Practically Perfect in Every Way - Julie's Solo Disney Adventure - UPDATED 2/18!!! Finally!

[Lesley Wake]

• Absolutely no photos or videos of Happily Ever After, Illuminations, or any other nighttime spectacular. They should be experienced in person, not through a screen.

• Only take photos on an attraction after you’ve ridden them once already. Exception was made for Kilimanjaro Safaris.

• No phones on attractions. Refreshing for FastPasses can only be done in line or once off the attraction. Any text or call must be ignored and responded to later.

• Stop doing what you think you should and do what you want.

• Don't worry about prices. Get what you want off the menu and in the shops.

• No more Mickey shirts. I really do have enough already.

Love your rules. I always have a hard time with Rule 1, but really I should just follow it and I can always watch better people's videos of the shows later! And Rule 2 I try to follow, but sometimes just can't if I get put in the right spot on the ride (like front row at Small World at Disneyland Paris)!

It’s like FP+ for the airport.

Best description ever!

 

[tiggerpals]

Your rules are great and definitely ones that I strive to follow as well!

MK Morning - Cinderella's Royal Table - Over priced, I know, but my niece is going to love it. She's four years old and loves everything princess. She's going to be Sleeping Beauty for Halloween. Not because she loves Sleeping Beauty but because it was pink and sparkly.

Also my daughters are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2 and that’s exactly why we booked CRT for our next trip. We did Akershus on our last trip and they loved the princesses but they’re going to be so excited to actually be in Cinderella’s castle!

 

[just looking]

I am loving this report so far, as I'll be enjoying Disney World by myself in November! My husband is traveling with me, but it's a work trip for him, so I'll be going to the theme parks by myself. In addition to scheduling my park days to do whatever *I* want, I'm trying to schedule nice dinners that he'll enjoy that don't require park admission.

I'm looking forward to your updates

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 2 Part 1 - Magic Kingdom Morning

After a late night, I had one of my earliest mornings. Luckily it was near the beginning of the trip and I was super excited. I was also headed to Magic Kingdom, which wouldn’t take me long to get to. I didn’t have to wake up until about 6:00 and was out of the room by about 6:30. Every morning before leaving the room, I would take a photo of Bay Lake out on the balcony. The sunrise was always too pretty to resist.

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I walked to MK of course and went through security along the walkway, which is usually super quick. Then I was through the tapstiles at 6:45, waiting with pretty small crowds to be let onto Main Street. For EMH, we had to go through a specific set of tapstiles so they could confirm our reservation.

They let us through around 6:55. After that, I found signs that those there for EMH had to go to the right toward Tomorrowland where our reservations would be checked again. I’m not quite sure why it had to be done twice if everyone was let it at the first rope drop. Why not just check the one time in the park? Anyway, after I was checked again, I was among the crowd headed to Fantasyland.

Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open for EMH, which I knew before going. I’d overhear people talking about wanting to go to Splash or Big Thunder, and felt disappointed for them. Luckily, though, I was headed to Peter Pan first, not Mine Train. Once they dropped the final rope, we were off. Those headed to Mine Train kept going, while those of us headed to Peter Pan veered off to the left toward the castle.

It wasn’t quite a walk-on, but I waited less than five minutes. We wound all the way through the queue, which was actually nice. It’s a really good queue. I was off by 7:10 and then off Winnie the Pooh by 7:20. Then I headed to Storybook Circus where I waited one rotation of Dumbo to ride, then headed to Barnstormer. This was actually high on my list as it’s one of the few attractions at Magic Kingdom I’d never done. The whole experience took about five minutes, and I was off at 7:33.

Done in Fantasyland for the time being, I headed over to Tomorrowland. I walked right onto Space Mountain then headed to Buzz. I forgot you could turn the buggy, and didn’t get a very good score. Oh, well. I was off at 8am.

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So in that first hour, I was able to do six attractions with barely any wait. Magic Kingdom on party days, MNSSHP was scheduled that evening, is the best idea ever. I’d get more done by 3pm than I maybe ever had spending a whole day in Magic Kingdom.

After Buzz, I walked right onto the Peoplemover. I’d wanted to do Astro Orbiter, as that’s another I’ve never done, but the line was just too slow and long to waste precious morning time. I was off Peoplemover by about 8:12, and then headed to the Cheshire Cafe for a Cat Tail.

If you’ve never had one, it’s essentially a chocolate croissant with pink and purple icing. It wasn’t as big as I was anticipating, but that was a good thing. I was able to finish the whole thing, and it was really good. I liked it more than I thought I would. And it was served warm! Sorry for the bad photo. I was sitting in the shade.

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I wasn’t sure what to do after that, but I eventually decided on hitting up a couple PhotoPass spots and going to Adventureland. I had a FP for Jungle Cruise later, but I wanted to ride Pirates with minimal wait. I didn’t end up liking many of my photos, but that’s because I don’t know how to pose on my own. I think they’re all so awkward. Plus, my first photographer wasn’t very creative. She didn’t know how to pose me for the magic shot. But I got them done. The beginning of my slow ease into having my photo taken alone. I generally only like photos of me when I’m with other people, which might be why I got into character greetings this trip. This is the only one I got that I don't hate.

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Then I headed to Pirates and walked right on. Wait times were so low this morning, it was nuts. Since EMH changed from 8am to 7am after I’d already scheduled my FPs, I had some time to kill. I went to Journey of the Little Mermaid and then decided to ride the Mine Train. It was listed as a 25 minute wait, which proved to be accurate actually. At 9:30am! Two and a half hours after people were let in the park! I was amazed.

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I was done at 9:52 and then headed to Philharmagic. I’d already gotten the alert from my FitBit that I hit 8000 steps, so sitting in the air conditioning was in order.

I was out of there by 10:10 and then headed for my first FP: Big Thunder Mountain. The two rides in Frontierland are my absolute favorites. I rode that one quick, then had time to kill before my Splash FP started. So I grabbed a Mickey Ice Cream Bar and hung out in the shade for a bit to wait for it. Second ride on Splash this trip. I was making up for lost time.

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I was off Splash by 11:20 and then headed for another break at the Country Bears. A show had just started, so I found a seat and chilled out. Literally. I don't love the Country Bears. It's probably my least favorite of the classic shows. But I like to visit once each trip.

More Magic Kingdom coming up...

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 2 Part 2 - Magic Kingdom Afternoon

At noon, after the Country Bears, I wanted to catch Mickey’s Friendship Faire at the castle, but the sun was just too brutal. I called it quits after less than ten minutes. I had planned a Jungle Cruise FP for right before my lunch ADR at Skipper Canteen, so I headed in that direction. In case FP was backed up. Well, I walked right on, made my way through the jungle, and hopped right back off. So I had more time to kill before my lunch reservation. Spare time in Adventureland calls for the Tiki Room! I love the Tiki Room.

I made it out of the Tiki Room right at my ADR time. Luckily, Skipper Canteen is right there, and I got there in short order. I didn’t have to wait long to be seated. And I had a wonderful lunch experience. My Skipper was on point. Just enough jokes to be entertaining without going overboard. They had an appetizer special that was right up my alley: shrimp fried and coated in a spicy chili sauce and served in one of their souvenir cups. Saved me from buying a drink for the cup, which I was contemplating.

The shrimp were delicious. Perfectly crispy and the sauce was so good. Underneath was some slaw, which I actually really liked. I am particularly disgusted by mayonnaise, but this slaw wasn’t too bad. Plus the coolness helped offset the spiciness of the shrimp. They weren’t hot spicy, but they had a kick, for sure. And I like a good kick.

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For my entree, I actually got an appetizer. The cold noodles. I didn’t like them as much as I was expecting. They were hotter (spicy hot, not temperature hot) than I wanted. I was looking for something refreshing and this wasn’t it. Oh well. I’ll know better for next time. At least it wasn’t something super heavy to weigh me down.

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My skipper than asked if I wanted dessert. I didn’t want to end on a mediocre note, so I decided to go for it. I got the Coconut Pineapple dessert. “One stick of butter, coming up.” One of the few lines from my skipper I remember. And sure enough, it looks like a stick of butter. Much tastier and lighter, though. Really good. I’m a sucker for coconut and when paired with pineapple, it’s hard to beat. Really, really good.

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After that it was time for Festival of Fantasy. I made it out right around 2pm, so plenty of time to find a spot around the castle in the hub. I was in the sun, which I didn’t love, but I draped a towel around my neck to keep the sun off and it worked rather well. I also had my baseball cap on which helped.

I have to say, the parade was a bit lackluster without Maleficent and her team of thorns. It’s quite the finale, and the parade was a bit blah without it.

Controversial opinion time - I prefer Celebrate a Dream Come True. While, yes, the floats and things aren’t as impressive, the feel of it was just so special to me. I’m a sucker for anything and everything about wishes and dreams and so forth. So the lyrics of the song would get me crying every time. For me, Disney is where I really believe that anything is possible. And Festival of Fantasy for me is just about showing off the cools things they can do. While impressive, not quite as sentimental for me.

I am probably the only person alive who feels this way. But while I’d watch as many Celebrate a Dream Come True parades as possible, Festival of Fantasy isn’t a must do for me anymore. I try and catch it once, but it’s not a big deal if I don’t.

The parade had passed by 2:24 and I was off for the additional FP I scored for Haunted Mansion. And quickly after I went to Small World. I always tend to do those together since they’re close by each other.

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I was done with Small World by a little after 3:00. Knowing the party crowd would soon descend, and not finding any other FP I felt worth staying around for, I decided to head out.

I wandered through some shops for a bit, but decided against buying anything at that time. Luckily none of the shirts were really calling my name. That’s quite unusual.

On the walkway back to the Contemporary, I passed by Josh from EasyWDW.com and the Paging Mr. Morrow YouTube couple. That was kind of cool. I guess they were off to the first MNSSHP of the year. I didn’t stop and talk to either. I don’t want to bother them. Spotting them was really cool, though!

Day 1 comes to an conclusion with some Disney Springs and monorail resorts...

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 2 Part 3 - Disney Springs and Monorail Resorts

Once I made it back to the Contemporary around 3:30, I took time to enjoy the AC. I cleaned up a bit, changed clothes, and called my mom. I decided that anytime I was in my room, I’d use my refillable mug, so I went down to get some Diet Coke. I’m a bit ashamed to admit how much I love the stuff. I wasn’t much of a soda drinker until I went on Weight Watchers. Sounds backwards, right? But Diet Coke became a treat for me since it was 0 Points. And now I love the stuff. Ugh.

Anyway, after a bit of a break, I checked the app to see when the next bus was for Disney Springs. I saw one was coming soon, so I headed out. We left around 5:10, I believe. I shopped around DisneyStyle and Uniqlo, but didn’t find anything I really loved. For some reason, the shirts weren’t doing it for me this trip. Since I have enough already, it’s probably for the best. I did see the Cinderella Spirit Jersey at DisneyStyle which piqued my interest, but I held off.

At World of Disney I got some things. A backpack, since my one shoulder one was bothering me, a photo album, a mug with different castles on it, and then my first pair of ears. I realized I wanted something to help tame my hair without leaving my face in shadow like my ball cap. I got the Mickey Ice Cream ears, which you’ll see in many character photos to come!

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Then came the Marketplace. I found some postcards and a luggage tag that I liked. Then I decided I’d start my pin collection. I really don’t think I’m going to get into trading or really into the limited edition pins. I think I have decided just to collect pins of places and attractions. I found one for the Contemporary and one for Splash Mountain I liked. I want one from each resort I stay in. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t find an Art of Animation during my trip. That’s the only other place I’ve stayed on property.

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I was back at the Contemporary around 8pm. My original plan was to go to Trader Sam’s, but bars are a bit out of my comfort zone. Especially alone. Table service meals are easy for me, but bars are intimidating. But I went to the Polynesian trying to convince myself to do it along the way. I totally wimped out, though, and went to Capt’n Cook’s. I really wanted to try the nachos anyway. And they were the best nachos of my life. The wonton chips were crunchy and the cheese warm and melted. The pork was delicious. Then with the pineapple salsa. Mmmm. So freaking good. This ended up being a great decision. No regrets.

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After that, I wandered in the gift shop before deciding to visit the Grand Floridian as well. So back on the monorail. I wandered in the shops and the lobby for a bit. I always like visiting the monorail resorts each trip. I didn’t stay long, and didn’t find anything I wanted to buy. But it’s so nice and pretty to visit. The music in the lobby really sets the mood. Maybe someday I’ll stay there.

I was back at the Contemporary around 9:20 or so and made it a somewhat early night. It had been a long day, and Epcot was up next!

Total Steps: 25,558 (11.2 miles)

 

[Araminta18]

Long day, but sounds like fun! You got so much done at the MK--one of the perks of being a party of one is that finding new FP is usually pretty easy.

Your nachos look awesome! And as for being intimidated by Trader Sams, heck even with my husband I was intimidated by that place. I don't feel cool enough for it! I think you made an awesome choice

 

[SoosieQ]

Reading along since I am contemplating a solo trip next year. You got a lot done on your MK day! I'm with you, bars are not really my thing. I am OK with eating at restaurants alone. I am thinking of trying Nomad Lounge in AK.

Thanks for doing a trip report!

 

[Lesley Wake]

a mug with different castles on it,

I love that mug! I may need to get it if I ever see it at Disneyland!

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 3 Part 1 - Epcot Morning

It’s Epcot Day! I always like doing the parks in order of opening - MK, EP, HS, AK. Honestly, as long as I start and end with MK, I’m normally okay. But if I have my choice, this is how I do it. Just makes sense to me, even though it really doesn’t matter. Welcome to the inside of my brain.

Anyway, alarm was set for 7am. For some reason I thought Epcot had an 8am EMH that morning, and originally I was going to get up earlier. But the day before, I realized that was my second Epcot day. I was grateful for opportunity for extra sleep. Here’s Day 3’s Bay Lake Photo.



I didn’t have a place that I really wanted to go for breakfast in Epcot except Les Halles, but that would be out of the way this morning. (I’d make it on a future morning.) So I decided to check out Contempo Cafe on my way to the monorail. If it was packed, I’d find something at Epcot. If it wasn’t, I’d stop. Well, it wasn’t, so I stopped and ordered the breakfast sandwich. Ended up being a wise choice as it fuelled me up for a long day. The sandwich was huge, and I only ended up eating half. The bigger “half” but still. It was as big as the plate! And that’s a big 8 inch plate, not a dessert plate!

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After I was fueled up, I headed to the monorail. (I freaking love the Contemporary.) Unfortunately, when I got the the TTC to transfer, we were told the Epcot monorail was down and we’d have to take a bus. Super disappointed, but made the best of it. We actually made good time, and security went quickly, which I wasn’t counting on. So it ended up being okay.

Then came the waiting. I got to Epcot around 8:15, but waited with the Rope Drop crowd in the sweltering sun until 8:55. The Jammitors were awesome, and I could actually see them this time. They were a hoot, and I really enjoyed it. If only there were some shade. I did take one of my favorite photos of the trip, though. Snapped a picture of Spaceship Early real quick, and the sky ended up being so pretty. Loved it.



I was headed to Soarin’ at rope drop. I had a FP for Frozen, and I was hoping for good luck in the Single Rider line at Test Track. Soarin’ is also my favorite Epcot ride, so it was easy to prioritize. There was a bit of a wait, though, since they didn’t seem to be running all theaters. I did luck out with a seat on the very end of A1, next to B1. If I’m in a lower corner, sometimes I ask to sit elsewhere, but if I’m in Section B or Row 1, I’m fine. Doesn’t need to be perfect, but either top row or center works for me.

I love this ride. I know some people hate the new video because of the tilting. And I get it. But the music and everything gets me every time. I freaking love it. I was out by 9:20 and filled up my water bottle at Sunshine Seasons. Because of the sun, I was already almost done with my first bottle of water.

Then I headed to Baymax and Joy/Sadness. Joy/Sadness had a bit of a line, but there was no one for Baymax except the people actually taking the photo, so I went there first. Good choice, because when I was done, there were several parties waiting. I enjoyed meeting him more than I thought. He actually gave an amazing hug. I thought I’d just be leaning into an inflated thing that couldn’t move, but nope. It was awesome.

While there was a bit of a wait for Joy/Sadness, I decided to wait it out. The AC was feeling good and my legs weren’t tired yet. Joy was perfectly joyful. She ran over to me before I could even set my bag down. And Sadness seemed pretty bummed out. They were so cute together. I loved them. Inside Out is a favorite Pixar movie, for sure, so I’m glad I waited.

I was done with all of this by 9:56, so I headed to Spaceship Earth for my first FP. In the past, FP at Spaceship Earth has saved lots of time, but the standby didn’t look bad at all. I was on and off quickly, done at 10:22. I always love this ride. Quintessential Epcot.

Then I decided to check out Test Track. They said the SR line was open, so I went in. I almost walked on the ride. It was kind of crazy. There were only a couple people ahead of me in the SR line. I was off by 10:37. Fifteen minutes after finishing Spaceship Earth. I feel like it must have been a record. I enjoyed it more than I have in the past. Most of the time, I’m not that into it, but do it anyway. This time I really liked it. Not sure why. Could have just been my good mood.

Mission: Space FP followed, then the Seas with Nemo. I love a dark ride. I was done around 11:20, and needed more water. Back to Sunshine Seasons I go. The next thing I wanted to do was meet Mulan in China. So I headed to the World Showcase.​

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 3 Part 2 - Epcot Afternoon

I was a sweaty mess by the time I got to China. The sun was really beating down. So I wandered around the shops and the exhibit on Shanghai Disneyland for a bit. Just before noon, I went to find where Mulan would be meeting, and of course the line was in the sun. I used my personal fan, which helps a bit, but the sun was quickly becoming my enemy on this trip. I didn’t have to wait too long, and Mulan was very sweet. She liked my ears and said something about Mushu taking a bite out of them, which was funny. I was done around 12:10.

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I wanted to meet Snow White, but wasn’t sure what to do until she met at 12:30. So I nixed those plans and headed back to Mexico to ride the Gran Fiesta Tour. On the way, I stumbled upon Donald. This line was in the shade and not very long, so I stopped. I love his outfit in Mexico. He was so sweet and gave a great hug. I was really warming up to meeting characters.

Then I wandered into the AC, rode the Fiesta Tour, and checked out the Coco ofrenda on display. It was really pretty. I like the Mexico pavilion a lot.

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Up next was my Frozen Ever After FP. The line for this ride is proving to be less and less busy as time goes on. I have a hunch it will return to Maelstrom days. Anyway, I got a bench to myself and found a pair of sunglasses setting there. I left them and made a mental note to take them with me when I was done. I really like this ride. Olaf is adorable, and I love the part where you go backwards. So cool.

When I was waiting for the boat ahead of us to unboard, I saw a family waiting off to the side. I wondered if they were waiting for a pair of sunglasses. As my boat pulled up, I had the glasses in my hand, and the man looked at me. I smiled and asked, “Looking for some glasses?” As I was getting out of the boat, he gave a huge sigh of relief and thanked me profusely. Don’t know if they were expensive ones or not, I’m not an expert, but it’s always nice to make someone’s day. Maybe he thought someone would steal them? Not this gal. I bring two pairs of cheap sunglasses to Disney, just in case I lose one or they fly off on a roller coaster by accident.

Then I explored Germany a bit. I had time to kill before my Via Napoli reservations. I ended up check in early anyway. I was seated a little early, but not by much. My server was really nice. I got the Arancini as an appetizer and the Quattro Formaggi pizza to follow. The Arancini were good. Nice and hot, and the cheese super gooey. But they could stand to put a little more sauce on the plate.



I really liked the pizza, but couldn’t come close to finishing it all. Those risotto balls really filled my stomach. I did take the rest of the pizza to go, but ended up throwing it away after decided to spend the whole day at Epcot and not take a break at the resort. All in all, I spent about an hour at Via Napoli. A leisurely lunch in the middle of a hot Epcot was perfect. Long lunches are going to be my new normal, for sure.

I decided to walk back to Germany to see if Snow White was still meeting. The line was in the sun once again, so I opened my umbrella for some shade. It only sort of worked. Snow White was perfection. She even did the voice perfectly. She also did a great job of not making me feel awkward. This was getting easier. The attendants would sometimes look at me funny for being a solo adult, but the characters were always wonderful.

Then I rushed off to try and make it to see Belle. Belle is my favorite princess, and I much prefer her in her blue dress than the yellow. And she only meets in that dress in France. So I booked it. I was again a sweaty mess when I got in line, and up went the umbrella. It was a decent line, but it moved quickly. Only thing was, right before I went up, a woman came up and asked if I’d have Belle sign her autograph book. She didn’t want to meet her, but wanted her autograph. I said sure. But most of my photos have her signing this book. We only got two posed photos and my eyes were closed in one. So I made a note to try and come back on my next Epcot day.

After that, I took a bathroom/water break in The Land. My new go-to spot. I booked a 4th FP for the Character Spot and made it through there pretty quick. Goofy was especially fun. He acted all bashful and motioned for a kiss. Then tried to walk off with me when we were done with photos.

I got a 5th FP for Soarin’, but headed to Living with the Land first. I don’t love this one, but it’s a nice relaxing time. I usually do it just once per trip. For Soarin’, I got a seat on B1 without asking. Score! The family next to me was really obnoxious, though. Almost ruined the whole experience. Filming it on their cameras, taking selfies, and laughing really loud and talking through the whole thing. Ugh.

When I got off, though, I heard a child behind me ask their dad, “Did we imagine that?” Oh, man. To see Disney through a child’s eyes. Priceless. The dad laughed and said, “No, it actually happened.”

That was around 4:30. I was fairly whooped, but determined to make it to Illuminations. And not willing to waste time on a bus or monorail to make it back to the resort. So I found some shade and bench and called each my mom and my sister. Chatted a bit. It was a nice break. I went to the Pixar Shorts next around 5:00 or so. Same shorts as last year, but I liked them a lot. Not a bad way to spend 20 minutes.

I had found a 6th FP for Test Track, so I ventured that way. This time I designed my car. I don’t find this necessary in order to enjoy the ride, but I did it anyway.

I was out by 6:00 and ventured into Mouse Gears for some shopping. I found the perfect onesie for my friend who is expecting a baby. When I went to check out, I had an awesome cast member who noticed that my discount wasn’t working right.

To make a long story short, we were reclassified at my job. When this happened, our effective start dates reset. I lost all six years of my service, so my additional discount went away. You start at 20%, but when you’ve been with Disney for three years you get bumped to 35%. This is marked by an A or B on your ID. I still had a B on my ID, meaning 35%, but when they swipe my card, it came up as 20%. I asked about it at World of Disney, seeing they would honor the letter. The Disney Store in Times Square did, so I thought I’d ask. The manager was not friendly at all and refused. It was such an unpleasant interaction that I decided not to ask in the future. I just wouldn’t buy things unless I really wanted them.

Anyway, this cashier at Mouse Gears noticed I had a B and got confused when the wrong discount came up. We talked a long time about how it didn’t make any sense, and he was super sympathetic about it, which was a nice change from the manager at World of Disney. Who acted like I was trying to scam him or something. Don’t they know by now that Disney HR can be...well...difficult? Trying to be nice here. Don’t want to get in trouble. Safe to say, Disney is better to their guests than their employees. I don’t think this is a secret.

I promise, all of that will be important in the days to come. You didn’t read it for nothing.

Up next is more FP, a new treat, and some great memories.

 

[Araminta18]

Sounds like a good morning! That sandwich looks yummy. And awesome about Test Track! Gotta love working that single rider line.

 

[juuuliebeth]

Day 3 Part 3 - Epcot Evening

I used up most of my pictures in this last post. Won't be so many in this one, but I will share a favorite memory.

Back to Epcot. I got a 7th FP for Soarin’. I’d ride it over and over again if I could. And once again, I got B1 without even asking. I was with a family where the husband/boyfriend hadn’t ridden yet. The mom and daughter had. The mom and I were sitting next to each other and talking about how she and her daughter loved it but he hadn’t been on it yet. I loved hearing his reactions through the ride. “Woah!” “This is so cool!” “How do they do that?” It was amazing. After the ride was over, I heard him say, “Worth the $300 right there. We have to do that again.”

Twice in the same day, I heard just how awesome the Disney Magic is on Soarin’. So say what you want about it, but I think it’s one of the best attractions they have ever done. It could stand to be improved a bit, but until then, I’ll continue to enjoy it!

I was out of Soarin’ around 6:40 and was starting to get a little hungry. The pizza had filled me up, but I wanted a little something. I’d heard about the Croque Glace at L’Artisan in France, so I headed there. On my way, close to 7pm or so, I saw that Aurora was out meeting people. She was way past her posted meet time, but was still there. There was hardly a line, and the girl who got in line right after me and I were talking about how surprised we were to see her. Lines normally get cut off pretty quick. But the line grew after us, and she seemed to stay a while. I actually had great luck in Epcot with character lines. I was surprised. Aurora was awesome. So sweet. And I loved our photos. I was collecting a lot of princesses, and it become a theme in the days to come.

Then I headed off to L’Artisan. A huge family got in line before me, which was frustrating. But when they saw the menu, they realized that they wanted to be at Les Halles. So they left, and I was next! I got the Croque Glace and it’s an absolute new favorite and must do on future trips. If you don’t know what they are, it’s an ice cream sandwich, where you get your choice of ice cream and sauce on a brioche bun and it’s pressed like a panini.

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I chose a peanut butter ice cream with candied peanuts in it with chocolate sauce. And oh, man. Since it was brioche and not a cookie, it wasn’t overly sweet. Then with the warm outside and cold inside, it was just a perfect treat. I loved everything about it. If there weren’t so many other things to try in Epcot, I might have had another one later in my trip. But I’ll definitely be back in the future.

So I sat in France and enjoyed my Croque Glace for a bit. Then I decided I’d check out the Anna/Elsa line. I had a FP for Illuminations and had time to kill. The line ended up being only 20 minutes, but my legs were killing me at this point. I just really wanted to sit down. So I found a bench in the shade and just chilled out. It was around 8:00 or so. Around 8:25, I got into the FP area for Illuminations. I got to sit while waiting, and I took a Disney World survey on my phone while I waited. They had emailed it to me, and I needed something to occupy my time.

Illuminations was at 9:00. With rumors of a replacement, it was worth waiting around after a long day. It was my first nighttime attraction at Disney World in 2009. Because of rain, Wishes was cancelled on our first night. On our Epcot day, we got rained out of the park. We were staying off site and needed to return to the condo for supper anyway, but we left earlier in the afternoon than we planned. We were drenched. One friend and I agreed we just wanted to stay at the condo, and those who wanted to go back to Epcot were insane. But we went anyway. We didn’t want to be party poopers.

And I think this was the night I became a Disney convert. When we got back to Epcot, we rode Soarin’ for the first time. And all of us were amazed and in love. (Hence, my continued love of of the ride.) We also rode the Seas with Nemo and wandered around the aquariums as well. It was the first time I’d ever seen a dolphin in person and I was mesmerized.

Then we headed to the World Showcase and found a place to watch the show. I had no idea what it would be, but I was in a better mood at this point. Then when it started, I was in awe. The music and the fireworks and the globe. That’s when I feel like I really found Disney Magic for the first time. We’d watch Wishes two times later in the trip, and that easily became my favorite, but there will always be a place in my heart for Illuminations and how it showed me that you can’t be a party pooper at Disney. There’s magic around every corner if you look for it.

I hope this wasn’t the last time I see Illuminations, but if it is, I went out in style. Because I was in the FP area, I was actually able to make a quick exit before the crowds descended. I wasn’t sure if the monorail would be working, but it was! I was so excited. It would still be about an hour from the time I left Illuminations until I’m back at the Contemporary. But it’s better than a bus.

I got to the monorail at 9:20, but just missed it. Another one came by in ten minutes. Ten minutes later we’re at the TTC. About ten minutes after that, the resort monorail arrives. Then about twenty minutes later, I’m back at the Contemporary. But the monorail is almost an attraction for me. I don’t mind a longer ride.

It was a really long day, so I was quick to shower and get to bed. Especially with a 7am EMH at Hollywood Studios the next morning.

Total Steps: 24,955 (10.9 miles)

 

[Araminta18]

What a lovely Illuminations memory! And Disney Magic on Soarin is indeed real--flying into the fireworks is my favorite part

 

[darlaya]

Love your trip report. You are inspiring my solo trip for 1/6-1/11. Can't wait. Your rules are wonderful reminders of how to just enjoy what you love and be in the moment. I am looking forward to the experience.

 

[SG131]

Your trip report is great! I’ll be doing my first solo trip in less than 60 days so this is a fun read as I wait!

Maybe the sunglasses were prescription?

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like a great day at MK and night at disney springs!

Lots of great character photos at Epcot!

 

[annie170]

I've fallen a bit behind, but all caught up now.

It sounds like you had several really great days. Having a productive day in the parks is such a good feeling.

Your character photos came out really cute. Belle is my favorite, too!

I'm also a diet coke lover. I have to limit myself to two cans a day.

I would love to see Josh and Paging Mr. Morrow in the parks! I think Nate and Veronica are approachable and enjoy when people say hello.

The Croque Glace looks delicious! I need to try that next visit.

 

[suse66]

The sunrise was always too pretty to resist.

Gorgeous picture!

More Magic Kingdom coming up...

What an amazing morning at MK! You accomplished so much! I tried the Cheshire Cat tail as well and really loved it.

My skipper than asked if I wanted dessert. I didn’t want to end on a mediocre note, so I decided to go for it. I got the Coconut Pineapple dessert. “One stick of butter, coming up.” One of the few lines from my skipper I remember. And sure enough, it looks like a stick of butter. Much tastier and lighter, though. Really good. I’m a sucker for coconut and when paired with pineapple, it’s hard to beat. Really, really good.

This looks amazing!

Controversial opinion time - I prefer Celebrate a Dream Come True. While, yes, the floats and things aren’t as impressive, the feel of it was just so special to me. I’m a sucker for anything and everything about wishes and dreams and so forth. So the lyrics of the song would get me crying every time. For me, Disney is where I really believe that anything is possible. And Festival of Fantasy for me is just about showing off the cools things they can do. While impressive, not quite as sentimental for me.

I am the same. I loved Wishes and the Celebrate Dreams Come True was the first parade I saw at Disney. I just loved the music.

At World of Disney I got some things. A backpack, since my one shoulder one was bothering me, a photo album, a mug with different castles on it, and then my first pair of ears. I realized I wanted something to help tame my hair without leaving my face in shadow like my ball cap. I got the Mickey Ice Cream ears, which you’ll see in many character photos to come!

Great shopping!

was back at the Contemporary around 8pm. My original plan was to go to Trader Sam’s, but bars are a bit out of my comfort zone. Especially alone. Table service meals are easy for me, but bars are intimidating. But I went to the Polynesian trying to convince myself to do it along the way. I totally wimped out, though, and went to Capt’n Cook’s. I really wanted to try the nachos anyway. And they were the best nachos of my life. The wonton chips were crunchy and the cheese warm and melted. The pork was delicious. Then with the pineapple salsa. Mmmm. So freaking good. This ended up being a great decision. No regrets.

I was trying to work up the courage to go to Trader Sams on my own too but chickened out as well. Ended up at Tambu but didn't get the Nachos. Now putting them on my list for December!

The sandwich was huge, and I only ended up eating half. The bigger “half” but still. It was as big as the plate! And that’s a big 8 inch plate, not a dessert plate!

It is a huge sandwich, looks great though!

Snapped a picture of Spaceship Early real quick, and the sky ended up being so pretty. Loved it.

Beautiful!

TE="juuuliebeth, post: 59836607, member: 622887"]Then I explored Germany a bit. I had time to kill before my Via Napoli reservations. I ended up check in early anyway. I was seated a little early, but not by much. My server was really nice. I got the Arancini as an appetizer and the Quattro Formaggi pizza to follow. The Arancini were good. Nice and hot, and the cheese super gooey. But they could stand to put a little more sauce on the plate.[/QUOTE]That looks like a delicious meal but huge!

Aurora was awesome. So sweet. And I loved our photos. I was collecting a lot of princesses, and it become a theme in the days to come.

I love this picture! You did so well with your character meets!

I got the Croque Glace and it’s an absolute new favorite and must do on future trips. If you don’t know what they are, it’s an ice cream sandwich, where you get your choice of ice cream and sauce on a brioche bun and it’s pressed like a panini.

Wow! I need this in my life!

I had no idea what it would be, but I was in a better mood at this point. Then when it started, I was in awe. The music and the fireworks and the globe. That’s when I feel like I really found Disney Magic for the first time.

Ok, I just got a little teary reading this... you brought back memories of watching Illuminations with my then 8 year old little boy. He slipped his hand into mine and said "Mummy, it's just so beautiful that it makes my heart feel happy."

 

[apxstitch]

This is my first time following a trip report. I'm really enjoying your journey so far. I start my first ever solo trip tomorrow