Hurricane Idalia Chased Me Away From My Empty Nest Solo Trip...A Few Short Thoughts

[Little E]

Hi Disfriends!

I'm a Disney vet from the midwest, a relatively new DVC owner, and a brand new AP holder. My DH and I have two DSs (almost 22 and 19). In mid August, we dropped our college freshman off and our college senior off over five days in a 20 hour round trip drive that looped Lake Michigan and spanned four states...with a nail in the right rear passenger tire to boot! We were home for just a couple of days and then we had a friend's daughter's wedding the following weekend in Chicago, so while DH flew home on Sunday, I flew to MCO instead! My solo trip was planned for 8/27-8/30...my very first solo trip! I thought it would be a great way to enter the empty nest phase of life!

I've stayed at lots of resorts on property from values to deluxe, but I've never stayed at the YC, so I booked there. I planned a TS meal at Space 220 in the late afternoon on 8/29 and a breakfast at Kona Cafe on 8/30 and I would fly out in the late afternoon on 8/30. But, Hurricane Idalia had other ideas. My Sunday-Wednesday trip turned into a 36 hour stay from Sunday evening through early morning on Tuesday, with no TS meals at all. Bummer!

Here are a few thoughts about my solo trip...

1. YC was sort of...meh. The CMs were nice, and my room was fine. It was clean and I had a beautiful view of the water, which was delightfully unexpected, as I had booked a standard room. However, the lobby always seemed dark, and I constantly felt like a mouse in a maze, searching for elusive cheese. I got lost every time I stepped out of my room. Because I was on the HS end of the hotel, almost to the Swolphin area, I had to zig zag through so. many. hallways. My sense of direction was challenged for sure in those darned hallways! I had a nice stay, but it's definitely a one and done for me.

2. I was disappointed by the QS offerings at YC. The Ale and Compass Market was small, and the menu was tiny. And, there was no place to sit and eat. A clever CM recommended that I take my food to go and eat in a DVC sitting room, which I did. That area was delightful.

3. While YC was a one and done, staying on the boardwalk itself was AMAZING! I am definitely game to try both BC and BW (I've never stayed at either place) in the future. I LOVED walking to both EP and HS! The location was fabulous!!!!

4. I entered EP around 5:30 pm after a hiccup with my Owners Locker. (Long story very short, my OL was delivered right on time and brought to my room quickly which was great. I realized, however, that I needed scissors to cut the zip ties on the bin which were IN the OL. Gah! I walked down to the front desk to ask for help to either borrow scissors or have some brought to my room and I was told someone would be right up. I waited over an hour, and had to call again and wait another 30 minutes for someone to come with scissors. It all worked out, but for my next trip, I need to plan better and BRING something to cut the zip ties. Dumb on my part, for sure.) I was surprised that the Moana area hasn't made more progress, but had a wonderful time at EP.

5. Mobile ordering is the best thing ever! I mobile ordered every meal, and it worked like a charm! Made getting food so, so easy. I love that you can pay for mobile ordered meals using a Disney gift card too.

6. I was nervous, as this was my first solo trip. Turns out, I loved being solo! I chatted with lovely folks in line, and chatted with terrific CMs. Being solo was no big deal, and I loved calling all the shots! I got to decide where to go, what to eat, and what to do, and I didn't need to gather input from anyone else. Amazing! Although, due to Hurricane Idalia, I had to cancel my TS meals. So, I only ate at QS places. I never got to experience a TS meal solo. And, I realized after I got home, I never got a chance to treat myself to an adult beverage either. Darn!

7. I was surprised by the number of dogs I saw both in the parks and at the YC. I'm a dog lover, so it wasn't a problem for me, but it was an interesting observation. There was even a big dog (yellow lab maybe?) in the room next door to me. I saw its owners taking it out a lot while I was there, and I only heard it bark once, so it wasn't a problem at all. To that end, there were tons of dogs at MCO too. More than I have ever seen before.

8. I got to MK around 1:45 pm on Monday afternoon, and to my surprise, I was able to snag a VQ for Tron. This shocked me! However, I was in boarding group 160, and I was worried enough about the hurricane that I wasn't able to stay in the park long enough in the evening to ride it. I didn't think the VQ stayed open that long! Good to know for next time.

9. I activated my very first AP this trip, and it was neat to be able to go through the AP turnstiles. I only saw a separate line for AP at EP. To other AP holders, are there separate AP lines at other parks, or only at EP?

10. I only rode the bus once during my short stay. I walked to both EP and HS, which was great. I took the bus to MK, but on the way back to the YC, I rode the monorail from MK to EP and then walked through EP to exit out the IG back to YC. It was a lot of walking, but it was nice to only have one bus ride, especially because YC shares its busses with BC.


As an extra note, here is my Hurricane Idalia saga...

I got up and hit HS first thing on Monday morning, and stopped at the hotel at lunchtime to figure out what to do about the storm. I live in the midwest and while I didn't want to cut my already very short trip shorter, I also didn't want to be stuck. YC told me they could only guarantee me a room through 8/31, because they were at full capacity starting on 9/1 due to Labor Day weekend.

So, I grabbed a late afternoon flight back home on Tuesday instead, and I went to enjoy MK on Monday afternoon. By Monday night, I was starting to worry that I'd still get stuck if I was flying out on Tuesday afternoon, so with help from a TA friend, I swapped my afternoon flight for a morning flight out on Tuesday. Gah...there went my two TS reservations and my dreams of hitting all four parks.

I scheduled an Uber for 7:30 am and gave myself three hours before my flight's departure on Tuesday morning, like WDW recommends. However, I woke in the early hours of Tuesday worried that I wasn't getting up and out early enough...my thought process was that a ton of people might also be trying to check out when I was (I was told by a CM that I had to check out in person because I was leaving my reservation early and it was the only way Disney could give me a refund for my last night). So, I got up even earlier, and hustled down to the lobby at about 6:30 am. GAH! I was literally the only person in the lobby besides the CMs behind the counter. Ugh! They chuckled at how early I was and said from their perspective, most people were extending their stay and were going to ride out the storm at Disney. So, I checked out easily and sat in the lobby with a book until my Uber arrived.

I got to MCO very early, and while security was mobbed, once I got through it (thank goodness for TSA precheck) I was surprised at how calm everything seemed at the gate. No one was rushing around, everyone was kind and in a good mood. Even the gates around mine seemed empty. The investment for the TSA precheck paid for itself for this trip alone, in my opinion. Can't stress enough how grateful I was to breeze through security, not have to take my shoes off, or pull out liquids from my carry ons. Yay!

I flew home without incident, for which I'm grateful. However, now I'm wondering if I should have stayed through 8/31? Of course I didn't have a crystal ball, but would I have been stranded? Or could I have enjoyed more park time and even enjoyed more empty parks? Would I have been able to fly home on my original flight in the late afternoon on 8/30? Or would I have been able to fly home easily today (8/31)?

Needless to say, I told DH that I need a solo trip "do over". He's a peach, and totally agreed. So, I'll be planning a quick solo trip down the road. Feel free to ask any questions or make any suggestions. I'm always open to ideas about how to make a Disney trip even more magical!

Stay safe, Floridians!!!

 

[Notreallyaustralian]

I'm sorry your trip was cut short because of the hurricane. It's hard to know whether to cancel, leave early, stay extra, etc.

I did my first solo trip last November and also loved Mobil ordering.

 

[DeeBee3]

I'm sorry you cut it short! However, nothing to do about it. We were there the same time and just got home. Wednesday was the day most of the winds and rain were around. For us, it was like our thunderstorms at home. We get lots of wind and trees down all the time. We kept watching the local weather in Florida and looking at the maps. We never considered going home, but we knew there was a chance we might be in the room. Wednesday was great though - threw the ponchos on and had gloriously short lines at MK.

I do feel terribly for the people on the west coast and northern part of Florida.

 

[goodeats]

Beach Club is identical to YC so you also have to deal with the maze like hallways. On longer stays you get used to it and find shortcuts out, but yes depending on where your room is it can be annoying.

 

[Judique]

Hi Disfriends!

I'm a Disney vet from the midwest, a relatively new DVC owner, and a brand new AP holder. My DH and I have two DSs (almost 22 and 19). In mid August, we dropped our college freshman off and our college senior off over five days in a 20 hour round trip drive that looped Lake Michigan and spanned four states...with a nail in the right rear passenger tire to boot! We were home for just a couple of days and then we had a friend's daughter's wedding the following weekend in Chicago, so while DH flew home on Sunday, I flew to MCO instead! My solo trip was planned for 8/27-8/30...my very first solo trip! I thought it would be a great way to enter the empty nest phase of life!

I've stayed at lots of resorts on property from values to deluxe, but I've never stayed at the YC, so I booked there. I planned a TS meal at Space 220 in the late afternoon on 8/29 and a breakfast at Kona Cafe on 8/30 and I would fly out in the late afternoon on 8/30. But, Hurricane Idalia had other ideas. My Sunday-Wednesday trip turned into a 36 hour stay from Sunday evening through early morning on Tuesday, with no TS meals at all. Bummer!

Here are a few thoughts about my solo trip...

1. YC was sort of...meh. The CMs were nice, and my room was fine. It was clean and I had a beautiful view of the water, which was delightfully unexpected, as I had booked a standard room. However, the lobby always seemed dark, and I constantly felt like a mouse in a maze, searching for elusive cheese. I got lost every time I stepped out of my room. Because I was on the HS end of the hotel, almost to the Swolphin area, I had to zig zag through so. many. hallways. My sense of direction was challenged for sure in those darned hallways! I had a nice stay, but it's definitely a one and done for me.

2. I was disappointed by the QS offerings at YC. The Ale and Compass Market was small, and the menu was tiny. And, there was no place to sit and eat. A clever CM recommended that I take my food to go and eat in a DVC sitting room, which I did. That area was delightful.

3. While YC was a one and done, staying on the boardwalk itself was AMAZING! I am definitely game to try both BC and BW (I've never stayed at either place) in the future. I LOVED walking to both EP and HS! The location was fabulous!!!!

4. I entered EP around 5:30 pm after a hiccup with my Owners Locker. (Long story very short, my OL was delivered right on time and brought to my room quickly which was great. I realized, however, that I needed scissors to cut the zip ties on the bin which were IN the OL. Gah! I walked down to the front desk to ask for help to either borrow scissors or have some brought to my room and I was told someone would be right up. I waited over an hour, and had to call again and wait another 30 minutes for someone to come with scissors. It all worked out, but for my next trip, I need to plan better and BRING something to cut the zip ties. Dumb on my part, for sure.) I was surprised that the Moana area hasn't made more progress, but had a wonderful time at EP.

5. Mobile ordering is the best thing ever! I mobile ordered every meal, and it worked like a charm! Made getting food so, so easy. I love that you can pay for mobile ordered meals using a Disney gift card too.

6. I was nervous, as this was my first solo trip. Turns out, I loved being solo! I chatted with lovely folks in line, and chatted with terrific CMs. Being solo was no big deal, and I loved calling all the shots! I got to decide where to go, what to eat, and what to do, and I didn't need to gather input from anyone else. Amazing! Although, due to Hurricane Idalia, I had to cancel my TS meals. So, I only ate at QS places. I never got to experience a TS meal solo. And, I realized after I got home, I never got a chance to treat myself to an adult beverage either. Darn!

7. I was surprised by the number of dogs I saw both in the parks and at the YC. I'm a dog lover, so it wasn't a problem for me, but it was an interesting observation. There was even a big dog (yellow lab maybe?) in the room next door to me. I saw its owners taking it out a lot while I was there, and I only heard it bark once, so it wasn't a problem at all. To that end, there were tons of dogs at MCO too. More than I have ever seen before.

8. I got to MK around 1:45 pm on Monday afternoon, and to my surprise, I was able to snag a VQ for Tron. This shocked me! However, I was in boarding group 160, and I was worried enough about the hurricane that I wasn't able to stay in the park long enough in the evening to ride it. I didn't think the VQ stayed open that long! Good to know for next time.

9. I activated my very first AP this trip, and it was neat to be able to go through the AP turnstiles. I only saw a separate line for AP at EP. To other AP holders, are there separate AP lines at other parks, or only at EP?

10. I only rode the bus once during my short stay. I walked to both EP and HS, which was great. I took the bus to MK, but on the way back to the YC, I rode the monorail from MK to EP and then walked through EP to exit out the IG back to YC. It was a lot of walking, but it was nice to only have one bus ride, especially because YC shares its busses with BC.


As an extra note, here is my Hurricane Idalia saga...

I got up and hit HS first thing on Monday morning, and stopped at the hotel at lunchtime to figure out what to do about the storm. I live in the midwest and while I didn't want to cut my already very short trip shorter, I also didn't want to be stuck. YC told me they could only guarantee me a room through 8/31, because they were at full capacity starting on 9/1 due to Labor Day weekend.

So, I grabbed a late afternoon flight back home on Tuesday instead, and I went to enjoy MK on Monday afternoon. By Monday night, I was starting to worry that I'd still get stuck if I was flying out on Tuesday afternoon, so with help from a TA friend, I swapped my afternoon flight for a morning flight out on Tuesday. Gah...there went my two TS reservations and my dreams of hitting all four parks.

I scheduled an Uber for 7:30 am and gave myself three hours before my flight's departure on Tuesday morning, like WDW recommends. However, I woke in the early hours of Tuesday worried that I wasn't getting up and out early enough...my thought process was that a ton of people might also be trying to check out when I was (I was told by a CM that I had to check out in person because I was leaving my reservation early and it was the only way Disney could give me a refund for my last night). So, I got up even earlier, and hustled down to the lobby at about 6:30 am. GAH! I was literally the only person in the lobby besides the CMs behind the counter. Ugh! They chuckled at how early I was and said from their perspective, most people were extending their stay and were going to ride out the storm at Disney. So, I checked out easily and sat in the lobby with a book until my Uber arrived.

I got to MCO very early, and while security was mobbed, once I got through it (thank goodness for TSA precheck) I was surprised at how calm everything seemed at the gate. No one was rushing around, everyone was kind and in a good mood. Even the gates around mine seemed empty. The investment for the TSA precheck paid for itself for this trip alone, in my opinion. Can't stress enough how grateful I was to breeze through security, not have to take my shoes off, or pull out liquids from my carry ons. Yay!

I flew home without incident, for which I'm grateful. However, now I'm wondering if I should have stayed through 8/31? Of course I didn't have a crystal ball, but would I have been stranded? Or could I have enjoyed more park time and even enjoyed more empty parks? Would I have been able to fly home on my original flight in the late afternoon on 8/30? Or would I have been able to fly home easily today (8/31)?

Needless to say, I told DH that I need a solo trip "do over". He's a peach, and totally agreed. So, I'll be planning a quick solo trip down the road. Feel free to ask any questions or make any suggestions. I'm always open to ideas about how to make a Disney trip even more magical!

Stay safe, Floridians!!!

Glad you enjoyed what you actually had of your trip and thanks for sharing.

Asking in hindsight, everybody has the answer. Hard to make the decision in advance. Many of the hurricane trip reports I've read seem to be positive about the time spent at Disney. But with airlines in the mix, you probably made the right decision to get home when you did as the airlines seem to be the at the core of travel chaos these days.

 

[Miffy]

OP, sorry your trip got cut short but it sounds like you had a good time anyway.

Yes, there are AP-only lines at the entrances to all the parks. I think they're usually on the far-right side of all the entrance tap points. At least the ones I can mentally picture are.

They can be no better than any other entrance, though, since, like anyone else, AP holders can have problems tapping in and, of course, there can be non-AP holders in the line, probably because they didn't even notice that the line was for AP holders only.

 

[BL2020]

Enjoyed your report. Congrats on all your firsts! Sounds like you took the setbacks in stride and good idea for a do-over! YC is I believe the only (or only deluxe) to allow dogs in certain rooms. I believe they have a dedicated wing, so though you got a room in that location it sounds like it was a good one.

 

[Little E]

Thanks for your positive feedback, everyone!

 

[Tigger's ally]

Just wondering if you had a pair of fingernail clippers in your purse? They aren't the greatest thing for zip ties, but they do get the job done if necessary.

 

[ksinniger]

I'm sorry you had to cut your solo trip short. I actually arrived on 8/29 for my solo trip - I joked that I was racing Idalia to Florida. As someone else noted, that was a great week to be there, as the weather kept so many people away, though in WDW it ended up just being strong wind and heavy rain on Wednesday morning.

If you're planning a do-over, and especially if you end up staying in the Boardwalk area, I would recommend the Festival of the Arts time period. I like to think of it as Food & Wine light, with the added bonus of an art show & live Broadway entertainment. Plus, the weather is usually delightful!

 

[Little E]

@ksinniger I LOVED Festival of the Arts this year! My college roommate and I went back in January this year (rescheduled trip from last fall thanks to Hurricane Ian!) and we had a ball. Thanks for the reminder of that great time of year!

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Hi Disfriends!

I'm a Disney vet from the midwest, a relatively new DVC owner, and a brand new AP holder. My DH and I have two DSs (almost 22 and 19). In mid August, we dropped our college freshman off and our college senior off over five days in a 20 hour round trip drive that looped Lake Michigan and spanned four states...with a nail in the right rear passenger tire to boot! We were home for just a couple of days and then we had a friend's daughter's wedding the following weekend in Chicago, so while DH flew home on Sunday, I flew to MCO instead! My solo trip was planned for 8/27-8/30...my very first solo trip! I thought it would be a great way to enter the empty nest phase of life!

I've stayed at lots of resorts on property from values to deluxe, but I've never stayed at the YC, so I booked there. I planned a TS meal at Space 220 in the late afternoon on 8/29 and a breakfast at Kona Cafe on 8/30 and I would fly out in the late afternoon on 8/30. But, Hurricane Idalia had other ideas. My Sunday-Wednesday trip turned into a 36 hour stay from Sunday evening through early morning on Tuesday, with no TS meals at all. Bummer!

Here are a few thoughts about my solo trip...

1. YC was sort of...meh. The CMs were nice, and my room was fine. It was clean and I had a beautiful view of the water, which was delightfully unexpected, as I had booked a standard room. However, the lobby always seemed dark, and I constantly felt like a mouse in a maze, searching for elusive cheese. I got lost every time I stepped out of my room. Because I was on the HS end of the hotel, almost to the Swolphin area, I had to zig zag through so. many. hallways. My sense of direction was challenged for sure in those darned hallways! I had a nice stay, but it's definitely a one and done for me.

2. I was disappointed by the QS offerings at YC. The Ale and Compass Market was small, and the menu was tiny. And, there was no place to sit and eat. A clever CM recommended that I take my food to go and eat in a DVC sitting room, which I did. That area was delightful.

3. While YC was a one and done, staying on the boardwalk itself was AMAZING! I am definitely game to try both BC and BW (I've never stayed at either place) in the future. I LOVED walking to both EP and HS! The location was fabulous!!!!

4. I entered EP around 5:30 pm after a hiccup with my Owners Locker. (Long story very short, my OL was delivered right on time and brought to my room quickly which was great. I realized, however, that I needed scissors to cut the zip ties on the bin which were IN the OL. Gah! I walked down to the front desk to ask for help to either borrow scissors or have some brought to my room and I was told someone would be right up. I waited over an hour, and had to call again and wait another 30 minutes for someone to come with scissors. It all worked out, but for my next trip, I need to plan better and BRING something to cut the zip ties. Dumb on my part, for sure.) I was surprised that the Moana area hasn't made more progress, but had a wonderful time at EP.

5. Mobile ordering is the best thing ever! I mobile ordered every meal, and it worked like a charm! Made getting food so, so easy. I love that you can pay for mobile ordered meals using a Disney gift card too.

6. I was nervous, as this was my first solo trip. Turns out, I loved being solo! I chatted with lovely folks in line, and chatted with terrific CMs. Being solo was no big deal, and I loved calling all the shots! I got to decide where to go, what to eat, and what to do, and I didn't need to gather input from anyone else. Amazing! Although, due to Hurricane Idalia, I had to cancel my TS meals. So, I only ate at QS places. I never got to experience a TS meal solo. And, I realized after I got home, I never got a chance to treat myself to an adult beverage either. Darn!

7. I was surprised by the number of dogs I saw both in the parks and at the YC. I'm a dog lover, so it wasn't a problem for me, but it was an interesting observation. There was even a big dog (yellow lab maybe?) in the room next door to me. I saw its owners taking it out a lot while I was there, and I only heard it bark once, so it wasn't a problem at all. To that end, there were tons of dogs at MCO too. More than I have ever seen before.

8. I got to MK around 1:45 pm on Monday afternoon, and to my surprise, I was able to snag a VQ for Tron. This shocked me! However, I was in boarding group 160, and I was worried enough about the hurricane that I wasn't able to stay in the park long enough in the evening to ride it. I didn't think the VQ stayed open that long! Good to know for next time.

9. I activated my very first AP this trip, and it was neat to be able to go through the AP turnstiles. I only saw a separate line for AP at EP. To other AP holders, are there separate AP lines at other parks, or only at EP?

10. I only rode the bus once during my short stay. I walked to both EP and HS, which was great. I took the bus to MK, but on the way back to the YC, I rode the monorail from MK to EP and then walked through EP to exit out the IG back to YC. It was a lot of walking, but it was nice to only have one bus ride, especially because YC shares its busses with BC.


As an extra note, here is my Hurricane Idalia saga...

I got up and hit HS first thing on Monday morning, and stopped at the hotel at lunchtime to figure out what to do about the storm. I live in the midwest and while I didn't want to cut my already very short trip shorter, I also didn't want to be stuck. YC told me they could only guarantee me a room through 8/31, because they were at full capacity starting on 9/1 due to Labor Day weekend.

So, I grabbed a late afternoon flight back home on Tuesday instead, and I went to enjoy MK on Monday afternoon. By Monday night, I was starting to worry that I'd still get stuck if I was flying out on Tuesday afternoon, so with help from a TA friend, I swapped my afternoon flight for a morning flight out on Tuesday. Gah...there went my two TS reservations and my dreams of hitting all four parks.

I scheduled an Uber for 7:30 am and gave myself three hours before my flight's departure on Tuesday morning, like WDW recommends. However, I woke in the early hours of Tuesday worried that I wasn't getting up and out early enough...my thought process was that a ton of people might also be trying to check out when I was (I was told by a CM that I had to check out in person because I was leaving my reservation early and it was the only way Disney could give me a refund for my last night). So, I got up even earlier, and hustled down to the lobby at about 6:30 am. GAH! I was literally the only person in the lobby besides the CMs behind the counter. Ugh! They chuckled at how early I was and said from their perspective, most people were extending their stay and were going to ride out the storm at Disney. So, I checked out easily and sat in the lobby with a book until my Uber arrived.

I got to MCO very early, and while security was mobbed, once I got through it (thank goodness for TSA precheck) I was surprised at how calm everything seemed at the gate. No one was rushing around, everyone was kind and in a good mood. Even the gates around mine seemed empty. The investment for the TSA precheck paid for itself for this trip alone, in my opinion. Can't stress enough how grateful I was to breeze through security, not have to take my shoes off, or pull out liquids from my carry ons. Yay!

I flew home without incident, for which I'm grateful. However, now I'm wondering if I should have stayed through 8/31? Of course I didn't have a crystal ball, but would I have been stranded? Or could I have enjoyed more park time and even enjoyed more empty parks? Would I have been able to fly home on my original flight in the late afternoon on 8/30? Or would I have been able to fly home easily today (8/31)?

Needless to say, I told DH that I need a solo trip "do over". He's a peach, and totally agreed. So, I'll be planning a quick solo trip down the road. Feel free to ask any questions or make any suggestions. I'm always open to ideas about how to make a Disney trip even more magical!

Stay safe, Floridians!!!

HOW did you use the Disney GC's with Mobile Order?

 

[Little E]

@Forevermarypoppins it was easy peasy, but it requires either physically having the GC with you or having the GC numbers with you. When mobile ordering, go through all the prompts in the payment section. It will give you a choice of paying with a credit card or a Disney gift card. Select gift card, and then it will ask for the GC numbers. Type those in and then there is a button to approve payment from your GC. Done!