#but in orlando? at universal? during halloween?

[8aeddel-vriska]

I don't care what laws Ron DeSantis passes, I'm going to Horror Nights.

[showrunnerihardlyknowher]

we are halfway through the vacation and my gay goth little brain is THRIVING with vibe ideas..............

[jules-has-notes]

2016 VoicePlay fall roundup — projects galore, frequent travels, and holiday cheer

As summer rolled into autumn, VoicePlay just kept rolling on their various creative fronts.

While the other guys were cruising in the northeast, Tony and Layne were hard at work back home, prepping and filming PattyCake's first Halloween video.

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California schemin'

Once the sailors were rested up, most of the guys headed for the west coast. They spent two days in Los Angeles filming collaboration videos, first with Kurt Hugo Schneider and then with AJ Rafael.

On the upside, their absence from Florida meant that they didn't have to take shelter from Hurricane Matthew. Unfortunately, Tony wasn't involved in the videos (for reasons that would soon become clear) and was supposed to be on a later flight than the others. He didn't make it out of Orlando before the airport was shut down.

From L.A., the guys hopped up the coast to San Francisco to perform at a benefit concert for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation hosted by the Alpha Epsilon Phi fraternity at Stanford University. With Tony stuck at home, the fellas called in their old buddy Paul Sperrazza from Vox Audio to pinch hit as their baritone for the night.

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Squeeze me in

After a few days at home, the guys hit the road again. They started with three days of student workshops in eastern Ohio.

During the week, they set their social media followers the challenge of finding them among the crowds of students and faculty at some of the schools. (Can you spot them all? The kids make surprisingly good camouflage.)

New Philadelphia, OH — East Elementary // West Elementary

Zoarville, OH — Tuscarawas Valley Elementary School

On the final day, they worked with the choirs from two local high schools, who then joined them for a show at Kent State Tuscarawas the following night.

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From there, the guys headed south to West Memphis, AR for another concert and a workshop at the local high school the day after that. One crafty fan brought them homemade VP logo cookies.

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students at West Memphis High School

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Next they flew up to NYC to perform at a fundraiser for the Lupus Foundation of America.

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Then they scooted upstate to Rochester for a show at Nazareth College before finally heading home.

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Happy holiday-ween

Once they returned to Orlando, it was time to buckle down on rehearsals for their second year at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, so that they'd all be able to hit the stage running in November. (Layne did take the time in the middle of the week to have dinner with their old friend Jeff Thatcher and introduce him to Doris, though.)

The extra twist this year was that, on top of getting themselves and their backup guys ready to perform their holiday setlists, these performances would also be their next step toward formally acknowledging Tony's departure. He wouldn't be joining the other guys on stage in Tomorrowland this season. Instead, they would alternate between two replacement baritones, Erik Winger and J.None, who would continue performing with them into the new year, until the group could decide on a new permanent member.

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No trick, all treats

At the end of the month, Geoff & Kathy announced that baby Castellucci was on the way at long last. They shared a short video documenting some of their challenging road to parenthood on Geoff's personal YouTube channel.

and baby makes three… er, five?

WARNING: This video contains footage of Kathy receiving many injections in her belly and buttocks. As a result, she engages in some pain-induced swearing. Understandable, but probably NSFW.

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One of the pumpkins from the baby reveal was then repurposed to create VoicePlay's social media posts for the day of Halloween.

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North to South (Carolina)

After a week and a half at home, the guys moseyed up to South Carolina for a pair of shows in Aiken, this time with Erik Winger as their substitute baritone.

A group of fans, perturbed by some negativity they'd been seeing directed toward the guys in YouTube comments and on social media, had been conspiring amongst themselves to counteract that energy. They'd created a book of positive messages and images. The two friends who had volunteered to collect and deliver everyone's submissions also documented the presentation during the post-show meet and greet on the first night so that all the contributors could see the guys' initial reactions.

Ashley and Nancy present the book of fan love

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The second day also held a few surprises.

It can be nice to have fans in the service industry.

Aiken, SC show — pre-show chatting // post-show group hug with fan Ashley // prezzies!

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Sing, laugh, and be merry

And then it was off to the races. VoicePlay began their second annual residency in Tomorrowland for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney World in early November. For nearly 100 performances over the course of six weeks, they once again entertained thousands upon thousands of visitors to the Magic Kingdom.

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Hardcore mode

In between MVMCP shows, the guys continued doing their other jobs. Among other things, that meant Earl was lucky enough to be playing Crush in the Nemo live show when iconic professional wrestler Mick Foley was in the audience.

Earl meeting Mick Foley // the VP MVMCP B-team — Tony F., Antonio, Deejay, Joey, & J.None

Having a full cast of replacement singers came in handy during the second week of Disney World shows. VoicePlay had also booked a holiday concert down in Delray Beach for the Friday before Thanksgiving. So, while Winger filled in for Tony on the road, J.None and the rest of Echo took to the Tomorrowland stage in full force.

Eli and Ashley even left a day early and took a detour to attend a Carrie Underwood show in Tampa on the way.

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VoicePlaying for Gamecocks

At the beginning of December, VoicePlay headed up to South Carolina with Winger once more for their last non-Disney holiday concert of the year at USC.

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Bubblicious

In early December, some of the guys finally got to meet the British music blogger who had been singing their praises for several years when his vacation itinerary brought him to the Magic Kingdom.

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Caroling we roll along

Their final video shoot of the year was also the final entry in their first set of PartWork videos, a gentle rendition of "O Little Town of Bethlehem". With the announcement of Tony's departure drawing closer, the other four guys were all featured in this video in their usual roles, and Geoff did double duty to cover the baritone part.

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VoicePlates

As a fun little end-of-year treat, their pal (and former 4:2:Five tenor) Danny Alan stumbled upon some holiday paper goods that bore a surprisingly familiar looking design.

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The guys finally took the last few days of the year to relax and rest in preparation for their hectic start to the new year, but those are stories for another time.

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: Hide And Seek (Ding Dong!)

This was Voiceplay's Halloween video of 2022, released on the 8th of October, and features Lauren Paley, who I don't really know anything about, but apparently she's popular on Tiktok and is known as "the stairwell siren" due her typical choice of singing location. The song is originally a Vocaloid song, but Voiceplay gave it a little bit (understatement of the century) of Disney flair, or more specifically, Disneyland flair, as the video is filmed as if you were watching a performance inside the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland, literally. This might not be one of my most-favourite videos to watch or VP songs to listen to, but I gotta admit that the visual stuff is freaking insane in this video, and I do have a fair few things to talk about with this one, so let's get into it!

(Warning: this post includes a fair bit of infodumping)

I'll get to each person individually in a minute, but first check out the set design! Like a lot of Voiceplay's videos nowadays. this was filmed at Pattycake Productions studios, and Tony Wakim was heavily involved with this one - credited with costuming, props, puppeteering, and direction, so shoutout to him! And shoutout also to Layne, the other half of Pattycake Productions, who arranged the cover and was in charge of the video concept.

I've never been to DisneyLand/World (I've never even been overseas, and there are no Disney parks in Australia), but when I was a little younger (like during mid high school?) I went through a bit of a phase of interest in Disney parks, wanting to learn stuff about them and watching shows from the parks on YouTube and stuff (if only I had been watching shows from Universal Studios in Orlando...), so I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the Haunted Mansion ride/attraction, and I currently have Disney Wiki on hand to help provide further elaboration and comparison pictures.

Alright, character time!

Let's start with Cesar in the middle, who is absolutely serving as Madame Leota, a disembodied head in a crystal ball who conducts "an otherworldly séance in an attempt to summon spirits and assist them in materializing." (And I'm not meant to be talking about the arrangement, but I would feel bad if I didn't mention that the "serpents and spiders" incantation that Cesar does before the beat kicks in is actually part of Madame Leota's incantation, not from the Hide And Seek song!) (Also fun fact: Madame Leota was originally voiced by Eleanor Audley, who also voiced both Lady Tremaine in Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty!)

Could you immediately tell based on just the thumbnail which one was Layne and which one was Geoff? I did actually get it right (could I really call myself a devoted Geoff stan if I didn't?), but honestly I did start to second-guess myself a little.

So in the left-hand column here, we have Layne, and my god Tony and Rick Underwood both really went off for this one. Layne is playing the Hatbox Ghost, who looks like this!

And if it weren't enough to be wondering how long Layne spent in the makeup chair for his extremely ghostly appearance (note that he's also completely clean-shaven, which is quite rare for him, but obviously necessary for the character look), then next we have Geoff, in the right-hand column, and do you see why I don't watch this video a lot? 😅 (I'm mostly joking, I'm not that shallow, but he's still practically unrecognisable!)

Geoff is playing The Caretaker (who apparently has the semi-official name of Silas Crump), who is the groundskeeper for the mansion and its adjacent cemetery, and he is terrified of the undead residents within the manor. He looks like this!

(Geoff, I know you love to call yourself "old [and boring]", but this is ridiculous 🤣)

(Not even 30 seconds into the video yet! Shoutout to anyone who actually reads this whole post!)

Next, we have Lauren, who is playing "The Bride". Apparently there were two iterations of this character in The Haunted Mansion, and I'm not sure which one Lauren is playing, or whether she's going for a mix of both, but here are pictures of the two versions:

The second iteration of The Bride (on the right) is known as Constance Hatchaway (not a typo!), and is one of the figures depicted in the Stretching Room's portraits. Apparently she had a habit of decapitating her husbands with a hatchet (hence the surname), and then stuffing their heads inside of hatboxes as trophies (lovely). According to lore, one of her husbands came into the possession of the manor now known as the Haunted Mansion, which she then inherited after her husband met the same grisly fate as all the previous ones did.

And finally we have Eli, perhaps the most recognisable member in this one, as Alexander Nitrokoff, another figure from the Stretching Portrait Gallery. He looks like this: (and yes, this portrait basically depicts his untimely end. Rip.)

(10/10 casting choice, I must say, and outfit on point as well 👌)

OKAY, we've finally got character lore and introductions out the way, now we can actually get on with the video!

This picture is very similar to the first picture in this post, but I have more things to say about this set up!

One, I love the ghostly visual effects on Lauren, with the glowy ethereal outline of her silhouette, and the slight translucence on her dress! No clue who was responsible for visual effects/editing on this one (it doesn't say in the description, but maybe Layne?)

And 2, correct me if I'm wrong but are Geoff, Layne, and Eli all lit in different ways? Eli has a warm-coloured spotlight on him, Geoff has more of a cool-coloured spotlight on him (I think?), possibly angled different to the light on Eli as well, and as for Layne I'm honestly not sure, but he stands out in a really interesting way. I have a feeling that the lighting on him is such that it makes him look like an actual Haunted Mansion/Disney Parks ride animatronic (especially when combined with deliberate movement/acting choices in the video). Nobody is credited with lighting for this one, but I'll still place a bet on who helped with a lot of it (at the least) anyway!

"Ding dong, you can't keep me WAITING!!!"

(Acting was on point across the board for this video, I must say)

"I can sense your horror!"

(JESUS-)

Absolutely loving Cesar's makeup in this one ngl (I wonder whether he coloured his face and/or hair blue for filming this or if that was just all done via editing?)

(Also great face Eli)

Honestly if not for his unmistakable vocal timbre, you could easily not realize this was Geoff at all. Rick did a ridiculously good job of making him (and Layne) look completely unrecognisable! Like is Geoff wearing facial prosthetics or something? His eyebrows look fake, the eyebags look like they were done with more than just regular makeup, and even his cheeks look thinner? Man I really wanna join VP's Patreon at the behind-the-scenes tier! But alas! Money!

Geoff: "Just wait, you can't hide from me"

Me while listening to the song on Spotify: 👉👈 👀

Me while watching the YouTube video: 😧😬

You can't have one of your members dress up as the Hatbox Ghost for a Haunted Mansion style video and not feature the character's main "gimmick" of his head moving from his neck to the box that he holds! And well, all things considered, Voiceplay did a pretty decent job of it! (And hey, even Disney themselves struggled with it - the character was removed from the attraction within only a few weeks of the ride's opening, and didn't actually return to the ride until 46 years later, in 2015, for the park's Diamond Anniversary Celebrations!)

"Knock, knock, I'm inside your room now" "Hello!"

Voiceplay are just showing off at this point honestly 😝 (I wonder how long this video was in production for? Seems like it would have been a big project taking at least a full month, if not longer)

Also haven't yet mentioned it but it's cool how the full group shots are shot in a way that makes it look like you're watching this from one of the ridecars (people-movers?) of the Haunted Mansion!

Oh dang I completely forgot about Cesar's/Madame Leota's crystal ball floating up in the air!

And there you have it folks! Maybe not one of my most picture-heavy posts, but quite possibly one of the most text-heavy! Now time for me to not watch this video again until October at the earliest!

(Also, since I'm skipping over the Christmas videos (for now at least), we're finally into the 2023 bunch of videos! (Though I'll be skipping over Nothing Else Matters and In My Room, sorry!))

[violetganache42]

Okay, the month is almost over, and I think I should probably drop the bomb about something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now: my family and I are going back to Orlando again. XD There's an interesting story behind this.

My mom has the first two weeks of September off before she starts her new travel nursing contract. Part of her wanted to spend some of that time going out and doing something, so she thought of different places to go, like Maine, for example. While browsing on Expedia, she stumbled upon a travel package where a hotel, booked airport flights, and a rental car bundled together cost about $1,200. Intrigued by this, she checked it out and discovered that Orlando was a good option to use it. This officially had her mind made up and she surprised me and my brothers with it earlier this month. Needless to say, we were genuinely surprised by it because we typically go there once every some odd years, not twice in the same year. Plus, with the summer weather here having been mainly rain for a good chunk of the season and a couple of weeks—including this coming week—having high temperatures in the 70s, Mom wanted a good excuse to get some sunshine while she could.

Unlike the Orlando vacation we went on earlier this year, this one will be a bit more lowkey as it will be only the four of us this time around. It also will be roughly half as long too; we're leaving on the night of 9/3 and returning home on the night of 9/9.

I'm particularly excited for this trip for two reasons:

This vacation will mean we have gone to Orlando during a big Disney anniversary celebration twice in one year. Similar to how the February vacation took place during the last few months of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary, we will be going during the Disney 100th celebration. Stuff for it were already being put on the shelves when we last went, so I'm certain they will still be there in the midst of all the Halloween merch.

Speaking of which, we also happen to be going during Walt Disney World and Universal Studios' annual Halloween festivities. 🎃 In fact, we're going to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on Labor Day! I've always wanted to go to a holiday event at one of the theme parks and I'm so glad this will be my first time doing so! Mom and I agreed on doing the Halloween party because it was a better event to do as a family than Universal's Halloween Horror Nights; she did that a couple of times herself and said it was scary. Still, you know I'm gonna be mesmerized by all the Halloween decorations and merch I come across.

[hauntjaunts]

The Key Clue Halloween Horror Nights 2023 Ticket Prices Reveal

Credit: Universal Orlando Resort What’s the best time to go to Halloween Horror Nights? That depends on your definition of “best.” Do you want to buy the lowest-priced ticket possible? Or do you want to go during a peak time of the season? As in years past, Halloween Horror Nights 2023 ticket prices fluctuate depending on the day of the week and the month. For instance, Wednesday and Thursday…

[ladythatsmyskull]

31 Days of Horror 2022: The Thing: Assimilation at Universal Studios Orlando.

The Thing was one of the eight haunted houses that were featured during Halloween Horror Nights 21. It was based on the 2011 movie of the same name. Variety Magazine claimed the house would be one of the most immersive movie houses ever done at the event. The house was located in Soundstage 23.

In 2011, Universal decided to build a haunted house based on the 2011 prequel movie of The Thing. The prequel was also called The Thing, and it took place in a Norwegian research base in Antarctica. The house would be the only IP house in 2011, and would feature many of the important scenes from the movie.  - The Thing Fandom Wiki

I am incredibly beside myself I never visited the original and 2011 versions of this.

[sam-vargas]

Winter Park, FL

(Written in 2018)

Clear skies, hot summers and cool winters with sporadic days of extreme chill (from a Floridian’s perspective), a lively population of college kids year round, and snowbirds in the winter, Winter Park, Florida is a treasure trove of culture and life located in the outer suburbs of the greater Orlando area. Within 20 minutes of Orlando’s epicenter, Winter Park puts residents within reasonable driving distance of the city and its parks, as well as hosting its own attractions for tourists and natives. Two of Winter Park’s biggest colleges sit on the same, aptly named road of university a mere 11 minutes away from one another: Full Sail University and University of Central Florida.

Apartment complexes in the immediate area surrounding and between the two welcome students from both schools with signs before the gates at the beginning of the traditional school year. Full Sail students attend year round, with new classes starting and graduating each month. This makes for a steady cycle of new and old. UCF brings students in on a more traditional basis, but houses students in dorms during their first year. This makes for a culture known to many college towns, one of busy weekends spent partying at night, and weekdays spent cramming for assignments and projects, exams and lectures. 

Winter Park has adapted well to its combined populus of snowbirds and college students by creating beautiful parks with vibrant gardens and river views. There are museums of art, movie theaters (the Enzian in particular home to the Florida Film Festival). An excellent opportunity for any local filmmakers: student or otherwise, and an array of shopping centers, malls, and restaurants. Park Avenue is a thriving line of shops and restaurants operating next to a park housing both gardens, fountains, and the amtrak station. Foot traffic, as well as car traffic, here during the weekends is brutal, but certainly worth the wait. 

Up a ways and over from Park Avenue is Winter Park Village. Another epicenter of shops, restaurants, and a movie theater, with just as much foot traffic, but much more parking. Here one can find a wide selection of both chain restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory, and independently owned restaurants such as the Firefly Kitchen & Bar. 

The Regal Cinema is a hotspot on weekends, especially with new arrivals and openings. It provides a comfortable viewing experience with plush leather recliners, and a generous concessions counter at the front of the theater. The Village is also home to a grocery store, a music store, and salons. 

Just outside of Winter Park is Maitland. This is where visitors can find the Art & History Museum, the Enzian, and Lake Lily Park. The Art & History Museum offers tours of the facility which includes an indoor gallery, and outdoor structures that have been restored. The work displayed on the campus belongs to residents of the museum who spend their days experimenting and producing work on behalf of the museum. 

The Enzian is a small theater with a very unique atmosphere. It resembles a dinner theater with its own bar and restaurant situated just outside. Menus are offered at the start of each showing, placed before patrons on tables. This theater is popular for its seasonal special features. Last year, I attended a Halloween special feature of The Devil’s Rejects, and greatly enjoyed myself. Later, I wanted to attend the theater’s showing of Idiocracy during the elections, but ultimately missed the event. I heard stories from friends of mine about one particular showing of The Room (for those unaware, the movie The Disaster Artist was based on, and widely viewed as the worst movie ever) was the most lively of its kind, with people laughing at the worst parts and quoting lines out loud before they were spoken. Overall, drinks and a good time were had by all. 

Finally, Lake Lily Park. Not only is this park beautiful with white painted pavilions, a bridge over the lake, and its population of water birds, but the park is also home to a farmers market. Taking place on the weekends, the market hosts a wide variety of local vendors selling products ranging from organic coffee beans to soaps made with essential oils. This event is wildly popular, which can make finding a parking space in the confined space a challenge. Still, people cycle in and out pretty quickly, so finding a parking space is merely a matter of planning your time wisely. 

Now, as mentioned earlier, the heart of Orlando is located a mere 20 minutes away from Winter Park. This makes downtown Orlando a popular spot for those interested in any of the numerous events taking place in the city. In downtown Orlando, you can find any number of events and festivals taking place throughout the year. From art festivals to concerts, plays and musicals, Orlando has you covered. 

Orlando is also home to a number of resorts and parks, property of Disney, Sea World, and more. For those looking to get out for a day free of charge, Disney Springs, known as Downtown Disney before its renovation, is the place to be. The park is home to a large number of Disney property shops such as the Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney stores. Restaurants are also in high supply, ranging anywhere from a casual sit in and dine, to a fancy meal on the water in a riverboat. Last but not least, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a pub, and, because the park is privately owned property, your drinks can travel with you (so long as you remain within the park while your glass is filled). 

For more seasonal visitors or locals, the parks are a popular attraction. Most tourists are known to make trips on long holidays, which gives local or nearby season pass holders an opportunity to visit the parks during lower traffic seasons. All Disney parks are located within a near immediate vicinity to one another, with buses carrying patrons from one park gate to another at their discretion. Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and more are just a short ride away. 

But Disney, while a more popular option amongst park goers, is not the only attraction Orlando has to offer. Both SeaWorld and Universal Studios are well within driving distance of Winter Park. SeaWorld, for those with more aquatic, and possibly even scientific and educational tastes, and Universal for thrill seekers. 

Universal is probably most popular for its Halloween Horror Nights events. However, popular can be a bit of an understatement. The park can sometimes become so crowded with people that some will give up entering lines and instead wander the streets with the hired actors, gnawing on a turkey leg. I attended Halloween Horror Nights the first year of The Walking Dead attraction. At the time, I didn’t know this, but I was soon to discover it as we came upon the advertised house. The line was long and winding, leaking past even the gates delineating the beginning of the line. I had spent anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour waiting in line for some of the other attractions. However, I spent close to 2 hours and 30 minutes in the line for The Walking Dead. Needless to say, that house, I only visited once. 

Beyond Halloween Horror Nights, the park is well managed, and lines are nowhere near as long at a 2 hour wait. The rollercoasters are fast, and get the blood pumping. However, Universal also has shows, shopping, and experiences. Perhaps one of the most famous experiences the park has to offer is the Harry Potter World attraction (now with Diagon Alley!). Here, you yourself can become a wizard, with shops where you can prepare for your trip to Hogwarts. Buy yourself a wand and robe, and grab yourself a cup of butterbeer to immerse yourself in the experience. 

In the end, there are few cons to living in Winter Park. You’re far enough from Orlando that you avoid the heavy tourism during summer months, but close enough to visit on the off season. Due to the city’s mismatched population of snowbirds and college students, recreation is plenty, and of relatively reasonable cost. The area is well maintained, and home value is high in areas close to or by the lakes and rivers. Residential areas are home to families as well as snowbirds, who will rent out on the off season. Apartments are friendly to college students, and amenities are convenient. 

The cons that do exist come from the college students. Weekend nights are common for noise disturbances, DUIs, and rowdy crowds. Traffic during weekdays taking place at odd hours is the fault of the Full Sail campus, with classes that could start anywhere from 4:30 in the afternoon, to 5:00AM. However, if you’re a Florida native, you should already know of the infamous offensive driving that becomes more aggressive the further south you travel. I-4 within Orlando city limits is always a nightmare, but I-4 can be avoided by using toll roads. Ez-passes and Sunpasses are worth the investment if you’re a resident who does a lot of traveling in and out of the city.

[thedaveandkimmershow]

I don't know what I thought a hospice is.

Sure I know what hospice is... I just don't know what one looks like. I figured it wasn't a regular hospital so maybe it was something like a long two- or three-story building where everything's super peaceful.

Yeah.

I know nothing.

So when we first arrive at the hospice where Kimmer's aunt Jacquie's running out the clock, yeah.

The home was a pleasant surprise.

Spanish style. Elegant. With a courtyard and a spacious floor plan once you step inside.

A lot of natural light in there, too.

Calm.

The knick-knacks in the courtyard, by the way, specifically remind me of Jacquie's home because she too has an eye for such things.

Now, this private residence is part of a large city but the neighborhood itself reminds us of little town Yakima at its best once upon a time.

That's us romanticizing, I'm sure, but the neighborhood does have a legitimate small-town vibe. The single-family wood construction homes are all just-so, properly maintained.

The larger homes with gardens look like proper B&Bs.

And since the sun was setting at the time we thought about Jacquie's hometown of Yakima, well... yeah. We romanticized this neighborhood a bit.

We're living this experience because Jacquie fell at her memory care home the day after Kimmer 'n I returned from our wedding anniversary vacation celebration at the Universal Resort in Orlando in September.

One day we're back and Kimmer's almost on a plane again Tuesday morning.

At the time, Jacquie seems sore but okay. By Wednesday, though, further examination reveals a fractured hip that requires surgery so Kimmer's on a late afternoon flight Thursday... the surgery happens Saturday, I believe, and it turns out a fractured hip's just the tip of the iceberg.

The last nine months of Jacquie's life are now officially over.

Kimmer drives out to Jacquie's old memory care home to inform admin and staff and collect Jacquie's possessions.

Some of those possessions Kimmer donated away. She did, though, add a toy mermaid to Jacquie's plush collection. The staff added a coupla large grey stuffed elephants. And a dear friend of the family gave Jacquie a little Frankenstein that says Happy Halloween when you push its button.

For all that thoroughly cute plushness, it's a bittersweet experience to close this chapter of Jacquie's life. One of Jacquie's caregivers sat down and cried when Kimmer gave her the news that Jacquie was being transferred to hospice care.

"She was my girl" the caregiver lamented.

So we're at Jacquie's hospice. This is the first of two visits for me in as many days before I leave. I'm here from around noon, Wednesday, gone again Friday morning by noon. Kimmer 'n I are here with Jacquie's son and grandson. It's a legitimate family gathering complete with crosstalk and laughter.

Now, during the week after her hip surgery, Jacquie surprised everyone with more cognitive function than before she went into surgery. She once again understood the concept of "yesterday". She remembered Kimmer's name.

Today, though, isn't that day. Today her eyes are closed much of the time and our communication is based largely on touch.

There are moments, though. Like the ones I wrote about yesterday although there are others I didn't share just then like when Kimmer reminded Jacquie

"You're our people!"

To which Jacquie replied with only a touch of a slur

"That's right."

☺️

The minutes pass and we arrive at another moment where Jacquie's eyes are closed but Kimmer's reminding her

"There was some good stuff. There was some bad stuff. You had a lot of wonderful friends. You had wild times. A faithful son. You had a good life."

I think about those words in the moments that follow. Mostly because it's a kind of whispered summation. A preview of a eulogy that will manifest in the weeks to come.

This stuff does make you think not only about the coming loss but about your own life and what kind of memories you leave behind. What kind of impression on this world you made. The complexity of it all.

Really, there's no helping it. The thoughts arrive on their own.

Eventually, this first visit of mine comes to a close. Visiting time's over and the moment's come to let this experience go.

So we put the chairs back, raise the guard rails on either side of Jacquie's bed, and bid her farewell with a light

"Sweet dreams..."

To which Jacquie, eyes closed but still somehow aware, says this to us:

"Love you."

[shivika990]

The Thrilling World of Amusement Parks

Amusement parks offer visitors a world of excitement and entertainment. These parks, with their thrilling rides, captivating shows, and delectable treats, create an unforgettable experience for people of all ages. This informative content will delve into the various aspects of amusement parks, from their history to the must-try attractions and safety measures.

1. A Brief History of Amusement Parks:

Amusement parks date back to the late 19th century when the first roller coaster was introduced in Coney Island, New York.

These parks gained popularity as a form of leisure and entertainment, evolving from simple mechanical rides to elaborate themed attractions.

2. The Variety of Attractions:

Roller Coasters: Known for their speed and loops, roller coasters are a staple in most amusement parks. Examples include the Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point and Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Water Rides: Water flumes and log rides offer a refreshing splash, such as Splash Mountain at Disneyland.

Ferris Wheels: Offering panoramic views, Ferris wheels like the London Eye and the Orlando Eye provide a unique perspective.

Live Shows: Many parks host live performances, from Broadway-style musicals to stunt shows.

3. Family-Friendly Attractions:

Kiddie Rides: For the little ones, amusement parks feature gentle rides such as carousels and mini trains.

Character Meet-and-Greets: Meet beloved characters like Mickey Mouse or Harry Potter in themed areas.

Playgrounds and Picnic Areas: Ideal for family picnics and relaxation.

4. Dining and Refreshments:

Cotton Candy, Popcorn, and Churros: Classic park snacks that satisfy a sweet tooth.

Themed Dining: Many parks offer dining experiences that match the park's theme, such as dining in a medieval castle or a sci-fi restaurant.

International Cuisine: Explore a variety of food options, from pizza to sushi, catering to diverse tastes.

5. Safety Measures:

Height and Age Restrictions: Rides often have height and age requirements for safety reasons.

Safety Briefings: Visitors are given safety instructions before boarding thrilling rides.

Health and Hygiene: Amusement parks prioritize cleanliness and provide hand sanitizing stations.

Emergency Protocols: Staff are trained to handle emergencies, ensuring visitor safety.

6. Themed Parks and Immersive Experiences:

Disney Parks: Known for their immersive storytelling and beloved characters.

Universal Studios: Features rides based on popular movies and TV shows.

Harry Potter Wizarding World: A magical experience for fans of the wizarding world.

7. Annual Events and Seasonal Changes:

Halloween Haunts: Many parks transform into spooky wonderlands during October.

Holiday Themes: Christmas lights, parades, and themed decorations create a festive atmosphere during the holiday season.

8. Ticketing and Discounts:

Online Booking: Save time and money by purchasing tickets online in advance.

Season Passes: Enjoy unlimited visits throughout the season with season passes.

Group Discounts: Amusement parks often offer discounts for large groups, making it an ideal destination for school outings or corporate events.

In conclusion, amusement parks are a world of adventure, catering to the tastes of visitors young and old. From thrilling roller coasters to family-friendly attractions and immersive experiences, there's something for everyone to enjoy in these enchanting destinations. Prioritizing safety and offering a wide range of dining options, amusement parks ensure that every visit is a memorable and delightful experience.

[disneyanduniversalnews]

Five Scary Good Reasons to Stay at a Universal Orlando Hotel During Halloween Horror Nights

So, I have an upfront confession I need to make right here: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort is a big deal for me. You know the types of experiences in your life that you look forward to the entire year and then when it comes, you feel the happiest you can possibly feel? Right. You're envision it? that's Halloween Horror Nights for me.

From the chilling atmosphere and fog that hazes over you when you walk into the entryway of Universal Studios Florida, the beautifully designed, yet equally terrifying haunted houses, to the food. Gosh, the food. Love those Pizza Fries. There's nothing else in this universe (see what I did there) that compares to a night of HHN memories. It's tradition- and the only place where I can cry from laughter and maybe a little from fear in the same night.

For me, though, there's one experience that helps make my annual HHN tradition that much better. Because of my family of four and I brave HHN together every year, we've found that the best way to m make most of our HHN experience is by staying at a Universal Orlando hotel. Nothing beats coming back from frights after midnight and being so close to my home away from home.

If you have no experience this yet, let me tell you: This is a MUST-DO. Right off the bat (my favorite spooky animal) and included with your stay you get..

Easy transportation. You will get to and from your hotel to HHN in what feels like minutes.

Perfect for your HHN party. The 2-Bedroom Suites at Endless Summer Resort accommodated my squad of six comfortably and are super affordable.

Incredibly fun and immersive HHN offerings (more on that in a second, so I guess you'll have to keep reading)

Have I convinced you yet? Because it doesn't stop there. Here are five reasons why staying at a Universal Orlando hotel during HHN is the prefect. way to experience the event:

Scream Earlier with a Priority Entrance to Halloween Horror Nights

Let's read that again, shall we? By staying at a Universal Orlando hotel on an HHN event night you get access to a priority entrance for hotel guests with a show of your room key. This exclusive entrance for guests of any Universal Orlando hotel puts you directly into the mayhem of haunted houses and right into the scares. Sign. Me. Up. Now.

Pose for Killer Photos with Your Favorite Monsters at Univers Monster Gallery of Legends

Talk about legnedary. This year at Universal's Cabana Bay Resort, you can enjoy the ultimate photo experience with Universal Monsters Gallery of Legends.

Capture unforgettable moments of you and your scream squad howling like The Wolf Man, baring your fangs like Dracula nd getting wrapped up like The Mummy as you take selfies in the gallery of horrow-themed vignettes. Each iconic Universal Monster has their own section of the experienc ewith multiple backdrops for creating must-have HHN photos.

All hotel guests are welcomed with a room key to this complimentary experince...if they dare.

Vibe at Halloween Horror Nights Themed Lounges...with Lil' Boo!

You know what I love? A great hotel lobby lounge. YOu know what I love even more? A hotel lobby lounge decorated for HHN...WITH LIL' BOO! At Cabana Bay Beach Resort, the Spooky Swizzle Lounge is theemed to a pumpkin takeover with everyone's favorite pumpkin- Lil' Boo- front and center you are not going to want to miss this- this place looks like the Pumpkin Lord's lair.

And for the first time, at Universal's Endless Summer Resort- Dockside Inn and Suites, It's Sunset Lounge will have Halloween- themed decor and offer the perfect mix of a fall and tropical- themed atmosphere.

These two wicked lounges are the perfect place for a pre-HNH delight.

Try Speciality Drinks Inspired by Your Favorite Universal Mosnters

If you can't get enough of Universal Monsters, you're in luck! This year, dining venues at all eight Universal Orlando hotels are offering three specialty drinks that celebrate Universal Monsters.

Take a look at these exciting elixirs:

The Mummy (Vodka, Blueberry Red Bull and Lemon Juice)

The Wolf Man (Whiskey, Raspberry Bols and Pineapple Juice)

Dracula (Tequila, Bloody Mary Mix, Olives and Celery)

These drinks are the perfect formula for HHN fun! Now...who's ready for the Universal Monsters Legends Collide haunted houses?

Enoy the Late-Night Bites after Frights

I think we can all admit this: when we get back form a night of HHN, the hunger (or hanger for some of us) is real.

All eight hotels offer late-bite food options for one hour after HHN concludes on event nights. And if you're staying gat a Premier or Preferred hotel, take a close look at the Star Service menu. You'll see some fun Halloween-themed menu items.

As you probably already know, Halloween season at Universal Orlando is unlike anywhere else in the world. Across the entire destination, Halloween can be experienced in an immersive and unique way you can only find at Universal Orlando. By staying at a Universal hotel during HHN, your experience becomes seamless and adds to the fun. With so many different room options and hotels, there's an option for every style and budget.

See you in the fog!

[jules-has-notes]

Look What You Made Me Brew (Unexpected Musicals) — PattyCake Productions music video

Every villain is the protagonist of their own story, and part of that viewpoint requires finding ways to justify their actions. The so-called heroes must deserve to be on the receiving end of their machinations.

So when the PattyCake guys decided to convene a meeting of some of their favorite baddies for their second Halloween video, they turned to the music of Taylor Swift, who some people view as a hero, and who has been villainized by others. Her gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss anthem was the perfect choice for these characters to revel in their wickedness.

Details:

title: Unexpected Musicals — Look What You Made Me Brew

performers: Jennica McCleary (Winifred Sanderson), Stephanie Trilli (Sarah Sanderson), Jaimz Dillman (Mary Sanderson), Michelle Knight (Regina / Evil Queen), Leah Lowman (Maleficent), Tiffany Trilli (Cruella De Vil), T. Robert Pigott (Captain Hook), Emma Dahlin (additional vocals), & Hannah Juliano (additional vocals)

original songs / performers: main title theme from Hocus Pocus; "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift; "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift; "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift; "…Ready for It?" by Taylor Swift; "Style" by Taylor Swift; "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift, feat. Kendrick Lamar

written by: Hocus Pocus main theme by John Debney; "Look What You Make Me Do" by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Fred Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, & Rob Manzoli; "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, & Karl "Shellback" Schuster; "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, & Karl "Shellback" Schuster; "…Ready for It?" by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Karl "Shellback" Schuster, & Ali Payami; "Style" by Taylor Swift; "Bad Blood" Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Karl "Shellback" Schuster, & Kendrick Lamar

arranged by: Randy Nichols, Layne Stein, & Tony Wakim

release date: 3 October 2017

My favorite bits:

the witches' fantastic acting in the intro

everyone's dramatic entrances

the emphasis of specific instruments for each character — stacatto brass behind the Evil Queen, tinkling bells for Maleficent, cymbals and kettle drums with Cruella, clockwork precise snare drums and piano for Hook

the Evil Queen's gritty belt on the second ♫ "bad dreams" ♫

everything grinding to a halt for the "Shake It Off" gag

all the samples from Taylor's other songs blended into the polyphony section

Winnie's final cackle

the spellbook rolling its eye at their melodrama during the end credits

Trivia:

Many of the songs in this medley had also been featured in PattyCake's "Cinderswift" video at the beginning of the year. The one new Taylor Swift song is sung by Leah (Maleficent), who played Cinderella in that project.

Because there is no animated version of Hocus Pocus, the other villains are dressed in costumes and playing characterizations based on the live-action adaptations of their stories.

This video was filmed in a cottage interior set at Columbia Street Studios in Orlando.

Jennica, Jaimz, & Stephanie all returned to reprise their Sanderson sisters roles from "Hocus Heathens" the previous Halloween.

Michelle had played the Evil Queen in PattyCake's very first Unexpected Musical, "Snow Spears", and has continued in that role for their Villains Lair series.

Robby and Tiffany have also remained as Captain Hook and Cruella in The Villains Lair.

Leah first portrayed Maleficent in "Michaeleficent" earlier in the year, and has done so occasionally in the years since.

Some fans pointed out that Maleficent singing the line about "kingdom keys" could also be read as a reference to the Kingdom Hearts video game series in which the character is an antagonist.

The blinking spellbook was created by Rick Underwood, who specializes in props and special effects makeup, which he also uses to create scares for Universal Studios' annual Halloween Horror Nights events.

This video was published a few weeks before Layne flew to L.A. to film VoicePlay's messy version of the song with the pocket.watch crew, which premiered in January.

This video racked up a million views on Facebook in less than two weeks.

Jennica provided a peek behind the scenes on Facebook Live as the cast an crew were preparing to film.

[sirkevinmartin]

ALMOST MY BIRTHDAY. This photo was taken by my momma during our Royal Caribbean cruise on our second night after dinner. So, I might not get a decent birthday photo as I will be having the time of my life at Universal Studios Orlando Resort; Islands of Adventure and at Halloween Horror Nights. If you’re a fan of the BOOK OR MORMON, the lead’s name is KEVIN and he wants to be sent to serve in his favorite place in the world which is in ORLANDO. So, I’m kind of feeling very this character right now being here and everything. “But I pray I'm sent to my favorite place, Orlando. Orlando, I love you, Orlando. Seaworld and Disney, and putt-putt golfing.” 🎶 — 𝙀𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙆𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯 I’m heading to Seaworld’s Howl-O-Scream nao cos it’s near my aunt’s house. I don’t think I can Disney cos I haven’t booked anything really since I was only rooting to do Horror Nights but we’ll see. Thank you to everyone in my life who have made it colorful, exciting and fun in the last 32 years, cheers to 33. I’ll try to entertain y’all with more stories and photos in the next few days! 🎃 #KevinViIsFlirtyThree #HappyBirthdayKev #HalloweenBaby #RoyalCarribeanCruise #ThirtyThree #SKMTravels #UniversalStudios #CruiseWithKevBaby #UniversaStudiosOrlando #HalloweenHorrorNights (at Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkUKDlGubC_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[falseinkentertainmentsystem]

It Maybe Cancelled is year but I can still show you

After 20 years he's back in Animal Crossing, with new ways to strike fear into the hearts of Animal Crossing players, Our new Icon in our Halloween Horror Nights is Brutus the infamous villager of Animal Crossing, Featuring a Haunted Maze and Scarezone based on him. Brutus is now part of the Icon lineup along side with the first Icon Polybius. Watch out for Brutus and "Never Play Alone".

TRIVIA

It was originally supposed to be Fear himself from HHN 20 Orlando to be the Icon of this years even but I rather save him for a special Anniversary

Another Icon idea was gonna be original, the Icon would be base on a villager species like Wolf, Mouse, Cat, and Rabbit. There where also plans to make Chrissy and Francine to be the Icons and remake them as the Two Sisters of Darkness, a reference to the Sisters of Evil from HHN 3 Singapore but was instead that idea was shelf due to the amount of of bells and equipment need it.

There was an idea planned for a Crypt keeper Maze for the even but was replace by Halloween Legends: Tales from Micheal Myers due to the upcoming movie Halloween Kills. The Halloween legend was base on some I thought of what Micheal Myers dose in his free time and Imagine the evil in him writing down a book while waiting until Halloween day arrives.

The Caretaker was gonna make an appearance in scrap stand alone Scarezone called Shallow Grave of the Mediterranean. The Scarezone would be a tribute to both Caretaker as the first HHN Icon on Universal Orlando Island of Fear and the closed Universal Mediterranean which also feature the Caretaker during Halloween. The Scarezone was replace by the Scarezone called Universal Studio Monster The Next Generation which would also feature the Caretaker.

Originally there was gonna be a second Scarezone base on Brutus called Beware of DogZ. A Scarezone full of Brutus gang of Dogs ready to attack but was layer replace by Feral Animal Prison Zoo Scarezone. But you can still find Brutus gang of dogs in the Scarezone, fun fact is that Mr. Redd is part of the Feral Animal Prison Zoo Scarezone.

Base on the only photo online about Brutus (base on the terrible of Octavian) I made Brutus to have the ability to shapeshift into different Villagers in his Haunted Maze and Scarezone.

I hope you enjoy what I show you, Happy Halloween.

[stingslikeabee]

𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐈'𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 !

1. alias / name: Mari and/or Mari-chan.

2. birthday: September 19th!

3. zodiac sign: Virgo (my Virgo sun is STRONG).

4. height: 1.72m, you guys can google and convert this for a change. :) Metric system rules, guys, it makes sense.

5. hobbies: Writing and reading, obsessing over very random and obscure things like the personal filmography of my favorite actors, learning new languages, making my own travel guides when I go abroad in ridiculous detail, playing JRPGs and hoping for a platinum trophy and getting frustrated somewhere along the road (with some few exceptions).

6. favorite color: As a kid it used to be pink, as a teenager it changed to black, blue and silver and these days I can probably go with mostly anything that it’s not too bright like neon orange or yellow (I’m too pale, I look bizarre near to these hues).

7. favorite book: I have lots, but I tend to always say ‘The Never-Ending Story’ by Michael Ende. Don’t get me wrong, I love a LOT of books but I just enjoy this one a lot and it has a special place in my heart.

8. last song: according to my spotify wrapped, it is Halestorm’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ haha - I’ve listened to their songs a lot but this one in particular gets me in the right mood for some threads, particularly the ones set in my ‘Evil Queen’ verse.

9. last film / show: I finished s03 of ‘YOU’ and am now binging both s04 of ‘Dynasty’ (now you will understand why Fallon Carrington shows up so much here) and s06 of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’, haha. I’m all over the place these days, apparently. XD 

10. recent reads: ‘A Wild Sheep Chase’ by Haruki Murakami (which is fun because my first book by him was ‘Dance Dance Dance’, which is set AFTER the one I’m reading now and it was very strange adapting to the references at the time). I’m also at the very beginning of the first book of the ‘Old Man’s War’ series by John Scalzi.

11. inspiration: For Melissa and my take on Honey Bee Inn, it was basically a combination of Sucker Punch, the Japanese nightlife culture and a random tumblr post about the inn and the Turks. But for everything else, from threads, to verses to AUs - literally anything can make me have a weird idea, mostly books and shows (like my surprisingly developed VII version of Snowpiercer, or a recent obsession with Alice in Borderlands or how I’ve been trying to link Mel to other videogame franchises as Mortal Kombat or Yakuza and stuff).

12. story behind url: It’s a Ricky Martin song! No, really - I wanted something that had a ‘bee’ reference because of the obvious queen bee/Honey Bee Inn aesthetics and I don’t recall what sort of googling led me to it - but the sentence ‘she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee’ was too perfect. That fit how I saw Melissa - a beautiful woman with a fierce mama bear spirit ready to go ballistic after people who wrong her (or her loved ones). :D The fact she may ultimately end in danger herself is just a tiny little detail.

13. fun fact about me: I’ve been to the Universal/Disney parks in Orlando once and when I was there, except for the day I visited the Animal Kingdom park, I happened to be on rides which malfunctioned and/or broke down while I was riding them at ALL other parks. The Hogwarts ride was the worst offender, it froze out of nothing, I got a big green screen instead of the quidditch match that was playing before and there was even a voiceover played warning people not to leave their cars (eventually I went to this ride again and it worked fine). XD The second worst one was the Haunted Mansion - I think it broke down twice during the SAME go, made all the funnier by the fact it was Halloween time when I was there, and I got stuck at the most halloween-y ride available in Magic Kingdom. Other rides which malfunctioned were the Hogwarts Express, the Aerosmith rollercoaster, the Splash Mountain and Spaceship Earth (I think).

[larryfanficwriter98]

Chapter Thirteen

*Fake It Until You Make It Real*

This can be very emotional and even triggering to some people however there is nothing bad that happens except a child having an emotional reaction to a shitty situation. 

Sunday morning Harry woke up early but had taken one look at Louis curled up against his chest and had promptly pushed any thoughts of leaving the bed out of his head. As if sensing Harry's change of plans Louis curled up closer to him in his sleep. Harry kept am arm around Louis' waist as he grabbed his phone and lowered the brightness down so it didn't wake Louis up. He had a message from Gem and when he opened it he saw screenshots of his and Louis' social media profiles and a message under them.

Now that we've met him and definitely approve I think it's time to make it official don't you little bro? Go on and slap it on social media, make sure to post pictures with his butt visible. 😉👌

Harry shook his head but knew his sister was right. It was time to make it social media official and so he headed to Facebook and updated his relationship status to engaged and sent a relationship request to Louis. He then went to Instagram and updated his bio so it said he was engaged to Louis. After that was done he locked his phone and grabbed the remote turn the TV on keeping it at a low volume as Louis slept.

"Well this is nice. You should definitely stay in bed more often." Louis said thirty minutes later as he looked at Harry.

"I'm thinking about it. Though I might need some persuasion." Louis leaned up and pressed a chaste kiss to Harry's lips before he laid back down and cuddling closer to him. Harry honestly just enjoyed the cuddling, it had been a long time since he has cuddled someone. He knew there was a good portion of people awake downstairs, could hear their voices, but he had no desire to get out of his warm bed.

"We should get down there. We're being bad hosts." Louis said

"I know." Harry groaned before he was trying to motivate himself out of bed. It didn't work right away but eventually he was rolling out of bed and getting himself ready for the day. Louis doing the same a few minutes later. Louis stole one of Harry's sweaters and Harry grinned as he watched the way the extra fabric moved around as he brushed his teeth while Harry waited for him to finish. He also not so subtly watched him bend over the sink to spit out the tooth paste. Once he was done they headed downstairs together to see everyone was awake.

"Good morning. Jay and I made breakfast for everyone. Should be still warm." Anne greeted them

"You didn't have to do that. I was awake you just had to come and get me." Harry said

"Yeah but Louis looked comfortable when I saw you two so I didn't want to wake him."

"Harry gets out of bed every morning without waking me. I'm sure he would have managed." Louis said sending a glare towards Harry as he headed into the kitchen.

"He doesn't like it when I leave the bed. Says I take all the heat with me and it forces him out of bed." Harry told them as he sat in the oversized chaise while Louis headed into the kitchen.

"So we never did get to talk about the wedding. Have you picked a location? The flowers? The time? The honeymoon? Y'know Brazil is beautiful I know you loved it last time we visited as a family. Remember you wanted to stay at the pink place."

"I'm pretty sure Harry wanted to live there when he was twenty." Gemma said

"Louis and I have decided to take the kids on a holiday with us, a family vacation. As soon as the judge approves it which my lawyers says there isn't any reason why he wouldn't, I'll get it ran by the school. I think we've decided on Orlando there's Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and other big things to do with kids and such. Then during spring break or the summer holidays we'll take a week away together somewhere else."

"I haven't agreed to that yet." Louis said from the kitchen

"I'll hogtie you." Harry told him, "Don't worry I'll have him in a hut on a beach without kids eventually. Or in a hotel right beside the Iguazu Falls in Brazil or Argentina."

"Or a summer trip with the kids." Louis said

"Or a private trip with a promise of loud uninterrupted-"

"Harold." Louis warned making their families laugh when Harry put his hands up in surrender.

"I was going to say playtime."

"That's even worse."

"How about the hokey pokey in our birthday suit?" Louis laughed loudly

"If you have to pokey the hokey then you're clearly doing it wrong Harry." Anne said

"Maybe we like to pokey the hokey mother." Harry said throwing a balled up piece of paper at her as Louis walked into the room shaking his head. He sat across Harry's lap so his back was pressed against the arm of the chaise. His plate of food piled high sat on his lap and his mug of tea was set on the coffee table.

"For the record if you ever poke me we're getting a divorce." Louis told him

"You ruin all of my fun. You won't have sex with me with our mothers here and you won't let me play hokey pokey with you naked. Next you'll be telling me I can't wear a lace teddy around the house with the kids home."

"Absolutely not." Louis said shaking his head as he cut into the pancake, "at least not while the kids are home." Harry laughed

"You're restricting my teddy wearing time. Geesh. I think I purposed too soon." Louis stabbed a piece of pancake and offered it to Harry watching as he leaned forwards and ate the piece off the fork.

***

After breakfast Louis was in the kitchen with Anne and Jay as they cleaned up from yesterday and breakfast. A loud banging came from the door causing them to jump from the suddenness.

"Are you guys expecting company?" Anne asked

"Not that I know of." Louis said as he dried his hands and headed to the front door. Louis unlocked the bolt and pulled the door open. He pulled his eyebrows together confused when he saw a police officer, Hannah, and her boyfriend standing there.

"Are you Mr. Styles?"

"No, but I am his fiancé why?"

"Can we come in?" Louis hesitated looking back for Harry but he still wasn't inside so he nodded and allowed them into the entry way closing the door behind them, "Does your fiancé still have his daughter here?"

"Yes of course. He has her for the week per her mother's....request."

"That's a lie I told him he could have her for Halloween, but he had to bring her back home Halloween night. I gave him last night out of kindness, but now I still don't have my daughter and I'm starting to worry about her. I have texts between him and I saying he wouldn't give her back. It's why I called the police." Hannah said tearfully, Louis laughed unable to help himself.

"First off Harry has it on video of you telling him to keep her for the week or not at all. Secondly Harry hasn't had his phone on him all morning. I do because he asked me to go get for him from the bedroom but then he went outside with the kids so he never got it from me. Thirdly any text Harry has gotten I haven't responded to or looked at because it's none of my business. Fourth call the number you were texting because I guarantee it won't ring Harry's phone."

"Hey what's going on?" Harry asked jogging up to them, "I thought you were going to America this week?" He said looking at Hannah.

"Mr. Styles, Miss. Carpenter claims you were suppose to take your daughter back home last night and that you are threatening her through texts of keeping your daughter from her."

"I don't even have my phone on me and Hannah and I don't text. Everything is on the phone or in person. Our lawyers demanded it since anyone could be Hannah in my phone and anyone could be me in hers. Any communications we have is to be recorded and sent to our respective lawyers. This isn't the first time Hannah has tried to charge me with parental kidnapping."

"I'm going to have to make sure that's the truth. Hand over your phone."

"Wait you're not even going to call the number she was texting. Make sure it was his phone in the first place." Louis asked the officer paused and looked at Louis before he turned to Hannah who looked offended by just the idea of it.

"Excuse me. We are here for my daughter."

"I have to investigate both sides of the story. Find out who is lying. Give me your phone please."

"No we are here to get my daughter from Harry and take her home not for you to turn around and accuse me just because my ex boyfriend's fuck toy spoke. Besides he shouldn't even be involved in this conversation."

"Louis is my fiancé and has every right to be here. So unless Daniel is leaving, Louis stays. Look I can show you the video where Hannah told me I have her for the week." Harry said but the officer shook his head

"It won't matter. She has custody and you have no legal visitation or right to have her in your house if the mother doesn't want her here. Unfortunately that means she can press charges for parental kidnapping if you don't let her take her daughter." The officer said looking like he didn't want to be the one telling Harry those words, "I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to go get your daughter and let her mother take her home."

"Okay." Harry said softly

"Okay?" Louis said shocked

"Louis please. If I fight or argue it can look bad on me. The judge won't look at the body cam footage and see a father wanting to see his daughter for more than a day, he's going to see a big man yelling at, not only a woman, but the mother of his child. That is all he is going to see. That is all they ever see because she has sob stories prepared to make me look bad. I have lost a lot of cases because I fought too hard, because I raised my voice, because she cried in my presence. I can't do anything except comply I can't have a parental kidnapping charge while fighting for visitation." Harry said gently, "can you please just go get Maddie for me?" Louis wanted to argue, wanted to yell and curse at Hannah because how dare she stand there smirking while she took Harry's daughter away just because. How dare she call herself a mother. But Louis nodded pressing a quick kiss to Harry's cheek and headed to the glass sliding doors watching Maddie and Freddie running and laughing on the playset.

"Maddison can you come here for a minute?" Louis asked just loud enough to be heard over the laughter filling the backyard. Maddison and Freddie looked his way before they ran up to him with large smiles and red faces, "come on Maddison, Freddie stay out here with Zayn alright?" Louis said as he felt Zayn squeeze past him with a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder.

"Come on Freddie bet you can't run faster than me." Louis owed Zayn a nice dinner as he watched Freddie run off yelling after him. He gently led Maddison inside the house and closed the glass door and led her to where Harry was with Hannah, Daniel, and the officer.

"I will have these screenshots and body camera sent to your respective lawyers so they each have a copy for the court meeting." The officer was saying

"Thank you." Harry said shaking his hand before he turned to them, "hey princess you have to go with your mom."

"What? Why?" Maddie asked looking between Harry and Hannah, "you promised. You promised I'd stay with Daddy all week." Maddie said looking at Hannah

"Yes well I've changed my mind now come on we need to go. We still have to pick up the cookies from the shop for career day tomorrow. Remember."

"You're not going to career day tomorrow?" Louis asked looking at Harry who clearly knew nothing about it.

"Mom says daddy has to work." Maddie told Louis

"I'm off tomorrow. What's career day?"

"It doesn't matter Daniel is going. He is with her everyday after all. Much more her dad than you are. Come on Maddie we are leaving." Hannah said grabbing Maddie's wrist only for Maddie to yank it out of her grip.

"YOU LIED! YOU SAID YOU CALLED DADDY AND HE SAID HE COULDN'T COME! IM NOT LEAVING! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Maddie yelled

"You are leaving right now come on." Hannah snapped grabbing Maddie's arm again.

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO! NO!" Maddie screamed fighting out of her mother's grip, "DADDY! DADDY PLEASE! SHE SAID A WEEK! SHE PROMISED!"

Louis had tears in his eyes as he watched this beautiful little girl fall apart in a way only a child in a such a bad situation could. She was crying, screaming, kicking, flailing, doing everything she could to fight off Hannah. Louis looked at Harry and could see the pain in his face as he tried to make her let go of him when she hugged his waist begging him to keep her.

"Maddison that is enough. Stand up and let's go." Hannah said

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Maddie screamed as she was dragged out of the house, "DADDY! DADDY PLEASE! SHE PROMISED A WEEK! SHE PROMISED! DADDY! LET ME GO! LOULOU! LOUIS! LOUIS DON'T LET HER TAKE ME! LOUIS PLEASE!" Louis took a step forward fully prepared to go to jail to stop Maddie's pain but a strong arm wrapped around his waist and kept him there.

"Harry let me go. Harry let go of me." Louis hissed pushing his arm off of him and running outside, he pulled Maddie into tight loving hug before Hannah could put her in the car, "It'll be okay. Hush darling it'll be okay. Relax. Deep breaths. There you go. Easy breathing...there you go." Louis whispered gently as he rubbed her shaking back.

"She promised. She promised a week."

"I know but it's not your daddy's fault, sweetie. Now tell me what you want your daddy to bake for your class."

"C-C-C-Cookie dough cup-cupcakes." Maddie said between sniffles, hiccups, and heavy breaths from her crying and screams.

"Okay. I'll tell him. He loves you and so do I. It'll be okay." Louis stood up and kissed her head then without even turning towards Hannah he headed back inside the house.

Harry was sitting on the floor crying just as hard as Maddie had been a few moments ago. Louis slid into his lap and hugged his neck feeling his arms wrap around his waist and his sobs wet the sweater Louis was wearing.

"Don't you ever hold me back when my child yells for me like that again." Louis said as gently and a softly as he could so Harry knew he wasn't mad at him. Harry didn't respond, not that Louis expected him to, he just sat there holding Louis as he cried and Louis sat there holding Harry rubbing his back and trying to do whatever he could to soothe him. They sat there well over an hour before Harry stood up and headed upstairs with a soft click  of a door closing. Only then did Louis let his own tears fall as he sat between Anne and his mom.

****

Harry only came down briefly to say goodbye to their families and he tried to apologize to Louis' family, but his mother out a stop to that immediately. When they had left Harry had kissed Louis' cheek then headed back upstairs. Louis understood that Harry wasn't in the right space to be out so he didn't mind doing the last few things that needed done before Freddie came back. Zayn had texted saying he was feeding Freddie then would bring him back and from there they would decide if he should take him overnight. So yes Louis definitely owed Zayn for today. Louis had just sat down when the front door opened and Zayn and Freddie came in.

"I'm sorry." Louis said looking at Zayn

"Don't worry about it. I can't even imagine what you two are feeling."

"She yelled for me. Cried and screamed for me. I felt useless. Harry hasn't left the bedroom except to say goodbye and he tried to apologize to my mom. I can't imagine it. I can't- my heart hurts." Louis said stubbornly wiping his eyes before Freddie saw

"Do you want me to take him for the night and take him to nursery? I don't mind and it wouldn't be the first time I kept him an extra night."

"Do you mind? It's just Harry will want to make Maddie's cupcakes and-"

"Say no more. Go take little man to say goodnight to Harry and I'll pack him a bag." Louis nodded calling for Freddie and heading upstairs with him as he told him he would be staying with Zayn.

"We're going to tell Harry goodnight okay?"

"Okay." Freddie said cheerfully opening the door and running to the bed climbing up on it , "hi Harry Papa is letting me stay with Zayn on a school night so I came to say goodnight to you before I leave."

"He is? That sounds like so much fun. I bet Zayn will let you stay up an extra hour if you ask him." Harry said

"I bet so too. I'll miss you though but I guess I'll just see you tomorrow because we live here now so I won't miss you too much." Harry chuckled

"I hope you have a lovely time tonight Freddie and you give this to Zayn. Put it in his hand and yell no takebacks and run away got it?" Harry said as he grabbed a bundle of 50s and handed it to Freddie.

"Okay."

"Tell him to buy art supplies or pizza or beer or a night buddy. It's his to do with what he wants. No take backs alright?"

"You got it Harry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight squirt." Louis chuckled as he followed Freddie downstairs where he did as Harry told put the cash bundle in his hand and yelled no takebacks then ran outside to the car. Louis could hear Harry laughing from upstairs as Zayn glared at them.

"Louis I can't-"

"You can and you will. Look I promise you that is the lowest bundle in the house so if you don't take that one he'll just give you one that's bigger. Seriously just go on and get out of here and have fun and spend it on yourself mister." Louis said pushing Zayn out of the house and locking the door behind him laughing as he watched Zayn glare at him through the window. He waited until they had left before he headed upstairs and saw Harry was sitting up in the bed now rubbing at his face with his sweater.

"I'm sorry. I just...I couldn't socialize anymore."

"Hey it's okay. Trust me my family didn't even care you were up here after that. The only reason they stayed so long because we all cleaned up so you didn't have to."

"I know and I feel bad. They were guests they shouldn't-"

"My mom was feeling useless not cleaning something, she was ready to beat you if you didn't let her help. She didn't mind. No one did. It's okay they still think you're amazing."

"Okay...alright...tell me what I gotta do." Harry said rubbing his face again.

"She said she wanted cookie dough cupcakes."

"Figures. I made them a few months ago for her birthday, I saw her a few weeks after her birthday and I baked her a cupcake of her choice. I need to run to the store real quick but I have mostly everything here."

"Okay. What do you need me to do."

"Relax. I need you to relax. Lay in bed, go to sleep, lay on the couch, whatever it is, just relax. You've done enough today."

"I want to help."

"And you will when I need you to so for now take a nap because this might take a few hours."

"Alright. I'll nap on the couch."

"Good." Harry kissed his forehead as he stood up and they headed downstairs together. Louis made up his spot on the couch and laid down while Harry got the recipe and checked his ingredients. He gave Louis a kiss before he headed out of the house and to the store. Louis fell asleep shortly after that as Titanic played on the TV.

****

Making the cupcakes didn't take as long as Louis had feared, but he was definitely regretting it Monday morning as he sat in the passenger seat of the Murano while Harry drove to the school. Louis had explained to Harry that career day was an all day event, hence the snacks, a few students were assigned a good a beverage like Maddie and a few others were assigned desserts. A few others were assigned drinks and lunch and stuff like that. There were thirteen students each year one class so the forty cupcakes were more than enough for Maddie's class and they would have extra to bring home which Louis was excited about. When they got to the school building Louis walked with Harry to Maddie's classroom. Maddie was sitting at a round table with her chin held in her hand as she kicked her feet.

"There she is." Louis said quietly pointing at her watching as Harry grinned when he spotted her as well. Louis said a quick hi to Maddison before he headed to his class as Harry sat in a too small chair at a too small table with Maddie. Turns out career day was much more than just talking about your job, at least for this classroom, there were coloring sheets and recommended questions to ask. It was very thought out and Harry had never been more happy to be so uncomfortable especially when the teacher had given Maddie a stack of papers about doctors to pass out to the students and parents.