Grim Grinning Ghosts Come Out To Socialize!

My trip to Mickey's Not-So Scary Halloween Party is a mere matter of days away!  I'm so excited I could just spit.  If you're not familiar with the party, it's a yearly seasonal event in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World.  Supposedly, it was created as an answer to Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights, as a fun place for families to celebrate the holiday, without giving the munchkins nightmares and years of therapy bills.  Basically, you purchase a ticket for the event (about $50, no need for a day pass unless you want to spend time in the park pre-party), show up at 7pm (thereabouts.  Rumor has it you can enter the park as early as 4pm, but I'm not condoning breaking any rules), get a wristband and a trick-or-treat bag and join in the fun!  The wristband and trick-or-treat bag are very important.  If you don't have a wristband, you'll be asked to leave the park--there's a limited number of guests allowed in the park for the party.  There's also trick-or-treating throughout the park, and while I may be a grown woman, I'm not turning down candy.

There are dance parties with the characters, better-than-average photo opportunities (Cinderella's carriage, anyone?), the aforementioned trick-or-treating, a parade led by the Headless Horseman (too cool for words), a special Villains-themed live show, themed fireworks, spooky lighting and decorations, and costumed cast members.  Actually, the cast members aren't the only ones in costume.  Normally, Disney only allows guests up to age 9 to tour the park in costume.  Not so during the party.  Anyone at any age can dress up for the occasion.  All Disney asks is that you keep in mind the fact that kids will be everywhere, and keep it clean and tasteful, and if you come as a Disney character, please don't pose for pictures or give out autographs.  If you've ever been to a Con, you know that some of these costumes can get pretty darn elaborate.  I was blown away by Giselle and Mary Poppins cosplayers last year, and I'm definitely bringing my camera this year. 

No, I am not dressing up.

So, in honor of the impending visit, I thought I'd share with you a little bit of trivia on one of my favorite rides, The Haunted Mansion.  Oh, during the party, the cast members are all dressed as ghosts, and there's a ghost named Carlotta who sits on the lawn and tells stories about her life and after-life.  Since admission is limited, the lines are never long, so some folks just stand and listen to her and let others pass them.  Not a big deal, since they can, literally, just walk onto the ride when they get finished socializing.  As far as I'm concerned, this is the only way to do Disney, but I digress.

*The only part of the Haunted Mansion ride that takes place inside the "mansion" (it's just a facade, sorry) is the stretching room.  The rest of the ride is housed in a warehouse attached to the back and covered in shrubbery. 

*Originally conceived as a walk-through haunted house with scenes of horror, it was turned into a ride to prevent congestion, and a lighter tone was adopted to avoid actually frightening anyone to death.

*There was to have been an on-going storyline for the ride, but nothing was definite at the time of Walt Disney's death.  Instead, a series of vignettes was used, though snippets of one of the suggested stories can be seen.  A bride is still in the attic, and a sea-farer's telescope is on the second story balcony--both part of a tragic romance that were mentioned in a early draft of the plot.

*A wedding ring is embedded in the concrete in Liberty Square.  Supposedly, it belongs to the bride in the attic.  The way the story goes, the bride was a trickster, and hid in a trunk in the attic on her wedding day.  The trunk locked, and she suffocated.  When her body was placed in the hearse, her groom went to hold her hand for the last time, and her wedding ring fell off her finger.  Something spooked the horse drawing the hearse, and he stomped the ring into the pavement, leaving it permanently embedded. 

*The grave in front of the mansion is dug daily, so it appears fresh, and a new rose is placed upon it.

*The tombstones that line the queue are said to have been named for Imagineers and their family members.

*Contrary to popular belief, the Haunted Mansion is not really haunted.  Here's a fun report from the Disneyland attraction.  

Now, this link is pretty darn cool.  It goes to a blog that is dedicated to exploring the history of every single aspect of the Disneyland Haunted Mansion attraction.  When I say this is in-depth, I mean this is in-depth.  Like, Doctoral Thesis in-depth.  You could get lost for days digging around in here, but it's well worth it, and you're in for a really interesting read. 

If it's just not enough for you to visit the mansion in the park, now you can take it home with you.  No, I'm not suggesting anyone buy that dreck starring Eddie Murphy.  Heck, I worked for Disney at the time, and had to watch it for my job (long story, but I sort of accidentally ran the local Radio Disney for a few months after college), and I barely got through it.  No, what I'm talking about is the Haunted Mansion Game of Life.  Well, I guess that should be the Game of After-Life.  $62.99, Magical Mountain.  Yeah, I know, that's pretty steep, but the only place you can get this is in the park.  These people actually go into the park and pick it up for you.  But yeah, that's still crazy expensive for a board game.

Alrighty, folks.  There are still no samples, but I can still give you a product review while I search for the missing magic bag.  Today, I thought I'd tell you about MAC Lipstick in Russian Red.  I picked this one for two reasons.  1) It's Fall, and red is a great color for the season.  It really pops against paler skin (tans have all faded 'round here) and looks great with Autumnal colors.  2) I have a history with this one.

No, we didn't date in high school.  It's the main lipcolor used on my character in The Night Shift.  I spent two months straight wearing this lipstick, so, while I didn't name it, I did get about as attached to it as one can a beauty product.  This is about as true red as they come.  I'm talking comic-book character red, here, so it's not for the faint of heart.

This is a long-wearing lipstick.  Most of it stayed on through lunch, requiring only a minor touch-up.  All I do is talk all day, and it's still 90% in place after four hours.  That said, the salesperson wasn't kidding when she said it was drying. 

This has a nice matte finish, and worked really well with neutral matte eyeshadows and a natural-looking blush.  I pulled my hair back in a messy ponytail, threw on a white tank with jeans and cute flats, and had a very put-together look that didn't look like it was tossed together in less than 20 minutes.  I started putting together an "easy-to-assemble" cabinet and it took a lot longer than I'd planned, so I had no time to get ready for work.  Oops. 

A few tips for working with lipstick this red:

1) DON'T PANIC!!!  (And the meaning of life is 42)
2) Prep lips first by exfoliating (either with a washcloth or a scrub like Philosophy's Kiss Me) then with a balm.
3) Apply with a brush.  Using the tube's just going to get messy and sloppy.
4) Clean up any missteps with a little concealer.
5) Keep the tube and mirror handy for touchups.

Obviously, you can also use liners and reverse liners (those are fun) and powder down, and all that jazz, but this is just how to get through the day.  I will say, I wore this for hours at a time, talking and sweating and melting in the humidity the whole time, and only had to touchup a couple of times.  Not a couple of times a day, a couple of times, period.  It's pretty darn good stuff, if you can get past the dryness.  $14.50, MAC.