I'm still figuring out how to add pics so please bear with me, and thanks to everyone for following along!
Day 0-March 1st
This was my travel day. I actually got upgraded twice! It wasn't that nice, but I appreciated the extra leg room.
I got in around 11pm and by the time I got my bag, waited for the Mears shuttle, and then was dropped off at the hotel, it was really very late.
DH had a super early morning so we just went to bed.
Day 1-March 2nd
Since I knew I would be getting in late, I didn't plan any super early activities. I had FP and an ADR in Epcot, but put them a bit later.
As it was, I was out of the hotel at 9:15 and walked to Epcot(super convenient).
I was through security and in line at Les Halles by 9:35(I tried to stay on top of timings) and got a chocolate croissant, which was delicious.
It was actually really cool in France at this point in the morning because it was nearly empty and the flower and garden show topiaries(spelling?) were already out. Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Belle with her Beast provided nice backdrops and a quiet morning.
Little did I know, this would be the last quiet time in World Showcase.
Mistake #1:Not taking time to appreciate World Showcase without the crowds.
It was crowded every other time(except right before illuminations). I wish I had appreciated the solitude a bit more.
I wanted to get a lot in and thought I could make good time so I started to head toward Futureworld toward The Land and got rather lost.
Mistake #2:Not realizing how large Epcot is or how long to get from Point A to Point B takes.
This mistake would dog me the entire trip, I just never seemed to take into account how large the parks were.
Anyway, I made it in line at The Land at 9:58 and was on the boat at 10:05, off at 10:21. This was my first experience with saying, "just 1" for numbers and CMs(and other riders) on rides that have benches not really knowing if they should send me on my own or with others. It seemed to be half and half.
This ride was more an exercise in nostalgia for me.
When I came to WDW many years ago, my father very much wanted to do The Land and what would have been the Behind the Seeds tour at the time(it was probably called something different). He was a high school science teacher and was starting a hydroponic garden(that eventually took over most of his classroom), and found the whole thing fascinating.
My sister and I vetoed the tour, but rode the boat. I felt so bad riding the boat now, thinking that we should have just done the tour.
The ride itself was ok, but very dated without a ton of great information. We were really close to another boat so the narration seemed to echo.
I headed to Mission Space to use my first FP and choose green.
I got paired with a mom and two kids who looked to be around 9 and 10. The kids kept saying what position they were going to be and mom was saying, "you will be pilot and Jeff gets to be the navigator" without really acknowledging me. I wouldn't have taken their spots, but I had never been on the ride and it just bothered me that she ignored me and what I might like to do.
This was an ok ride. I maybe should have tried it in orange, but I never got back to give that a go.
I then headed to TT single rider line for what was probably the longest wait if my trip.
I got in line at 10:50 and was in the care at 11:14. I know, not so bad but I just don't like waiting!
Pretty much everyone in the SR line was a large group trying to get on quicker, and, to be fair, it didn't seem like anyone was trying to force their way on with multiple people.
This was the sight of my first interesting interaction. There was a couple with grandma behind me talking about getting FPs. They were really having trouble and I finally turned, apologized for eavesdropping and explained the tiered system at Epcot seemed to be stymieing them. They were really nice to talk to, but with Annual Pass holders and came once a month!
They said that I must get to Disney often as I explained a few other FP things. Nope, just super over prepared! Thanks disboards!
TT was ok. This kind of summed up Epcot as none of the rides seemed particularly amazing to me.
I headed to Spaceship Earth for my next FP. Man, that line back up like crazy! And it's mostly outside so not super great.
I checked in at 11:31, was on a car at 11:38 and off at 11:56.
It's a nice ride, but nothing special.
It was at this point that I realized how behind I was.
Mistake #3: Everything at Disney takes much longer than you ever thought it would.
I had assumed that I could knock out all of futureworld that morning, except Soarin. I though I could get Figmet, the Seas with Nemo, and the tanks in addition to what I had already done, but that was not meant to be and I never got back to them.
I had wanted to do all this because I knew about the FP drops for DHS and wanted to try to get one of the earlier ones and book it over there after my ADR.
Revelation #1: I figure I need something to balance the mistakes. so here we are.
Take your time. I rush through vacations, trying to see as much as I can. Somewhere in Epcot that morning, I realized that I should do what I want at a slower pace rather than running like mad everywhere.
I headed over to Club Cool and tried some sodas.
I have done the round the world soda thing Coke does at its Vegas store so i was familiar with all the flavors. Club Cool struck me as sticky and kind of gross. There were cups everywhere and very few clean ones. The machines auto-fill so if I want less, I can't get it.
I also know what Beverly tastes like but decided to give it another go(still not my thing), and noticed a family watching me. I'm guessing they were waiting for a crazy reaction, but, since I knew what was coming, I simply tasted and nodded my head as if I enjoyed such things. I could tell they were disappointed. Sorry random family, it just felt weird with you watching me.
I spent way less time in there than I thought I would so I figured I would mosey toward Norway and FEA.
I stopped in Mexico and rode the Three Caballeros.
I was in line at 12:10, on a boat at 12:13 and off at 12:24.
This was my first encounter with drinking around the world. A couple got in line behind me with full beer glasses and then proceeded to chug them so they could get on the ride. It was their first drink of the day. They were nice, and I don't want to denigrate people who do this, but is definitely not for me and seems like you can't get much done with all that drinking.
Oh my, this ride!
It is what I imagine being on drugs feels like(I'm boring and don't actually know). It was insane, and the story line pretty much all over the place. I would not take time for this again.
I went to FEA to use my FP. I tapped in at 12:29, was on the boat at 12:35 and off at 12:41. It's a nice if uninspiring ride, but I definitely had a fauxpau while on it. I was glued to
MDE and refreshing. I wasn't super immersed in the ride and it wasn't until I got off that I really considered that. It was a shame.
Mistake #4: Refreshing all the time, everywhere.
Since I was by myself this had less of an impact, but I did not do it on rides after this(though I did in a show). It just became an obsession to get new rides, better times, seeing if I could get headliners etc.
If I had had people with me, it would have made for a very unpleasant time for them.
I then lost my pen so things get a bit hazy until the lovely server gave me one of hers.
I wandered through WS toward the UK and got fish and chips from the stand there. The line was backed up so I made the brilliant idea to talk to the CM about Brexit. She didn't really say much after that.
I walked to area behind the shop that has a few tables bordering the Rose and Crown and ate there. It was fine.
Mistake #5: Setting myself up to think that Disney food would be awe-inspiring.
So this may gain me some enemies, but I just didn't think food at WDW was all that great. It wasn't terrible(with a few major exceptions), but it really wasn't all that amazing either.
I had been reading stuff about how this fish and chips beat stuff in the UK and was excited, but it was just a perfectly serviceable fish and chips. This repeated throughout the trip. With few exceptions, food was at most ok.
I wandered around the UK a bit, looking at some things I should have bought because I forgot to come back for them, but then I then actually had an ADR for Rose and Crown.
So you are going to ask, why get the fish and chips with an ADR? Well, Rose and Crown's are amazingly expensive and I really just wanted dessert there.
I waited about 10 minutes and was seated.
I ordered the sticky toffee pudding. I have had this in the UK and absolutely love it!
This was also another nostalgia area for me as I remember when we went to WDW as a kid we had terrible meal, after terrible meal. I remember Chef Mickey's and the Moroccan restaurant being completely horrible, and my father being less than pleased.
However, I remember eating at the Rose and Crown(or whatever it was at the time), and everyone being really happy with the meal. So much so that my father left a massive tip. I can still clearly remember his back to the server, but I saw when she opened the check and saw the tip. I remember her calling people over and showing them, coming back to the table, asking if there was anything else we needed and being so happy. My dad asked for a copy of the menu that I found among his things when he died.
Unfortunately, while the service was amazing(my server was awesome and super sweet), the pudding was ok.
I did see tons of Epcot stuff drop at 1:35, but wanted something in DHS so managed to pick up at SDD for later that day while I was sitting there.
Revelation #2: Take a meal break at a sit down place midday. I didn't do this everyday, but it was apparent that I should have. It was so nice to have an enforced break in the middle of the day to eat and regroup. If I ever get back to WDW, this will be the backbone of my touring strategy. I got to just take a moment and not feel like I needed to find something, do something, look for something.
I tipped 100% because it made me feel good and like I was remembering my father and headed out of the park to take a short rest at the hotel.
I had not accomplished nearly as much as I thought I could, unfortunately.
Next up, Hollywood Studios.