is gone, mad t is gone, aladdin is gone, mullet 3D is no longer, so Rizzos store was Oakens, now it’s just studio. All of the kiosks that would appear and disappear. Cap and Spidey make appearances more than Doc, Sofia, and Jake. Yet all of the buildings are still true to when the park first opened. The props in the windows are sun beatin and the mosaic wall is getting chipped away, but it survived, that’s showbiz right? So I continue my walk out for the night, since I’m off the clock by exiting through a small walkway that guests probably never see, go through the turnstiles, and begin my walk to my car at pumbaa. My walk through the park when it’s so empty is something I’m going to miss a lot when I leave. It’s such an experience my descriptions and story won’t ever do it justice for how it feels to feel like you’re the only person in this other world. Simply magical.
