After an exciting show, I met up with my friends Katie (@themagicaldetails) and Megan (@misswizardingworld) at a vibrant spot within Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Echo Lake. We were right in front of the Powerline Max meet and greet, a perfect location to catch up. If you’re passionate about Universal Studios and Disney, make sure to follow them for more theme park adventures. Although the evening was packed and we missed taking photos together, it was wonderful to reconnect with them.
10:25 PM
Saying goodbye to Katie and Megan, our group decided to grab a bite at ABC Commissary and experience the Holiday Fiesta en La Calle. While ABC Commissary offered reasonably priced options, the portion sizes were a bit smaller than expected. However, the food itself was delicious. The street corn and the chicken and cheese empanada were definite highlights and highly recommended.
Following our stop at ABC Commissary, we ventured over to Baseline Tap House. We were eager to try their ceviche and strawberry lemonade, and both turned out to be excellent choices. They were incredibly refreshing and full of flavor, making Baseline Tap House an ideal spot for a light snack and drinks during the festive evening.
Unfortunately, the Latin band performing at Holiday Fiesta didn’t quite match the lively atmosphere we anticipated. I later learned that there were actually two performance setups, and I had only seen the solo singer. My friend Molly mentioned that the larger band was fantastic, suggesting I might have missed out on a different, more energetic vibe. To enhance the Holiday Fiesta, Disney could consider adding dancers to amplify the energy and create a more engaging environment. Perhaps transforming the area into a West Side Story-themed dance-off with street performers could encourage more guest interaction and fun.
It’s important to note that the solo singer was indeed talented and delivered a great performance; it simply wasn’t the high-energy experience I had envisioned for this particular event area. Introducing greater entertainment variety or more interactive elements could significantly boost guest engagement in this zone.
Leaving Baseline Taphouse, we coincidentally bumped into our friends Molly (@molly_mcawesome_) and Alan (@just_alan91). It was another great spontaneous meet-up! Again, no photos were taken as we were quickly moving around the park, trying to experience as much of the event as possible. For theme park enthusiasts, Molly and Alan are key members of @mammothclub.
10:58 PM
We then made our way back to Animation Courtyard to explore the interactive photo experience. On our route, we were pleasantly surprised to spot Jiminy Cricket greeting guests in front of the Chinese Theater. It was a delightful, unexpected character encounter.
Arriving at Animation Courtyard, we found the entrance of Disney Junior Play and Dance transformed into an interactive photo station. The setup looked impressive and seemed like a really fun activity. However, there was approximately a 20-minute wait to participate. Given our aim to maximize our time exploring the event, we decided to skip the photo op. Nonetheless, for guests who enjoy unique photo opportunities, it definitely looked like a worthwhile experience.
